T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings (1903–76,) fully Terence Harold Robsjohn-Gibbings, was a British-born architect and furniture designer known for modern interpretations of classical Greco-Roman aesthetics. His work shaped mid-century American interior design, blending historicism with modernism.
Born in Widnes, England, he initially worked as a naval architect and later as an art director for a motion picture studio. Moving to the U.S. in 1929, he became a leading interior designer. By the 1930s and 1940s, he was among America’s most influential decorators, designing homes for Doris Duke, Alfred A. Knopf, and Thelma Chrysler Foy. In the 1960s, he collaborated with Carlton Pullin to recreate ancient Greek furniture, solidifying his reputation as a historical design innovator. His work remains influential in modern historicism and luxury interiors.
Robsjohn-Gibbings, a critic of Bauhaus modernism, favored simplicity, elegance, and classical motifs. His notable books include Goodbye, Mr. Chippendale (1944,) a satirical take on modern interior design; Mona Lisa’s Mustache: A Dissection of Modern Art (1947;) and Homes of the Brave (1953,) exploring American domestic culture.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
The surroundings householders crave are glorified autobiographies ghost-written by willing architects and interior designers who, like their clients, want to show off.
—T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings
Topics: Architecture
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