Jamie Drake, White Water Canyon, and Other Strokes of Genius
Dear Reader:
I throw clothes on the floor because my wire hangers bend. I have a half varnished stand because the television came early. I only have one set of sheets, and those don't even match my duvet. I have a set of bath towels which aren't themed by a particular color but my yearly vacations. My favorite is a circa 1990 White Water Canyon towel from Kings Dominion. Reader, if I were to go any further on the confessions of my lacking abode, I would likely lose one or two of you. But you get the picture: An interior design gene, I have not.
So when a dear friend invited me to the Corcoran Gallery's lecture by interior design legend Jamie Drake, I took the gentlemanly route of broadened horizons and said," Yes." Sure, I currently get a mark of 'F' for my skills in this department, but I knew that after this lecture I'd be a pro. How hard could it possible be? A pillow here. A color there. All I needed was the knowledge and I'd have it down. I would have the ultimate gentleman's pad in no time.
As you've probably already guessed, I didn't leave the lecture with this so-called knowledge but I did leave with a respect for the profession. Luster. Texture. Color. The Curve. The Mix. These are the phrases that Drake stated define his style of work. He guided the audience through some of his favorite designs, highlighting the examples of these phrases within each entity. It was eye opening for someone like me, who struggles to match his socks, to see what a space could look like with the right amount of inspiration and talent. In a world full of mass produced furnishings by Ikea and Target it was amazing to see what a singular stroke of genius could do to a living space. Each space was totally original and personally reflected the owner. I realized that this wasn't just a job to Drake, but a lifestyle. He was an artist. A genius. The Picasso of Interior Design.
As he clicked through each slide, I imagined myself in each space. There was City HPG having a cocktail party. There was Country HPG dusting his riding boots off before he entered the library for a read. And there was even Hampton's HPG having a weekend adventure with his best friends Jamie Drake, Jack Nicholson, and Sean Paul. ( Its my fantasy, go with it.) But as the lecture ended and the lights went up, reality sunk in. As of the moment, I'm merely Capitol Hill HPG with a limited law student income. However, I was now inspired to strive for better.
While I will never give up my White Water Canyon towel, I will buy a set of new ones that match. I'll even make an effort to finish varnishing the TV stand and to stop throwing clothes on the floor. Although the latter will likely never happen, I'll try. My apartment, my space should be a reflection of me and who I'm striving to be. Not the lazy so and so who lies within.
Best,
HPG
A Drake design. It makes me want to read things other than Perez Hilton and old Hardy Boys novels.
I throw clothes on the floor because my wire hangers bend. I have a half varnished stand because the television came early. I only have one set of sheets, and those don't even match my duvet. I have a set of bath towels which aren't themed by a particular color but my yearly vacations. My favorite is a circa 1990 White Water Canyon towel from Kings Dominion. Reader, if I were to go any further on the confessions of my lacking abode, I would likely lose one or two of you. But you get the picture: An interior design gene, I have not.
So when a dear friend invited me to the Corcoran Gallery's lecture by interior design legend Jamie Drake, I took the gentlemanly route of broadened horizons and said," Yes." Sure, I currently get a mark of 'F' for my skills in this department, but I knew that after this lecture I'd be a pro. How hard could it possible be? A pillow here. A color there. All I needed was the knowledge and I'd have it down. I would have the ultimate gentleman's pad in no time.
As you've probably already guessed, I didn't leave the lecture with this so-called knowledge but I did leave with a respect for the profession. Luster. Texture. Color. The Curve. The Mix. These are the phrases that Drake stated define his style of work. He guided the audience through some of his favorite designs, highlighting the examples of these phrases within each entity. It was eye opening for someone like me, who struggles to match his socks, to see what a space could look like with the right amount of inspiration and talent. In a world full of mass produced furnishings by Ikea and Target it was amazing to see what a singular stroke of genius could do to a living space. Each space was totally original and personally reflected the owner. I realized that this wasn't just a job to Drake, but a lifestyle. He was an artist. A genius. The Picasso of Interior Design.
As he clicked through each slide, I imagined myself in each space. There was City HPG having a cocktail party. There was Country HPG dusting his riding boots off before he entered the library for a read. And there was even Hampton's HPG having a weekend adventure with his best friends Jamie Drake, Jack Nicholson, and Sean Paul. ( Its my fantasy, go with it.) But as the lecture ended and the lights went up, reality sunk in. As of the moment, I'm merely Capitol Hill HPG with a limited law student income. However, I was now inspired to strive for better.
While I will never give up my White Water Canyon towel, I will buy a set of new ones that match. I'll even make an effort to finish varnishing the TV stand and to stop throwing clothes on the floor. Although the latter will likely never happen, I'll try. My apartment, my space should be a reflection of me and who I'm striving to be. Not the lazy so and so who lies within.
Best,
HPG
A Drake design. It makes me want to read things other than Perez Hilton and old Hardy Boys novels.
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