Thursday, August 09, 2007

Sister Parish Does Yellow!




I recently purchased a 1967 edition of House Beautiful, and guess whose room made the cover? None other than everybody's favorite Sister Parish. I love the clear shade of yellow on the walls and the upholstered armchair. The striking rug with the black and yellow Greek key motif is an Edward Fields design. And check out that custom door hardware designed by Sis herself. I think I could live in that room today! Here are a few more rooms that were chic back then and still look pretty good in 2007.


A glamorous dinner party designed by Ellen Lehman McCluskey. I certainly wish my dinner parties looked like this. The blue damask fabric is Scalamandre, the china, crystal and silver was from Tiffany & Co., and those gorgeous chairs were from Yale R. Burge.


My favorite design trick- a tented room! This one was designed by Thomas Britt. The fabric is a Brunschwig & Fils print, and the towels are Porthault.


I was a bit surprised to find out that Tony Duquette was the designer behind this room. A bit tame for Duquette, although I'm more familiar with Duquette's over the top creations. The rugs are antique Arabian tent hangings- how exotic!


This 18th c. Venetian mirror is very much in vogue today. Design by Melvin Dwork.

(All images from the October 1967 issue of House Beautiful)

22 comments:

  1. Thank you for sharing these Jennifer, how fun!! It just goes to show that classics never go out of style!

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  2. Wow - how interesting! Great post!

    Does that mean I can sell my stack of 90s shelter magazines on ebay in 30 years or so?

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  3. What an issue!!! These are amazing images. I love the Sister Parish yellow room and the venetian mirror is very much still in style.

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  4. Hmm... the house I'm staying in at the moment has lots of American country style interiors books from the sixties and seventies.... well, let's just say that I think *your* find rather has the edge on *mine*....



    A Year in Marrakech

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  5. Sarah- If you have the room, hang on to 'em!

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  6. Sarah- I think the country style books sound interesting! I'm a sucker for old design books :)

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  7. Thanks Kate! I love Sis' room too!

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  8. All my favs in Sister's room - yellow, Greek key - perfection. You hit the jack pot with this one.

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  9. Jennifer, you really hit the jackpot with this issue!! Wow. What an amazing resource. Everything you posted stands the test of time. The cover is fabulous!

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  10. I love that the Greek Key motif is riding a new wave of favor. Five years ago I associated it more with interior marble columns than with classic Sister Parish. Great to see good design standing strong through the rough years.

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  11. Brilliant- I too love that Greek Key motif.

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  12. It just goes to show you that good taste, good style doesn't date. I wrote about Francis Elkin's book and in there I found rooms I could live in today, no changes. IT's amazing. Colefax and Fowler is another example of how things, change, but stay the same. Classic design never dies!
    Great post, as usual.

    Joni

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  13. Anonymous2:39 PM

    Forget Sister Parish and all that preppy egg-yolk yellow. My heart's beating for the Mel Dwork room reflected in that Venetian mirror. Look deeply into that reflection and tell me that space isn't a suave, seriously livable room that would be just as appealing at this very second.

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  14. Anonymous- Agreed! It is a beautiful space- timeless and sophisticated. Kind of my idea of that ideal New York glam apartment. I still can't get over that mirror- I want it.

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  15. The yellow room is fantastic and I also like the dinner party image.

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  16. What a great issue! I was just reviewing an article with a Tony Duquette chandelier that really gave the room great personality! You are right about the over the top and very wonderful decor of his. Love all of the images. :)

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  17. Thanks for sharing the pics, you're right that Sister Parish room still looks very livable today.

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  18. Loved the rug in Sister Parish's room.... greek key is such a classic element.

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  19. Anonymous7:06 AM

    I think it would become a night of memories to be invited to a dinner party in that dining room!

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  20. Love the yellow Sister Parish room. It could be 2007 instead of 1967. It would be interesting to know if that room is still like that.

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