Few would argue with the statement that Dorothy Draper was the most influential American interior decorator of the past century. They might make a case for Elsie de Wolfe, who had banished heavy dark furnishings and finishes from late Edwardian-era rooms, or plump for Sister Parish, and her easeful gentrified look. But Draper simply was the face of decorating. Savvy, decisive and trim — she looked the part. And her 1939 book Decorating Is Fun! and a regular column for Good Housekeeping maintained that public image. As did, of course, her work.
Born to wealth in Tuxedo Park, New York, Draper received little formal schooling but did travel extensively in Europe, where she refined her eye and tastes. Draper invented the interior design style known these days as Hollywood Regency. She loved bold vibrant color, which she deployed in unusual combinations (pink paired with eggplant was a favorite). She had a penchant for black-and-white checkered floors.
Draper liked a room to have a statement piece on the wall, preferably a plaster scrollwork-framed mirror. But most of all Draper liked such things as huge moldings brimming with Baroque detail; upholstery fabrics with overscaled florals, such as her signature print called “Cabbage Rose.” Draper could keep it simple. Many of her chairs are unfussy slipper or club chairs, with maybe a little tufting. Her cabinets and other case pieces are equally elegant — the quiet España chest, which has three drawers with round brass pulls, has been a staple of classic decorating ever since Draper designed it in 1953.
During a heyday of production in the mid-1950s, Heritage entered into a partnership with Draper, while Frank Lloyd Wright created several lines of furniture for Henredon — the works by both designers, which included Draper's España line and Viennese furnishings group, were marketed under the Heritage-Henredon name owing to a cross-licensing agreement between the brands.
Because of her passion for scale and grand gestures, most of Draper’s commissions were for hotels, resorts and apartment towers. In these spaces, she could follow her whim and produce such extravagances as the massive, playfully modernist chandelier in the lobby of the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia; the wildly Baroque fireplace in the lounge of New York’s Hampshire House; and the towering lacquered doors of the Arrowhead Springs Hotel in California. The woman thought big.
Browse a collection of vintage Dorothy Draper furniture on 1stDibs.
Pair Dorothy Draper White Gold Gilt España Curule Benches for Heritage Henredon
By Dorothy Draper, Heritage-Henredon
Located in Houston, TX
Pair of Mid-20th Century Dorothy Draper España curule benches for Heritage-Henredon featuring white painted wood frames with gold gilt detail and newly upholstered espresso Astrakhan...
Mohair, Silk, Upholstery, Wood, Giltwood, Paint
$940Sale Price / set|20% Off
Pair Late 20th Century Kindel Cherry Draper Dining Side Cafe Chairs
By Dorothy Draper, Kindel Furniture
Located in Dayton, OH
Dorothy Draper designed the original of this chair in 1945 for the Café and rooms at The Greenbrier Hotel in West Virginia. The swirling lines of the back splat, the French inspired ...
Upholstery, Cherry
Pair of Dorothy Draper España X Stools / Benches in Leopard Velvet, circa 1955
By Heritage Furniture, Dorothy Draper
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Timelessly sexy and upper crust pair of Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency benches or ottomans newly professionally upholstered in elegant leopard velvet. Stately X shape and lines. New leopard velvet tufted upholstery outlined in black piping for a more upscale finished look. Brass feet and emblems have a rich patina. Lacquered black wooden legs highlighted in gold draws the eye to that sophisticated X silhouette. These iconic Dorothy Draper benches...
Lacquer, Velvet
1960's Dorothy Draper Regency Dining Chairs for Henredon, set of 8
By Dorothy Draper, Henredon
Located in North Canton, OH
One of the finest sets of these I have encountered. Original Moire Upholstery fabric in a Berry color and showing only subtle signs of use/wear. Just a gorgeous set of chairs. A set ...
Lacquer
Dorothy Draper For Heritage-Henredon Espana Collection Ottoman
By Dorothy Draper, Heritage-Henredon
Located in Chicago, IL
Dorothy Draper Espana Collection bench. This ottoman/bench first appeared in 1955 as part of Draper's Espana Collection from Heritage /Henredon. They have been restored with fresh pe...
Brass
$1,400Sale Price|20% Off
Lovely Dorothy Draper Biscuit Tufted Bench Hollywood Regency
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Lovely Dorothy Draper biscuit tufted bench in the Hollywood Regency style. We love the biscuit tufted upholstery but the fabric is worn and foam w...
Upholstery, Wood
$4,200Sale Price / set|20% Off
Magnificent Pair Dorothy Draper Henredon Heritage Bench Ottoman Hollywood
By Dorothy Draper, Heritage-Henredon
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Magnificent pair of Dorothy Draper Henredon Heritage stools. We had the seats biscuit tufted upholstered in a shimmering peacock blue velvet and they sure look scrumptious! They meas...
Brass
COLLECTABLE 1940's ORIGINAL UPHOLSTERY DOROTHY DRAPER GROSFELD HOUSE SIDE CHAIR
By Dorothy Draper
Located in West Sussex, Pulborough
Royal House Antiques Royal House Antiques is delighted to offer for sale this absolutely stunning, highly collectable original circa 1940's Dorothy Draper Grosfeld House side chair ...
Upholstery, Hardwood
$14,400 / set
H 32 in W 22 in D 22 in
Hollywood Regency Style Set of 8 Indoor Outdoor Black Dining Chairs
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Set of 8 Hollywood Regency style indoor outdoor dining chairs fully restored from top to bottom with black cast aluminum frames and contrasting sand and ivory awning stripe upholster...
Aluminum
$10,800 / set
H 32 in W 22 in D 22 in
Hollywood Regency Style Set of 6 Indoor Outdoor Black Dining Chairs
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Set of 6 Hollywood Regency style indoor outdoor dining chairs fully restored from top to bottom with black cast aluminum frames and contrasting sand and ivory awning stripe upholster...
Aluminum
$1,176 / set
H 18.9 in W 19.69 in D 15.75 in
Set of Five Chic Iron and Velvet Stools, France, circa 1940s
Located in Isle Sur La Sorgue, Vaucluse
Elegant set of five hammered iron Curule stools, the seats upholstered in blue and yellow velvet. Four of the stools have a black finish, and the fif...
Metal
$2,995 / set
H 42.75 in W 19.5 in D 22.75 in
Henredon Style French Regency Louis XVI Carved Walnut Dining Chairs, Set of Six
By Henredon
Located in South Bend, IN
A gorgeous set of six French Regency Louis XVI style dining chairs In the manner of Henredon USA, Circa 1960s Carved solid walnut frames, with caned backs and upholstered seats. ...
Upholstery, Mahogany
$3,500 / set
H 20 in W 19 in D 17 in
Antique Italian Biedermeier Regency Carved Walnut Curule X-Bench Stool - a Pair
Located in Philadelphia, PA
Antique Italian Biedermeier Regency Carved Walnut Curule X-Bench Stools - a Pair. Stools feature beautiful hand carved details, turn carved stretcher base, and remarkable authentic p...
Wood
Awaiting L Stool Printed Velvet and Brass
By Coralla Maiuri, Giorgia Zanellato
Located in Roma, IT
This stool is part of the Awaiting collection, presented by Secondome during Milan Fuorisalone, 2016. It’s a series of items born from the encounter between the printed silk and cott...
Metal, Brass
Awaiting, H Stool Printed Velvet and Brass
By Coralla Maiuri, Giorgia Zanellato
Located in Roma, IT
This stool is part of the awaiting collection, presented by Secondome during Milan Fuorisalone, 2016. It's a series of items born from the encounter between the printed silk and cott...
Metal, Brass
Pair of Large 'Strapontin' Stools by Design Frères in COM
By Design Frères
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Pair of large 'Strapontin' stools by Design Frères, in COM. This is the COM version: 1 yard required for the pair Instructions to send will be reconfirmed after the order is confirmed.
Wrought Iron
Hans Wegner Ottoman for GETAMA
By Hans J. Wegner
Located in San Francisco, CA
Hans Wegner design ottoman for GETAMA, Denmark. Model GE 290 solid oak frame in very good original condition with a newly upholstered wool cushion, signed.
Upholstery, Oak
Hollywood Regency Tufted Bench with Brass Legs
Located in St. Louis, MO
Hollywood Regency tufted bench with nice neoclassical style brass plated legs. Legs have been polished and re-plated in a warm butler br...
Brass
$2,100 / item
H 17 in Dm 20.5 in
Hollywood Regency Round Tiger Print Velvet Upholstered Ottoman or Foot Stool
By Scalamandre
Located in Oklahoma City, OK
A stunning Hollywood Regency style hand crafted ottoman, covered in rich le Tigre velvet. Round in form, each stool is created by hand by our in house craftsman, and covered in a thi...
Fabric, Foam, Wood
$4,865 / item
H 18.5 in Dm 16.5 in
Konekt Thing 3 Stool in Polished Brass, Horse Hair and Merino Wool Velvet
By Konekt
Located in New York, NY
Konekt's signature Thing Stools are available in four different styles. Refined yet wild, the stools are accentuated with a distinctive combination of cont...
Brass
Pair of Dorothy Draper Espana Collection Benches For Heritage Henredon
By Heritage-Henredon, Dorothy Draper
Located in Chicago, IL
Pair of Dorothy Draper Espana Collection benches. These first appeared in 1955 as part of Draper's Espana Collection from Heritage /Henredon. They hav...
Brass
1960s Dorothy Draper for Henredon Regency Dining Chairs, Set of 10
By Dorothy Draper, Henredon
Located in North Canton, OH
Ultra Rare set of 10 Iconic Dorothy Draper Black lacquered dining chairs with gold hand painted pinstripe detail and gold fluted front legs. 2 cap...
Upholstery, Lacquer
Lovely Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency Tufted Curved Sofa Heritage
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Classic Hollywood Regency Dorothy Draper for Heritage curved sofa. A wonderful curvaceous back with tufted cushioning and a curtained front bottom edge. This sofa retains its origina...
Upholstery, Walnut
Sold
H 16 in W 24 in D 18 in
Pair Dorothy Draper Henredon Heritage X Base Stool Table Hollywood Regency
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Pemberton, NJ
Beautiful pair of Dorothy Draper España collection side tables in nice vintage condition for Henredon Heritage circa 1950. These beaut...
Brass
Dorothy Draper Armchairs for the Fairmont Hotel Crown Dining Room
By Dorothy Draper
Located in San Francisco, CA
Dorothy Draper design armchairs or dining chairs for the Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco Circa 1949. Ben Swig owner of the Fairmont Hotel commissioned Dra...
Aluminum
Dorothy Draper for Kindel Velvet Olive Sofa
By Dorothy Draper, Kindel Furniture
Located in Franklin Park, IL
Dorothy Draper for kindel velvet olive sofa This sofa measures: 94 wide x 50 deep x 36 inches high, with a seat height of 16 inches This sofa is in good ...
Upholstery, Wood
Sold
H 32 in W 33 in D 36 in
Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency Armchair Pair, Carleton Varney, Down-Filled
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency armchair pair, Carleton Varney, Down-filled. Iconic Hollywood Regency pair. Features the Baroque Bouquet floral...
Textile
Sold
H 32 in W 85 in D 40 in
Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency Baroque Bouquet Sofa, Carleton Varney, Downfill
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Brooklyn, NY
Dorothy Draper Hollywood Regency Baroque Bouquet sofa, Carleton Varney, Downfill. Iconic Hollywood Regency piece. Features the Baroque Bouquet floral pattern in yellow citron. Rolled arm, skirted, down-filled sofa. Scalamandre trim. Striking, luxurious piece that is as comfortable as it is gorgeous. Cloud-like experience. Literature: Carleton Varney, “Decorating on the Waterfront.” Shannongrove Press, 2017. Dorothy Draper was a Pioneer in interior design, dominating the field, not only in New York but nationally, from 1925 to 1960 when she was named the most influential tastemaker in America. None of the earliest female interior decorators and one of the first to professionalise interior design as a fully fledged career, Dorothy Draper (1889-1969) gained iconic status for her audacious style and groundbreaking colour combinations that deviated from the typically dark palettes of her time (think coral red, aubergine, chartreuse, turquoise blue). The American visionary was commissioned to design high-profile public spaces, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Greenbrier Hotel in White Sulphur Springs. She is often associated with the “Modern Baroque” Hollywood Regency era and style but her modern twist on classical aesthetic and intelligent, courageous use of color is as fresh today as it was in the early to mid-20th century. Draper’s assistant, Carlton Varney...
Textile
Set of 3 Dorothy Draper Espana Collection Benches For Heritage Henredon
By Heritage-Henredon, Dorothy Draper
Located in Chicago, IL
Set of three Dorothy Draper Espana Collection benches. These first appeared in 1955 as part of Draper's Espana Collection from Heritag...
Brass, Gold Leaf
Sold
H 51 in W 22 in D 24 in
Art Deco Modern Pair of Dorothy Draper High Back Sculpted Accent Armchairs 1940s
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Keego Harbor, MI
For your consideration is a stunning pair of sculpted, high backed armchairs, by Dorothy Draper, circa 1940s. In good antique condition, but need reupholstery. The dimensions are 22"...
Wood
Set of 10 Regency Dining Chairs by Dorothy Draper for Henredon
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Las Vegas, NV
These were recently used in the newest Gucci ad campaign "Tiger". A set of 10 Regency dining chairs designed by Dorothy Draper for Henredon...
Wood
Sold
H 18 in W 24 in D 20 in
Pair of Dorothy Draper España X Stools / Benches in Leopard Velvet, circa 1955
By Dorothy Draper
Located in Saint Louis, MO
Perfection. Stately and elegant x shape and lines. Brass feet and emblem details. Soft Leopard velvet seat with black tufting and piping detail. These iconic Dorothy Draper stools are timeless. They can be re-imagined in so many ways. It's the type of acquisition that stays with you for life. These ottomans / benches / stools will elevate decor wherever placed. The stools were professionally reupholstered in leopard velvet. Black tufting and piping details. Brass has a stately patina. Black wooden legs. Photographed along with Feldman lighting brass lotus flower lamp and Dorothy Draper orange and gold slate top España cabinet...
Lacquer