Personal Info

Display Name

Grant Dillon

Sexual Orientation

Gay

City

Los Angeles

State

CA

Country

USA

Relationship Status

Long-term relationship

Age When You Came Out

16

Race / Ethnicity

Cock-asian

Age

43

Bio

Changing Rooms Coming from a creative family background, at an early age Grant Dillon demonstrated an ability to create a personal environment of warmth, comfort and distinction. "I used to change rooms and move furniture while my mother was working." "She understood and encouraged my passion from an early age." "I have always been inspired by her decorating flair and ingenuity of products and objects she would incorporate into our ever changing homes."

Like Mother Like Son Grant's mother Ileane Butler who was born in depression era Oklahoma learned to be industrious from an early age. "She would take me on these day long thrift store journey's when I was a little boy, beaming with whatever treasure she would come across and we would end up transporting home in her Volkswagen Beetle." "We hauled everything but the kitchen sink in that little car, actually we hauled a bathroom sink!" "I hated it, in those days people just didn't shop thrift stores, it wasn't something I appreciated by any means, I hadn't realized how ahead of her time she was." Ms. Butler lived in San Francisco in the 1940's & 50's as a young girl working at such San Francisco landmarks as "The Fairmont Hotel" as a hat-check girl, The Actors Club, where she met prominent entertainers and "The Purple Onion." To satisfy her creative nature she began making draperies for friends and then had orders from businesses and offices, the ever busy and talented woman instilled in her children the creative drive that has kept her thriving today. Grant's brother Michael Files is a local Sacramento artisan, "Mike is a Virgo perfectionist whose talents range from photography to metal sculpture and most recently he's added to his repetiore tatooing." Mike is a natural, any creative endeavor he attempts he does wonderfully. Opening the Door In the mid-1980's while attending College in his hometown of Sacramento, CA Grant began working for prominent local Interior Decorator Mildred Reis which allowed him entry into the actual business of interior design. "Ms. Reis had such confidence in my abilities, even at 20 years old she allowed me free rein with her stores window displays and then into the showroom." "She was such a sweet woman bringing me sandwiches everyday and making an "offical" lunch hour where we had to sit together and just chat." "I am ever grateful for her taking me under her wing." Never having offically studied interior design didn't hinder Grants developing talents. "I have always enjoyed manipulating an environment, taking something inexpensive and in such a raw state and transforming it into something of beauty that's livable, comfortable and dramatic." San Francisco In 1994 Grant with childhood friend Joseph Vikre opened "Greenhaven" a resale furniture store in San Francisco's ecclectic Mission District. "One of the hardest things I've ever done, with great rewards and great heartaches." "Greenhaven" encompassed 8,000 square feet, employed 10 and was direct import of 1920's to 1960's English and Scandinavian furniture. "Joe went to Denmark and England and made contacts which began the overseas pipeline of 40 foot containers of furniture heading across the seas to our store." "Have you ever unloaded a 40 foot trailer rig piled high with furniure?, I hope I never do again!" "Greenhaven" eventually incorporated new home furnishings such as candles, wrought iron, pottery and paper goods in with the vintage furniture making it a mix of new and vintage. "We had a great unique combination, I hadn't seen it done before, and still haven't today on the scale that we did it." "Putting a price tag on my passion really changed things, it was a challenge to say the least." "Another store is in my future but small, small, small, someplace I can hang the "Gone to Lunch" sign and not worry about when I return." Grant today  

More is More Grant's decors have been used for photo shoots and film locations, In the past Grant quotes his decorating style as "fashion", changing with the seasons. "I used to think of my apartments like a stage set, I would be changing scenes monthly, very theatrical." "I enjoy layering, maybe too much, a room should appeal to all of your senses, sight, sound, touch, smell and yes, even taste." "I've invested more in creating a lasting effect that goes beyond "seasonal rooms." "So much in our world today is really ugly, neglected, shabby and sad looking, the threshold for good taste has gotten so low or is just not existent in so much of the country, it's dismal." Grant's inspiration for creating an environment is drawn from childhood, friends, movies, "anything that pulls at your emotions." "I'm nostalgic, I love the theatrics and drama of decors of yesteryear, you just don't see that kind of detail and style in this country anymore." I remember fabulous colorful candy shops, Polynesian Tiki cocktail bars, and geometric googie styled shopping centers so full of personality, creativity and style." "What will children today remember from their childhoods in terms of aesthetics?"

A Good Day Today Grant makes Southern California his home. "My roots will always be in Northern California, there is a different sensibility there." Grant enjoys the Mediterranian climate of Southern California which allows him to "decorate" outdoors in his European inspired garden. "The weather in SoCal lends itself to having a garden fit for a Tuscan villa." Grant spends his time decorating on a personal level, entertaining friends, assisting with projects, and offering a hand to those who want to take a journey into the world of decor.

There is No Place Like Home "You have to see the world and more importantly your part in it as inspiring and incorporate that into your life aesthetically, creating your own world." Grant credits close friends for their contributions, "I'm so thankful to be surrounded by creative minds, we all understand the obsessiveness that keeps us moving on." Embracing his passion for beauty Grant has brought a little creativity, beauty and nostalgia style to today's everyday life.

My Homepage

http://www.grantdillon.com

Profession

Outer Orbit of Entertainment

Favorite Books

Do magazines count?

Favorite Gay/Bi TV or Movie Characters

Paul Lynn, Angnes Moorhead, Sanjia Malakar, Cheyenne Jackson

Favorite Musicians / Bands

Any and all J A Z Z...Eartha Kitt, Hotel Costes each and every one.

Favorite Movies

Arabesque, Reflection In A Golden Eye, Goodbye Again, The Roman Spring of Mrs. Stone

Favorite TV Shows

Six Feet Under, Sopranos, Kathy Griffin-My Life on The D-List

History

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1 year 7 weeks

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