Famous Interior Designers Series - Sister Parish

 The first interior designer to get involved with re-modeling the Kennedy White House, Sister Parish was born Dorothy May Kinnicutt in Morristown, New Jersey on July 15, 1910, the only girl among four boys. This led to her being called 'Sister', a name that would conjure up images of a nun who has an eye for interior design. But her rise to prominence in the 1930s would more deeply represent the working woman who was making her presence felt in 20th century America.

Sister Parish did not acquire a high school diploma, but her designs nevertheless exuded quality, something that would draw wealthy clientele even before Jacqueline Kennedy sought her services for the White House. Sister was married to investment banker Henry Parish in 1930. The Great Depression had a negative impact on Henry's career, leading Sister to share the breadwinning responsibility for the family. In 1933 Parish opened an interior design firm in New Jersey, which was extremely successful, as the high class society were easily drawn to her designs.

Parish insisted she never had a particular look to her designs. What she did have was taste, an eye for style that was God-given but was undoubtedly shaped by her high class upbringing. She was said to remember the time she appreciated the appearance of the sitting room in her home when she was just six. Parish was consistent, though, in her use of color and she wasn't particularly hesitant to use bold and bright colors. One example is her concept of a room with red walls and the floor in another shade of red. Custom-made furniture, heirlooms and inexpensive items would all be blended to create a virtual masterpiece. Though she had her own conception of how a room or house should be, she ensured her designs would go well with the personality of those who occupy it. Her ideals wouldn't trample the client's desires, though she didn't want the latter to challenge her concepts.

Parish's designs are timeless and have especially contributed to our impression of the American country look with painted floors, quilts, rag rugs, four poster beds, etc. From the late 1950s, Parish was associated with various design projects of Jacqueline Kennedy, which inevitably got her the famous role of re-designing the Kennedy White House. Though for some reason she was shortly dismissed from the task, she did manage to showcase her skills in the Family Dining Room and the Yellow Oval Room.

Sister Parish's other wealthy clients included Brooke Astor, William Paley, the Rockefellers, the Engelhaards, and others. In 1962 Parish and noted designer Albert Hadley collaborated to form Parish-Hadley Associates, a firm that outlived Sister Parish by four years following her death in 1994. Their union attracted more wealthy clients, thanks to the influence each of them exerted in the world of interior design. Hadley's idea of modernism and Parish's traditionalism brought about a fruitful relationship.