Podcast Summary: The Grand Tourist with Dan Rubinstein

Episode: "Bunny Williams: American Decorating Dynamo"

Date: October 1, 2025
Host: Dan Rubinstein
Guest: Bunny Williams

Overview

This episode features legendary American interior designer Bunny Williams. Dan Rubinstein delves into Williams’ life and work—from her idyllic Virginia childhood and formative visit to the Greenbrier Hotel, to her iconic tenure at Parish Hadley and the four-decade legacy she’s built with her own design firm and home furnishings line. The conversation explores her philosophy on living and comfort, pivotal career moments, the influence of mentors, the intersection of business and creativity, and the wisdom she passes on to the next generation. The occasion: the 20th anniversary reissue of her bestseller An Affair with a House and the release of a set of her classic books.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bunny’s Early Life and Roots in Virginia

• Childhood Magic: Williams describes growing up on a small farm near Charlottesville, surrounded by family, animals, and traditions.
  • "We had a small farm. My father raised beagles. There were horses, there were dogs all over the place... a freedom of living that was magical for a child." [03:16]
• Family & Manners: Emphasizes the value her family placed on manners and connection—sitting down with parents for meals and interacting with extended family often.
  • "We had to have good manners... It wasn’t strict, it was just what you did." [06:48]

2. The Impact of the Greenbrier Hotel & Early Design Fascination

• The Draper Moment: At age 15, visiting the Dorothy Draper-designed Greenbrier made a huge impression with its bold color and glamor.
  • "I walked into the Greenbrier Hotel and there are these emerald green walls with white plaster palm trees... it was absolute magic for me." [07:49]
• Early Design Instincts: Long before a career was clear, Williams was "papering dollhouses and repainting her room." [08:58]

3. Education and the Path to New York

• Boston Schooling: Attended a junior college with a design program due to her parents’ concern about New York, where she managed real houses as part of the curriculum.
  • "We had to plan the meals. We had to arrange the budget for running the house..." [10:29]
• Design Essentials: School focused on foundational skills, not style.
  • "A good school exposes you to style ... but you hope is you give somebody a creative background to make their own style." [11:42]

4. Parish Hadley: The Legendary Apprenticeship

• First Steps: Began at English antique shop Stair & Company, then joined Parish Hadley, working under Sister Parish and Albert Hadley.
  • "I knew that I really wanted to go work at Parish Hadley. One day I walked up and knocked on the door and introduced myself." [12:52]
• Learning from Legends: The firm’s culture was nurturing, with Hadley acting as teacher and mentor.
  • "Albert said, look at the room bare. What’s good about it? What’s not good about it...solve the problems of the space before you think about what color it’s going to be." [16:13]
  • "[Hadley] made me do a scheme, and I presented it to him. And then he’d say, well, now, what is this for?...he made me think." [17:58]
• Contrast of Mentors: Hadley was academic, Parish intuitive; Williams learned to blend rigor with comfort.
  • "Mrs. Parish was looser...I always think in the end, I'm somewhere in between the two of them." [20:47]

5. Launching Her Own Firm and Aesthetic Evolution

• Start with Clients in Tow: Stepped out with clients who gladly followed her—her big "break" was an ambitious Palm Beach house published in Architectural Digest.
  • "When I approached the clients I was working on, they all said, of course we're with you. We want to help you in any way we can." [25:14]
• Signature Style: Values staying true to her traditional roots, yet always mixing eras and styles for interest and timelessness.
  • "The fun today is mixing it all up. I love midcentury furniture with English furniture, with contemporary art..." [27:05]
  • "What's dated is when you're not true to yourself." [27:21]

6. Partnership and Retail Adventures with John Rosselli

• Meeting John: Their relationship started over design shopping and grew from garden shops to romance.
  • "I always say we had the baby first, and that was Triage [their garden shop]." [30:16]
• On Retail: Retail in NYC was less central to designers than in England; their shop was more passion project than profit engine.
  • "It never made a lot of money...you just want to buy beautiful things." [31:14]
• Philosophical Differences: John is a collector (“white walls, sisal carpet”), Bunny likes layers and comfort, but they find balance.
  • "He looked at it and he said, I hate everything...but of course, he loved the house when it was finished." [33:33]

7. Timelessness, Comfort, and Mentorship

• Enduring Comfort: Always emphasizes liveability and comfort in interiors—not simply looks.
  • "You feel that you could flop down on the sofa...I want people to live in these rooms." [00:00]
• Encouraging Young Designers: Welcomes input from younger staff, but remains guided by lifelong learning and her books/scrapbooks.
  • "They [young staff] excite me all the time...They see things more than I do." [35:30]
• Passing Down Knowledge: She's committed to sharing wisdom and encouraging curiosity in the next generation, continuing traditions she learned at Parish Hadley.
  • "I believe that...you don’t...guard your secret list. I want to leave some curiosity...just open the door." [38:00]
• Advice: Insists young designers know their craft deeply, be rigorously reliable, and value the logistics as much as the creativity.
  • "You can't fluff it because they're going to figure it out right away. You also have a responsibility to help them make the right decisions." [51:48]
  • "The follow up [installations and logistics] is just as important as all your design ideas." [53:45]

8. Reflections on Books, Business, and New Projects

• Books: Anniversary edition of An Affair With a House and reissue of classic design books—a sign of her philosophies’ staying power.
  • "Good classic information is...each designer is going to put their vibe into it, which they should. Why should somebody copy me?" [55:31]
• Current Work: Excited about an ambitious sailing yacht project—emphasizing adaptation to new challenges in design.
  • "The technical things of building a boat are amazing...It's been more of a...design project than decorating." [45:50]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "My whole thing is I do this because I want people to live in these rooms." – Bunny Williams [00:11]
• "I learned more [at Hadley’s apartment after work] in those evenings than I'd ever learned in school." – Bunny Williams [17:27]
• "What's dated is when you're not true to yourself." – Bunny Williams [27:21]
• "If you look at a bookshelf and we're the bookends, every book in between, we share." – Bunny Williams (on John Rosselli) [30:23]
• "I believe that you don't...guard your secret list. I want to leave some curiosity...just open the door." – Bunny Williams [38:00]
• "You cannot understand a room from a photograph, from a Pinterest picture. You just cannot do it." – Bunny Williams [39:49]
• "The follow up is just as important as all your design ideas." – Bunny Williams [53:45]

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:00–04:20: Bunny’s Virginia childhood; family life and values
• 07:34–10:01: The Greenbrier Hotel visit as formative design spark
• 10:03–11:42: College in Boston and early design education philosophy
• 12:31–21:26: Joining Parish Hadley, lessons from Sister Parish and Albert Hadley
• 25:08–28:23: Going solo, first big break, defining an aesthetic
• 28:23–34:56: Meeting and working with John Rosselli; insights on shops and business differences US/Europe
• 35:01–39:22: On trends, young designers, and evolving by collaborating and sharing
• 39:49–41:10: Teaching, learning by visiting places, and cultivating curiosity
• 44:32–48:10: Studio size, product design, and the challenge of designing a yacht
• 48:36–51:28: Designing for real comfort, pandemic home trends
• 51:48–54:18: Advice for young designers: knowledge, logistics, and installation
• 54:22–56:33: Upcoming books, classic wisdom, and remaining authentic

Tone & Language

The episode is warm, insightful, and filled with personal anecdotes, reflecting Bunny Williams’ mix of Southern charm, irreverence, and professionalism. Dan Rubinstein keeps the tone conversational and inquisitive, creating space for Bunny’s storytelling and wisdom.

Final Thoughts

For listeners interested in the roots of American design, lived-in beauty, and the wisdom behind timeless interiors, this episode offers both inspiration and practical guidance. Williams' warmth, curiosity, and authenticity shine through, offering a masterclass in both the philosophy and practice of decorating for a life well-lived.