author
Elsie De Wolfe
1865–1950
Widely remembered as a pioneer of professional interior decorating, she helped turn light, comfort, and simplicity into a modern style. Before that, she worked on the stage and moved easily through New York, London, and Paris society.
1 Audiobook
The House in Good Taste
by Elsie De Wolfe
About the author
Born Ella Anderson de Wolfe in New York, she became known first as an actress and later as one of the most influential decorators of the early 20th century. Britannica describes her as an American interior decorator, hostess, and actress, while Wikipedia notes that she was also the author of The House in Good Taste (1913), a book closely associated with her design ideas.
Her decorating style pushed back against heavy Victorian rooms, favoring brighter interiors, painted furniture, lighter fabrics, and a sense of ease. Her work for New York's Colony Club is often singled out as a breakthrough that helped define her reputation and shape what many people came to think of as modern interior decoration.
Later known as Lady Mendl, she remained a visible social figure as well as a tastemaker. The dates you provided, 1865–1950, match major biographical references that place her death in 1950 and identify her as a lasting early force in the history of interior design.