Talk Shop: Eliza Harris // Sister Parish
Photo by Lucy Cuneo
ABOUT ELIZA
When it comes to interior design royalty, look no further than Eliza Harris. The great-granddaughter of the iconic Sister Parish (of the legendary design firm Parish-Hadley) and granddaughter of Apple Parish, Eliza no doubt has good taste running through her veins. Since 2018, Eliza has been the Creative Director of Sister Parish, a heritage brand that began with the goal of resurrecting the prints and wallpapers that Mrs. Parish loved and created throughout her illustrious career.
As Eliza shares: "we are interested in how people live creatively with collections, work, family, pets, art-everything that makes a home. Textiles are a backdrop to all of this commotion of living a full life. It is the history and the stories behind the textiles that we find exciting. Each pattern tells a story, whether it is about the provenance of an iconic room that it was used in, or the American crafts that inspired it, we love the history of each print we bring to the market. As innovators and creators, it is our job to look to the past and to find new ways of using the Parish Hadley archives in the spirit of today. We embrace the legacy we are honored to continue.”
And though the company has revived favorite fabrics and wallpapers from Mrs. Parish’s archives, Eliza has taken the brand in a new direction, creating fresh designs and products that feel new yet reverential, in keeping with the brand’s philosophy. We sat down with Eliza and chatted about all things design – read on for more!
Describe your style in three words or less:
All American, Personal, Informed.
What have been the three biggest influences on your aesthetic in your life:
My great grandmother Sister Parish, my grandmother Apple Bartlett, my first boss Markham Roberts.
How did you start your company, and what is your favorite thing about what you do:
My great grandmother Sister Parish (or as I called her PoPop) started our company and my favorite thing about what I do is reinterpreting and recreating the patterns that Popop introduced me to as a little girl.
Do you have a mentor in your career, and if so, how have they helped to shape your trajectory:
My mother is my mentor. She is a natural entrepreneur and has taught me what it takes to build a successful business.
What does your home say about you:
That I love my family and friends.
Where do you find inspiration:
In the stories of people I admire, in the beautiful houses that I’ve visited, or on the walks I’ve taken around favorite cities or quiet countryside.
Who are your style icons:
Sister Parish, Albert Hadley, KK Auchincloss, Billy Baldwin, Lee Radziwill, Markham Roberts, Miles Redd, Wes Anderson, Tonne Goodman...I could go on & on!
What are your key ingredients for entertaining:
Yummy food, drinks and cozy places to sit.
Do you collect anything:
Coffee table books and my grandmother’s collages.
Favorite Instagram accounts to follow for inspiration:
I’ve recently been loving @auguri_auguri.
What design “rule” do you always follow, and which is made to be broken:
Design Rule: Never underestimate the importance of proportion and scale. From pattern to furniture. Proportion and scale is definitely what I spend the most time on whether I’m designing a pattern or a piece of furniture.
Made to Be Broken: A perfectly kept house is the most attractive house. Don’t worry so much about that glass of spilled wine or that dog pee on the carpet. Houses are meant to be lived in and these things happen.
What are you working on right now:
New fabrics and wallpapers! This includes a performance line of textiles that will help with the anxiety of the rule that is made to be broken :)
Wardrobe staples:
White & Warren scarves, Zara white buttons downs, Chanel Flats, my favorite vintage YSL belt.
Best interior advice you ever received:
Lampshades should never be an afterthought.
Best career advice you ever received:
Follow your instincts.
Types of home purchases you invest in, and save on:
I invest in custom upholstered furniture and curtains. I save on casegoods. I love an antique and well worn coffee table or chest of drawers.
Your greatest extravagance:
Custom furniture and curtains.
Favorite places to shop for home:
Local antique shops in Maine or Litchfield County, John Rosselli, KRB, John Derian, Cutter Brooks, Atelier Vime, Chairish, Patrick Mele, The Huntress...I could go on and on here as well!
Most prized possession and why:
An antique wooden bird that hung in the window of my great grandmother’s New York apartment
Your interiors motto:
Your imagination is your reality. - Diana Vreeland
Your life motto:
Dreaming is a form of planning. - Gloria Steinhim
Advice for someone looking to define their own interior style:
Follow your instincts and carefully study the designers you admire.
Take Ten: My Favorite…
Food: Freshly baked bread and homemade butter OR any type of fresh fruit.
Drink: Cabernet. The heavier the better!
Film: I just watched Emma and loved it!
Hotel: The Bisate Lodge in Rwanda
City: New York
Bedding: Porthault
Tea or Coffee (and how do you take it): Coffee with lots of half & half
Playlist: I’ve recently been very into Enya and Frank Sinatra.
Weekend Activity: Reading
Design Book: Around that Time: Horst at Home in Vogue & Mark Hampton on Decorating
