Mary Douglas Drysdale

Career

Mary Douglas Drysdale established Drysdale Design Associates, after having worked for several years with Creative Architecture and Design, a Washington, DC design firm. Drysdale’s drawings for the, "Fan of the Future" were selected as one of five finalists, in Emerson’s Fan Competition of 1989. The renovation of her own residence was selected in 1989, as the winner of Dossier Magazine's [2] "Home and Garden Award."

Among early commercial projects, the Morrison House Hotel [3], in Alexandria, Virginia, was awarded, by the National Travel Association [4], the “Best Inn of the Year” in 1991. Two of her restaurant projects included a renovation of La Fonda Restaurant [5], and the design of Café des Artistes’ Restaurant [6] in Washington’s fashionable Georgetown area.

Drysdale’s ability with classical detail and millwork were quickly established and in 1991, she won an American Woodworking Institute [7], "Award of Excellence."

Drysdale has participated in designer show houses throughout her career, in Richmond, Virginia, Washington and New York City. Subsequent to the National Symphony Orchestra Show House in the fall of 1991, in McLean, Virginia, Drysdale was selected by House Beautiful Magazine [8], as “one of two young designers in the country to watch,” published in a story which featured her Show House room (April 1991). That same year, Southern Accents Magazine [9] the designer was named in their selection of “Leading Designers of the South” (June 1991).

By the mid 1990s, Drysdale had developed a style of design expression which embraced both the classicism of traditional American architecture, and combined that with furnishings schemes reflecting the aesthetic of a more uncluttered Modernist aesthetic. In 1994, Drysdale was given an “Award of Excellence in Design and Innovation in the Traditional Style”, by Traditional Home Magazine (May 1994). For seven years running, during the time which House Beautiful Magazine selected their picks of the Top 100 designers in America, Drysdale was included on this list from 1996 to 2002.

In 2001, Drysdale was selected as one of the "Top 200 practicing Architects and Designers in America," by Interiors and Architecture Magazines, and was invited to attend the “Applied Brilliance Conference” [10] in California in 2001. In 2005, Ms. Drysdale was selected by This Old House Magazine, in the, "Top 40 professionals in America, Working with Old Houses." (October 2005). In 2006 the New York Observer featured her as one of “Five Hot Designers and Their Favorite Projects”. In 2007 Drysdale was selected as one of Washington ’s top Designers, by Washingtonian Magazine. In 2007, Spaces Magazine awarded Drysdale first place in the category of “Classical Kitchen Design” (October 2008)[11].

Her colorful, painted, kitchens have become recognizable in the world of kitchen design [12]. Some of these kitchens can be seen on the covers of shelter magazines, including: Kitchens & Bath (Vol.8 number 2), Traditional Home Magazine (January 2001) and Trends Magazine (Vol. 18 number 5)[13]. Drysdale was also selected by Kohler Company in 1999, to design a kitchen for their permanent design showroom in Kohler, Wisconsin: [14][15]. Maytag Industries also commissioned Drysdale to design a kitchen for the 2001 Kitchen and Bath Industry Show in Florida. The kitchen was featured in the Washington Post article,“The Three Divas of Design, Barbara Barry, Anne Saks and Mary Drysdale,” and appeared in two books.

Her work has been published in the United States in Architectural Digest, Veranda [16], Traditional Home, Southern Accents, Metropolitan Home, The Robb Report and others. Her projects have been featured in international magazines such as Casa et Jardim [17], Espacod’, Living Brigitte Von Boch [18] and Arte & Decoracao [19].

Drysdale has appeared on television segments featured on HGTV including five of Chris Madden's shows [20], as well as with Lynette Jennings on her program.

She has written on the subject of design, often writing the stories for her own projects. During 2008 and 2009, Drysdale wrote a cultural column, featured in Capital File Magazine, a Niche Media Publication [21].

She has been a frequent public speaker on the subject of design throughout her career. She has spoken at various Museums, including the Smithsonian Museum and the Corcoran Gallery, as well as, in the venues of various design centers, including, The D + D Building in New York City[22], the Merchandise Mart in Chicago, Illinois, The Mart, in Atlanta, Georgia [23] and other design centers. She has also been the keynote speaker at various Antique Shows, including the Birmingham Antique Show.

Awards and achievements

Background and education

Drysdale received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from George Washington University in 1974. In addition, she added course work at the “Ecole des Politiques,” "La Sorbonne Universite," and the “Ecole des Beaux Arts” in Paris, France during a three-year period in the 1970s. She also attended the Parson’s School of Design where she was selected to attend a tutorial and a Master Class in Industrial Design taught by Hans Kreiks.