Was Hazel Dell Brown of Armstrong Flooring the most influential residential interior designer of the 20th Century — that you probably never heard of? I believe that, yes, she was! Last week, I wrote about Armstrong Flooring’s revival of its famous pattern 5352, and then, a history of pattern 5352. To follow up, here’s a profile of Hazel Dell Brown, the company’s influential and impressive in-house interior decorator — a story that should not be lost to history.
Why do I believe that Mrs. Brown (as she was known) was the most influential residential interior designer of the 20th Century?
During much of the 20th Century, Armstrong Flooring distributed thousands of colorful decorating brochures and printed millions of ads featured regularly in newspapers (one story says 81, nationwide) and magazines — all showcasing the company’s flooring within Mrs. Brown’s clever, colorful and often thrifty room designs.
In fact, the company is credited with introducing the first color advertisements.
Mrs. Brown and her department were as prolific as they were creative. The design schemes were for rooms of all sorts — kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, bedrooms, mud rooms, basements, attics, in-law apartments, rental rooms… you name it.
She and her department also offered homemakers the opportunity to write them for design recommendations. One story says they received and answered up to 1,000 pieces of mail a day.
Mrs. Brown also designed buildable plans for a “Balcony Apartment” designed to provide affordable housing options after World War II. It brought in 100,000 letters and plans were sold by the hundreds.
And, she gave lectures to the public, did training sessions for company salespeople, trained her staff, wrote advertising copy, and designed interiors for show houses and store windows all in the name of promoting the company.
“You have accomplished more than … the same magazines in which your advertisements appear….”
In its news release announcing Mrs. Brown’s retirement, Armstrong said:
Mrs. Brown’s name is familiar to millions of American homemakers and for a generation she has had a great influence on the decoration of the nation’s homes. Homemaking ideas which have appeared in Armstrong’s full-color advertisements in national magazines have been used by decorators and advertisers throughout the country.
Moreover, Mrs. Brown had a mission. Reading through articles and interviews, she seemed very focused on helping homeowners pull together rooms inexpensively… using furniture and decor they already had… recognizing that color was the place to start. As shown in the photo above, she was a master at making the most of small spaces. We also see lots of designs to turn extra rooms into apartments to ease housing shortages.
Hazel Dell Brown was designing practical solutions for practical spaces for folks on a practical budget!
In her own words:
“I am teaching the women of the whole country to love beautiful colors and harmonious combinations in their own homes.” – 1923
“We have given homemakers the creative urge, stimulating them to use what they have; to improvise and to discover their own ingenuity. We have added so-called social prestige to calico, tarltan, muslin and “done over” furniture.” — Hazel Dell Brown, upon her retirement in 1952
One letter of appreciation said:
“I find myself looking for your page when a new magazine arrives. They are so restful, so harmonious, so beautiful in themselves, as well as so full of suggestions for actual house furnishing. Of course, you have published these pictures to introduce your linoleum, but I am sure you have accomplished much more than that in showing great numbers of people how beautiful a simple home may be. You have accomplished more than the articles on ‘Interior Decoration’ in the same magazines in which your advertisements appear.”
One observer called her the “Dorothy Dix of Decorating.” Like the letter above, I tend to believe that Mrs. Brown’s design ideas had much greater impact on “everywoman” Americans than professional interior designers. Surely she and her department must have learned from others in the industry. But, for their down-to-earth accessibility as well as their sheer reach alone, Mrs. Brown’s designs must have become part of the American psyche. A boy’s bedroom she designed with a nautical theme reportedly brought in letters for 10 years!
I find her designs absolutely delightful!
Born Hazel Snepp, c.1892-1982
Mrs. Brown was born Hazel Snepp, around 1892, in Lafayette, Indiana. She died at her home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania (home to Armstrong Flooring) on July 31, 1982.
There are some excellent biographical articles about Mrs. Brown in local Indianapolis newspapers of the era — she was a ‘local girl done good’ story, for sure!
The stories explain that she was an excellent painter in school. She became a school teacher, teaching art. She married her high school sweetheart L. Glen Brown in 1918, and just two months after their marriage, he was sent overseas to fight in World War I. While her husband was away, she began studying at the Pratt Institute — she had earned a prestigious scholarship to attend the art school. However, while she was was still studying, her husband died, leading her to return to Indianapolis. There, the Indianapolis School Board tapped her to lead all of its art programming district-wide.
In 1922 — this would have made her about 30 years old — the Armstrong Cork Company (as it was known then) began a search for a decorator for its Bureau of Interior Design. They found Mrs. Brown through contacts in the school district and soon enough, she was on her way to company headquarters. Most research I have read says that she was ‘the first decorator to lead the Bureau of Interior Decoration.’ But, I’ve also seen the Bureau listed in company materials as early as 1917. What perhaps happened: The Bureau existed, but without a decorator. She was hired and worked within the Bureau. Ultimately, she led it.
The company hired Mrs. Brown to create rooms that would show the many ways that Armstrong flooring could be used. But they not only used her creative designs — they also used her name itself in its advertising. I see this starting in the fall of 1923. The ads also evolved to have her instruct homemakers how to solve common decorating problems. Armstrong marketers surely knew what they had in hand — a talented executive who could forge a personal connection with women making big purchase decisions.
Armstrong Decorating Service
In addition to designing and painting rooms for ads, Mrs. Brown also corresponded with consumers — which led to the launch of Armstrong’s “Decorating Services.”
Mrs. Brown said that after Armstrong started running her room designs in color in national magazines, letters started to flow in. The Department responded to them all — and Armstrong’s Decorating Service was born.
“I couldn’t just write them without giving them something to look at. So I started enclosing bits of drapery and upholstery materials and samples of linoleum. This was a big hit with people….” she explained in a 1975 interview.
Indeed, who among us doesn’t want a free interior decorator to give us advice, or at least a second opinion, on matching curtains, flooring, painting, upholstery! Mrs. Brown and her team were on the job for Mrs. America!
For much of the 20th Century, magazines printed color illustrations — but not photography. In her earlier days with the company, Mrs. Brown’s room designs were paintings published in color in magazines. As printing technology evolved, her room designs were built into actual rooms and then photographed for advertising. She was involved at every step in the process.
Rooms were creative — pushed the limit
Mrs. Brown did not phone her designs in — all her rooms are chock-a-block with creativity. Some might say some of the rooms were… wacky.
Some might say that some of the rooms … pushed the limits of “good taste.”
In fact, someone did say such things. To which Mrs. Brown responded that ‘advertising is different from pure art. In her field over-emphasis is a necessary evil.’
I would say: These designs are visual kids in a candy store. They are filled to the brim with ideas, many of which you could see using in your own house. You can look and look and look and the next time you look, you see something you missed before. They are so much fun to scrutinize — this was part of their genius then, and now. That said, you don’t want to eat all the candy in the candy store, that would make your tummy hurt. Mrs. Brown gets an A+ with bonus points for ideas and creativity alone! And no doubt, she knew how to put together a cohesive and pleasing room.
Builds her dream house at age 82
Mrs. Brown retired from Armstrong in 1952. (Although this story says she retired in 1957 — did something delay her original announced retirement?) Her retirement story says she was planning to move to California. However, from later stories it seems she remained in Lancaster.
C. 1975, at age 82, she built her dream house, in Lancaster. That same year, friends made her a friendship quilt. Mrs. Brown loved oriental art, always had Siamese cats, always wore a black velvet bow in her upswept hair, hated onions and cigarettes, lived in town so she didn’t have to drive, was interested in psychic research, and sang in a chorus.. While working at Armstrong, she also took care of her ailing mother for 33 years — an experience that gave her great empathy for everyday homemakers.
Mrs. Brown died at age 90 on July 31, 1982, at her home in Lancaster. One obituary says that donations could be made to the Society for the Prevention of Blindness. The notice does not say she was blind… but. How sad to think that a woman who brought such visual wonder to the world for so many years would be without sight at the end of her life.
Hazel Dell Brown: Such an amazing and accomplished person in design history!
More reading:
- From Hazel Dell Brown & Armstrong Cork Co. — 12 online catalogs from 1929-1951
- Of course, I wonder if she ever met: Royal Barry Wills, the most influential residential architect of the 20th Century (that you probably never heard of)
- Room designs from Louisa Kostich Cowan, who took over the department at some point after Mrs. Dell Brown retired.
- The history of Armstrong #5352 — the best-selling resilient flooring of the 20th Century
Kimberly Sheppard says
I live in a balcony cottage home & am delighted to discover who the creator of the plans was: the remarkable Mrs. Brown. Other than a bedroom that was added later, the house is identical to the picture in your article. Thanks so much!
pam kueber says
Wow! Very cool!!!
Mitchell Gillett says
Really loved the article and have collected a couple pdf versions of her booklets from the internet archive. Do you know if there is any source for a copy of the “Balcony Cottage” plans? While were are in the midst of renovating our 100 yo cape cod, we would love a smaller cottage at some future point, and it looks great!
mg
Pam Kueber says
Hi Mitchell, you could contact Armstrong to see if they have the plans still. I was planning on following up on this, but only once things settle down.
Diane says
Hi ~ There are a set of Dream House for a Small Budget plans available on Amazon as of this writing. These plans include the balcony cottage photo referenced in Pam’s article.
Note from Pam — I made this an affiliate link – if someone buys it, I get a wee commission 🙂
Pam Kueber says
Great find. I’m tempted to add this to my museum!
Diane says
I realized after I posted that the balcony cottage photograph is an ad that the seller included with the plans, so may not be exactly what you’re looking for. Apologies.
Lynne Shelton says
What an interesting story in someone I’ve never heard of! What lovely designs! And that balcony cottage! Swoooon! Thanks so much Pam! Lynne
Kristin says
Pam – “Lino-tile” Many older homes are being renovated and the homeowners remove the wonderful “old linoleum” replacing it with wood flooring, or the fake wood stuff. I would like to know where one can find S.C. Johnson Wax- the product advertised to keep your linoleum shiny, clean, and like new (at least according to 1940s radio show Fibber McGee and Molly)?? ANY floor wax? Ive searched on shopping sites trying to find floor wax, and the only wax I am finding is for cars. I know it’s all made of carnauba wax, but I want something specific for indoor home use. Can you help? Linoleum needs that wax to clean & shine. Thank you.
PS- Ive had the Armstrong Flooring & interior decorating booklets saved in my Archive.org files for years. Perusing the old decor is fascinating and inspiring. I also don’t believe Ms Brown WAS blind in her older years, she just wanted to give to the blind as it was a charity she wanted to help. Just because donations were given to that organization does not mean she suffered from the same thing 🙂
Pam Kueber says
Hi Kristin, for products to use on old linoleum, I recommend you contact companies — like Armstrong — directly.
Katharine Carroll says
Well done! I’ve enjoyed learning more about this wonderful designer. I remember seeing the pink & navy kitchen for the first time. Noticing the typewriter & sewing machine made my day! Ever since I appreciated how she incorporated real-life needs in the rooms. She has a bit of whimsy in her designs & I love it! Thanks again. I know this took quite a bit of time.
Debra Kroening says
I found this on at the right time. I am trying to find out anything I can about old Armstrong flooring we found when renovating. Your article with the attached catalogs have been very helpful. Unfortunately I still can’t find “my” floor. Any ideas for this? We thought it was from 1926 but a similar pattern is seen in the 1941 catalog.
Pam Kueber says
hi Debra, link does not work so I edited it out