Episode #11: Chintz and Mirrors

Join us for a quiet night in to help Jennifer celebrate the pleasures of home.  No one loves “nesting” more than Jennifer, so in this episode we look at nest-building from the perspective of two taste-makers from the early Twentieth Century:  Elsie de Wolfe, who many consider the inventor of interior design as a profession, and Edith Wharton, who, when not writing classic American literature, poured her passion into home décor.  Jennifer explores the curriculum of an interior design degree program and learns what it takes to become a professional interior designer today.  She then looks back at the design principles embraced by the designers of a hundred years ago.  Along the way we spend some time with Ludwig Bemelmans, friend of Elsie de Wolfe and chronicler of their friendship, and take a quick side trip over to The Frick Collection in New York.  And, of course, we wrap up with Jennifer’s Favorite Thing of the Week.

Songs in this episode:

·        Anything Goes by Cole Porter

·        That Black and White Baby of Mine by Cole Porter and performed by Bobby Short

Books referenced:

·        The House in Good Taste by Elsie de Wolfe

·        The Decoration of Houses by Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman

·        The One I Love the Best by Ludwig Bemelmans

Articles:

·        Elsie de Wolfe: The American Pioneer Who Vanquished Victorian Gloom

·        Appreciating Edith Wharton's Other Career

Other:

·        The Frick Collection Virtual Tour

·        The Mount, Edith Wharton's Home

·        Tangee Lipstick at the Vermont Country Store

·        (Video)  Jennifer tries out Tangee Lipstick

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