In Honor of Albert Hadley…
by habituallychic
02 . 12 . 09
This has been a busy week and I have lots to write about but until I can post them all, I wanted tell you something exciting that I learned at a very chic dinner party I attended last night. This year’s Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse will be held this Spring on 71st Street and will be in honor of the living legend of interior design Mr. Albert Hadley. We’re not exactly sure if that means the designers chosen will be those who have had a working relationship with Mr. Hadley over the years or if the rooms will be paying homage to him but either way, it’s very exciting and I can’t wait to see what they come up with! Stay tuned for more details!
Decorating is not about making stage sets, it’s not about making pretty pictures for the magazines; it’s really about creating a quality of life, a beauty that nourishes the soul. – Albert Hadley
12 Comments
That is great news. Seriously looking into plane tickets now!
That is an excellent quote. I think we should consider inner beauty!
How exciting! I really admire his approach – you chose the perfect quote!
HC –
I love his quote – how true is that? When people come to my home for the first time, quite often they say “Will you come and help me with my house?”…I let them know that I just put precious things that I love to see, touch and reminisce about with my functional pieces…add a splash of color and it works!!
I encourage them to head home and try their hand at it.
for a custom fit
Now that IS something to look forward to! I expect lots of pictures….I know you can get them somehow!
WOW . . . what a great design concept for the showhouse this year.
I’m curious to see, as you state, what the individual designers are going to do with it.
Hadley’s designs are filled with such brilliant balance and proportions and has a such specific sensibility, it’s going to set an ‘interesting’ bar for everyone to reach.
looking forward to updates!
What a brilliant choice-very exciting. I have a less lofty quote by Mr. Hadley that I love: “There’s no point in creating anything beautiful for somebody who’s a slob.”
In my book he is a DESIGN GOD…and he can do no wrong- I can’t wait to see what this is all about!
A reason to fly back to NY for Kips Bay…yes…I think so!
HC – Mr. Hadley’s quote is absolutely perfect . . . and here are a few more that I’m so glad he verbalized so succinctly. . . perhaps they’ll shed some light on what we may expect from the Kips Bay House this spring – lets hope for more romance, warmth, & color and only a little bit of minimalism.
“So many young decorators today are trying to reinvent the wheel, and the results are sometimes very dubious,” Albert Hadley says in his languid Tennessean drawl as he lights up another Camel. “They’re looking to do things that have never been done before. And quite often it’s done without authority, without knowledge or a background in taste.”
And what is the net effect of all this on contemporary design? Things that strive for sophistication but somehow look exactly the same. “They’re all doing beige rooms,” he groans. Hadley wishes that young designers would take more time to educate themselves about Versailles and the twenties and “ancient history.” “It’s all about acquiring a richer vocabulary,” he says.
– KBN
Great quote!
Just around the corner. Can’t wait to see this come together!
This is wonderful news. Mr. Hadley is the end for me. Yay!