ALL THINGS Wears it Well

SUSAN GALVANI A Spruce Grows in Manhattan

HOME SWEET HOTEL Gachot Studios Transforms the Smyth

FEB MAR APR MAY 2016 $6.50

WOM E N IN Display through MAY 2016 ISSUE By Jim Lochner BACKSTORY SKETCH ARTISTS THE NEW YORK SCHOOL OF CELEBRATES A CENTURY OF INFLUENTIAL DESIGN.

his year a venerable design institution Wallpapers, Room Composition, Sources celebrates its 100th anniversary—the of Supply, and Decorating Procedures. And New York School of Interior Design. The Anne Korman, who received an NYSID school began as a Home Study Course in Design Diploma and specializes in Design the Decorative Arts in 1915, the brain child of Presentation, has been a faculty member architect Sherrill Whiton. When home study since 1976. students kept visiting Whiton’s professional office expecting to find a school, he decided Today, students can take part in eight to open the New York School of Interior sequential design studios, learning Decoration. In 1951, the name was changed residential, hospitality, retail, workplace, to the New York School of Interior Design and healthcare design, with courses such as (NYSID) to reflect changes in teaching not Environment & Behavior, Arts of China and only about “the details and finishes of a Japan, and Professional Practice. Though but the of the interior.” NYSID still emphasizes a foundation in hand drawing and drafting skills, it keeps up with Over the last century, NYSID has grown technology, offering courses in AutoCAD, from only a handful of students the first Revit, SketchUp, 3DMax, and more. And the year to more than 600 students and nine idea of Whiton’s original home study course programs. The school occupies two tandem lives on in the 21st century with a number buildings on East 69th and 70th Streets, plus of online courses. A major change occurred the LEED-Plantinum Graduate Center at during the tenure of former NYSID president 28th Street and Park Avenue South, which Inge Henkel (1996–2008) when she created a houses faculty, staff, and more than 150 60-credit Masters in Fine Arts program, for graduate students. which DesignIntelligence ranked the school number one in the country. From the beginning, women have been at the forefront of NYSID, not only as graduates, but “The greatest strength of the New York also as faculty, administrators, and advisors, School of Interior Design is its focus on often for decades. For instance, Lucy Taylor, interior design,” says Henkel. “All its attention who studied under Albert Munsell, the and resources are invested in interior design creator of the Color System, served on the as a profession and has resulted in a roster faculty from 1928 to 1964, lecturing on Color of stellar alumni, including Mariette Himes and Room Composition, while also serving Gomez, Mica Ertegun, Alexandra Stoddard, as contributing editor of House Beautiful, Rick Shaver, Anne Eisenhower, and so many, House & Garden, and Art & Decoration. many more respected interior .” Nancy McClelland, one of the “grande dames” of interior design and the first woman “When I attended NYSID,” says president of what is now the American Mariette Himes Gomez (class of ’69), Society of Interior Designers, was a member “I remember a rather equal women to men of the faculty and Advisory Committee from ratio of graduates.” Today, the percentage of 1927 to 1955. Mary L. Brandt, known for her female students is 88 percent, with an equal Home Furnishings Training Course, which number of the overall student body from taught salespeople the fundamentals of New York City and internationally, followed interior design in order to better sell their by the Tri-State area and a small percentage Top to bottom: NYSID, past and present; NYSID 1969 graduation merchandise, taught courses in Salesmanship, from the rest of the country. reception (Mariette Himes Gomez, far left); NYSID building at Material Selection and Ordering, Buying, and 155 East 56th street, circa 1962. Drapery Making and Upholstery Work from For the last century, NYSID graduates— 1938 to 1962. For over 40 years (1934–1979), women and men—have made the interiors of Inez Croom, whose wallpaper are the world a more beautiful place. Here’s to an still in production today, taught courses in even more beautiful next 100 years!

80