"This is an essential volume for the historically
minded enthusiast of domestic architecture and interiors."
— The Magazine Antiques
In the first half of the nineteenth century, when road transportation
was still a rather primitive affair in the South, families
would open their doors for what they called an “at home,”
entertaining friends and relatives who came and went throughout
the day. This book is an “at home” of sorts: a
celebration of Tennessee’s antebellum domestic décor
and its influence on interiors today.
Donna Dorian and Anne Hall showcase twenty historic homes
rich in material culture. From museum houses to meticulously
preserved private antebellum homes to houses decorated by
contemporary homeowners in a historic style, each displays
its original furnishings or is refurbished with authentic
period pieces. Although the book includes many of Tennessee’s
great historic houses, such as Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage
and General James Winchester’s Cragfont, this sampling
of domiciles represents a range of economic and social strata.
With homes including a log cabin furnished with vernacular
pieces designed by regional cabinetmakers and high-style brick
mansions of planters and merchants filled with fine furniture,
the book points to the remarkable legacy of Tennessee’s
decorative arts between 1800 and 1860.
For each house, Dorian gives a lively brief history of its
construction and occupants. She then describes in detail the
décor, stunningly captured in natural light by Hall’s
photographic lens. Together, words and images focus on the
arrangement and selection—as well as the form, function,
and style—of furniture, portraits, wall coverings, paint
techniques, lighting, carpets, wood and plasterwork, window
treatments, textiles, china, silver, ceramics, pottery, hardware,
gardens, and more: in short, all of the ornamental and practical
touches of a home that reflect the individuals who lived and
entertained there. The book concludes with an overview of
the significance of the history and ingenuity of antebellum
interiors in Tennessee homes today.
Only lately has an appreciation for Tennessee’s antebellum
architecture, interior design, and decorative arts begun to
emerge fully. At Home in Tennessee amplifies this
beloved heritage and its place in contemporary décor.
Donna Dorian, previously the Style Editor
of Garden Design magazine, has written extensively
on interior design, the fine and decorative arts, and landscape
architecture for Town & Country, Southern Accents,
Art & Antiques, and House Beautiful, among
other publications. A former resident of Tennessee, she lives
in New York City.
Anne Hall is a freelance photographer and
a former editorial staff member of The New Yorker
magazine. Her portraits of writers and artists have appeared
on numerous book jackets, have been exhibited in one-woman
and group shows, and are held in many private collections.
She lives in Greenwich, Connecticut, with her husband and
two west highland white terriers.
Mark Brown is the director of Belmont Mansion
in Nashville. |
