New Sister Parish Fabrics?

I was visiting the Sister Parish Design website yesterday to check on some fabric, and I was thrilled to see the new greeting (above) on the homepage. Had the Sister Parish site been revamped???

Well, not exactly, although it seems that there are new fabrics featured on the site. Perhaps I should not say "new" as these fabrics might be reissues. And I can't confirm if Sister actually designed these fabrics, or if she had simply used similar prints for some of her projects. What struck me was how different these prints are from the classic designs in the Parish line. When I think of SPD, small, graphic prints such as "Chou Chou", "Burmese", and "Desmond" come to mind. The newer patterns such as "Auchincloss" and "Waldingfield" are florals that seem more intricate and detailed. Perhaps they were added in response to the renewed interest in floral prints?

I've emailed SPD and hope to have some answers for you soon. In the meantime, what do you think of these prints below? And as many of you are so knowledgeable of design history, perhaps you can shed some light on these patterns.

The Recent Additions:



"Auchincloss" in Blue and Red


"Waldingfield" in Green and Beige


"Palmetto" in Green, Blue, and Beige

The Oldies but Goodies:


"Chou Chou" in Blue, Red, Tete de Negre, and Green


"Burmese" in Blue, Green, and Tete de Negre


"Desmond" in Green, Blue, and Tete de Negre

Who Influenced Who?

Have you ever noticed how many designers have made their mark on the design world by creating gorgeous brown rooms? And not just any brown, but a deep, dark, and sometimes glossy brown. David Hicks, Billy Baldwin, and Vay Day Truex are just a few of the designers who have created stunning (and legendary) brown rooms- rooms that still serve as inspiration today.

But what I want to know is who jumped on the brown bandwagon first. And who influenced who?



Van Day Truex seemed to lead the way with his gorgeous brown living room, designed in 1951. Truex was a style setter, so I wonder if he influenced Billy Baldwin's enthusiastic and masterly use of glossy brown. After all, when you think of glossy brown walls, don't you immediately think of Baldwin's Manhattan apartment:



So, was Truex responsible for Baldwin's affinity for brown? Or was it in fact Mrs. Walter Farwell, a friend of Ruby Ross Wood who designed a Coromandel lacquered room in her home that captivated Baldwin, at least according to his memoir Billy Baldwin Remembers :



And what about David Hicks? Hicks' living room with its Coca-Cola lacquered walls has a bit of an American look to it. Might he have been emulating some of his American counterparts? I have a feeling that had Hicks been influenced by American designers, he would not have divulged this information:



Albert Hadley has used glossy brown throughout his career. He freely admits that he was greatly influenced by the design greats such as Truex (a close friend) and Baldwin. Not only is Hadley a genius, he's a gentleman too:



And what about Sister Parish's living room circa 1968? Was she solely responsible for the choice of glossy brown walls? Or, was she testing out Hadley's more modern aesthetic:



And the cycle continues... Miles Redd chose glossy brown for one of his early projects. He has cited Hadley as having an impact on his style, so are we seeing that here?

Secretaries Day

My furniture wish list tends to be rather fluid. Some pieces come while others go, but the one piece that is a constant is a secretary. I've wanted one for as long as I can remember. While some may think of secretaries as being rather stodgy, I think the opposite. They can be quite elegant, such as those glorious antique japanned types. Or they can be dignified, especially those rendered in mahogany. Secretaries are also quite practical. What a wonderful way in which to display porcelain or other objets. And wouldn't using one of these as a desk make bill paying a tad bit more fun?

I'm still undecided about which type is my favorite. I think I'm leaning towards a Chinoiserie version in either red or black. But after looking at these images below, I just might have to change my mind!




The oft discussed 18th c. Chinoiserie secretary in the home of Ivanka Trump.


I like how Ruthie Sommers mixed a very traditional antique mahogany secretary with a 1940s coffee table, a black sofa with funky nailhead trim design, and a faux zebra rug. (Image from InStyle Home, Spring 07, photographer Ngoc Minh Ngo)


An 18th c. English secretary filled with ivory objects in the home of the late Sister Parish.


A secretary that has been painted with a faux yellow bird's eye finish. In the home of designer John Phifer Marrs (photographer Stephen Karlisch).


Image at top: Venetian mirrored secretaire, c. 1930, from John Salibello

The Classics II

A continuation of my series on classic design. See The Classics I for further reading.

The Saladino Lamp


Designed by John Saladino, this lamp is so simple and so perfect. And the fact that it has been in production for over 30 years just goes to show that many times it's the simple things, and the simple designs, that have staying power.


Le Creuset Dutch Oven


Not only is this Dutch (or French) oven stylish, it is the perfect vessel for beef bourguignonne and winter stews. And what's more timeless than the orange Flame color?


The Parsons Table


Legend has it that the Parsons table was conceived by students at the Parsons School of Design in Paris and their lecturer Jean-Michel Frank. Again, another simple design. This Parsons side table, available at Apsara Interior, was from the estate of saloon singer Bobby Short.


"Bowood" print


Discovered by John Fowler at Bowood House in the 1950s, this charming chintz is one of Colefax & Fowler's most popular and enduring prints.


"Blue Canton" China


This Mottahedeh pattern, inspired by blue and white Chinese Canton ware, is so versatile. The bonus? You can wash it in the dishwasher!

"Chou Chou" print


This classic Sister Parish design is available in both wallpaper and fabric. A tasteful way of injecting some pizzazz into a room.


"The House in Good Taste"

The Elsie de Wolfe book that has inspired generations of designers (and ghost written by Ruby Ross Wood).

Dynamic Duo

A few weeks ago I came across a 1968 issue of House Beautiful. Now, to be totally honest, this era in design is not one of my favorites (I'm more of a 1930s gal myself). Flipping through the magazine I saw many photos of rooms that today look beyond dated. Well, when I came across this photo above I was floored. This room (minus the floral arrangement) is just as stylish today as it was almost 40 years ago.

The silver teapaper, the Serge Roche-esque plaster sconce, the geometric painted floor, the furniture- everything is just perfection. I could live in this room in a heartbeat. And just who was the designer? None other than my design idol- Albert Hadley. Of course! Hadley's work just doesn't seem to age, and he mixes antiques and contemporary pieces with aplomb.

Yesterday, I was looking through another 1968 issue of House Beautiful, and this home below caught my eye.







The dark glossy walls contrasting with the cream damask and chintz upholstered furniture is such a striking combination. I love the Chinese lacquered tables, the gilt mirror with sconces, and the beautiful antique painted wall panels in the dining room. Do I need to tell you whose home this is? That's right. Sister Parish.

Sis and Albert- a true design match made in heaven!

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)

WASP Chic: C.Z. Guest

I have found an upcoming book release that has piqued my interest: Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style by Susanna Salk (Assouline; February 28, 2007). Although I can find very little on the Internet about this book, I am hoping that it will focus on the colorful, traditional, and comfortable style of certain privileged Americans. Perhaps there will be photos of rooms by Sister Parish and McMillen?

In the spirit of WASP chic, I thought I would post some photos of the home of the ultimate WASP style icon- C.Z. Guest. Guest's estate on Long Island, Templeton, was designed by famed architects Carrere & Hastings. After a short time living in the manor house, the Guests moved to a "smaller" home on the property. This house, along with the manor house, were both decorated by Stephane Boudin of Maison Jansen. Guest, like so many other stylish individuals, did not continuously redecorate her home. She stuck with Boudin's work, only refreshing it over the years. The home was certainly stylish, but it was also quite warm and inviting. (Of course, if you were C.Z. Guest, you too could get away with thread-bare carpet and orchids sitting around in green plastic pots.)















(Photos from House & Garden, June 2004)

Sister Parish Chic

Sister Parish's style lives on in a line of fabric and wallpaper by Sister Parish Design. Owned by Susan Bartlett Crater (Parish's granddaughter) and Libby Cameron, the company has created prints that were designed and inspired by the legendary doyenne of decorating. Sister loved pattern and was known for being able to mix numerous prints in one room with smashing results. I think these prints still look fresh today!


"Burma"

"Chou Chou"


"Desmond"

"Flora"

"Tucker"

Books, Books, and More Books!

I love design and lifestyle books, both current ones and those that are out-of-print. I am constantly looking for new ones to add to my library- the only problem is trying to find space to store all of my books!

Here are some suggestions for books to add to your design library:

Jansen by James Archer Abbott. Maison Jansen was one of the best known design firms of the 20th c. A great anthology of their work.






Van Day Truex by Adam Lewis. While Truex is best known as the former Design Director at Tiffany & Co. (he designed the classic Bamboo flatware pattern, among others), he was also an instructor at Parsons for many years . Truex also famously introduced Albert Hadley to Sister Parish, and the rest is history!


And, one out-of-print suggestion:

"My Favorite Things; A Personal Guide to Decorating and Entertaining" by Dorothy Rodgers. This is a really fun work written by the wife of composer Richard Rodgers. Includes tips for decorating one's city and country homes, entertaining guests in one's home, and generally living a swell life. Includes classic recipes such as Jellied Madrilene(!).