That fine interior designer and Southern gentleman, Dan Carithers, has retired this year.  Atlanta Homes published an excellent article you can see here, written by Clinton Smith, with some warm comments about Dan from clients and design professionals. 

We had the pleasure of working with Dan on a number of projects over the years (see photos of a few of the projects below).   I can still remember the various mental stages I had to go through in order to work successfully with Dan.  I was puzzled at first because I couldn’t figure out his method—or even if he had one.    He expressed himself with great humor and vivacity, like a dignified and gentlemanly elf—and only God could help you if you expected him to spell out in concrete terms what he was looking for.   He expected you to know, to offer him elegant solutions (in cabinet designs and finishes, in my case) that would appeal to his sense of style.   I always had the feeling he thought of style as something mischievous.   I’m not sure if he deliberately tried to do the unexpected or if his nature just led him that way.  

Once we were discussing a kitchen design and he asked my opinion.  When it comes to interior design, cabinets have an odd place because more than most elements of design they have a practical use that often limits what you can do visually—especially kitchens.  As a cabinet designer I always feel I have my feet on the ground and my head in the clouds.  I had been thinking of balancing two elements, bringing in some symmetry, but I hesitated to say, sensing Dan wasn’t going to like it.  “Well, I’m not so sure,” I said.  “The problem is:  I think logically.”     “Logic?” he said with a laugh.  “God forbid!”    My wife Margaret finally helped me understand Dan’s method.   She listened to me describe how he worked and then observed, “He works just like an artist.   Artists don't  know why they make a mark on canvas.   They just know it’s right.”   During his career, Dan Carithers touched many with his style, his wit and lively personality.   I was fortunate to be among them.  I miss going to his design meetings where you never knew what to expect, only  that it would be immensely entertaining so long as you weren’t so stupid as to expect anything logical.                    Morgan Harrison