DARREN FRANKS

Darren is president of Darren Franks & Associates, a Santa Monica-based paint contracting firm specializing in the decorative arts.  Born and raised in London to a family of artists and entrepreneurs, Darren relocated to Los Angeles as a young man, which profoundly affected his vision and understanding of the world and his role within it.

Darren's honed skills as a communicator, leader and artisan, along with his commitment to excellence, have helped propel him to the forefront of regarded and valued artisans.  His work is featured in books and regularly appears in Architectural Digest, Robb Report, Interiors, The New York Times and Wall Street Journal.

At DF&A, Darren leads a multi-disciplinary team of artisans in the design and installation of decorative finishes and murals for an elite clientele, including royalty.  He collaborates with top interior designers and architects, and is commissioned on prestigious projects around the world.

Prior to this, Darren was a partner at Sterling Design, a critically-acclaimed graphic design firm, who's work is included in the permanent collections of the SFMOMA, the Library of Congress, The Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, and other notable institutions.

Darren is President Emeritus of the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art - Southern California Chapter.  He is an IDCEC approved provider of continuing education courses on decorative finishes to ASID members, and holds a BA from UC Berkeley.