Remember our delicious story about Louisa Kostich Cowan, protege of Hazel Dell Brown? Hazel Dell Brown, head of Armstrong Floors’ interior design department for decades: The most influential residential interior designer of the 20th Century — who you probably never heard of. Today: 21 of her designs from 1941 — along with the entire catalog (from my personal collection) in a slide show at the end. Lovely interiors — for kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms and more — for us to scrutinize for an expert’s view on how to put together a room beautifully.
1941 kitchens designed by Hazel Dell Brown:
Kitchens are the heart of the home — and with so many new appliances available, in 1941 homemakers were certainly dreaming of updating theirs. In 1941, Dell Brown’s interiors still reflected the deco/streamline design sensibility that was prevalent throughout the 1930s. The colors are generally soft, easy on the eye. And as usual, she pushes the envelope — there’s some wackadoodle in here — hey, let’s hear it for testing new frontiers! And remember: These designs are all about promoting the Armstrong floors, countertops, and on occasion, wall coverings, too. So the interiors are meant to be dramatic and appealing — to get you to look at the advertisement.
Above: Polka dots AND red geraniums in a pink kitchen — awesome! We have not talked for a long long time about how red geraniums were, without a doubt, the signature flower of the mid-20th Century. This was one of my fascinations in the very earliest days of the blog.
1941 bathrooms by Hazel Dell Brown:
Not too many bathrooms in the catalog. Note that Dell Brown wanted color! Pink or green fixtures, please!
Other interior designs by Hazel Dell Brown in 1941:
Soft pink, soft green, soft blue — lovely.
Above: I adore this foyer. Check out the hooked wool rugs from Dash & Albert. Most of their designs are now too contemporary in both pattern and palette for 1940s sand 1950s spaces, but there are a few that still make my heart skip a beat. Oh that Gypsy Rose! And the Siena Rose (link seems broken – check the site) looks like it would be a fine proxy for the one above.
These puppies are expensive. You can watch their Outlet Store Facebook page for occasional deals, and there’s a big onsite sale coming up over Labor Day.
OR: Watch estate sales for rugs like these. I see them quite frequently, and they generally are quite inexpensive. They are also generally in really good shape. Dirty perhaps, but the wool — it lasted. And I think folks were careful with them. Goodness, do I love hooked wool rugs!
Above: Love the floral chinz-covered sofa with matching upholstered ottoman. And the color scheme set against the natural wood furniture. This is a brilliant room.
Above: Big shaggy fringe at the edge of the rug!
Above: Clearly, if Hazel Dell Brown had had Annie Sloan chalk paint, she would have used it! Note, I have been using Annie Sloan chalk paint on some itty projects — junky dollhouse furniture — and I LOVE IT. With more testing now complete, I much much much prefer it over the milk paint I tested.
- Do you love 1940s decorating style? Click here to see my story that profiles 7 key decorating looks for the 1940s.
What other design and decorating details do you see in these rooms that you love, dear readers?
A slide show of the complete 1941 catalog:
Tips to view slide show: Click on first image… it will enlarge on screen… click anywhere to move forward and look for previous and next buttons within photo to move back or forth… you can start or stop at any image:
Jeneta says
I love the white kitchen! ❤️ All the other rooms are beautiful and nice to look at, but I couldn’t see myself living in these rooms. They are too frilly-ish, and the kitchens are too country looking for me. Thanks for the pics and info!
Louis Fremont says
Lots more, in fact the entire Armstrong book for 1937 available here. I assume it includes Hazel Dell Brown’s work, but she is not credited. http://www.artdecoresource.com/2013/08/armstrongs-flooring-for-1936.html
J D Log says
I noticed the tea towels were used for great colour co ordination. Also in the yellow kitchen even the little barrier to keep the kids at bay is so colourful. I have a clothes drying rack like that. The most basic utility items were still splashed with colour back then.
That Nevada museum looks great
Kristin says
2nd image from top- notice the pull-down shades? One could buy a pair and hand paint the floral design on them.
Another note- these gorgeous kitchens are not the GARGANTUAN “open concept” mega-kitchens everyone seems to demand today. I also have a feeling that those glassware-murdering granite, quartz et alia counter tops have had their day. They are already “out” in California.
lynda says
I remember the ads from the early 70’s. I saw some furnishings I liked in one of the ads and wrote to Armstrong about the furniture. They told me it was Founders. At the time Armstrong owned Thomasville and Founders furniture. I ended up buying some of the contemporary Founders. Armstrong just finished building a huge plant in Lancaster, Pa for the manufacturer of luxury vinyl tile since it has been so popular. Good for them opening a factory in US.
tammyCA says
Oh yes, I especially love the ’40s era..I think I should’ve been born 40 yrs earlier. My ideal dream house would look like a 1940s technicolor movie designed & decorated by the dynamic duo Cedric Gibbons & Edwin B. Willis..I’ll always love the big cabbage roses fabrics on squishy down-filled sofas, wallpaper, drapes..yep, with the wispy Priscilla sheers (we had those growing up), a cheery kitchen, a cozy study with fireplace..etc. And, geraniums are my go to flowers..so cheerful & hardy.????
s says
I agree with your dream house totally! Let’s be neighbors!
Carol says
Me too!!
Steve H says
This was an eye opener. I tend to think of 1940’s kitchen design as somewhat bare bones, and that the whole idea of a decorative theme in the kitchen was more a product of the 50’s or 60’s, but these lovely pics clearly show that’s not true. I especially like the kitchen with the chaise lounge in the corner. I can see that being especially handy, as cooking can wear me out.
Debbie in Portland says
Oh, if only they still made that fabulous patterned kitchen linoleum…
Diane in CO says
I too loved seeing those evocative linoleum floors. What a look!
Delaine Zody says
I too wish they made the linoleum of years past. I love linoleum flooring and would put it in my whole house.
Ranger Smith says
Ok, Pam, with this post, my productivity level today will be significantly diminished! 🙂 I think I need vertical stripes like in the 6th picture! That is so cool. My yellow kitchen should have turquoise red and black stripes. I have the Armstrong book from late 40’s -50’s but had not seen this one. Thank you so much for sharing this valuable resource!
Robin, NV says
The Clark County Museum in Las Vegas has an entire street of real homes they saved from destruction. Many include original interior decor. The Goumand House was built in 1935 and has a very 1940s interior. The floor in the kitchen is very similar to the some of those shown above. I blogged about the museum here: http://atomictraveller.blogspot.com/2013/04/adventures-in-vegas-not-trip-most.html
I wasn’t able to get very good photos of the kitchen because it was behind plexiglass.
To see the other homes at the Museum go here: http://www.clarkcountynv.gov/depts/parks/pages/clark-county-museum.aspx
The homes built for Hoover Dam and WWII munitions workers are especially charming, in my opinion.
pam kueber says
Very cool. I checked, and this museum is on our list of 59 historic midcentury house museums you can visit: https://retrorenovation.com/historic-mid-century-modern-house-museums/
Eliza says
What great pictures of that museum. I really loved the picture of the motor camp. Back in the 1930s Laura Ingalls Wilder and Almanzo Wilder drove from their home in Missouri to visit South Dakota and they stayed in cabins that must have been just like this.