Legends of Design: Sister Parish

When we talk about legendary designers as I do in this (semi)regular series of "Legends of Design," one name always ranks among the top: Sister Parish. With an approach that helped define American interior design as we know it, Parish was a true original--combining tradition with personality, elegance with comfort, and history with charm.

Image via Sister Parish Design

Born Dorothy May Kinnicutt in 1910, she was nicknamed "Sister" as a child, a name that would stick with her throughout her life and career. Raised in a prominent New York family, Parish was surrounded by refinement from an early age (the family had homes in Maine, and Paris as well as Manhattan!). In fact, her father collected antiques and her mother's cousin was the celebrated designer Dorothy Draper, previously here. Yet, it wasn’t high society that shaped her unique aesthetic--it was her deep love for home, storytelling, and the lived-in feel of beautiful, well-loved rooms.

Image via Sister Parish Design

A Sister Parish room.
photo credits: Bartlett, Apple Parish, and Susan Bartlett Crater.
From Sister: The Life of Legendary American Interior Decorator Mrs. Henry Parish II.
St. Martin's Press, 2000. via Sister Parish Design

Another Sister Parish room.
Photo credits: Bartlett, Apple Parish, and Susan Bartlett Crater.
From Sister: The Life of Legendary American Interior Decorator Mrs. Henry Parish II.
St. Martin's Press, 2000. via Sister Parish Design

She officially began decorating professionally in the 1930s, launching her firm during the Great Depression, a bold move that showed her determination and resilience especially considering that she was completely untrained and had never read a book about interior design or worked in the field in any capacity. Her big break came in the 1960s when she was chosen to redecorate the Kennedy White House, although legend has it that the working relationship between client and designer was anything but smooth with Parish saying that Mrs. Kennedy felt she did not have to pay all the design fees owed. However, her signature mix of American country charm and classical European elements brought warmth and authenticity to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

The yellow Oval Room in the Sister Parish-decorated White House

In 1962, she partnered with the young and equally talented Albert Hadley, to work on the Kennedy White House--"I only did the drapes" he famously quipped. Two years later, they cemented their partnership, forming the legendary firm Parish-Hadley. Their partnership lasted over 30 years and set the gold standard in American design. Together, they created interiors that were timeless, eclectic, and deeply personal.

Image via Sister Parish Design

Image via Sister Parish Design

Parish-Hadley interior, photographed by Peter Frank Edwards/Redux

Their client list reads like a who’s who of American society at the time: the Gettys, Babe and Bill Paley, Brooke Astor, Betsey and Jock Whitney, Jacqueline and John Kennedy, and Sarah, Duchess of York. But it wasn't just the rich and famous who adored her work, it was anyone who loved the Parish-Hadley style that combined high and low.

Sister Parish was a master of juxtaposition. She wasn’t afraid to mix chintz with needlepoint, antiques with slipcovers, or high-end pieces with humble ones. She believed rooms should evolve over time and reflect the soul of their inhabitants. This philosophy—anti-minimalist, rich in texture, and deeply layered—continues to influence designers today.

She also helped shape a distinctly American approach to decorating: less about perfection, more about personality. Her rooms often included hand-painted floors, soft lighting, embroidered fabrics, and a sense of cozy grandeur that felt both elevated and inviting.

A 1999 Architectural Digest article described Parish's style: "Her interiors as a rule were refreshingly unstudied, unself-conscious, and unstrained...A Sister Parish room overflowed, to be sure—but buoyantly. It was romantic and whimsical but not sentimental; and, always, it was light—the rug might be Aubusson, the mirror Chippendale and the chandelier Waterford, but she undercut these "brand names" with all manner of charming distractions. Her living rooms lived: They were friendly to the world."

In 1994, House Beautiful editor Lou Gropp said, "There is no question that Sister Parish was one of the biggest influences on decorating in the United States. She dominated the decorating of the 1970s and '80s, and many of her ideas that were fresh and new in the 1970s are now in the mainstream of American decorating."

Sister stayed on as a partner at Parish-Hadley into her 80s. She passed away September 8, 1994 in Maine. Albert stayed on, running the firm until 1999. After closing Parish-Hadley, he opened his own design firm, Albert Hadley, Inc.

As you can see, Sister Parish’s legacy is more than just her iconic rooms. It’s her approach to creating homes that feel lived-in, loved, and full of life that added to the evolution of interior design

Today, the Sister Parish brand lives on. Her granddaughter Susan Crater opened Sister Parish Design in 2000, and the company sells archive and Parish-inspired designs in fabric and wallcoverings!

Happy designing!

Welcome to 2026! Engaging Entries, Part 9

Happy New Year followers and regular readers! Since we are "entering" a new year, it seems like a good time to check in on our ongoing series of "entries" and foyers...

Celerie Kemble's entryway via AD

Lavi console from Amber Interiors

Palm Desert entry by Patrick Dragonette

Alfredo Parades and Brad Goldfarb's home | Photo: Noe DeWitt

Curated maximalism by Courtney Madden

Comfy and modern entry by Studio Gild

Trousdale Estate entry by Studio Shamshiri

Flame-stitched fabric on wall via House & Garden
Photo: Paul Massey

Color and tradition in an entry by Hillary Taylor

Cynthia Zamaria's mudroom entry | Photo: Janet Kimber

Happy New Year and happy designing!

Happy New Year! Welcome 2026!

Photo: Pizzazzerie

Happy New Year to all my clients, followers, and regular readers. May 2026 be a return to stability and sanity!

See you soon for the first post of 2026. Until then, Happy Designing!

Happy Holidays 2025!

As we wrap up 2025, I send warm holiday greetings to all my clients present and past, followers, and regular readers.

And Happy Winter Solstice--the shortest day and longest night of the year--which takes place this December 21st!

Happy designing and Happy Holidays!

Happy Thanksgiving 2025!

I wish all of my clients, readers, and followers in the United States a very happy Thanksgiving Day!

Famous Homes: Casa Malaparte

For this installation of Famous Homes, we will be examining an enigmatic structure, nearly unreachable, whose claim to fame is an appearance in a classic 1963 French New Wave film!

Perched dramatically on a windswept cliff above the cerulean waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea, Casa Malaparte (also known as Villa Malaparte) is one of the most iconic and enigmatic pieces of 20th-century architecture. Its stark modernist geometry set against the rugged natural landscape makes it a singular monument—not only to architectural boldness, but also to the complex personality of its creator, Italian writer Curzio Malaparte. Beyond its historical and artistic significance, the house gained international fame as the haunting backdrop to legendary French director Jean-Luc Godard’s film "Contempt," (Le Mépris), cementing its place in cultural history.

Casa Malaparte was conceived in the late 1930s by the controversial writer, journalist, and political provocateur Curzio Malaparte (born Kurt Erich Suckert). He originally commissioned the project from Rationalist architect Adalberto Libera, a leading figure in Italian modernist architecture. However, after disagreements—some say driven by Malaparte's desire for creative control—the writer took over the design himself and had local stonemasons build it, modifying Libera’s initial vision.

Completed around 1942, the house is located on Punta Massullo, a secluded promontory on the eastern side of the island of Capri. Access is only by foot or boat (only at certain times of the day and at certain tides), making the structure both physically and symbolically removed from the world.

Casa Malaparte is a study in contrasts—between nature and human intervention, modernity and myth, austerity and sensuality. The structure is a simple red masonry box, rising straight from the limestone cliffs. A monumental external staircase leads to the flat roof, which serves as a terrace facing the sea. From this vantage point, the building almost disappears, becoming an extension of the landscape itself. The house’s alignment, materials, and minimalism anticipate later brutalist and sculptural architecture. Its interiors are sparse yet poetic, with floor-to-ceiling windows framing the infinite horizon. Every design decision emphasizes solitude, confrontation with nature, and intellectual rigor—qualities that mirror Malaparte’s own writing and philosophical inquiries.

For Malaparte, the house was more than a residence—it was an autobiographical artifact. He once called it “a house like me.” Indeed, Casa Malaparte is a deeply personal space, reflecting his love of classical antiquity, his obsession with death and isolation, and his desire to shape his own narrative, both literally and architecturally.

During World War II and after, the house was rarely inhabited, but it remained a place of retreat and introspection for the writer until his death in 1957.

Casa Malaparte reached global audiences when it appeared in "Contempt," Jean-Luc Godard’s melancholy meditation on artistic compromise and emotional disintegration. Starring Brigitte Bardot and Michel Piccoli, the film unfolds partially within and around the house, using its architecture to reflect the growing estrangement between the characters. Godard’s camera lingers on the house’s brutal beauty: the stark stairs, the endless roofline, the crashing waves below. The structure becomes a silent character in the film, an emotional landscape mirroring the disintegration of love and trust. This cinematic portrayal elevated Casa Malaparte into an enduring symbol of existential elegance and architectural purity. It also contributed to the house’s mythic status among architects, filmmakers, and cultural historians.

Today, Casa Malaparte is owned by the Giorgio Ronchi Foundation and is not generally open to the public. Its inaccessibility has only deepened its mystique, reinforcing the house’s identity as a modern hermitage.

Happy designing!

What Is Tole?

In the world of decorative arts and historical interior design, the word "tole" is the official term for a type of painted metal. With its roots in the 18th-century French decorative traditions (from the French tôle peinte, meaning "painted sheet metal"), household items made of tin and other metals like pewter or thin steel were often embellished with folk art-style floral motifs and gold accents.

via Harp Gallery Antique and Vintage Furniture

These utilitarian objects--trays, canisters, coffee pots, sconces, even chandeliers--were transformed into works of art through the application of enamel paint and varnish. Toleware was especially popular in America during the 18th and early 19th centuries, where it often reflected the rustic charm of early colonial homes. Practicality was at the heart of toleware, but artisans elevated these everyday items with painterly elegance, making them ideal for kitchens, pantries, and dining rooms.

via The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles

via The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles

via 1st Dibs

via Giamer Antiques and Collectibles

There were even lamps with tole embellishment...a type of lamp developed during the Napoleon-helmed Empire style was the bouillote (boo-yacht) lamp which at the time held candles. In the 20th century, these antique lamps got rewired to hold bulbs but happily the metal shades remained.

via 1st Dibs

There was a toleware revival in the 1920s to the 1950s where we see chandeliers with intricate vines and flowers made from pressed tin and steel. Such lights can be a great addition to eclectic or maximalist interiors or with Chinoiserie or Regency-inspired design.

via 1st Dibs

Happy designing!

History of Furniture: Alvar Aalto's Tea Cart

For my series of posts I call "Hisotry of Furniture," I usually cover an era or time period, or style movement. But this time, I would like to focus on a specific piece of furniture from a period. When we think of iconic mid-century design, names like Eames previously seen here, and Breuer previously seen here, often surface—but in the Scandinavian design tradition, few names are as revered as Alvar Aalto. Aalto’s work seamlessly blends modernism with organic form, and few objects capture his ethos as elegantly as the Tea Trolley 901 and 900, commonly known as his bar carts.

Alvar Aalto's Tea Trolley 901

Alvar Aalto designed the Tea Trolley 900 and 901 in 1936 for the Paris World’s Fair (Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne). Working closely with his wife, Aino Aalto, who was also a significant design force, the trolleys were part of a broader vision of bringing warmth and humanism to the functional, and often cold, lines of modernism.

Crafted for their company Artek, the bar carts represented an intersection of function, form, and local material culture. Drawing inspiration from British tea culture and Japanese architecture—which Aalto deeply admired—the design combines Finnish birch wood, ceramic tiles, rattan, and linoleum with soft curves and an unmistakable Scandinavian restraint.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who leaned into the industrial aesthetic of steel and sharp lines, Aalto emphasized natural materials and flowing forms. The Tea Trolley 900 is perhaps the more decorative of the two: featuring a tiled tabletop surface and a wicker basket, it’s a functional yet graceful object, originally intended for serving tea or cocktails. The Tea Trolley 901, on the other hand, is a simpler, more utilitarian version with a slatted wooden tray and a linoleum surface.

Alvar Aalto's Tea Trolley 900

Both trolleys ride on oversized, wood-rimmed rubber wheels—a signature feature that makes them instantly recognizable. This attention to detail not only adds charm but ensures the cart can be easily maneuvered, making it as practical as it is beautiful.

The Aalto bar cart is more than a serving trolley; it’s a statement of design philosophy. At a time when modernism often meant mechanization and metal, Aalto’s use of natural materials and gentle forms introduced a more human-centered approach. His bar carts exemplify his belief in the psychological and emotional impact of design.

Moreover, the piece speaks to a deeper cultural narrative—a celebration of hospitality, simplicity, and function, all central tenets of Nordic living. In today’s interiors, whether minimalist or eclectic, the Aalto bar cart fits with quiet confidence, often acting as both a conversation piece and a functional element.

Today, the Aalto bar cart continues to be produced by Artek--you can buy the 900 here or the 901 here--and remains a staple in design-conscious homes, hotels, and museums. Its timeless appeal lies in its versatility—used as a drinks trolley, side table, or even a mobile plant stand. Its elegant lines and material warmth ensure it never feels out of place, even in contemporary interiors.

Happy designing!

How To Freshen Up Subway Tile

In light of one of my recent posts about types of backsplash materials seen here, let's take a deeper dive and look at one of the most enduring choices. I am sure everyone is familiar with the traditional subway tile. Most often seen in white, sometimes in a gloss finish, this tile can look right at home in certain designs (especially vintage bathrooms) but can be a bit overused these days. The standard installation is to create what is called a "running bond" layout, where the tiles are laid horizontal and the grout lines line up with the middle of the tile below and above it.

If you still like the look of subway tiles but want a new perspective, you can try the following alternate tile layouts!

Instead of a running bond (or half offset), you can opt for a third offset, which is where the grout line of the tile above and below falls about a third of the width of the tile.

But if you don't want any offset, you can create a much sleeker, modern look by using a horizontal stack bond where all the grout lines and tiles are lined up.

Tile by MSI

by RWB Designs

For a twist on this layout, you can turn the tiles so they run vertically!

by Kristen and Joe Cole via AD

Tiles by WOW Tile

And for a twist on the twist, you can combine this vertical layout but use a half or a third offset!

Happy designing!