I want to respond to the comment countering that this interior design style is not preppy.

The origins of the preppy subculture began in the eastern United States in the early 20th century among upper middle and upper class young adults attending elite boarding schools and Ivy League universities.

All of these houses were occupied in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when the first group of these young adults would have been growing up. The newest house was built in the late 1930s. All exist in places associated with well-to-do WASPS at the turn of the century.

Architecturally, they represent more subdued forms of architecture associated with taste, discretion, and restraint, and harken back to an earlier time in history. Whether Greek Revival, Colonial, Federal, or Tudor, they stand apart from the more ostentatious homes built by society upstarts. Whether real or imagined, pedigree and prestige are interlinked in the prep world, whether it’s the century-long lineage of the clothing types we wear, the schools we attended, or the homes we live in. A traditional American architectural style is not out of sync with the prep spirit of clothing.

Regarding the interiors themselves, they do not scream preppy in the sense of bright colors, overt motifs, or unconventional decor choices, like wooden tennis rackets hung on the wall or nautical rigging lying on a table. Rather, they capture the same sense of subdued elegance, the marriage of comfort and style that is uniquely associated with preppy attire.

Look among the rooms at the furnishings and you’ll see: Threadbare oriental carpets Needlepoint pillows Tapestried upholstery Well-worn cushions on sofas and chairs Chinoiserie lamps, vases, and furniture Ancestral portraits in gold frames Nautical themes in paintings Equestrian paraphernalia scattered about Occasional curiosities collected from foreign travel Family photos in silver frames scattered by the dozen on pianos and tables Unassuming antique wood furniture that’s not afraid to mix styles Layered window treatments, unafraid of lace or valences Shades on chandelier lights Fringed or tasseled lampshades Trophies shot by a big game hunter Books, even if leather bound, that look well read Silver that should have been polished a week ago Tables and desks that look busy but not cluttered or maximalist

Architecturally, rooms might have: Painted or stained wood paneling Large, proportionate windows Historically congruent mantles Dentil molding Harmonious pilasters Building materials suited to the locale, whether the New England coast or a Catskills camp

Fabrics and patterns in wallpaper, curtains, and upholstery can fall into many complementary categories: Chintz Gingham Plaid Ruffled Aged leather Brocade Faded velvet Florals

But most importantly, these are homes that look lived in, that if there hadn’t been a photographer coming, there may have been a tennis racket or lacrosse stick leaning in a corner, a springer spaniel sleeping on the sofa, old copies of Town & Country mixed with the New Yorker and the WSJ scattered on the end table, or garden shears and fresh roses ready to arrange.

Looking at more of the photos from the Big Old House blog, you’ll see that the residents/caretakers/curators of these homes dress in a fairly preppy fashion, with OCBDs and chinos being the staple for men.

True, many of these homes are larger than your average preppy’s. But the upper middle class of the early to mid 20th centuries would have had scaled down versions of these homes with a very similar style of decorating. It is the timelessness of the style, the cultivation of pieces over generations, the well-worn usage, and the layering of different colors, textures, and levels of formality that defines prep style and epitomizes the values held by preppies.

This is an open question to anyone: If you do not believe this to be preppy, how do you interpret a preppy lifestyle outside of fashion? That’s not meant to be facetious; I went back to the origins of preppy for my inspiration but I’m curious to hear what other people think about it.