So many of my favorite designers have roots to Colefax and Fowler, the legendary British interior design firm. Tom Parr got his start in the industry working with David Hicks before he joined Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, eventually becoming chairman of the company. He was one of England’s leading decorators.
“Parr’s combination of business acumen and decorating experience gave Colefax and Fowler a new sense of direction. Under his guidance, the number of decorating teams within the company expanded. Alongside Parr himself, Imogen Taylor (who had been John Fowler’s assistant for many years) ran her own team, and they were soon joined by Stanley Falconer, Chester Jones, David Laws and subsequently Wendy Nicholls (who is today the managing director of the company’s decorating division, Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler), Vivien Greenock and Roger Banks-Pye.” (via Colefax and Fowler)
The October issue of Architectural Digest features Parr’s French retreat, La Casella, a 1960 Côte d’Azur house that architect Robert Streitz modeled on Madame de Pompadour’s 1753 Fontainebleau pavilion. Parr and his partner Claus Scheinert turned the villa into a true paradise. When Parr died in 2011, he left La Casella (Italian for “little house”) to his niece Minnie and her husband, Anthony Lindsay, Lord Balniel. The Balniels have conserved Parr’s legacy with the help of his onetime colleague Wendy Nicholls. Based in London, the Baniels spend as much time at La Casella as possible, but it is also available to let! Today we will take a tour with images from Architectural Digest and Villa “La Casella” Côte d’Azur.
Paradise indeed, I would love to rent this dream villa! For more information, please visit Architectural Digest and La Casella. You can also click here to see old press clippings showing the home when it was inhabited by Tom Parr and Claus Scheinert. And click here to learn more about Veere Grenney, another favorite English designer who trained under Colefax and Fowler, also featured in AD’s October issue.
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Lovely. “Homey,” in the best sense of the word.
Love that little outdoor balcony railing!
Very cozy and inviting. So, I did the math, and with a party of 8, it works out to only $150 USD per night per person. Super reasonable! Imagine having 7 of your best friends staying there on the Riviera in a villa for a week. It’s a no-brainer. I’m in!
I was very disappointed when I saw these pictures, but then I clicked on the link to pictures of what it looked like when Mr Parr and his partner lived there. My goodness – it looked like two different houses! When he lived there, it looked like a home – clutter and all. It’s now more like a hotel. I guess that’s due to it now being rental property. If I rented it, I would have been SO disappointed that it didn’t look like the Tom Parr look I knew and loved.
What treat !! Tom Parr is the embodiment of the Colefax & Fowler look at it’s best. And was a source of inpiration for a lot of decorators like Sister Parish and our beloved Mario Buatta. They all share the great talent for creating truly timeless interiors.
Love that red and white wallpaper — so gorgeous! Don’t suppose anyone knows who made it?
Hi Connie,
It is Floral Toile by Colefax & Fowler, but I think it may be discontinued. 🙁
Xx,
Andrea
The Glam Pad
Marvellous photos!
My friend in Naples, Victor, dated Tom Parr many years ago-
He still has the pictures to prove it !
A small world!