Candace Wheeler

Born in Delhi, New York, Candace Wheeler became one of the most important figures in early American interior design and is often described as the "mother of interior design" in the United States. She built her career at a time when professional opportunities for women were limited, and she became known for showing that design could be both creative work and a practical business.

Wheeler helped found the Society of Decorative Art in New York, which supported women seeking paid work in the decorative arts. She later co-founded the firm Associated Artists, where she worked on interiors, textiles, and other design projects. Her writing and design work encouraged a more comfortable, distinctly American approach to home decoration.

Beyond her business success, Wheeler is remembered for linking art with independence for women. She wrote about design, promoted craft and interior work as serious fields, and left a lasting mark on how American homes were imagined and furnished.