Brian Paquette, interior designer
"It was the sign I needed, I found these books for a reason, and something clicked. " - BP
"Only your eye can tell you what you will be happy with. Today, thank goodness, we are more concerned with the personal than with perfection" - Billy Baldwin
(signed by Dorothy Zoe Draper)
Billy Baldwin Decorates & Billy Baldwin Remembers.
(signed by Dorothy Draper)
I received a beautiful email from Brian Paquette last week with his submission:
"David, so I battled with this one... Well not battled, but I had two choices and I decided to go the more traditional route because of the sheer impact these two books have had on my career, my sense memory toward them, and the coincidence of their previous owner.
Billy Baldwin Decorates and Billy Baldwin remembers.
I bought them both on the same day, September of 2008. I was living in Portland, Oregon at the time. I was a sample librarian at a design firm paying my dues and trying to soak in as much knowledge as possible while I plotted my career. I was 26.
I found them tucked away in a local vintage shop called HOUSE on Hawthorne. I had heard my former boss, John Peixinho of Franklin and Co. Interiors in Newport, Rhode Island talk about him many a time, mostly in reference to slipper chairs that he carried in his shop. I remember one covered in a Brunschwig and Fils Zebra print, I believe. I loved those chairs.
Both of the books were $2.00, so I bought them and honestly just put them on my shelf for a good while after skimming over the images. I later purchased "Decorates" with me on a trip to Tulum, Mexico with my friend Travis, and read the entire thing on the beach! I was blown away by Mr, Baldwin's sensibilities and his "formality with ease."
I was very much in a time of flux in my life, wanting and wishing, and putting all of the positive energy I could muster out into the world to give me a sign as to what I was supposed to be doing with my life. The sign came with previous owner of the books, Dorothy Zee Draper...I hadn't noticed this when I purchased the books or even until after I was finished with "Decorates"...
It was the sign I needed, I found these books for a reason, and something clicked.
When I returned I got back to work, and after some convincing, got my first real client as BP INTERIORS; a job I will always look back on with a big smile, and I've been working ever since.
In my work I work with reference, sense memory and mixing styles to obtain a look that reflects my clients life in the present, as well as every happy lasting memory in their heads to ultimately create a home out of a house.
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In his own words...
" Only your eye can tell you what you will be happy with. Today, thank goodness, we are more concerned with the personal than with perfection"
- Billy Baldwin
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Brian Paquette, interior designer
Full service Decorating Firm based in Seattle, Washington.
email: emailbrianpaquette@gmail.com
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