Interior Design: Look Forward by Looking Back to Dorothy Draper

Dorothy Draper was one of America's most famous and influential interior designers. She pioneered the industry in the United States, created a brand name for herself long before Martha Stewart came onto the scene, influenced home decorating with her "you can decorate" best-selling books, and produced an impressive body of decorating work, from chic hotels and private homes to important commercial commissions like the interiors for jet airplanes.

Here are some Draper tips that we can all benefit from in our home decorating (and pick up a copy of her Decorating Is Fun! book for some great ideas).

1. Draper always believed it was important to have a good time decorating your home. She warned people not to be "grim and serious," and she said, "I don't believe there is any rule in the game that can't be broken."
2. "So many people stick timidly to the often uninspired conventional ideas or follow some expert's methods slavishly. Either way they are more or less living in someone else's house." To avoid this, she advised decorating where you live to make it "honestly your own - an expression of your personality."
3. "You need courage to experiment, courage to seek out your own taste and express it, courage to disregard stereotyped ideas and try out your own." She particularly advises against blindly following trends, fashions, or someone else's advice. But with that comes responsibility to try to research what's available, collect color and pattern samples that appeal to you, and begin to look around and find what's appealing.
4. "The Drab Age is over. Color is coming into its own again. Until very recently people were literally scared out of their wits by color." Dorothy Draper wrote these words back in 1939, and they are still true! Don't forget that lively colors in your surroundings are important, and she advises, "Be sure your colors are honest, fresh, and clear." She doesn't mean bright shades of color but instead, colors that aren't "wishy-washy."
5. Get rid of "junky knickknacks" in all your rooms. In fact, Dorothy Draper always eliminated all purposeless elements from her room and reveled in the "restful simplicity" of rooms that are well decorated.
6. Replace old picture frames with new ones to give your walls a fresher look.
7. Don't overlook the small details in any room. "Your lampshades," says Draper, "can make or break a room." She says to consider the decorating details in your room as carefully as you consider layering your body in clothes and jewelry; accessorizing is just as important as the basic outfit.
8. "No room can be called perfect unless it has real comfort. It must be livable for you. It must meet graciously every requirement you make of it." Take Draper's advice and look hard and long at how you're using your living room and dining room. Are these two underutilized rooms in your house? Can they be made more comfortable and livable for you and your family by accommodating more conversation groupings, spaces to enjoy media, great places to read a book, work spaces for homework and games and computer use?
9. When considering wall colors, get a large wallpaper sample which has the background color you want. "Hang it on the wall until you find out whether you really like it. Then have your painter match that shade."
10. Don't forget ceilings when laying out your color plans for a room. Don't just default and paint them white. "Your ceiling can be a contrast to your walls, or it can match some color in your wallpaper or rug. It can be painted shiny black, or it can be covered with the same wallpaper you are using on the walls. Just don't treat it like a stepchild."
11. "A room that is weighted down at one end by a great, heavy sofa that is not balanced by similar weight at the other end is an uneasy room." Draper cautions against buying pairs of things to create balance. ("It would be dull if you did.") Instead, she recommends clever uses of color such as a pair of chairs with upholstery darker than the sofa being used to create that visual balance in the room. "Solid colors will usually make things seem larger and bulkier than they are. And bold, all-over patterns will reduce their size because they break up the lines just as army camouflaging does."

Interested in learning more about interior design? Take a look at Sheffield School's Complete Course in Interior Design. At Sheffield, you will learn how to transform a space, create color schemes, and select furniture, lighting, and accessories.

Comments

[EPDM]

Great Article on great personality! Dorothy is a classical interior designer she worked really well and her contribution in this field is always remember by all the designers.

[House Moving]

I appricate Dorothy for her Nice approach in the feild of interior design. we never forget her ever. thanks for sharing such a nice info.

[Cute Outfits Dresses]

I really like this article . Dorothy Draper really deserve more than this.

[Engagement Rings]

Excellent article. Hats off to that lady. She is most famous interior designer her designs was wonderful and today also she is iconic personality for every designer.

[Vangleo]

I like inter designing. It is not an easy tax for this young generations go for classes in a reputed institute. Now all construction work and architecture based on this and decided after completion of the work how one can decorate that place by furniture. I Have interest in this line and want to make my career in inter designing.

[Twitter Marketing]

Is this Sheffield as in England located?

[aquafarm nusantara]

always love designers in whatever field they are especially interior designer. they can easily change someone's mood happier just by simple touch in the interior. hats off to her

[Minerale Design]

Design ideas for your new living room: give your living room an overhaul with our design ideas arranged by style and theme. Using our medium of high strength specialty concrete, we create furniture, countertops, sculptures, etc. All in the name of art, but specific to your function.
http://mineraledesign.com/
Call us: +1 717 4456269

[Minerale Design]

Design ideas for your new living room: give your living room an overhaul with our design ideas arranged by style and theme. Using our medium of high strength specialty concrete, we create furniture, countertops, sculptures, etc. All in the name of art, but specific to your function.
http://mineraledesign.com/
Call us: +1 717 4456269

[Gad subone]

I am thankful for the article.Really looking forward to read more. Awesome

[hary]

wow nice articlethank you very much
http://www.animeziz.com
http://www.30.animeziz.com
http://azztra.blogspot.com

[noteber]

Thank You.. Nice Post

http://hargakameranikonreview.blogspot.com
http://hargakameranikonreview.blogspot.com/2013/11/daftar-harga-kamera-nikon-dlsr-terbaru.html
http://reviewhargaandroidsamsung.blogspot.com

[huiop]

wow nice articlethank you very much..
http://burungpleciku.blogspot.com

[Pebble Tile Borders]

Hello,
Sealing your shower floor pebbles is an important step in keeping your pebbles looking great for years to come. Before you grout your pebble tiles we recommend you seal them first. This can be done with a good quality penetrating sealer. Don’t be cheap when buying sealer or you may come across problems with it in the future. If you have questions on which are the best quality you can go to <a href="http://pebble-tile.net/categories/-Pebble-Borders/"> Pebble Tile Borders </a>
or ask your local home supply store professional for advice on the best sealer for pebble tile. If you want a deeper color to your stone you may also decide to use a natural stone color enhancer to enhance the look of the pebbles you have bought.

[Wedding bar hire hampshire]

hiii nice blog i like title of your blog.your blog contain many important information in this.

[Rumah Idaman 12]

one of nice design i have ever seen

[Sewa Lct]

You did the a great work writing and revealing the hidden beneficial features of, highly informative and professionally written.
http://sewalct.com

[Hidemyass vpn]

Nice post ! I also enjoyed the design thanks

[sufi]

The official blog of the New York Institute of Art and Design - Designer Monthly - Interior Design: Look Forward by Looking Back to Dorothy Draper

http://palmsunday2014/

[Rinjani Lombok Net]

Nice post and great blog thanks

[Resep Masakan Indonesia]

Great design Idea and thanks for sharing with us
http://resepindon.blogspot.com/

[Pakar SEO]

Great design Idea ..
http://blogobisnis.com/pakar-seo-terganteng-adalah-pakar-seo-fikri-el-frana/
http://blogobisnis.com/
http://ivo4life.com/

[ituPoker.com JUDI POKER, AGEN POKER, AGEN SITUS T]

Very nice article

Thanks

http://poker-online-indonesia.weebly.com/home/itupokercom-judi-poker-agen-poker-agen-situs-taruhan-bandar-judi-poker-online-indonesia-terpercaya

[FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL 2014]

You covered all the attributes that are necessary for interior decoration. As i'm a interior designer i know it is difficult task to excute but i would love to read more for you. well now I work as a graphics designer at <a href="http://www.fifaworldcupfinal2014.com/"> FIFA WORLD CUP FINAL 2014 </a> and your tips in this post really helped in building the design for this company.

[hargahp]

nice article and great ideas. thanks
hargahpblackberry.com