An intimidating room can turn elegance into a test. The House makes the case for interiors that welcome people without requiring them to behave like the brochure.

Please do not touch. Please be careful. Please ask for help. If a room requires constant instructions, its elegance may depend on guests behaving like visitors to a display.

Restraint can create confidence. It can also become an excuse for rooms without character. Two perspectives on the difference between calm and forgettable.