Margaret Lord

Margaret Lord (deceased 1975) was a pioneer in interior design in Australia.

Born in Warrnambool in regional Victoria, Margaret studied art at Swinburne University for three years and continued to hone her skills under guidance from artists after graduation. She travelled to London and further afield on a quest for further knowledge in 1936 and undertook further study at the Central School of Art. She gained a position at Reens Arta interior decorating firm in London - fulfilling her aspiration to break into design. Margaret also taught at the prestigious Arnold School of Interior Decoration until the onset of the war.

Returning to Australia she was actively involved in the development of interior design between 1940 and 1960 and was sought after in print, on radio and in practice for her new ideas and talents. Margaret was a regular contributor to The Australian Home Beautiful(1940-1943) and she also authored three books: Interior Decoration A Guide to Furnishing the Australian Home (1944), A Decorator’s World: living with art and international design, Sydney1960, and Interior Decoration in Practice, Sydney 1971. An inspiration to many, she was a regular voice on radio broadcasts.

Margaret was particularly recognised for her use of colour in the industry and was at one stage colour consultant for paint manufacturer, Lewis Berger and Sons Pty Ltd. Her considerable legacy in modern design also included the design of interiors across a broad spectrum including: Sydney University Union, Shell Carrington Street building, Johnston and Johnston factory Botany, Australian Glass Manufacturers factory Waterlook, Women’s Hospital Melbourne and several ships. According to Women and Modernity in Interior Design: A Legacy of Design in Sydney, Australia from the 1920s to the 1960s, as part of a thesis by Carol A. Morrow in 2005 (Chapter 7 pages 215-260), Margaret approached design decisions with intelligence, care and individuality. She was concerned with beauty, use and efficiency – this extended to health and well-being of her clientele. Ever an advocate for interior design, Margaret assisted with the incorporation of SIDA in 1964.

The DIA Hall of Fame recognises the achievements of Margaret Lord.