The Crowd:

Educated and sophisticated taste is alive and well on the Orange Coast. They call themselves the Decorative Arts Society, a group of ladies and gentlemen with a common interest in art, architecture, interior design, landscape design and the decorative arts in general, including all aspects of furniture, fabrics, accessories, porcelains and crafts.

Their passion includes exploration of the history of design and the evolution of style over centuries of human existence. Each year the society sponsors a lecture series in Newport Beach, and on the roster are the most influential names in design.

This week the internationally acclaimed Carleton Varney, head of the New York-based Dorothy Draper Co., jetted into town to address the crowd on his unique and formidable career, which has made him a confidant of heads of state, movie stars, industrialists, raconteurs and rogues.

Following tradition, the society greeted their distinguished visitor with a pre-lecture cocktail reception at the Lido Isle residence of David Sheffner and his accomplished art collector and private art dealer wife, Nancy. The reception and event, led by society chairwoman Kay Evans, a chic and vivacious blonde with a gracious smile, welcomed patrons and donors arriving at the Sheffner residence for a warm and intimate evening with Varney and his associate, Brinsley Matthews, who had arrived for a brief international stopover before heading to Dallas for a meeting with Caroline Hunt, chairwoman of Rosewood Hotels.

The gathering welcomed Mary Anna Jeppe and her husband, Arthur, talented Newport decorator and hostess Marion Palley and investment guru husband, Roger Palley, Cecilia and Bruce Nott, Jerry Harrington, one of Newport’s most sophisticated couples in the world of design, Barbara and Jim Glabman, Carol Steele, Bonnie McClellan, Ann Dennis, Hyla Bertea, Ida Middlesworth, Elena Donavan, Susan Champion, Marion Hartwich, and the elegant Margaret Larkin.

The Sheffner residence was an ideal setting for personal cocktail conversation with the whimsical Varney. The Sheffners have recently completed a massive architectural redesign and expansion of their 1930s-era California Monterey Colonial residence. The exceptional level of understated elegance and the historically accurate architecture and floor plan provided the ideal backdrop for small groups to visit in a warm and comfortable setting throughout the home. The hosts catered the evening with Tom Curran, known as the Culinary Enthusiast. Varney, attired in his signature silk scarf — tied in the form of a gentlemen’s necktie — traditional double-breasted navy blue blazer with gleaming gold buttons and a multi-colored silk pocket handkerchief, also donned red socks, which were partially covered by his gray flannel slacks.

“I wear red socks every day and for every occasion including black tie,” said the international design czar, who claims that he hasn’t been able to lose his Bostonian accent from childhood. “One of my closest friends was the late actor Van Johnson. When Johnson passed away a few years ago I adopted the red sock tradition, which he had worn, as a tribute to his memory.”

Today, Varney, in addition to his many design assignments, fronts a national television show on design and sells his own design products on the Home Shopping Network.

“Recently we introduced a set of sheets, which I designed, and sold them on television at a price point of $39.95,” he said. “In less than one half-hour, they sold 167,000 sets of sheets. Can you imagine that? That’s the power of media today.”

Varney also writes design columns for a number of media outlets, including the Palm Beach Post in Florida. That was Monday night. On Tuesday, the designer delivered his lecture and talked about his books, including “Houses In My Heart.” Following the sold-out event at the Newport Stadium Theatre society, members entertained Varney and Matthews at a bayside luncheon in the First Cabin Restaurant at the Balboa Bay Club & Resort. Funds raised by the society go to support various local nonprofit groups, including Laura’s House, Women Helping Women, Girls Inc., Casa Teresa and Mariposa.

The next event is March 9 when the society welcomes Bret Parsons, who will lecture on the Colcord home.

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.