The Finest Rooms With Thomas Jayne

Last week at the Institute Of Classical Architecture & Classical America, I had the chance to hear Thomas Jayne, acclaimed designer and historian, lecture on his new book The Finest Rooms In America. 

Jayne's newest work is inspired by the 1964 book The Finest Rooms By America's Great Decorators; itself full of iconic rooms by Billy Baldwin, McMillen, Sister Parish and other celebrated decorators of the day.  In Jayne's version, he explains key criteria for a fine room: there must be an object of focus with arrangement around it and architecture to support it. 

The Finest Rooms In America features rooms from Thomas Jefferson to Albert Hadley ranging from grand to simple and organized chronologically.  Jayne says, "because a room is small or created at modest expense does not mean it cannot be among the finest."  On Jayne's webite http://www.thefinestrooms.com/ he invites viewers to share images of rooms that they believe to be fine.

Check out photos from The Finest Rooms In America and Marisa Marcantonio's interview with Thomas Jayne on Stylebeat: stylebeat.blogspot.com