Metamorphosis of a Room

A designer's home is his laboratory, so it's not unusual for it to be a constantly changing and evolving thing. I think this is quite evident in the former apartment of the late, great Van Day Truex. In a previous post, I showed you a photo of his apartment that was taken in 1944 (click here to see that post). I'm including it again as the very top image. The apartment is rather soft and subtle with touches of light blue and black against white walls.

Jump ahead to 1946 (image 2) where the apartment is dominated by vibrant green curtains and upholstery and black walls. The gilt framed mirror and chairs adds some shimmery opulence to the room. To me, the apartment has a very European flair. But, Truex must have been restless, because in 1949, the scheme changes yet again. This time, it's all about red. Red walls, red curtains, and red upholstery. The panes of mirror above the fireplace have been removed, and the framed mirror, the side chairs, and the mats around the artwork provide counterpoints of white (also, check out the fluffy white rug in the center of the room). Again, the room is rather formal, much like the green version, but things seemed to be slightly more restrained than its predecessor.

My favorite version, though, is the pared down 1951 scheme (seen below). I think we now see the modern vision that I associate with Truex. Gone are the ornate curtains and upholstery. The background of the room is rich umber, and the furniture is upholstered in browns and yellow (specifically Siamese yellow). Truex has added modern pieces such as Eames chairs (not visible in the images below), and the windows now have bamboo blinds. And there is no rug- we finally see the polished wood floor. The room now has more of a refined, contemporary American aesthetic, and this, to me, was the genius of Truex.