Set of 3 Interior Design Classics — Wharton, Parish & De Wolfe Biographies

A distinguished trio of interior design classics highlighting the evolution of decorative arts from the late 19th to the 20th century. This set includes The Decoration of Houses by Edith Wharton and Ogden Codman Jr. (W.W. Norton, 1978 and 1997 editions), Sister: The Life of Legendary American Interior Decorator Mrs. Henry Parish II by Apple Parish Bartlett and Susan Bartlett Crater (St. Martin’s Press, 2000), and Elsie de Wolfe: A Decorative Life by Nina Campbell and Caroline Seebohm (Clarkson N. Potter, 1992).

Wharton and Codman’s The Decoration of Houses established the foundation of American interior design, promoting balance, order, and classical proportion. Sister provides an intimate biography of pioneering decorator Sister Parish, renowned for her comfortable yet refined style and influence on the Kennedy White House. A Decorative Life celebrates Elsie de Wolfe, often considered America’s first professional decorator, through vivid photography and biographical insight. Together, these volumes trace the development of modern interior style through the lives and work of its defining figures—making them essential for design scholars, decorators, and collectors alike.

Condition

Overall in good to very good condition. The 1978 Decoration of Houses shows notable dust jacket wear with tears and creasing at edges, while the 1997 edition remains clean and well-preserved with minimal handling. Sister and A Decorative Life retain crisp, bright pages and glossy jackets with light shelf wear only. Minor crease and faint mark on one Wharton endpaper, as shown. Bindings secure; interiors bright and unmarked.

Dimensions

Each volume approximately 10.25 x 7.25 inches.
Total of three hardcover books with dust jackets.