The Coco Chanel of Decorating
Dorothy Draper (1889-1969), was America’s first female interior designer, and she turned the establishment on its ear with her outlandish use of color, texture and ornate fixtures. This forward-thinking woman was the Grand Dame of using bright, bold hue and texture combinations in her decorating of socialite homes, hotels, offices and hospitals. Design with bold schemes and the signature Dorothy Draper colors are still loved today
“Dorothy Draper was to decorating what Coco Chanel was to fashion. She brought color into a world which was sad and dreary. Today…everyone wants color around them again.” —Carleton Varney
Though for many people Draper’s work was a sensation, the legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright called her “the inferior desecrator”. Despite Wright’s dislike for Draper’s style, her influence can still be seen in color and textural combinations throughout America and the world.
Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock.com
The Queen of Color and Texture
Draper loved to use color in her decorating, departing from the dark color schemes of the usual Victorian-inspired decor. She was one of the first decorators to believe that vivid, beautiful colors helped people feel happier.
She favored using such dramatic color combinations as green and red with coral, or black and white with bits of color thrown in for emphasis. It is said that she suggested the Howard Johnson’s orange and blue color scheme, which is famous even now.
Draper also mixed different fabrics and textures to make a bold statement. She was the first to combine strong stripes with grand cabbage rose floral material. She loved oversized details, like huge mantels, ornate moldings, and lots of mirrors.
One of her mottos was, “If it feels right, it’s right.” True to her words, her often theatrical combination of colors and props, such as a birdcage chandelier, somehow worked, leaving people with a larger-than-life feeling still loved today.
Her Achievements
Dorothy Draper was famed for many decorating achievements, not limited to New York City’s Hampshire House, the dining area in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the lobby of the Carlyle. She also decorated the entire Greenbriar Hotel in West Virginia and the Camilla Restaurant in the Drake Hotel in Chicago.
She authored two successful books about decor and decorating, and was invited to decorate airplane and automobile interiors. Not bad for a woman in an era when women were typically little more than homemakers!
Dorothy Draper Still Around Today
Even though Dorothy Draper designed and decorated more than fifty years ago, her influence can still be seen in interior design today. Modern decorators believe in her notion that color is mentally beneficial as well as fun.
Benjamin Moore created a collection of colors reminiscent of Draper’s signature paint colors. The fifteen chosen capture her keen usage of color and self-assured sense of style. With fun, evocative names like Nightfall 1596, Apple Green 2026-40, Gondola Ride 602, or Jamaican Aqua 2048-60 it’s easy to see why a paint palette honoring Draper would be successful.
Even furniture makers and decorators are copying and promoting the Draper Touch. Thomasville’s magazine, ‘Dream’, shows how to achieve a modern-day Draper sitting room. Teaming large-print cabbage rose upholstered furniture, bold paint schemes and over-scaled elements help to capture the unique flare for which Draper was famed.
New York magazine’s article, “The Draper Effect” by Wendy Goodman, lists six different points you’ll need to incorporate into your decor if you want to channel Draper’s vision.
- Intense color
- Plant life.
- Dense, textured carpet.
- Striking details.
- A roaring fire.
- Exuberant prints.
How do you apply these points? First, abandon pastel colors and neutrals. Head for bright, bold and vibrant colors. It will probably be something you’d never dream of putting on a wall. Draper loved intense colors on walls and floors, such as the turquoise lobby of the Hampshire House.
*The book "In the Pink" is about Dorothy Draper’s Signature Style but unfortunately most of the photos are in black and white since her work was done before the advent of color photography.
The Draper Effect Goes Further than just Bright Paint
Dorothy Drape loved using live plant life and florals in her rooms, though silk plants will do if you lack a green thumb. Select big, bold, ornate accent pieces such as a baroque mirror. Textured carpets with gorgeous detail are important, too.
Though Draper liked boldness she did not like clutter in a room, so get rid of the shelves full of knickknacks. Finally, you’ll need to throw a slipcover with a huge floral print and details such as satin cording or fringe on the sofa and stoke a roaring fire in the fireplace. Then your room complete with Dorothy Draper colors will be just as the "Coco Chanel of Decorating" would have envisioned.
Continue Learning About Dorothy Draper Color and Style
The Greenbriar resort was designed by Draper and its website has some great information and images of her work.
The Greenbrier's famous façade symbolizes the very grandest resort experience in America - the foundation of which is its lavish décor and world-famous Dorothy Draper interior design. Dorothy Draper was a pioneer in interior design, dominating the field from 1925 to 1960 when she was named the most influential tastemaker in America.
from The Greenbrier website
Dorothy Draper & Company is still operating and Carleton Varney has been the President for more than 50 years. Visit the company website to learn more about Draper, Varney and the company.
When investigating Dorothy Draper color and style, be sure to look at Hollywood Regency, sometimes called Regency Moderne for examples. Hollywood Regency is a design style characterized by the bold use of color and contrast often with metallic and glass accents meant to signify both opulence and comfort. It is named for the movie-making industry of southern California as typified by the glamorous homes and estates of the actors and actresses of Hollywood's "Golden Era", roughly from the 1920s through the 1950s, and typified by the work of designers such as Dorothy Draper and Billy Haines. The term "Hollywood Regency" appears to have originated with Draper in the 1920s. It remains a current and lively area of design work both inside and outside of southern California. [source]
Talk to Us What You Think About Dorothy Draper's Work
Are you a fan of Dorothy Draper's colors and style or do you share Frank Lloyd Wright's opinion of her work? Let us know what you think by leaving a comment below.
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Feature Image Credit: Andriy Blokhin / Shutterstock.com
So interesting to learn about Dorothy Draper! Thanks, Kate!
You’re welcome Margie. I’m glad you enjoyed the article.
Kate,
I love this article – I am obsessed with Dorothy Draper! Thanks for sharing those Ben Moore colors – I was not aware they had developed that particular collection. I really think we are beginning to see more of these kinds of colors trending – 2014 is looking like it will be a happy year for COLOR!
I love Dorothy Draper, too. Benjamin Moore didn’t actually develop a special palette of her colors but put together a group from their existing colors that represented colors like those she used. I can’t remember what it was for but if you ask in the local store they might not won’t know what you are talking about.
What beautiful colours. I find it so intriguing that she made her impact almost 100 years ago but the colours she chose are so intriguing and relevant to today. Thanks for sharing!
I agree, Jill. Her color combinations are timeless.