A Hollywood Regency Style Inspired Media Room

March 31, 2014
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Posted in: interior design

I’m very excited about this new project in the Bronxville home. My client, S has been wanting to work on her expansive basement. We have several projects in that area, but the one I find very interesting is the new media room. It’s funny, but every time I pull up to the home, I feel like I’ve just entered a mini MGM Studio in the hey day of Hollywood. I practically expect Carole Lombard or some glamorous starlet to come emerging from the entrance.

Alexis Smith

And since S loves color and a touch of glitz, I couldn’t think of any more appropriate style than Hollywood Regency for the new media room, which is really going to be a family room with a big TV in the basement.

So What is Hollywood Regency? (if you don’t already know) It is based of course, on the high style of Hollywood’s heyday in the 30’s and 40’s. It’s modernity at it’s most glamorous. It is bright colors, painted furniture, velvet, silk, tufting, animal prints, Chinoiserie, Chinese Chippendale, Fretwork, Porcelains and ginger jars, Tropical themes, faux bamboo, palm trees, mirrors, gold, silver, glass, lucite, lacquer, mid-century, Baroque, and always an air of whimsy and fun. And often out-and-out flamboyance— unrestrained. But Hollywood Reg can also be quiet and romantic.

The most influential designer of the 20th century was the legendary, Dorothy Draper. (my WP editor is going to crap all over me for saying the word, “legendary,” but that’s the way it goes sometimes.) Then, there was her protegé, the also legendary Carleton Varney. The very name reeks of exquisite taste, doesn’t it? And an interior designer named Draper? Well, let me just shut up and show you some of their work. Actually, I believe that Dorothy originally decorated this place, the Greenbrier Hotel and Carleton renovated it way back… but quite honestly, I’m not sure and oh well… let’s just get to the amazing images!

Photography above by Michel Arnaud

I got the images from different sources. Some of them were taken by Jennifer from the Pink Pagoda. If you like Chinoiserie and all the rest, then you will love her blog! She’s also an extremely talented artist and graphic designer.

Please check out her shop on Etsy.

The wallpaper is Carleton V’s iconic Brazillance Banana Leaf wallpaper. There are some aficionados of this design who go well… bananas over it. (sorry, I couldn’t resist). Here is one of them if you want to know more. You can read all about the history of it here. You can still buy the wallpaper and fabric through your interior designer at Carleton V.

CR Laine recently featured it at one of their markets on a chair, in fabric.

Benjamin Moore came out with a Dorothy Draper paint color selection.

Thomasville faux bamboo chest painted in a Dorothy Draper Color found on One King’s Lane

These days, it’s actually hard not to find an interior designer who doesn’t use some element of the Hollywood Regency Style in their interiors, however, there are many wonderful designers, who are known for being particularly influenced by its colorful and classic style. Amongst them are Jonathan Adler, Meg Braff, Alexandra Champalimaud, Tobi Fairley, Mary McDonald, Miles Redd, Ruthie Sommers, Kelly Wearstler and Palmer Weiss. Below, I will be interspersing their images with that of some others.