Parish-Hadley: Sixty Years of American Decorating

by Christopher Petkanas, Albert Hadley, Sister Parish

From the Kennedy White House to homes for the Astors, Rockefellers, de la Rentas and Gettys, the American firm Parish Hadley has set a standard for interior design over the last 60 years. Using the homes of famous clients, this book provides a room-by-room exploration of Parish Hadley design.

Genres: Interior Design

181 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1995

Reviews

[Abby · Rating 5 out of 5]

“You can never achieve anything in a house unless you have things that have been passed down and that you find a place for yourself.” — Sister Parish

Hearing from Sister Parish directly, in the opening essay, is a particular delight. She is witty, self-deprecating, and eminently talented. (Albert Hadley is a bit more dull, but he did provide a modernist foil to her traditional good taste.) Many of the photos in this book are dreadfully reproduced (so grainy and ill-lit and even out of focus that you can barely ascertain details), but the style is still sound, decades and decades later.

[Rhode PVD · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of inspirational photos and a nice biographical section. I also enjoyed seeing how the private rooms in the Kennedy White House were designed. Many of the ideas clearly affected decor we now think of as normal in old rich homes.

Made me laugh to see libraries and solariums were included but kitchens and baths weren't even dreamt of.

If you love high-end classic yet creative decorating, this book will delight you.

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very dated pics