Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful

Oh, dear. For years now I have had this quote parked in my mind as being from Oscar Wilde. I stand corrected. It is actually from William Morris in "The Beauty of Life," a lecture before the Birmingham Society of Arts and School of Design (19 February 1880).

If you want a golden rule that will fit everybody, this is it: Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.