06 Sep Pretend Client: Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman

Have you ever watched a film that just grabbed hold of your heart for one reason or another? When I was 16, I watched Dirty Dancing for the first time and it changed my life. Not in any substantial ways, but I fell platonically in love with the Jennifer Gray’s character, Baby, and that summer of ‘63 which she holidayed in the Catskills. Each time I heard the opening beat of Be My Baby by The Ronettes, I was brought back in time and place to the very dance floor Baby shared with Johnny Castle all summer.

As you can imagine, after one has watched a film several (hundred?) times, they know it like their own memories. I remember laughing at Baby’s snide comment toward her sister when asked what Lisa’s plans for the future were. While Baby was set to change the world, Lisa was going to decorate it. Of course, the interior design profession looks just a little different these days, but in 1963, it wasn’t uncommon for women to take on careers that gained little clout for the family, Their husbands would have been the breadwinners. If only Baby knew how successful Lisa would be as a decorator today! But that’s beside the point.

As I began brainstorming for this blog series, I wanted to create a space for a pretend client based on a film I love. Naturally, the movie that I know forward and backward would be the first. Though we know little about Baby’s life back home, we know it’s the middle of the century, her family is wealthy (thanks, Dr. Dad) and she wants to get out into the world. I imagine in her home life, much like her time on holiday, Baby’s the black sheep with little control of her circumstances. Her plans to study economics of underdeveloped countries tells us she sees past the frills and fun of her upper-class upbringing, though she hasn’t quite escaped it yet.

More than likely, Baby’s parents would have hired a decorator to curate their family home. And I know it’s mid-century, but that doesn’t mean much when it comes to rich, suburban New Yorkers. They would have hired someone like Dorothy Draper or Elsie de Wolfe. They were all about making a high-class and timeless statement for each client. These two radical businesswomen were the foundation of my research for Frances Houseman’s bedroom, had she been my client. I wanted it to feel contemporary enough for 1960-something while retaining the old-world elegance Draper was known for. You’ll see classic materials and silhouettes accentuated by bold colors and patterns. Scroll down for sources.

a | Thibaut Eason Trellis wallpaper in Green

b | Ballard Designs Ally Headboard in Sunbrella Dottie Kiwi upholstery fabric

c | Curtains and Valance custom-made in Lee Jofa’s Althea fabric

d | Pottery Barn Henderson Metal Table Lamp

e | Ballard Designs Jane Scalloped Quilted Bedding in Cornflower

f | Ballard Designs Casa Florentina Louis XVI Nightstand in Distressed Black

g | Benjamin Moore Goldsmith CSP-960

h | Wilton Carpets floral wall-to-wall carpeting

I | Frontgate Loretta Vanity Stool in Performance Ivory

j | Astoria Grand Solid Wood Secretary Desk