Elsie de Wolfe

Elsie de Wolfe (1865-1950) was an American actress, interior designer, author of the 1913 inspiring The House in Good Taste, and a well-known figure in New York, Paris and London society. She was the first woman to make a profession as an interior designer. She believed that the decoration of the home should reflect a women’s personality, rather than her husband’s wealth. Elsie did not care for the dark and heavy Victorian interiors she grew up with, and therefore designed rooms to be light and fresh like the 18th century French style. Elsie’s spaces were always open and colorful, and she enjoyed using faux finishes and animal prints as well.