The firm of Herter Brothers,, was founded by German immigrants Gustave (1830–1898) and Christian Herter (1839–1883) in New York City. It began as a furniture and upholstery shop/warehouse, but after the Civil War became one of the first American firms to provide complete interior decoration services. With their own design office and cabinet-making and upholstery workshops, Herter Brothers could provide every aspect of interior furnishing—including decorative paneling, mantels, wall and ceiling decoration, patterned floors, carpets and draperies.
"Mr. William H. Vanderbilt's Drawing-Room," (1882).
High Museum of Art Cabinet, 1875, ebonized cherry, veneer inlays, and metallic foil decorative paper.
William Gilman Nichols, director of Herter Brothers from 1891 to 1906; portrait by his brother-in-law, Harry Watrous.
The mausoleum of Gustave Herter
Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. With a keen eye for detail and a creative flair, an interior designer is someone who plans, researches, coordinates, and manages such enhancement projects. Interior design is a multifaceted profession that includes conceptual development, space planning, site inspections, programming, research, communicating with the stakeholders of a project, construction management, and execution of the design.
The art déco interior of the grand concourse at the 30th Street Station in Philadelphia
The lobby of Hotel Bristol, Warsaw
A historical example: Balliol College Dining Hall, Oxford
Typical interior of one of the houses in the Folk Architecture Reservation in Vlkolínec (Slovakia)
