After decades marked by ostentation, a new design movement is emerging that champions simplicity, sustainability, and authenticity. This trend, embodied by the timeless legacy of Sister Parish and the rise of "quiet luxury," is redefining luxury in a post-pandemic context. Several decades ago, Sister Parish laid the foundations for interiors where real value is felt through materials rather than displayed on the surface. Today, from the East Coast to European interiors, this philosophy continues to guide interior designers toward a calibrated art of comfort, favoring texture over the simple evocation of brands or logos.
The legacy of comfort according to Sister Parish
According to the archives of Sister Parish, her approach was based on three immutable principles: tradition, texture, and history. She favored objects with soul—handcrafted quilts, weathered chairs, fabrics softened by time—to create interiors that invited conviviality and longevity. The key lesson is that an interior should give the impression of having lived. This philosophy has influenced generations of decorators who, today, prefer reflection to accumulation, shunning ephemeral decor.
The opposite of visual excess
The archives of Architectural Digest perfectly document the period that followed the Parish era, marked by extravagant decorations. These periods emphasized flashy effects: glitzy finishes, ubiquitous exotic stones, and technologies designed to impress rather than serve. These spaces, as spectacular as they were, sorely lacked soul. In response, visionary designers such as Steve Chase advocated a return to user-centered design, with an emphasis on natural materials.
Steve Chase and the praise of raw material
Through his projects published in Palm Springs Life, Steve Chase has always focused on the nobility of wood, leather, and real stone, rejecting any intrusive visual signature. His credo was to serve the residents rather than fill a portfolio with flashy creations. This pioneering approach heralds the current trend: favoring interiors whose patina tells a story, rather than seeking the artificial glamour of the new.
Post-pandemic housing: beauty and practicality
The transition from vacation home to permanent residence has accelerated this change. The Harvard Business Review has identified a growing desire among wealthy customers, in both fashion and home décor, to avoid overly obvious markers of wealth. This has led to a rethinking of room layouts for everyday practicality. Style has thus shifted from a purely aesthetic effect to a utilitarian, almost essential approach.
Technical excellence in the service of sustainability
The success of this understated style is based on rigorous technical choices. Professionals now favor rift-cut oak, hand-applied lime plaster, and unlacquered brass hardware. As Bain & Company notes, this preference for a high-quality feel reflects a profound shift in the luxury market. These choices represent a greater investment, but guarantee interiors that stand the test of time with elegance.
The alchemy of modern "Quiet Luxury"
The contemporary formula blends three major influences: Sister Parish's beloved comfortable accumulation, Steve Chase's loyalty to raw materials, and restraint inspired by Belgian and Scandinavian traditions. It adds a touch unique to Eastern Long Island, characterized by a typically American seaside ease. According to Elle Decor, it is natural light and local customs that create the clear distinction between a Hamptons home and a Northern European interior.
Aesthetics designed to last
This movement is redefining professionals' priorities: selecting authentic materials, prioritizing sensory appeal, and thinking about space in the long term. Instead of seeking an immediate "wow" effect, the focus is on happy wear and tear, a patina that bears witness to the passage of life. Modern "quiet luxury" is not a passing fad, but a reaffirmation of old principles revisited for our current lifestyles. By emphasizing use and sensation, this trend promises to become a lasting part of design history.