Dorothy Draper Interior Design Ideas

by Jeanette Joy Fisher

Renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright called Dorothy Draper an "inferior desecrator."  However, Dorothy Draper, the Martha Stewart of her day, offered home decorating tips on a wide variety of issues to her eager readers.

Draper left a legacy through a number of books, including a string of books on entertaining etiquette, some of which have recently been reprinted to help modern socialites entertain guests and be the life of their parties. Her 1941 book, Entertaining Is Fun! How to Be a Popular Hostess, covered with her adored hot-pink polka-dots, was a huge best seller.

Founder of the oldest established interior design firm, Draper's interior design ideas favored exuberant colors and bold patterns. With eye-popping colors, oversize prints (often chintz), and exuberant flourishes like rococo scrollwork, Draper once defined urban interior design sophistication. Some of her designs included slipcovers, house plants, and black and white floor tiles.

Draper said, "It is just as disastrous to have the wrong accessories in your room as it is to wear sport shoes with an evening dress."

If you want to use some of Draper’s interior design ideas in your home decorating, here are her design practices:

  1. Forget Minimalism. Although Draper hated clutter, she loved over scaled elements like elaborate door frames and neo-Baroque, romantic furniture.
  2. Use strong colors, not weak white or pastels. Opt for intense colors on walls and plenty of color contrast.
  3. Lay flooring that supports tactile pleasure and doesn't compete with accessories. Use 12 inch black and white checked tiles and dense, thick textured area rugs in neutral colors.
  4. Play with exuberant prints. Draper flourished space with enormous florals and fringe. She also loved statement wallpaper with big patterns. She fearlessly piled pattern upon pattern.
  5. Add bold accessories to attract attention. Think striking instead of boring rooms. Look for huge mirrors; the more flourishes, the better.
  6. Warm your rooms with fire. The fireplace "is the heart of any room and should be kindled on the slightest provocation," Draper said.
  7. Complete with flowers and plant life. "They are as much a part of a decorative scheme as beautiful curtains," Draper said.

Although you may feel like toning down Dorothy Draper's interior design ideas, play with her sense of joie de decorating. Replace gaudy with tasteful fun and think exuberant!

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