By'the'turn'on'the'20th'century,'amateur'advisors'and'publications'were'increasingly'challenging'the'monopoly'how'the'large'retail'companies'had'on'design.'English'feminist'author'Mary'Haweis'wrote'a'number'of'widely'read'essays'within'the'1880s'during'which'she'derided'the'eagerness'which'aspiring'middle-class'people'furnished'their'houses'in'line'with'the'rigid'models'accessible'to'them'from'the'retailers.[10]'She'advocated'the'average'person'adoption'of'any'particular'style,'tailor-made'to'the'average'person'needs'and'preferences'from'the'customer:
"One'of'my'strongest'convictions,'and'one'with'the'first'canons'of'fine'taste,'is'the'fact'that'our'houses,'such'as'the'fish’s'shell'and'also'the'bird’s'nest,'need'to'represent'our'individual'taste'and'habits.
The'move'toward'decoration'being'a'separate'artistic'profession,'unrelated'towards'the'manufacturers'and'retailers,'received'an'impetus'with'all'the'1899'formation'from'the'Institute'of'British'Decorators;'with'John'Dibblee'Crace'since'it's'president,'it'represented'almost'200'decorators'throughout'the'country.[11]'By'1915,'the'London'Directory'listed'127'individuals'trading'as'interior'decorators,'that'10'were'women.'Rhoda'and'Agnes'Garrett'were'the'primary'women'to'learn'professionally'as'interior'designers'in'1874.'The'importance'of'their'work'towards'design'was'regarded'right'at'that'moment'as'over'a'par'to'be'able'of'William'Morris.'In'1876,'their'work'–'Suggestions'for'House'Decoration'in'Painting,'Woodwork'and'Furniture'–'spread'their'tips'on'artistic'design'to'a'wide'middle-class'audience.[12]