thank you patrick for spending time with us & for your friendship 

the salting: at what age did you decide the world of interiors was your calling?

patrick mele: I can remember expressing a strong opinion on elements of my childhood home and garden by the age of 10 - and my wonderful parents welcomed this and included me at the table. I'd say I have been aware and enthralled with the visual world my whole life and knew by middle school that I wished to pursue a creative career in some realm of the visual arts.

 

ts: favorite room/dwelling: east coast?

pm: the lobby of the chrystler building NY, NY

 

ts: favorite room/dwellin: west coast?

pm: betsy bloomingdale's hollywood regency style home in holmby hills designed by billy haines.

 

ts: who inspires you?

pm: my loved ones first and foremost.

artistically it's a very long list but here are some stand outs....

albert hadley, madeline castaign, angelo donghia, keith mc nally, joel dean & giorgio de lucca, yotam ottolenghi, ruth rogers, ralph lauren, terence & jasper conran, martha stewart, kate & andy spade, richard lambertson, bill blass, manolo blahnik, john derian, grace coddington, wendy goodman, marian mc evoy, miguel flores-vianna, kelly wearstler, dick bories and james shearron, paul rudolph, tony duqette, gert voorjans, dries van noten, millicent rogers, helena rubenstein, rossana orlandi, isabella blow, peggy guggenheim, diana vreeland, hayley von rigal, andre leon talley, john galliano, issey miyake, rifat ozbek, steven meisel, madonna, erykah badu, henry mancini, alicia keys & swizz beatz, judy garland & liza, billy haines, horst, julian schnabel's interiors, the incredible artists I have the privilege to collaborate and work with regularly.

 

ts: what inspires you?

pm: my work and the people I work with.

 

ts: what brings you joy?

pm: newly found love in my life, family dinners, traveling, an afternoon on the beach, getting lost on a sunday, my nephews.

 

ts: 3 favorite films?

pm: the wizard of oz, arthur, 8 1/2

 

ts: most cherished object?

pm: a small oil portrait in a beautiful gold frame that my mother bought for me many years ago.

 

ts: favorite season and why?

pm: the fall through christmas - it's the most romantic and exciting time of the year - it's the best season to dress yourself and your home, its lights, camera and action!

 

ts: favorite artist?

pm: impossible to pick one

 

ts: favorite color?

pm: every color in the rainbow

 

ts: best advice?

pm: be kind to yourself

 

ts: fisrt interior memory?

pm: my paternal grandmother's dining room in pelham, NY

 

ts: how do you erase hate in your everyday life?

pm: I don't welcome hate into my life, nor will I stand for it.