Name: Carleton Varney
Company: Dorothy Draper & Co., Inc.
Position within company: President
Website: dorothydraper.com
Tell us a little about your background in design (education, experience, etc)
53 years of design at Dorothy Draper & Co., Inc., the oldest established decorating firm in America.
How would you describe your personal interior design style?
Glamour, tradition with color statements – happy colors. Combining the elegance and charm of yesterday with the conveniences of tomorrow.
Where does your design inspiration come from?
From worldwide travel – in ancient cities combined with current metropolis design.
In what direction do you feel that design is moving towards in a general sense?
Forward with tradition as well as contemporary comfort and style.
Name five key themes to consider when approaching design in 2016 and beyond.
- Stylish
- Colorful
- Comfortable
- Durable
- Useful, Functional
If you could offer one piece of advice when it comes to interior design schemes, what would it be?
Let your mind be free
How important are The International Design and Architecture Awards as recognition of talent and achievement?
The world is now smaller and smaller, exposure to great design should be universal.
What projects are you currently working on?
Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
The Colony Hotel, Palm Beach, Florida
Residential Projects
Frontgate Home Collection
What are your aims and goals for the next twelve months?
To remain relevant in an ever changing world.
Final thoughts; tell us a little more about yourself…
Your most treasured possession? My Children
Your favourite holiday destination? Shannongrove House, Ireland
Your favourite hotel / restaurant / bar? Grand Hotel Mackinac Island, Michigan & The Greenbrier Resort, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Your favourite book / film / song?
Book: Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway
Film: Casablanca
Song: Moonriver
Your favourite food and drink? Broiled Lobster and Chablis
If you weren’t a designer, what would you be? An Adventurer