Primary Colors

THE 1928 CLASSIC CHILDREN’S BOOK THE YOUNG DECORATORS IS A SOURCE OF ENDLESS INSPIRATION.

- Sadie Stein

WHEN I MOVED INTO MY CURRENT apartment, the first thing I did was consult the book that has become my decorating bible. A classic of interior design, you ask? An archived issue of a favorite shelter magazine? Nope. For me, the ultimate guide will always be a 1928 children’s book, The Young Decorators.

I’m not sure where this book came from; I imagine my mother picked it up at a library sale or perhaps a thrift store. All I know is that from the first reading (I was probably eight), it was deeply formative.

The book, by Nancy McClelland, is the story of the four Baxter children, who are taught by their Aunt Anne how to decorate their respective bedrooms in the family’s brand new house. Older sister Jerry opts for a grown-up pink-hued room, complete with a fireplace and crystal light fixtures. Jim goes for a nautical theme, painting his walls with sailboats and installing a rustic lantern.