Under the Guidance of Ruby Ross Wood

Can someone please tell me what it means when one would rather stay at home reading old magazines than to go out on the town? Well, whatever the diagnosis, I'm finding myself engrossed at night with my new stash of 1930s House & Gardens. There is a lot of good material in them that I'll feature in future blog posts.

So far, I'm intrigued by these five rooms that were created specifically for the May 1934 issue of the magazine. Some of the rooms' color schemes seem a little muddy, but there is a certain charm to the decor. (I especially find the valances to be rather striking.) It's worth noting that Ruby Ross Wood assisted the House & Garden editors in creating these design schemes. That makes the rooms especially intriguing, don't you think?

Because the condition of the magazine was so delicate, I had to photograph the photos rather than scam them- hence the photos' wonkiness. I'm also including the manufacturers of each room's furnishings beneath the corresponding photos. You might be interested to see that some of them are still in business today.

Image at top: The Living Room; furniture by Kittinger; Drapery and upholstery fabric by Schumacher; floor covering by Alexander Smith & Sons.



The Library. Furniture by Baker; drapery and upholstery fabric by Orinoka Mills; wallcovering by Thomas Strahan Company; floor covering by Armstrong Linoleum.




The Dining Room. Furniture by Baker; Drapery fabrics by Celanese Corporation; upholstery fabric by Greeff & Company; floor covering by Karastan.





No. 1 Bedroom. Furniture by Kittinger; Upholstery fabric by Greeff & Company; wall covering by Thibaut.





No. 2 Bedroom. Furniture by Tapp, de Wilde & Wallace, Inc; wallcovering by Thibaut; floor covering by Mohawk.