5 min readThe bedrooms you’d expect to grace the pages of early House Beautiful issues are very much accounted for: yards of silk draped over elegant four-posters, chintz, quilted and tufted coverlets, and no shortage of monogrammed shams. But for every romantic iteration, there’s an equally surprising contemporary moment. Consider the chrome-pipe bed frame Ralph Lauren unveiled in the late ’90s, or the spartan bunk beds—one set for each of the family’s three children—built directly into the walls of a Charles Gwathmey house overlooking the ocean. Different as they may be, each offers a respite from the world—and continues to inspire us today.
As we celebrate House Beautiful’s anniversary this month, we’re sharing the most iconic bedrooms (plus kitchens, living rooms, and more) from the magazine’s 130-year-old history below.
The “Many-Purpose” Space That Was Both an Office and Guest Room (1944)
A chintz-lined bed niche functions as a comfy sofa beside the owner’s writing desk when not in use by guests.
The House Designed to Look Bigger Than It Really Was (1950)
A south-facing glass wall that leads to a private garden gives this primary bedroom the feel of a much larger space.
The New Jersey Farmhouse That Got a Global Redesign (1965)
Norwegian fashion photographer Louise Dahl-Wolfe traveled the world, bringing a wide-ranging perspective—and trinkets—to her home outside of New York City.
The Canopied Four-Poster That Would Inspire Hamptons Style (1967)
Built in a potato field before the Hamptons even had a name, this French-inspired home would come to set the standard for the area. In fall, citron silk is draped over the bed in place of gauzy white.
The Red, White, and Blue Bedroom That Went Back in Time (1971)
The charm of early Americana inspired this bedroom by David Eugene Bell, the director of interior design for Bloomingdale's in New York. "Bright colors and patchwork patterns on the walls, the furniture, and the bed express the mood of rural America—a mood long since gone," wrote HB editors.
The Kids' Room With a Pop of Groovy Color (1973)
New York City architects Charles Gwathmey and Robert Siegel crafted this Long Island house for a family of five, giving each child their own built-in bunk bed.
The City Bedroom With Country-Inspired Style (1973)
Renny Saltzman designed this Manhattan bedroom to reflect “a yearning that city people have for a warm-hearted country feeling,” wrote the editors of HB.
The Platform Bed That Didn’t Feel Remotely Spartan (1978)
For this Louis Bromante-designed bedroom in a "contemporary suburban" New York house, the owners requested "warmth and livability," which was met with a low-slung platform bed, loads of pattern, and multiple seating areas.
The Billy Baldwin Home That Never Needed Updating (1981)
Completed by the famed decorator in 1968, the Washington, D.C., home of Mrs. William McCormack Blair offered “just the right blend of the romantic and the casual,” endearing it for generations to come.
The Child’s Room That Looked All Grown Up (1984)
Designed to bridge childhood and young adulthood, this all-blue room pairs a chintz canopy bed with a ceiling painted like the night sky.
The Storage Wall That Sparked a Stenciling Fascination (1984)
Using stencils to label the front of every cabinet, designer Beverly Ellsley turned 150 cubic feet of storage space into a vintage-inspired wall of curiosities.
The Room That Proved Ornamentation Could Coexist With Restraint (1991)
A spare guest room in the home of antiques dealer Pat Guthman features a muted blue-and-white design with bed hangings by John Scolville.
The Painted Bed Frame That Embraced Playfulness (1991)
Five doors open into this primary bedroom—six, if you count the antique one that owner Carolyn Guttilla, who also painted the bed, hung to poke fun at the excessive openings.
The House That Defined ‘90s Style (1991)
Designer Mary Drysdale embraced early-’90s decorating in spades, pairing contemporary lines with intentional embellishments, like a silk canopy bed next to tailored built-ins.
The Ralph Lauren Collection That Put Natural Materials in the Spotlight (1991)
Only Ralph Lauren could take a bamboo-inspired four-poster, position it at a jaunty angle in the corner of a white room, and have it look completely natural.
The Parisian Apartment That Doubled as a Showroom (1992)
Designed as a place to showcase his textile collection, this pied-à-terre belonging to Manuel Canovas was stocked with oversize patterns and plenty of French sunshine.
Bunny Williams’s Spotlight on Connecticut (1994)
On display is the easygoing, effortless decor that made Williams both beloved and revered—and cemented her chosen state as a destination for antiques-loving decorators.
The Brand-New Château Plopped Down in Louisiana (1995)
Leaning into the home’s grandeur and French style, the team at Holden & Dupuy employed silk damask for the wrought-iron bed, complete with a gilt cherub hanging overhead.
The “Gentleman’s Chambers” That Made a Case for a Well-Styled Mess (1995)
Inside this tiny Victorian flat in London’s Mayfair, Roger Banks-Pye, the creative director of Colefax and Fowler, lives in perfectly undone, overstuffed elegance.
The Ralph Lauren Collection That Cemented City Style (1998)
Paired with an African bench and set against an exposed brick wall, Lauren’s Chrome Pipe Bed looks downright comfortable—and like it could turn any room into authentic loft living.
The 17th-Century Farmhouse That Introduced French Minimalism (1999)
"I wanted to show that country doesn’t have to mean cute and cozy," Catherine Memmi told the editors of HB for a story on her farmhouse in Normandy. “It can mean airy, structured, and modern. I also sought to show a rapport with nature by choosing natural colors and materials."
The House That Was Unapologetically Traditional (2006)
When faced with a stately Georgian home in Connecticut, Jason Bell did the only sensible thing and leaned in. The bedroom features a lilac canopy and monograms.
The Tented Bedroom That Brought the Drama (2006)
While insisting that he wasn’t fond of “excessive theatricality,” the designer of this Malibu home, Michael S. Smith, allowed each room one guilty pleasure. The guest room’s vaulted ceiling and tented walls—made with several of Jasper’s Moghul Panels—give visitors the impression of waking up in an Indian palace.
The Tiny Bedroom That Felt Voluminous (2009)
The All-Over Pattern Trend That’s Never Faded (2015)
In the guest bedroom of designer Cathy Kincaid’s Dallas home, Sister Parish’s iconic Dolly print covers the walls and bed skirt, lending an outdoorsy feel to the compact space.
The Headboard That Created Tons of Hidden Storage (2018)
Movie executive by day, decorator by night: Ricky Strauss brought some theatrical magic to his West Hollywood house with this built-in “headboard” in Philip Jeffries wallcovering.
