Carleton Varney, renowned interior decorator and author of "In the Pink," a visually stunning book on his mentor Dorothy Draper, will be the keynote speaker Wednesday at La Roche College's annual Design Dialogue Series. The program is titled "Grand Style With the Draper Touch."

"Since the audience will be made of students, I want to talk about the business of interior design -- what it is as a business and what it takes to make it in the business.

"It isn't all about picking chintzes," he quipped.

Mr. Varney, who was just 20 years old when he began working with Ms. Draper, learned how to deal with clients and made a name for himself by creating spaces that are experiences, too. Coming in on the ground floor of what is considered this country's first real design firm, Mr. Varney eventually bought the Dorothy Draper design business and has been running the company for 43 years.

"I was a fortunate person, you know. I was lucky in life because I do what I like to do," he said.

Currently, he is working on the final screenplay for a movie about Ms. Draper's life as well as doing the interior of the royal palace in Lithuania. He has also designed a new line of furniture called Dorothy Draper Now and continues to work with the Greenbrier in West Virginia, which Ms. Draper first decorated in 1948.

The Greenbrier, one of her most notable clients, celebrated its Draperization last year with a special promotion and lectures by Mr. Varney.

"You know, the Draper name and the Draper image is hotter than it has ever been and I am going to talk a little bit about why," Mr. Varney said.

Other companies are mimicking Draper's use of white furniture instead of mahogany and walnut, he noted.

"The world of glamour is coming back."

Pointed Leaf Press, which published "In the Pink" last year, plans to roll out Mr. Varney's latest book next year: "Color Your House Carleton." To a certain extent, the works bookend his nearly 50 years as a designer. So how much has the business changed since he started?

"Tremendously, tremendously," he said. "We have a thing out there called the Internet," which has made products and good design much more accessible.

"Plus, there are so many stores like Pottery Barn, IKEA and Bed, Bath & Beyond."

But with so many options comes confusion.

"What to choose and how does it work for you? That is what I will be discussing, as well," Mr. Varney said.