All Things Beautiful

“If I were to describe this store, I would just tell you that this store is full of things I love,” says Dragonette.

Dragonette’s antique and midcentury emporium opened in Palm Desert in 2019. But the beauty fiend established his namesake showroom more than two decades earlier on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles. There, he developed a reputation for his sharp eye and growing collection of rare William Haines pieces, eventually serving as president of the nonprofit La Cienega Design Quarter. As with so many masters of their craft, this collector’s fascination with storied objects traces back to childhood.

“I guess I got started because my mother loved design,” Dragonette shares. “My mother was one of those people that rearranged the furniture in the living room every six months, and my father would come home to sit down and the sofa was somewhere else. So I think I got a love of beautiful things from her.”

Antiquing was the family business. Dragonette’s father had an antique store, and albeit a far cry from the designer items Dragonette curates today, it stoked an early curiosity to learn about where generational treasures come from and how they were made. “In Ohio, ‘antique’ means Victorian furniture, wagon wheels, copper pots and pans, milk cans — not the kind of things I’m interested in now. But I guess I was always interested in commerce and buying beautiful things and trading them,” he reflects. “Being able to make a living like this has been a blessing for the last 24 years.”

Inspiration lurks behind every corner of Dragonette’s Palm Desert showroom, and not unlike his mother, he enjoys changing up the store layout regularly, which means clients are bound to discover new eye-catchers each time they pop in. Cheeky monster sculptures by the Haas Brothers mingle with statement chinoiserie lamps and plush midcentury swivel chairs. Books and fine art prints adorn the walls. Vintage couture and costume jewelry shimmers inside a midcentury curio cabinet. Dragonette has also launched his own line of new furnishings and accessories, all designed in house under the moniker Dragonette Private Label.

“My creed has always been, ‘If I don’t sell it, could I live with it?’ And that’s not just a line — that’s really how I feel about everything in here.” Dragonette leans forward on the William Haines sofa and gestures to a nearby table. “If I didn’t sell it, could I take this cocktail table home?”

A boyish twinkle in his eye suggests the answer: “Yeah, because it’s awesome.”