In 1977, Michael Whaley’s parents hired New York designer J. Terry Brown to decorate their home in Darien, CT. In addition to Vidal Sassoon’s New York apartment, Brown’s resume included Dick Cavett’s New York townhouse, and the Stamford White-designed him in Montauk, NY. For Michael’s father, who had transferred the family from Racine, WI, for his career in television, the Cavett connection was a good omen, and Brown did not disappoint: the design transformed a blank slate into an iconic contemporary family room, with a Carl Springer table, Brueton chairs, and Hartmann lamps. The reception to the new room was extraordinary, not merely because hiring a designer was such a status symbol at the time. As he watched visitors’ eyes widen, Michael Whaley became aware of the power of design, and was changed too.
