Quote Of The Day By Dorothy Draper: 'Have You Ever Considered How Much Pure Stuff And Nonsense Surrounds This Subject Of Interior Decoration?'

If you've ever wondered why decorating your home feels so incredibly hard, you simply must meet Dorothy Draper. Born in 1889, Draper never quite played by design rules. When she and her husband moved into a bland New York brownstone, she didn't simply redecorate it; she extended the ground floor into a massive entertaining space and added a roof garden on top. In other words, she created a space she loved — and others did too. Legend of her decorating prowess spread, and in 1925, Draper opened what is now the oldest interior design firm in the United States. Originally named Architectural Clearing House, she soon renamed it to Dorothy Draper & Company Inc.

Nicknamed the "Doyenne of Decorating," Draper is not only the first professional interior designer, but she is responsible for some of the iconic styles and spaces that still inspire decorators today. Her love of bright colors and statement pieces is found in her trademark Modern Baroque style (also known as Hollywood Regency decor), and her use of striking patterns, vivid colors, and dramatic details is the origin of the maximalist style trends taking over 2026. Oh, and those classic black-and-white checkerboard floors? Those were one of Draper's signatures. Her career flourished, leading her to design everything from makeup packaging and cars to airplane interiors and office spaces, not to mention private homes, hotels, and more. 

Draper's design methodology was clearly a success. But the reason her work made such an impact then and now comes down to one reason — and it's what inspired House Digest's quote of the day.

Dorothy Draper's full quote reads: "Have you ever considered how much pure stuff and nonsense surrounds this subject of interior decoration? Probably not. Almost everyone believes that there is something deep and mysterious about it or that you have to know all sorts of complicated details about periods before you can lift a finger. Well, you don't. Decorating is just sheer fun: a delight in color, an awareness of balance, a feeling for lighting, a sense of style, a zest for life and an amused enjoyment of the smart accessories of the moment."

The quote is straight from the pages of Draper's first book, "Decorating Is Fun! How to Be Your Own Decorator." Originally published in 1939, the book went out of print for a period, but was republished in 2016, bringing Draper's unique perspective, voice, and style to a new generation. The book is packed full of practical home decorating advice, delivered with Draper's signature enthusiasm. In a 1939 review, The New York Times said it's "a practical book, and at the same time, it emphasizes the fun of decorating by always giving the reader's own fancy full play." And it is perhaps that last line that brings us back to Draper's quote above.

Perhaps The New York Times said it best in their review of Dorothy Draper's "Decorating is Fun!": "Probably nine women out of ten are convinced it would be fun to decorate their own homes, if they could only get the right start in it." Even today, many homeowners feel that, once they learn all the proper rules, they can finally crack the code and decorate their homes like a professional. But Draper, arguably one of (if not the most) influential interior designers of the 20th century, wants you to toss all that out of the window and just have fun.

For example, the Victorian decorating era of the time demanded ornate wooden furniture and deep colors. Draper shortened the legs of heirloom pieces and painted them with bright colors. Instead of sticking to one historical era or even pattern per room, Draper happily mixed them up, adding vivid paint on the wall for good measure. The decorator who reportedly said, "Show me nothing that looks like gravy," loved the bold, the bright, the fun. Or, in other words, everything that was then against the rules.

Draper's message is clear: Those rules might work for someone else's home, but in yours, do what brings you joy. Forget what's trending on Pinterest or what someone says you "should" do, and splash some pink paint on the dining room walls, swap the basic kitchen light out for a chandelier, or apply a sky blue lacquer to that antique sideboard.

Trying to decorate your home according to the "rules" is only going to leave you frustrated and with a space that doesn't feel like home to you. But finding pieces that bring you joy, adding in colors that make you smile, and mixing up patterns until you get the perfect effect? That's the true secret to creating a space that you're happy to come home to.

• "I believe in doing the thing you feel is right. If it looks right, it is right." — from "Decorating Is Fun!"

• "Nothing adds so much to the beauty and happiness of this world as color. Without it, we droop." — from "Entertaining Is Fun! How to Be a Popular Hostess"

• "Your home is the backdrop of your life, whether it is a palace or a one-room apartment, it should honestly be your own — an expression of your personality." — from "Decorating Is Fun!"

• "The moment I get an idea I act upon it. If only people would act on more of their ideas, I am convinced they would lead more interesting lives." — from a 1944 Christian Science Monitor interview

• "You need courage to experiment, courage to seek out your own taste and express it, courage to disregard stereotyped ideas and try out your own. Don't be in the least disturbed by trends or fashions, or anyone else's advice. They are probably wrong. Be critical – never humble." — from "Decorating Is Fun!"