Last week we gave you a little primer on that sumptuous design style,
Hollywood Regency, where glamour and glitter take center stage. We mentioned a couple of today’s designers who are making waves in the style (namely Jonathan Adler and Kelly Wearstler) and we also mentioned a few big names who first made the style what it is, like Dorothy Draper, Billy Baldwin, and William Haines.
Today we’d like to sing the praises of
William Haines, who is possibly the lesser known of the aforementioned, but no less influential in this style. Haines started his career of being famous first in the cinema, becoming one of MGM’s biggest stars 1920s, starring in many silent films and later, in a few “talkies”. He was not only famous to his film fans, but he also made quite a bit of money for the studio from his commercial film successes.
Alas, Haines got in hot water with MGM in his later film years, and after the two parted ways, he and his partner, Jimmie Shields, became antique dealers and interior designers beginning in the early 1930s. Haines’ distinctive style and glamorous outlook on design (as well as his previous prominence on the big screen) made him a big hit with many other film stars of the time, such as Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, Carole Lombard, Marion Davies and George Cuko.
Haines didn’t just preach glamour to his clients; he lived it. He had a penchant for the “movie star” lifestyle and his design style grew to reflect that outlook on life. Many clients went to Haines to update their homes from the previously popular heavy and dark styles to his lighter and fresher looks and of course, to add the glamour.
Most remembered for his use of chinoiserie, or Asian elements, and also his customization of lighting in a space (notably, the fact that oftentimes cords could not be seen), Haines is also remembered for the joie de vivre and fun he infused in his décor. His clients then loved the way their homes felt after his treatments, and homeowners looking for the perfect influence for a glamorous, fun and sophisticated home need only check out the work of William Haines!
Today we’d like to sing the praises of William Haines, who is possibly the lesser known of the aforementioned, but no less influential in this style. Haines started his career of being famous first in the cinema, becoming one of MGM’s biggest stars 1920s, starring in many silent films and later, in a few “talkies”. He was not only famous to his film fans, but he also made quite a bit of money for the studio from his commercial film successes.
Alas, Haines got in hot water with MGM in his later film years, and after the two parted ways, he and his partner, Jimmie Shields, became antique dealers and interior designers beginning in the early 1930s. Haines’ distinctive style and glamorous outlook on design (as well as his previous prominence on the big screen) made him a big hit with many other film stars of the time, such as Joan Crawford, Gloria Swanson, Carole Lombard, Marion Davies and George Cuko.
Haines didn’t just preach glamour to his clients; he lived it. He had a penchant for the “movie star” lifestyle and his design style grew to reflect that outlook on life. Many clients went to Haines to update their homes from the previously popular heavy and dark styles to his lighter and fresher looks and of course, to add the glamour.
Most remembered for his use of chinoiserie, or Asian elements, and also his customization of lighting in a space (notably, the fact that oftentimes cords could not be seen), Haines is also remembered for the joie de vivre and fun he infused in his décor. His clients then loved the way their homes felt after his treatments, and homeowners looking for the perfect influence for a glamorous, fun and sophisticated home need only check out the work of William Haines!
