I draw continuous inspiration from Class Act: William Haines, Legendary Hollywood Decorator, by Peter Schifando and Jean H. Mathison, a gorgeously produced monograph from the indispensable Pointed Leaf Press. Billy Haines (1900-1973), a rising movie star fired by MGM because he was gay, became a leading decorator to the most glamorous stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, establishing an unmistakably luxurious, modern style that’s simply peerless.
Haines’s red-leather Conference Chair; his conference room in 1949 and 1954.
Haines’s breathtaking Garden Room for the Winfield House in London features an 18th-century hand-painted wallpaper that came from an Irish castle.
The 1955 Seniah Chair made for Mervyn and Kitty LeRoy; a partners desk with bamboo-like detailing designed for Betsy Bloomingdale’s bedroom.
William Haines Designs in Los Angeles continues to reproduce original Haines furniture designs, catering to the ongoing revival of interest in the decorator and the Hollywood Regency style he helped establish.
