The Sisterhood

I'm a little obsessed with interior design. I must be, or I wouldn't have two blogs on the subject! But while I enjoy it and think I have a good eye and a natural talent for pulling things together, I'm not schooled in the art and history of design. I'm familiar with the big names of today—Jonathan Adler, Kelly Wearstler, John Derian, Windsor Smith. But the designers who came before them, the ones who influenced them, are little more than vaguely familiar names to me.

So it was with Sister Parish. I'd heard of her and knew she was influential in the world of design, but that was about it. So, on the occasion of what would be her 101st birthday, I set out to learn more about this woman with the unusual name.

Sister, a childhood nickname, was born into privilege in New Jersey in 1910. She began her career during the Depression as a way to earn extra money to keep her family in the style they were used to. With partner Albert Hadley, she formed influential firm Parish-Hadley.

Her collected English country style, while very traditional and a bit fussy from today's perspective, was modern in the sense that she like to mix prints and patterns. She wasn't one for matchy-matchy decor. Another modern concept she applied to her work was her belief that "rooms should be timeless and very personal."

Sister had worked with Jackie Kennedy and was chosen to decorate the White House when the Kennedys moved in. She soon had a falling out with the first lady, saying, "Jackie got along much better with men than with women."

This is the bright and cheerful White House Yellow Oval Room in 1962:

National Archive and Records Administration

Jackie's bedroom in the White House was feminine and quiet, much like the first lady herself:

toriburch.com

Her granddaughter and a protege are keeping Sister's style alive with a line of fabrics, wallpaper and accessories.

Are you a fan of the Sister Parish look? Is there another iconic designer you've always wanted to learn more about? Tell us about it.

Design Star Season 6: Playing Nice

I'm the first to admit it: Sometimes the funniest thing to say isn't the nicest. When someone zings me in a clever way, my initial instinct is to congratulate them. There's always time to be offended later. Reality TV definitely understands that to be unkind is also to be entertaining.

That said, I'm happy to report that season 6 of HGTV's Design Star has decided to tone it down a notch. We're only one episode in so far, but it would appear that the judges took the viewers' notes. I loved last season and in particular last season's winner Emily Henderson (and her awesome show Secrets From a Stylist), but there were times when it was seriously hard to watch. Vern Yip, whose show Deserving Design made him out to be a saint, was particularly harsh in some of the critiques. Candace Olson and Genevieve Gorder were not any nicer. I'm hoping this season continues along the vein of the premiere episode and has the judges offering a little bit of constructive criticism, as well as words of encouragement.

A few other thoughts on the first episode:

1. Not wild about the host Tanika Ray (who is she? looking at her Wikipedia page, she seems like a random pick) but David Bromstead as mentor is a great fit.
2. Is it just me, or do you want to know how much money they have to spend and what they're paying for the furniture items they choose?

3. Candace Olson is clearly better at designing rooms than she is at dressing herself. Zing!

Next time we'll talk about the rooms ...

Looks Like a Million

I'm a design show junkie. HGTV is my go-to channel when nothing else is on. I've seen every episode of every Sarah Richardson, Candice Olson, Emily Henderson and John Gidding show there is—often more than once. And I'm so excited that tonight I get to start flipping out again with Jeff and Jenni over on Bravo.

But when Bravo started touting its latest entry in the deco porn genre, "Million Dollar Decorators," I wasn't interested. I'm turned off by huge egos and conspicuous consumption. I mean, really, even the promo shot is pretentious:

Source: casa-diseno-blog.com via Bonnie on Pinterest

So I missed the first episode.

But then I caught part of the second one and was intrigued. By the third episode I was a regular viewer, and now I'm officially hooked.

The fifth show is my favorite so far. Maybe that's because there was very little of Mary McDonald (the woman has an enviable wardrobe, but she really grates). Or maybe it was because there was lots of Ross (yum!). Or the fact the Martyn's client that week was the gorgeous Daisy Fuentes and not the appalling Joe Francis (I seriously think I need a tetanus shot after just watching him on TV). Or that I love just about everything about Kathryn Ireland—especially her housekeeper, Jacqueline. Or that all the designers have cute dogs.

Whatever the reason, you know where you can find me on Tuesdays at 10—in front of the TV getting my design fix.

Come on, admit it—you like "Million Dollar Decorators" too. Who's your favorite designer?

New Matchbook Is Here!

The July issue of Matchbook, one of my favorite online magazines, is out.

Source: None via Matchbook on Pinterest

I can't wait to dig in!

I'm a Little Bit Boho, She's a Little Bit Modern Classic

Design Between Friends was borne out of the same spirit that drew the two of us together over a dozen years ago: An appreciation for each other’s style of living.

At the newspaper where we worked, it seemed unlikely that we’d find each other. She wore cute little suits with heels to work; I wore Birkenstocks. Our personalities were (and still are) different too: I’m a little louder, she more reserved but smart as hell. I think she admired my confidence and my zest, while I loved her style and thoughtfulness.

I remember the first time I invited her over to my apartment. We were both in our 20s then, and I was so proud of my papasan chair and futon covered with Mexican blankets. When I saw her place a few weeks later, with the “real” furniture and a color scheme, I was so embarrassed. I didn’t see our friendship lasting.

Yet here we are, oh so many years later, proud presidents of one another’s fan clubs. We’re BFFs who’ve seen each other through thick (me) and thin (her), disastrous loves, then marriages, first homes, layoffs, second homes, foreclosure, more layoffs, new jobs, the sheer joy of nieces and nephews, and growing our families with “children” of the furry persuasion.

Over the years, our taste has evolved and so has our friendship. Through it all, and with every move, we’ve always shared genuine excitement at the prospect of decorating a new space. She’s in the process of updating her three-bedroom home, and I recently downsized to an apartment, where I’m relearning the ups and downs of urban living.

And although we’re a four-hour drive away (five if she’s driving), we’ll do it together and share it with you. We hope you enjoy the journey.