Billy Baldwin (decorator)

William Baldwin, Jr. (1903- 25 November 1983), known as Billy Baldwin and nicknamed Billy B, was a New York interior decorator, characterized in an obituary as the "dean of interior decorators".[1] He was named to the International Best Dressed List Hall of Fame in 1974.[2][3]

Personal life

Baldwin was born in Roland Park, Maryland and studied architecture at Princeton, dropping out after two years.[1]

Baldwin died in 1983 on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts.

Professional life

Starting in 1935, he was employed by Ruby Ross Wood, and when she died in 1950, he took over the firm. In 1952, he formed his own firm, Baldwin and Martin, with Edward Martin. They designed the homes and apartments of many well-known people, including the White House of John F. Kennedy. His clients included Cole Porter, Mary Wells Lawrence, Billy Rose, Rachel Lambert Mellon and Paul Mellon, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Mike Nichols, Harvey Ladew, William S. Paley, Barbara Hutton and Diana Vreeland.[4]

In 1972, Billy Baldwin designed a line of furniture. Included in this collection is the famous Slipper Chair; Billy was the original designer of the slipper chair. This collection continues to be manufactured by the Billy Baldwin Studio.[5]

Baldwin retired in 1973.[6]

Notes

  1. 1 2 Albin Krebs, "Billy Baldwin is dead at 80; Dean of interior decorators", The New York Times, November 26, 1983 full text
  2. ↑ Ultimate Style – The Best of the Best Dressed List. 2004. p. 116. ISBN 2 84323 513 8.
  3. ↑ "The International Hall of Fame: Men". Vanity Fair. 28 January 2015.
  4. ↑ Frederick N. Rasmussen, "Billy Baldwin's life and work remembered at museum", The Baltimore Sun, May 29, 2010 full text
  5. ↑ "Billy Baldwin Studio". www.billybaldwinstudio.com. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  6. ↑ Princeton Alumni Weekly, September 22, 1982, p. 23

Bibliography

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