Test your Design IQ
Who is the American interior designer associated with the restoration and decoration of iconic hotels in the world, such as the Waldorf Towers and The Plaza Hotel in New York?
He is the president of Dorothy Draper & Co, Inc. in New York, the oldest established interior design firm in the United States. It was named after its founder, who was one of the doyennes of interior design from the 1920s to the 1960s and was honored by the Museum of the City of New York last year in a very successful retrospective of her work.
His design philosophy stresses the use of bright colors and the rejection of all that is impractical, uncomfortable, and drab. In embracing this practice, he continues the tradition of Dorothy Draper by being associated with the use of vibrant colors, floral patterns, and bold contrasts — a legacy that is reflected not only in his interior designs, but also most notably in his fabric and scarf designs.
Among his projects are the Dromoland and Ashford Castles in Ireland, the Waldorf Towers and Plaza Hotel in New York, the Grand Hotel in Michigan, the Breakers in Palm Beach, and the Greenbrier in West Virginia. In the past years, he has been a design consultant to the Carter Presidential Library and for numerous functions at the White House. He also restored and redecorated the Official Vice President’s Residence in Washington, DC, the Governor’s Mansion in West Virginia, and the US Embassy in Tokyo.
He has also had private projects for celebrities for their homes in exclusive areas like Fifth Avenue, Palm Beach, and Southampton. Hospitality projects just beginning include a senior citizen’s luxury resort facility in Denver, Colorado; and the penthouse suites at the Stoneleigh Hotel in Dallas, Texas.
His versatility in design can be seen in the wide range of products that bear his mark — ranging from furniture to lamps, dinnerware, crystal, and linen designs.
His own range of fabrics under his name graces the private residences of clients, who include superstars from the worlds of entertainment, fashion, and business.
He has paid tribute to his mentor by penning a biography of Dorothy Draper entitled The Draper Touch — the High Life and High Style of Dorothy Draper. Another book, In the Pink — Dorothy Draper — America’s Most Fabulous Decorator, was published concurrently with the museum exhibition. He is also a well-known syndicated newspaper columnist and author of numerous books, including two novels, Kiss the Hibiscus Goodnight and The Decorator, as well as an autobiography, There’s No Place Like Home.
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Last week’s question: Who is the famous South African-American lifestyle guru and party planner to the stars who is recognized around the world as an arbiter of style?
Answer: Colin Cowie
Winner: Gilbert Redulla of Pasay City
Text your answer to 09263508061 with your name and address. One winner will be chosen through a raffle of texts with the correct answer. The winner will receive P2,000 worth of SM gift certificates for use at Our Home, SM Department Store, or SM Supermarket. They can claim their prize at Our Home in SM Megamall. Call the store manager at 634-1951, 634-1952.Bring photocopies of two valid IDs and a clipping of the Design Quiz issue in which you appear as winner
