Book excerpt: Comfort is the essential element of a successful interior and the hallmark of the Parish-Hadley style. In Sister Parish Design, Libby Cameron, Sister's last protégé, and Susan B. Crater, Sister's granddaughter, explore this aspect and much more in a series of conversations with the leading decorators of today. Sister Parish is the iconic American decorator of her generation. Her use of flowered chintzes and overstuffed armchairs combined with unexpected items, like patchwork quilts and painted furniture, is credited with popularizing what is known as American Country–style during the 1960s. Her passion for bold color and mixed patterns invoked charm, imagination, and a lived-in look to her rooms. Her philosophy was to be unafraid and to put things together because you liked them--not because they matched. Filled with beautifully-rendered watercolor illustrations, Sister Parish Design is more than just a stunning book—it is an inspirational resource that all decorating aficionados will want to add to their bookshelf.