Born in 1960 in Little Rock Arkansas, H. Parkin Saunders is a prominent figure in the world of designing. He spent his youth there studying at the University of Arkansas. New York was the next place of his destination, where he decided to attend The New York School of interior design. At that time, Saunders started to work with the commonly acclaimed designer George Clarkson. He became his assistant.
Nevertheless, his ambitions turned out to be stronger and after a year of cooperation with Clarkson Saunders felt the need to go in his own direction. In 1984 he fulfilled his plans together with his colleague designer Christopher Walsh. They opened the business Saunders & Walsh.
‘All good things go together’ – that’s his motto and design philosophy. His style is comprised of a bit of traditional aesthetics and Southern warmth, with a distinctive doze of contemporariness.
The turning point in Saunders’ career was taking part in the Southampton Showhouse. In itself it was a great honour; additionally he was the youngest designer to participate in it. Saunder’s idea was to transform the small dining room into a morning room. This project was mentioned in numerous magazines, e.g. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Enquirer and the Palm Beach Daily News. The next projects included designing houses in Southampton and Connecticut and it resulted in making important contacts and creating interiors for such famous people as the writer Dan Jenkins and Anne Ford.
In 1995 Christopher Walsh died, but Saunders did his best to continue their mission. A few new members of the team appeared but he preferred his firm to be small and niche, because quality was of grave concern for him. Such an attitude turned out to be profitable. Today, after 5 years of Saunders’ death, Saunders & Walsh style is widely recognized and respected.
Source: http://hparkinsaunders-blog.tumblr.com/