A decorator, no matter how talented, can't always get the desired results because sometimes there is resistance or maybe a lack of understanding on the part of the client. I think it is the decorator's job to work as a guide, to bring out the best qualities and the best attitudes.

Life is all about manners. Nothing else matters.

Decorators should always remember that letting a client see too many beautiful things is a pitfall.

Decoration is really about creating a quality of life, and a beauty in that life that nourishes the soul, that makes life beautiful.

Deep downy upholstery is absolutely what I've always been about.

We're all collectors by nature. But if you're talking about an orderly life, there has to be a stop sign somewhere. Building a collection requires a strong constitution and the ability to resist.

Too much of what passes for design now is theater. It's one thing to be eccentric- and by the way, most eccentrics tend to be rather well-educated people - and quite another to be a faddist, by which I mean someone who tries to conjure a totally foreign aesthetic in a misplaced environment.