CHARITY: Kips Bay Palm Beach 2022

Looking forward to attending the fundraiser KBPB Decorator Showhouse this month...image via "Town and Country"

GIFT : Pearls of Palm Beach, by Holly Holden

A book is always a nice gift, and so I thought how timely to post about this one, which I don't own yet... Enjoy! Happy Holidays ! Kudos to dear Holly Holden, a truly lovely lady! DF

FUN : KBPalmBeach

Always fun to visit, the 4th annual Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club charity decorator showhouse was a beautiful symphony of many gorgeous colors...I was especially taken with this small "antechamber" by Boston designer, Mally Skok...we followed the visit with a delightful lunch at the old school "Ta-boo" (Two flutes of prosecco, a bowl of penne with shrimp, and the famous Ta-boo dessert..) then a fun stroll up and down famous old Worth Avenue, now a repository for many art galleries. Peter Millar's shop was open and chock full of shoppers..! DF

CHARITY: Kips Bay Palm Beach Decorator Showhouse

One of my favorite Spring time activities is to visit the fabulous Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse, in Palm Beach...check out the site for more information including times and ticket availability - which, (unlike previous years) is scheduled now due to Covid...

Garden: Palm Beach

Who wouldn't LOVE this gorgeous ocean front garden in sunny old Palm Beach, Florida? As I've recently gotten into gardening- and actually getting my manicured hands DIRTY...and am having the time of my life procuring and placing Saint Augustine grass, Alocascia, Gardenia, Clusia, Lantana, and Sweet Williams, Liriope, and boxwood topiary...plus a host of other natural delights...DF

Instagram and 2021!!!

 Greetings and Happy New Year's...!  Follow me on @farrisdean on Instagram to track my latest images...

Dean Farris Interior Design (c) 2021

Find me at Miromar Design Center, 10800 Corkscrew Road, suite 188 or 149...

Call me on (239) 498-9074

Email me at deanfarrisint@gmail.com 

Bon chance ~!  DF  link here:  Miromar Design Center

COZY: Palmetto Snug

Lucas Studio, Inc. for 2020 Kips Bay Palm Beach Show House

One of the most charming spaces at the Twenty20 kips Bay show house was
 the small cabana off the garden which designer Joe Lucas dubbed the palmetto snug.  I especially liked the small vintage sofa angled in the corner which was reupholstered for the show house and behind it was a stunning arrangement of yellow forsythia  mixed with some dried materials not shown in this image.  @lucasstudioinc   Show house is open now through March 1st.  DF

Joe Lucas, Kevin Isbell, Colleen Van Den Thillart, via BOH

FRENCH: Cedric Dupont

Cedric Dupont, West Palm Beach, FL

I always get a burst of inspiration from visiting the Dixie Highway gallery of Cedric Dupont...this image gives one some idea of his amazing inventory.  DF

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KIPS BAY PALM BEACH: Impressions

Dean with designer Susan Zises Green,
Kips Bay PB Showhouse 2017

Thanks to the prodding of my good friend the designer, Steven Matable, Billy and I visited Palm Beach 
(with Steve) to see the first annual Kips Bay Palm Beach Decorator Showhouse -
 I was tickled pink to run into Susan Zises Green there, as she was a friend of my former mentor and friend, the late Tice Alexander.  Her room was a stunning confection in Quadrille and Alan Campbell prints with a delicious shade of amethyst playing off of a unique one of a kind rug.

Susan Zises Green, via House Beautiful

Designer Steven Matable in Lisa Erdmann's room- KBPBDS 2017

We got a kick out of this bright yellow room by Lisa Erdmann Associates-

Bierly-Drake for KBPBDS 2017

Loved this chair treatment, possibly inspired by Pauline de Rothschild...

Stephen Mooney for KBPBDS 2017

This upstairs library by Stephen Mooney reminded me of the New York penthouse I worked on with the late Parkin Saunders- where once upon a time Joan Crawford lived!

Christopher Maya for KBPBDS 2017

One of my favorite rooms was this one- as it had a Giacometti white plaster lantern, table top, and wall plaque !!!

Fernando Wong for KBPBDS 2017

This modern sculpture in the garden was the first thing you saw upon approaching the house- stunning!  

Perhaps the best of all was visiting my dear friend, decorator Louise Cronan at her restored 1924 cottage near El Cid...it seemed as if we left one showhouse and entered another!  No surprise as she is one of the most brilliant designers I know.  
Her mother decorated the house in Atlanta that Miles Redd grew up in!  A very talented family to say the least.  DF *****

TIMELESS, Carleton Varney

Carleton Varney

What fun and excitement too, to have famous Carleton as a friend and an inspiration!  An iconic figure in the interior design world, he's written over 30 books- and has appeared on HSN (television) as well as fathering three sons, and running the oldest design firm in America, Dorothy Draper, Inc.  (and prestigious) - a true man in full!  

Speaking of Home Shopping Network, I just this morning purchased some of the famous CV sheets, in the "Versailles" pattern- inspired by D. Porthault!  Click here to read more on fabulous and inspiring Carleton Varney!

Carleton Varney

Carleton on HSN

Carleton Varney

Carleton's Palm Beach residence 

Carleton Varney

Carleton Varney

Carleton Varney

Carleton Varney

Carleton Varney

Carleton Varney

Carleton Varney "Growing Wild"

Carleton Varney

Carleton at MP Interiors (Naples, Florida)

You can also find Carleton by the yard at MP Interiors, in the Miromar Design Center, tel (239) 498-9074 or
www.mp-interiors.net

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A Romantic Ruin in Palm Beach

515 North County Road, Palm Beach

Imagine, where once the estate of Mona and Harrison Williams, and later - Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wrightsman ~stood, there is now a "95 million dollar tear-down" (Palm Beach Daily News) - however, with over 400 feet of direct ocean frontage, perhaps the price is reasonable- and no doubt, this property will most likely be sub-divided, pending town approvals...let's wait and  see what happens!  DF*****  

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Restored 1925 house in Midtown Palm Beach sells for $8.15 million

Restored 1925 house in Midtown Palm Beach sells for $8.15 million

346 Seaspray, Palm Beach, Fla. Photo by Dean Matthews, Captured to Sell

As I've said before, I love a courtyard, and I was seduced by the shade of green on these shutters!  DF *****

Two Cielito Lindo homes are now Palm Beach landmarks

Two Cielito Lindo homes are now Palm Beach landmarks

Cielito Lindo, the former Woolworth estate

Cielito Lindo: translation- "A little piece of heaven" ~ Mrs. Woolworth lived there in the season in 124 rooms from the late 20's through the late forties... read more on PB Daily News... DF *****

Ourismans' Palm Beach home undergoes classic transformation

Ourismans' Palm Beach home undergoes classic transformation



via NYSD

This beautiful loggia was recently added on to a classic Palm Beach regency house, with interiors by Bill Eubanks, and landscape by Keith Williams-Mario Nievera Associates.  Great job!  Ballinger Award winner!  DF *****

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Society of the Four Arts, PB

These stunning gardens, at The Society of Four Arts, Palm Beach, were so soothing, and made a spectacular entrance to the building where Leta Austin Foster gave her talk on her new book, "Traditional Interiors" with Brian Coleman.  A very nice presentation indeed!  DF *****

Palm Beach Day Trip

In the gardens at Society of the Four Arts, Palm Beach
I-fone photo by Billy

Billy and I had a blast yesterday, when we went over to the east coast for a day of fun, education, and socializing.  Our old and dear friend Louise met us for lunch at Bice off Worth, and then her friend Helen very generously offered to drive us over to the venue for the Leta Austin Foster presentation.  Here I am striking a pose in the gardens on Cocoanut...stay tuned for more about these exquisite gardens...DF*****

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Designer Leta Austin Foster to discuss new book in Palm Beach

Designer Leta Austin Foster to discuss new book in Palm Beach

Leta Austin Foster Associates 

Stay tuned for more about Leta's exciting new book!  DF *****

Not Torn Down (Yet)

Gordon Drive, Naples, FL

This is one of my favorite of the older, hidden properties in Naples, and it was built originally as the guest quarters for J. Glen Sample, who very fortuitously developed the area known as Port Royal. 

It was only in the mid-1980's that even our east coast sister city of Palm Beach implemented a historic preservation program, and let's hope the same will happen here~as it already has in the historic district of Old Naples.  I'll be in PB on Monday to hear dear Leta Foster talk about her new book: "Traditional Interiors" with dear Billy and our Palm Beach friend the designer Louise Wilcox Cronan.  Stay tuned! 
DF *****

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Dining at Bricktops, Naples

Blue Bar, Hotel Algonquin, NYC

Last night, Billy and I had great fun, while dining chez Bricktops (Naples and Palm Beach) with our new friend, Mr. Philip Norkeliunas, who was sent to us by dear Mario Buatta, The Prince of Chintz! 
Philip roomed with Christopher Spitzmiller at Saint Lawrence College.  Philip's partner, Dr. Amin Jaffer, lives in London, and works at Christie's ...and he has also written a book, "Beyond Extravagance"...click here ~we also saw our old friends from Gulf Shore Boulevard and Amagansett, Joy and Tom Edwards, which was a delightful surprise.  Tom is a very talented decorator, and a native New Yorker.  All in all, a very enjoyable evening!  DF *****

Chateau de Menars

Brunschwig et Fils Menars fabric at the former Wrightsman house, Palm Beach, FL

Besides the old Rory Cameron villa, La Fiorentina, I've always admired the former house of Jayne Wrightsman, in PB, where this Brunschwig cotton print, called Menars ~ was used in a major way by Vincent Fourcade...

Click here to read about the Loire Valley chateau called Menars, which Madame de Pompadour acquired back in 1760.  Enjoy!  DF *****

Madame de Pompadour, by Francois Boucher

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