Mixing Old and New, Interior Designer Dabito Brings Colorful Spaces to Life
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Dabito, founder of creative studio Old Brand New, first broke into the world of interior design through his blog of the same name, which he started in 2010 as a creative outlet. With a background in printmaking, photography, and graphic design, he never expected to have a career in interior design—until he started blogging about it.
Designer Dabito started his blog Old Brand New in 2010 to document his creative—and thrifty—design approach. "I think it’s really important to show that you don’t need a lot," he says. "You could thrift and you could shop vintage and incorporate all of those beautiful old things into your space."
"I was living in a downtown L.A. loft, decorating on a budget," says Dabito of the birth of Old Brand New. "I really just needed an outlet to express myself, to channel all of the creative mediums that I’m really into," he says. As the name of the blog suggests, Dabito honed in on a knack for bringing old things into his space in a way that felt fresh and new. "The great thing about vintage pieces is they’re one of a kind," he says. "Vintage pieces add soul to a space."
Backdrop co-founder Natalie Ebel arrives at Los Angeles’s Sunbeam Vintage in a custom Porsche Taycan for a morning of thrifting with Dabito.
"The fun part of treasure hunting is that sometimes you go in there just not knowing what you need," says Dabito. "I always say, ‘the things find you.’ And for me, it always starts with color."
Dabito and Natalie leave Sunbeam with thrifted finds for Dabito’s office—a retro yellow lamp and fringed fuschia pillow. "The colors are always the jumping point," says Dabito of his thrifting strategy. "Like if I see a fuchsia color, a yellow…it’s like a moth to a flame."
Now splitting his time between Los Angeles and New Orleans, Dabito designed his colorful office around the rare Porsche Ruby Star—which envelops all four walls and the ceiling. The Porsche x Backdrop 75th anniversary collaboration brings four iconic colors from the Porsche color library into homes for the first time. "The true star of the space is Ruby Star," he says of the deep and vibrant magenta. Though it may seem intimidating to some, painting all five walls the same bold hue can help a space feel fresh, modern, and—contrary to popular belief—bigger. "People are always afraid that if they paint a room too bold or dark, it’s going to make it feel smaller, and for me, it’s quite the contrary," he says. "Just go for it. That is my motto for designing."
A signature Porsche color born in the ‘90s, Ruby Star made its debut in 1991, appearing on Porsche classics like the 911, 928, and 944.
Dabito is an advocate for incorporating personal objects and mementos into your space. "Dig through your parents’ homes and find those heirlooms and those old things that really honor your heritage," urges Dabito. "Celebrate who you are in your space."
"Ruby Star is such a bold color. It makes me feel really strong and confident," says Dabito. Having a distinct point of view, he says, is an important part of design. "Bold colors are very polarizing, so when someone can rock this color, it’s somebody who’s really strong, confident, and has a point of view."
For Dabito, the energizing and empowering Ruby Star also has a personal and nostalgic tie. "This color takes me all the way back to when I was four or five years old," he says. He recalls being at the mall with his mom, who bought him a silky magenta bomber jacket—and fiery red shoes to match. "She was unafraid," says Dabito of his mom’s affinity for bold colors. "Now that I’m sitting in this room, it takes me back to those beautiful times, like spending time with my mom," Dabito says, looking around his magenta-wrapped office. "For me, color is such a powerful tool to tell a story."
Adding author to his resume, Dabito’s new book "Old Brand New" is not just about design—it tells his personal story. "I highlight my AAPI friends, and just really represent our stories," he says. "Old Brand New is more than just decorating, it’s about tying in the old, tying in the classic, the timeless, and introducing that into the new," he explains. "It’s honoring your heritage."
With a color steeped in heritage surrounding him as he works, Dabito reflects on honoring the past through design. "I think with design—interiors, graphic, or automobile—you always need to know the history and the heritage to move forward and innovate," he says. "You have to know the rules to break the rules." Whether it’s a nostalgic color, thrifted treasure, or family heirloom, merging the old and the new together brings personal meaning into a space. "Everyone’s got a colorful story," says Dabito, "and I’m here to just help them uncover that colorful story and add colors into their home."
Each of the four, limited-edition Porsche x Backdrop paints are available in custom-designed, co-branded collectible paint cans. Full gallons are $75.
Shop the colors at backdrophome.com/porsche.
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