Michele Oka Doner

Tonight, I'm attending a champagne reception and book signing for the New York artist, Michele Oka Doner, at the Waterside Shops. I always enjoy shopping there, as they have Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Saks, Tiffany, Hermes', Ferragamo, and Ralph Lauren. On Thursday, I was scheduled to meet top lighting designer Robert Sonneman at the ASID Christmas party, but Bill and I will be on the east coast that night for a mini vacation, and also to visit Pocock Fine Art, in Fort Lauderdale. Pocock, on Las Olas Boulevard, carries an excellent selection of fine 19th century art and furnishings, and I look forward to shopping there when on the east coast. We decided to skip Palm Springs this year, so, Fort Lauderdale it is ! http://www.pocockfineart.com/ DF *****

Dean is wearing Costa Del Mar sunglasses, J. McLaughlin shirt, J. Crew poplin trousers, loafers by Gucci. Belt by Ralph Lauren. Hair by Ilenocos.

copyright Dean Farris 2009

Albert Hadley | Panache Privée

Albert Hadley Panache Privée

Stan Topol

A clear, sunny day after in Naples...

Another mentor of mine, from my days at Art Institute of Atlanta, whom I am so very thankful for, is Stan Topol. Stan was the chairman of the interior design department at AIA when I showed up, age 17, ready to take over the design world...he was sitting in his Billy Baldwin brown office, with framed photographs on the walls of Joseph Braswell and Billy B.

I had never met such a charismatic, exotic personality ! Stan exudes atmosphere, went to school in New Orleans, and hails from the Mississippi Delta. I learned so much from him, not just about how to design a very high-style interior, but how to live, write a charming letter, dress, table manners, knowledge of french language, food, and all the things that make life worth living. Today, Stan is considered to be one of the top designers in the U.S. and has been featured in "AD" and has designed extensively for Sir Elton John. He also has done major work here in Naples for one of the founding families, the Lutgerts. I would go so far as to say that not only has he mentored me, and many others, but that the day we met was the official beginning of my career as a decorator ! DF ***** www.stantopol.com/

copyright Dean Farris 2009

Felliniesque Thanksgiving

The Naples restaurant "St George and the Dragon" is an institution, and Mary, Susan and I enjoyed a nine course meal there today. I especially enjoyed my shrimp and scallop coquille (served in a large scallop shell) and my pre- dinner manhattan on the rocks. After dinner, we took Susan home, and I got a tour of her palatial residence on Crayton Road. The golf course view was spectacular ! Then, we went to Mary's sons house and checked out their festive goodies, with a very yummy looking turkey (23 pounds) fresh from the oven. Fresh rosemary had been installed under the skin prior to cooking. Now, I just want to recover from all the fabulous food and drink ! The clientele at St George and the Dragon is very interesting. Lots of very tall stately looking gents and very wonderfully eccentric ladies...with nice jewelry, big bouffants, and Pucci type clothes...the atmosphere is VERY DARK and there are those great green glass globes on all the lamps. It feels like the galley of an old ship from the early nineteenth century, and Mary, our server was a ringer for Ina Garten, the barefoot contessa. We enjoyed each and every bite ! DF *****

Hicksian Tablescape

David Hicks, iconic designer - used the word "tablescape" in his design books, and I was inspired to create one of my own. I used a rattan table, and a neoclassic roman bust - reminding me of Michael Taylor. Then I created a kind of "bonsai" tree from dried eucalyptus in a bronze neoclassic urn. The cloisonne' vase, and Tiffany paperweight were gifts. Then, in another very Hicksian mood, I added an uplight on the floor to bring out the details. When my new curtains are installed, this will all come together. Please excuse the blinds, they came with the apartment ! Functional, but not really my taste. I had a lot of fun creating this arrangement. DF*****

Michael Taylor

I'm very much inspired by the work of iconic designers from the past. Just as Michael Taylor was by Frances Elkins. There is a fabulous continuity between the classic designs of yesterday and the present. When I was in the salon at McMillen in New York, I witnessed the timelessness of classic design. There is a definite structure, and Otto Zenke in North Carolina and Palm Beach was another of my inspirations. Michael Taylor worked hard, and built up a society clientele, as well as being credited with creating what is known today as the "California Look". The book "Michael Taylor Interior Design" by Stephen M. Salny, is a favorite resource. Mr. Taylor left behind a significant body of work, and a whole style of design. What an amazing icon of style ! DF *****

Happy Thanksgiving

Dear readers and friends, I hope you all are able to enjoy a bountiful, healthy and happy holiday this week. Thank you for your continued support and friendship.
DF *****

Winter sunsets II

I enjoy experimenting with what my digital camera can and cannot do. Here, I tried to capture a bit of the sunset from my apartment, just before darkness falls. Tonight, the fountain was not illuminated for some reason, when it is I feel like I am in a park outside Paris...here too is another dusky shot of my "salon" which I never tire of photographing, since I seem to be obsessed with the idea of rooms devoted to the lost art of conversation. Please check out my pal Miles Redd's new spread in "Elle Decor" the blue lacquered foyer is amazing and so chic I could die. It reminds me of a house Ruben de Saavedra had done back in the eighties. Funny, I have a client here who used Ruben for his house in Pittsburgh, as well as Michael Greer. Life just gets more and more interesting with each passing day ! DF ***** (copyright Dean Farris 2009)

Petite Salon Deux

courtesy Dean Farris Interior Design 2009

As a boy, I read so many copies of "House & Garden" and "House Beautiful" that I became sort of a camera, retaining thousands of images in my memory bank. When I discovered the venerable firm of Parish-Hadley through these magazines, I was totally hooked, and later, I worked with a former PH designer (Tice) and got to know Albert quite well. This image of my Living Room in Naples shows a heavy influence from my studying and constantly reading shelter magazines. You can practically see the words house beautiful as a banner across the top of this picture ! My choice of a white tufted banquette was influenced by a picture I had seen of the couture salon of Yves St Laurent in Paris, now a museum, and the green velvet on the Louis XIV chairs was inspired by another iconic image showing Hubert de Givenchy's salon in Paris...the chandelier was inspired by Coco Chanel's apartment in Paris... as you can see I have gone totally mad for a kind of 18th century revival style favored by french fashion designers. Ooh la la ! DF ***** (image copyright Dean Farris 2009)

sidenote: the apartment of interior designer Jacques Garcia on the Place des Voges in Paris is my idea of heaven ! See "Architectural Digest" archives...

Macquette for Living Room

Long ago, before personal computers, and before every student had one, and long before autocad, design schools such as Parsons would teach students to create something called a "macquette". This is a four sided elevation of a room, rendered in color. I really enjoyed my days at FIT, learning from the masters : Glenn Boyles, Albino Cimonetti, Stanley Barrows - all of whom had come from Parsons. Here is my recent macquette showing the new curtains I have ordered for my "petite salon" in Naples. You might wish to try this sometime as an exercise - it's very helpful to show clients as well. DF*****

Winter sunsets

I came home last night and caught this romantic image of my "salon" glowing in the late afternoon sunset. My air conditioning was blasting cool air, and I couldn't resist taking some shots of the view towards the settee. Ellen is making some curtains for me, to be shown in an upcoming post, so I look forward to showing you that elevation as well. As you can see, I have already started my Christmas decorating, just don't have the tree yet. Will be in North Carolina with my family over the holidays ! Enjoy ! DF *****

Miles of Tiles

When remodeling, i.e; a kitchen, I'm often asked to select a tile or other material for the backsplash area above the counters. Here are some I had found at Sorhegui here in Naples, which are very attractive, and add some wonderful color. I am particularly fond of the SICIS glass mosaics from Italy, seen here in a wet bar I redesigned with Tony Felice. DF *****