Elsie de Wolfe (1865—1950) was an American interior decorator, hostess, and actress, best known for her innovative and anti-Victorian interiors.
Also known as Lady Mendl, de Wolfe lived a glamorous life as a well-known member of the European cafe society and earned the title of “grand dame of modern decorating”.
She is believed to be the creator of the interior design profession and called the ‘first modern professional decorator’ by many.
De Wolfe’s contribution to interior design was monumental, inventing the profession and revolutionizing interior spaces with her anti-Victorian aesthetic.
Her philosophy emphasized comfort, simplicity, and functionality, influencing the industry significantly.
De Wolfe showed the world the importance of pale color schemes, painted woodwork and airy interiors, and that floral chintzes and leopard print can actually be stylish if used in the right way.
She is also the first designer to use the painted trellis as an indoor wall-covering, which gained a huge popularity and is used by many interior designers over the years.
De Wolfe introduced animal-print carpeting and mirrored walls, revolutionizing the interior design world.
More of Elsie de Wolfe’s remarkable career can be found at https://www.gardnermuseum.org/blog/interior-decorator-elsie-de-wolfe,https://www.interiorsicons.com/blog/elsie-de-wolfe and https://www.interiorsicons.com/blog/elsie-de-wolfe.
Humoring the Goddess 
Wicked wonderful! I loved the tassels around the wall art… and so much more that I had to visit the post a few times in a row. xx
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Super! You know — now that you mention it, I had to look a bit closer a couple of times, too, to really note the difference between heavy Victorian and post-Victorian decor. And I LOVE the idea of painted lattice for an arbor — gives me ideas — hahaha—
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