Romance and Rhododendrons: My Love Affair with America's Resort - The Greenbrier

Product Description
This book is the first title to reveal the interior spaces as well as other buildings on the grounds of the famous Greenbrier Hotel
Never-seen-before sketches and vintage color photographs from Dorothy Draper's archive of the redesign of the hotel, with behind the scenes anecdotes from international designer Carleton Varney, who has made his own mark on the hotel, and new photography by Michel Arnaud
In 1946 (after a stint as a World War II military hospital), quintessential American decorator Dorothy Draper was brought in to restore the Greenbrier hotel. She created a signature look - described at the time as 'Romance and Rhododendrons' - that has influenced and delighted not only designers and decorators but also travelers, weary of the gray and beige color schemes that permeate most hospitality properties even now. Draper transformed the interiors with bold colors, classical influences and modern touches.When Carleton Varney arrived in Mrs. Draper's office in 1961 to work as an assistant in the design department, one of his first tasks was to accompany the design icon by train to one of her most well-known and publicized projects. Since that time, he has been involved with every aspect of the hotel's design, maintaining and continuing the look that Draper designed, as well as modernizing, upgrading and putting his own stamp on it. Working with his experienced and innovative team, Varney has turned the historic hotel into a resort for the 21st century.
Review
Varney has nearly six decades of Greenbrier design stories and memories to share, it's only fitting that he would write a book about it all. … Romance and Rhododendrons: My Love Affair with America's Resort is Varney's 37th book, and it required reading for anyone enamored by the highly saturated Draper aesthetic. ―
AD Pro
In the book, Varney tours through the interior spaces at The Greenbrier–affectionately called “America's Resort”–in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, as well as the cottages and other buildings that surround the historic hotel. Varney peppers the pages with personal anecdotes and decorating wisdom alongside images of the legendary rooms.Stunning photographs of today's interiors attest to The Greenbrier's staying power as one of America's most famous retreats. ―
Palm Beach Illustrated
Discover why the storied West Virginia resort is widely regarded as the decorator's masterpiece.The Greenbrier is perhaps the most famous project of Dorothy Draper, the pioneering decorator credited with mainstreaming the interior design profession in the early 20th century. ―
Galerie
Since taking over Dorothy Draper and Company, Varney has designed and refurbished countless hotels buildings, homes and even a presidential yacht, the USS Sequoia. However, The Greenbrier occupies a special place in his heart. ―
Washington Post
The book is a love letter to The Greenbrier, nestled in White Sulphur Springs, with its opulent but inviting décor. The history, memories and sketches told through photographs and commentary from Varney weave themselves into a great romance story. ―
Charleston Gazette Mail
Chronicling his most intimate and long-lasting decorating and branding story that began in 1961, Varney begins the book with memories of when he was hired as an assistant in the design department at Dorothy Draper & Co. ―
Designer’s Today
For the past 60 years, Dorothy Draper & Company has maintained the interiors of this beloved hotel, a story [Varney] tells here through his personal anecdotes and never-before-seen sketches. ―
House Beautiful
…the book highlights the design and history of the storied resort and contains over 200 photographs of interiors in this fanciful world where the imagination runs wild. ―
News Break
With more than 50 years of hands-on design expertise at the resort, Varney understands the iconic property's historic and design significance better than anyone. He explores it all in the book, the pages of which a