Billy Baldwin was a decorator’s decorator — and don’t you dare call him “interior designer,” he would have hated that. For Tory and Reva, he epitomizes great American style: bold and buttoned-up, respectful of history but completely unto his own. His fearless use of color is in line with Tory’s own aesthetic, and particularly close to her heart is Baldwin’s L’abre de Matisse wall covering, a contrasting tree motif which Tory has covering the walls and furniture in her kitchen, in blue and white. Matisse is one of Tory’s favorite artists.

There are hallmarks of a Baldwin room that make it distinct and everlasting, but here are our three favorites:

1. He embraced color and was very specific about what particular shade and gradation. A pink was not just soft pink; green not just grass, and blue ran the gamut from sky to the rich hues of a Matisse painting.

2. There are the natural materials, like bamboo and wicker that ground his rooms. A humble wicker-wrapped Parsons table next to a staggering work of modern art? Genius.

3. And of course, the plump furniture, like his signature armless slipper chairs — the kind that invites you to get comfortable and stay for a while. We have lots to discuss.