HOMES + INTERIORS
Continuing the legacy of
DOROTHY DRAPER | BY HELÉNE RAMACKERS ALL IMAGES COURTESY OF NOTABLE DOROTHY DRAPER PROJECTS, GREENBRIER PROJECT IMAGES, PRIVATE CLIENT IMAGES
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merica’s first and most acclaimed design firm, Dorothy Draper & Company, is a legacy continued by a team of talented designers. Upscale Living Magazine’s journalist Heléne Ramackers spoke exclusively to Rudy Saunders, Senior Interior Designer at Dorothy Draper. Dorothy Draper & Company has been creating designs for interiors, furnishings, fabrics, and accessories since 1925. Please talk a bit about the firm’s history and the secret to its longevity. Dorothy Draper was simply a natural talent when it came to decorating. She had no formal education on the subject. Instead, she grew a reputation as having a flair for decorating. Mrs. Draper decorated her homes in such a unique style that other high society friends soon began to copy her. After some encouragement from her friends, she opened Architectural Clearing House in 1925 and later changed the name to Dorothy Draper and Company in 1929. She created designs for Hampshire House, Essex House, the Carlyle, the Greenbrier Resort, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, to only name a few. Dorothy Draper was the first to professionalize interior design as a career, and her work continues to inspire today. As Carleton Varney said, “Dorothy Draper created a look.” You know, when you walk into a Draper space, and that is what has stood the test of time. Design is often about finding the perfect item for every spot. Dorothy Draper went a step further and created custom-designed furniture and fabrics because no one else was doing what she did. Rather than being stuck in a specific period, she blends different pieces, periods, and styles, making it uniquely Draper. In so, she created something timeless, something we continue today. Dorothy Draper is an icon in her own right, with work that continues to inspire today. Those must be very big shoes to fill. At Dorothy Draper & Company, it is our privilege to continue and to add to the history of the firm. We are all part of her legacy and style, and we look forward to paving the path set by her and Mr. Varney to create beautiful spaces worldwide. Rudy, tell us a bit about yourself and how did you end up having a career in interior design? I always had a passion for design growing up. During my childhood we were staying at Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island (Michigan), and it was love at first sight. I fell in love with the colors, and the design stuck with me. I always knew that’s what I wanted to do growing up. Because of that, I followed Mr. Varney’s career, went to his lectures and book signings, and when it came time for my college internship at the University of Cincinnati, DAAP, he gave me a chance. I 48 | UPSCALE LIVING MAGAZINE | APRIL 2023
