American designing schools still taught historical imitations according to programs prepared on the basis of Beaux-Arts system, and often students were required to prepare projects of given historical styles. In many schools interior decorating was taught under the subject called house organizing, assuming that students may in future make use of this knowledge during arrangement of their own apartments. Syrie Maugham worked as a professional interior decorator in the USA and Great Britain. American designers applying eclectic style as Ruby Ross Wood, Rosę Cumming, Nancy McClelland and McMillen Company, Inc. Smyth Urąuhart & Marckwald, performed interior decoration projects of ships, e.g. „America" liner. Frances Elkins worked in California, Dorothy Draper, the most famous American interior decorator designed residential, hotel and restaurant interiors, office spaces with own ornamental style. Mrs. Henry („Sister") Parish II (1910-94) became famous due to copying style of English province.
But there were also designers who gave up historical imitations. They were able to create styles more suitable for the modern world and at the same they avoided functional uniformism of the international style. T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings (1909-73)who was born and graduated schools in Great Britain, but who worked in America, made projects of furniture in economic classicism that were perfect for simple, posh interiors. He was mainly interested in furniture of ancient Greece and he created „Klismos" modern model of chair that for some time was produced by Widdicomb Furniture Company in Grand Ra-pids, Michigan.
Edward Wormley (1907-95) got famous due to tasteful, simple furniture, produced by Dunbar Furniture Company in Berne (Indiana). Furniture for Dunbar was exhibited in cautious arrangements. Also William Pahlmann (1906-87)shall be mentioned among many other gifted decorators that promoted different styles, whose interiors furnished with elaborated flower decoration for Lord and Taylor department store in New York became well known, along with Billy Baldwin (1903-84), who was a designer of trendy interiors, in particular valued by rich clients.
Development of modern interior design in America in 30 and 40 was curbed by luck of suitable, modern furniture. Quite mundane furniture of steel structure was manufactured by Globe-Wernecke and General Fireproofing (at present G.F.), still there were not any modern furniture for residential and public interiors. An exception to this comprised furniture manufactured by Gilbert Rohde and produced by Herman Miller, whose style was similar to art deco, what was quite contrary to simplicity that was wanted by designers promoting the international style. Artek Finish Company found markets for products designed by Alvar Aalto and Thonet, and also produced other items purposed for modern interiors. In spite of that designers very often had to design furniture for given interiors by themselves or they had to make use of product available on the market.
Philip Johnson, Szklany Dom, New Canaan, Connecticut, 1949
During close cooperation with Mięs van der Rohe Johnson, designed his own house under inspiration of his Farnsworth House (See page 277). This building is of rectangle shape with four glass walls from the floor up to the ceiling. Flooring from red tiles and surrounding greenery made for colours. Furniture designed by Mięs van der Rohe were made from Brown leather and chrome frame.
Source: John Pile "Historia Wnętrz", Arkady 2000
