The Wunsch Americana Foundation honored Thomas for promoting interest in the American decorative arts tradition via his work and writings and his continuing efforts to encourage exploration of that heritage in today’s design.

The foundation also presented an award to The Decorative Arts Trust. The Trust’s mission is to promote the study of the decorative arts through collaboration with museums and preservation organizations, symposiums, study trips and scholarship programs. (Incidentally, Thomas recently hosted the Trust at his home in New Orleans which we wrote about in a recent newsletter.)

Directed by Eric, Peter and Noah Wunsch, the Foundation devotes itself to developing educational and preservation initiatives in the American arts and partnering with museums and institutions around the United States. They also oversee the extraordinary Wunsch Collection of American antiquities, which they generously loan for exhibitions. Recent Foundation programming includes a panel at Wadsworth Atheneum moderated by Architectural Digest’s Mitch Owens that featured leading artisans and designers, including Thomas Jayne, discussing how the past informs and influences contemporary design.

Peter Wunsch notes, “Tom is the best example of a forward-thinking designer who uses American decorative arts as a template to create beautiful, contemporary spaces. He represents the best in classic taste. At the center of his design is connoisseurship. He is intensely well-informed about the history of the spaces and the work he does in clients’ homes.”

Visit the Wunsch Collection site to learn more about the organization and visit Christie’s events page for more on their Americana Week activities. Also, check out a recent overview of the event and the Wunsch Collection in The Antiques and the Arts Weekly.

Lastly, see more about the house of a collector of Americana in Westchester which the breakfast room at top is part of on our site.