This past Friday, the design community lost one of their great masters and my “great-aunt” Betty, known by my family as Ms. Hadley, lost her dearest brother.
For those who aren’t familiar with him, Albert Hadley was a Tennessee native, talented design partner of Sister Parish, preeminent American decorator and icon in his own right, and the most genuine and kind Southern gentleman you will ever meet! I had the great pleasure of knowing Mr. Hadley, accompanying him to the Nashville Antiques and Garden Show on a couple occasions, and chatting with him in his New York offices. I grew up knowing his sister and only sibling, Betty Hadley, as a close family friend to my grandmother. Ms. Hadley is more of a great-aunt to us all. She attended many of my dance performances as a young lady, taught me to sew, and often joined us at my grandmother’s for holiday gatherings. It wasn’t until I entered college and began studying interior design that I realized the legend of her brother Albert. After a painful struggle with cancer, Mr. Hadley passed away in Nashville, TN this past Friday, March 30th, 2012. He will be greatly missed by many and remembered for years to come.
Today’s Color Study post is a humble remembrance of his style, which was both modern and innovative, timeless and classic. He had a penchant for vibrant colors and soft-spot for old-fashioned florals and Americana influence.
I snapped a few photos from a book in my library on Mr. Hadley’s drawings and design process (Albert Hadley, Drawings and the Design Process published by the New York School of Interior Design) to illustrate today’s color palette. The sketches below were from a rendering exercise during Mr. Hadley’s time as a student at the Parsons School of Design. They are excellently drafted and beautifully colored!!
Here are a few articles about Mr. Hadley that I think are especially interesting:
- “Master Class”, The New York Times
- “Albert Hadley Receives Awards, Reflects on his Career”, Editor-at-Large
- “Albert Hadley’s Legacy”, ELLE Decor
Memory eternal, Albert.
7 comments
marion says:
Apr 2, 2012
Very sweet and a wonderful tribute to Mr. Hadley. I will try to make sure that Betty and Mom have a chance to see your post….can you email it to mother?
Hilary says:
Apr 2, 2012
Sure, I can do that! I think they would enjoy it. Will she check her email though?
marion says:
Apr 2, 2012
I emailed it to her, and she read it to Betty, who really appreciated and loved it.
Louise says:
Apr 4, 2012
What a beautiful website! I found you because I was looking for Betty’s address to send her a sympathy note. I have it back in Connecticut but I’m in Florida and am not sure which Betty Hadley in Nashville she is. Would you mind sharing her address with me? What lovely memories you have of Betty. She’s come to my house a couple of times when the church where Albert and I attended hosted an interior design event called, Rooms with a View. I would have them over for dinner on the Saturday night of the weekend.
I, too, am a native Tennessean (Memphian)and was so proud to share a Tennessee birthright with Albert. You are correct, he was the epitome of the courtly Southern gentleman. Always.
I hope that the Texas tornadoes by-passed you in Ft. Worth.
Hilary says:
May 14, 2012
HiI Louise! How wonderful that you knew Albert as well!! I’m so sorry I’m just now replying to you comment. Email me at hilarywalkerdesign {at} gmail.com and I will send you Betty’s address.
Thank you so much for visiting my blog and sharing your experiences!
Madonna Archer says:
Apr 6, 2012
Hilary, your tribute is a testimony to your gentle respect. Perhaps Mr. Hadley had an influence on your lift to subtly encourage you to think about majoring in design–and, my, what you are doing with that talent!
Hilary says:
May 14, 2012
Thank you Madonna! I can definitely say that his work influenced me greatly in school.