Into the Wood: Furniture

As a young married couple Peggy and David shared a conscious desire to create environments of ‘livability and charm.’ The Rockefellers initially sought 18th century English furniture for their houses, expanding their collection to include pieces from Continental Europe, America and Asia. In 1936, David enjoyed a week-long tutorial on English furniture on a graduation trip to Europe with his parents. His father had by then begun his massive renovation of Colonial Williamsburg, and the Williamsburg curators had assembled in London a warehouse full of potential Governor’s Palace furnishings for careful review. David cited this experience, along with his exposure to his Aunt Lucy Aldrich’s collection, as inspiration for his lifelong interest in the craftsmanship of the wooden pieces that range in style from Louis XIV, Regency and Georgian to Chippendale, Queen Anne and Gothic. ‘Fortunately,” he continued, "this proved to be an interest.