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The House in Good Taste
·
Elsie De Wolfe
4
How,
then,
may
we
go
about
accomplishing
our
ideal?
By
letting
it
go!
By
forgetting
this
vaguely
pleasing
dream,
this
evidence
of
our
smug
vanity,
and
making
ourselves
ready
for
a
new
ideal.
By
considering
the
body
of
material
from
which
it
is
good
sense
to
choose
when
we
have
a
house
to
decorate.
By
studying
the
development
of
the
modern
house,
its
romantic
tradition
and
architectural
history.
By
taking
upon
ourselves
the
duty
of
self-taught
lessons
of
sincerity
and
common
sense,
and
suitability.
By
learning
what
is
meant
by
color
and
form
and
line,
harmony
and
contrast
and
proportion.
When
we
are
on
familiar
terms
with
our
tools,
and
feel
our
vague
ideas
clearing
into
definite
inspiration,
then
we
are
ready
to
talk
about
ideals.
We
are
fit
to
approach
the
full
art
of
home-making.
We
take
it
for
granted
that
every
woman
is
interested
in
houses--that
she
either
has
a
house
in
course
of
construction,
or
dreams
of
having
one,
or
has
had
a
house
long
enough
wrong
to
wish
it
right.
And
we
take
it
for
granted
that
this
American
home
is
always
the
woman's
home:
a
man
may
build
and
decorate
a
beautiful
house,
but
it
remains
for
a
woman
to
make
a
home
of
it
for
him.
It
is
the
personality
of
the
mistress
that
the
home
expresses.
Men
are
forever
guests
in
our
homes,
no
matter
how
much
happiness
they
may
find
there.
You
will
express
yourself
in
your
house,
whether
you
want
to
or
not,
so
you
must
make
up
your
mind
to
a
long
preparatory
discipline.
You
may
have
only
one
house
to
furnish
in
your
life-time,
possibly,
so
be
careful
and
go
warily.
Therefore,
you
must
select
for
your
architect
a
man
who
isn't
too
determined
to
have
his
way.
It
is
a
fearful
mistake
to
leave
the
entire
planning
of
your
home
to
a
man
whose
social
experience
may
be
limited,
for
instance,
for
he
can
impose
on
you
his
conception
of
your
tastes
with
a
damning
permanency
and
emphasis.
I
once
heard
a
certain
Boston
architect
say
that
he
taught
his
clients
to
be
ladies
and
gentlemen.
He
couldn't,
you
know.
All
he
could
do
is
to
set
the
front
door
so
that
it
would
reprove
them
if
they
weren't!
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