AFA 18th Anniversary

18th Anniversary 108 www.afamag.com | w ww.incollect.com Traditional does not denote elaborate, monumental , or expensive. “ [ I ]n the private house, modest materials should be used elegantly, and elegant materials modestly.” 1 On page 64 of The Decoration of Houses (1897), Wharton and Codman noted, “. . . it is chiefly because the decorative value of openings has ceased to be recognized that modern rooms so seldom produce a satisfactory or harmonious impression.” They maintained that perfectly designed windows did not require curtains for decoration, as in this bay of windows in Maine illustrates. I find that floors are useful in their ability to impart regularity to a room, holding the space together visually. As Wharton and Codman noted, “Like the walls of a room, the floor is a background: it should not furnish pattern, but set off whatever is placed upon it.” [ The Decoration of Houses (1897), 100.] The sitting area of a New York loft features a carpet designed by Jayne Studio and made by Stark carpets.