Custom chintz fabric in a living room designed by Carleton Varney of Dorothy Draper & Co. (Photo courtesy Dorothy Draper & Co.)
No matter their personal style, people have incorporated chintz fabric, a form of cotton calico, into their lives since the 16th century, using it for everything from drapes to bed hangings, from upholstery to table coverings. Chintz has been a long-standing staple in home decor. First ladies Jackie Kennedy and Nancy Reagan included chintz in their White House redecorations. Fabric houses such as Colefax & Fowler, Brunschwig & Fils, Lee Jofa, and Ralph Lauren are known for their colorful, floral chintz fabrics. Chintz is now making another comeback at a time when it is needed most, according to Sara D. Reed, interior design professor at VCU Arts.
“I think chintz is generally seen as traditional and perhaps even old-fashioned,” Reed says. “There is a nostalgia associated with it that perhaps was appealing in the 1980s and perhaps now in the 2020s, when there is a renewed interest in domesticity during a particularly challenging time domestically and globally.”
Indian artisans have made chintz cloth, which is defined as a medium to heavyweight cotton colored with vibrant natural dyes, for over 5,000 years. Portuguese and Dutch traders brought it to Europe following Vasco da Gama’s successful voyage to India in 1498, and it became wildly popular among Europeans due to its exotic patterns, unique texture, easy care and democratic price point. After French craftsmen tried to duplicate the patterns to compete with the imported fabrics, the French government began restricting imports of chintz. England soon followed, eventually going so far as to ban it for a time.
Elsie de Wolfe (1865-1950)
Elsie de Wolfe is considered the mother of the modern concept of interior design. She fled Paris during WWI and settled in Beverly Hills, where she set out to make everything around her beautiful. Her reputation was cemented in American history upon the 1907 opening of the Colony Club, the first all-women’s club in New York. Instead of reproducing the heavy atmosphere of a traditional men’s club, de Wolfe incorporated a laid-back, feminine style with an abundance of glazed chintz. This earned her the moniker “The Chintz Lady,” a name that followed her throughout her career as a designer.
Rose Cumming (1887-1968)
Rose Cumming was known for her eclectic style, purple hair and flamboyant use of chintz in her designs, as shown above. Originally from Australia, she moved to Manhattan in 1917 and opened an interior design shop. Her style was described as at once dramatic, sumptuous and eclectic.
Dorothy Draper (1889-1969)
Draper (pictured at right) is most known for her addition of chintz to the renovation of the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. Considered a pioneer in interior design, she was named America’s most influential tastemaker in 1962. She is most famous for her use of cabbage rose chintz.
Sister Parish (1910-94)
While she designed many buildings in her life, the project that cemented Sister Parish in the heart of America was her 1963 redesign of the White House for first lady Jackie Kennedy. She added a bedroom decorated with an “orange blossom” chintz from top to bottom, solidifying the pattern as a staple in American culture. (A fun fact: Sister Parish was Dorothy Draper’s cousin.)
Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Ted Graber (1920-2000)
Much like Sister Parish, Graber is also known for partnering with a first lady to redecorate the White House. He aided first lady Nancy Reagan in creating a cozy home full of California touches for the president, incorporating chintz into their private quarters.
Mario Buatta (1935-2018)
The Prince of Chintz, Mario Buatta (pictured at right) is famous for creating the American trend for English country-style decor, which heavily employs chintz, in the 1980s. His title is well-earned, according to Janet Brown, principal of Janet Brown Interiors. She describes the beds he designed as “a place I’d love to climb into and just totally retreat.”
Kathryn M. Ireland (1961-present)
Designer Kathryn Ireland is known for the bold patterns and bright pops of color she favors in her designs. In 2019, she predicted that chintz and the English country style would make a big comeback, but “updated, with lots of florals and colors that pop, like turquoise, apple green and shocking pink.”
CONTEMPORARY EXAMPLES
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Greenville glazed chintz by Lee Jofa, $294 a yard. Available through Janet Brown Interiors, janetbrowndesign.com
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Kensington by Wells Textiles, Rose Cummings collection, $384 per yard. Available through Janet Brown Interiors, janetbrowndesign.com
