Chesham Place
W
hen we think of great decorators, it is safe
to say, many would think of Syrie Maugham (18791955). Today, in some quarters her fame exceeds that
of her husband, Somerset Maugham, the novelist, and
that of her father, Dr. Barnardo, who founded one of
the great English charities. Syrie Maugham set design
precedents and championed a style that embraced the
modern while reinventing the Victorian and Edwardian
worlds into which she was born. She is most famous
for creating what was reputedly the first all-white room.
Syrie Maugham, by Pauline Metcalf, published by Acanthus Press, deftly presents her to a new generation.
HYLAND
