Watercolors and Wallpaper at Cooper-Hewitt

On a blustery, rainy Saturday, the best place to be is indoors. Better than indoors in your apartment, however, is indoors in a museum. And best of all is when admission to said museum is free. That was the case this past Saturday, when my mom and I ventured to Cooper-Hewitt, taking advantage of the museum’s last day of free admission in honor of National Design Week.

Upon entering the Carnegie mansion, the historic home turned innovative museum on 91st and Fifth, we were immediately welcomed by rich wood paneling, comfortingly creaky oaken floors, and a staff member who greeted us with two free admission tickets. Our coats and umbrellas checked, we were immediately drawn into the main exhibition room on the first floor, in which "House Proud: Nineteenth-century Watercolor Interiors from the Thaw Collection" is elegantly displayed. Featuring nearly seventy watercolor drawings, "House Proud" provides a glimpse into the everyday lives of the European middle- and upper-classes during the nineteenth-century, a time during which the home became not just a dwelling place but a source of status, inspiration, and pride.

During this time period, interior design evolved from a matter of function to one of fashion, and the upper and middle classes began not only to express their tastes through the décor of their homes, but to commission watercolors of their finely appointed interiors that could then be collected in family albums, given to friends and family as gifts, or put on display. The drawings included in "House Proud" are a result of this trend. All meticulously done, they showcase the rooms found in most middle- and upper-class nineteenth-century homes: the sitting room, salon, library, study, and bedroom, to name a few. Some rooms, meant for the lady of the house, possess a delicate feminine design; while others are clearly intended to be masculine spaces. All, however, convey the era’s appreciation for the arts, featuring exquisite furniture, ceramics, sculptures, and paintings; intricate woodwork and wall patterns; and extensive resources for the furthering of one’s own studies, whether musical, literary, or artistic. Each watercolor captures every detail of the featured room with precision, making the exhibit an inspiring peek into a time past.

After making our way through "House Proud," my mom and I went up to the second floor, where we found "Wall Stories: Children’s Wallpaper and Books." A whimsical exhibit that examines the relationship between wallpaper design and children’s books, "Wall Stories" was a pleasure to explore. The exhibit traces the origins of the children’s wallpaper industry, which began in the 1870s as families started to expand into larger homes and give children their own rooms. At the same time, books designed specifically for children began to grow in popularity, and the book and wallpaper industry converged in order to provide children with stimulating environments and quality entertainment.

Classic children’s book characters such as Peter Rabbit, Winnie the Pooh, and Alice in Wonderland, as well as a variety of fairy tales and fables, have been the influences behind the children’s wallpaper industry from the turn of the century through present day. The enchanting illustrations and captivating friezes that resulted from this collaboration of book and home interiors graced the walls of many a nursery for the amusement of some very fortunate children, and, fortunately for us, they are now gracing the walls of Cooper-Hewitt. From Dick Tracy to Mother Goose, Popeye to Cinderella, the museum has chosen a delightful assortment of characters and designs, many of which I wouldn’t mind having on my own walls. In addition, the exhibit examines the evolution of the children’s book from instructional guide to fictional piece of entertainment, and includes a number of the earliest moveable and pop-up books, which were simply amazing to see.

With "House Proud" and "Wall Stories," Cooper-Hewitt managed to turn a dreary afternoon into a fascinating adventure, and my mom and I left with quite a bit of inspiration for interior design projects of our own.

"House Proud" is on display at Cooper-Hewitt until January 25; "Wall Stories" until April 5.