It’s 1962 in Kennedy’s white house, the breakfast room to be exact, and it’s being transformed by a burgeoning powerhouse of interior design and her lesser-known friend. Sister Parish, the famed interior designer, sweeps around the room bringing with her the usual toolkit of comfort, luxury, nostalgia, and the beginnings of what is now hailed as the American Country style.
Alas, while our ceramic tiling bears her name, our main character for today is not Sister Parish, but her assistant who laments humorously of this particular project decades later in 1999, “I only did the curtains”.
Despite his humble view of his efforts, following this first-team outing Albert Hadley was to become a revered partner to Sister Parish – only 2 years following their white house revamp in 1964, Parish Hadley was born.
As well as training thousands of the next generation’s interior designers, and influencing thousands more, Parish Hadley designed, produced, and pioneered beautiful pieces to bring a sense of style to any home.
Something Old, Something New, Something Red, Something Blue
Lasting for over thirty years, this partnership saw the compromise of clashing designs and interior design ideologies, marrying the minimal and the not-so-minimal when it came to the patterns utilized. Made famous by this venerable firm, and inspired by patterns designed and pioneered by the great Albert Hadley, the Country Floors unconventional, patterned field tile designs that are available in our Sister Parish Design Ceramic collection, attempt to do justice to the greatest of pattern creators.
The ceramic pattern tiles in our collection offer a perfect pairing of quaint colors and steadfast motifs found repeatedly throughout Parish Hadley’s designs. They’re also something of a rarity, having previously only been available to trade-only sources through textile prints. This was a large blow to any private buyer who wanted to take full advantage of patterns that are written into American history, especially when it came to patterned tiling. Having donned the homes of the Rockefellers, Gettys, and Kennedys alike, Country Floors is adamant that these Sister Parish Design ceramic tiles should be available to you too.
“Architecture with a Touch of Whimsy” – Susan Crater on Albert Hadley
The Sister Parish Design Ceramic Collection of eight separate tiling patterns is intimately inspired by the vast archives of patterns kept and curated by two of the country’s favorite masters of decoration. Casual enough to make a home in any existing design, or as the backdrop of a new renovation or space, the Country Floors ceramic patterned tiles found in the Sister Parish Design collection are charmingly bold, carrying elements of the Hadley design and re-imagined for the 21st-century homeowner.
Sister Paris Design Ceramic Collection
The Serendipity tile is certainly the very characterization of ‘whimsy’. Stars are some of the most common motifs when scouring Parish Hadley designs, and Albert himself was an avid lover of Moravian light fixtures. Bearing a distinctly hand-painted tile look, the expertly crafted silkscreen ceramic tiling means you won’t be able to tell the difference until it comes to its durability.
The Desmond tile is another must-mention. Having originally been a wallpaper pattern that Hadley used in the entry hall of his home in Southport, Connecticut, this pattern has been reimagined as a beautiful floor and wall tile for use anywhere in the home. The pattern in itself was named after one of Sister Parish’s favorite Pekingese, Desmond.
The Albert tile, aptly paying tribute to the tile patterns’ original designer, showcases a sweet asymmetrical polka dot/paint dab design. Inspired by the very design that could be found in Mr. Hadley’s own apartment, the Albert ceramic wall, and floor tiling is a fresh and modern approach to a lovable and charming favorite of the designer himself.
For a truly American tile design, steeped in nationally renowned legacy, and available in ceramic tile like never before, the Country Floors Sister Parish Design Ceramic collection is not one to miss out on.
View the entire Sister Parish Design Ceramic Collection available on our site or our other natural stone tiling collections. If you need any guidance on how and where to use pattern ceramic tiles in your home or office, please do not hesitate to get in contact with our team of expert interior designers, who can offer you invaluable tips and tricks for getting the most out of your patterned tiling interior.