Life by Design

A kaleidoscopic account of the mid-century atelier of d.d. and Leslie Tillett, whose expressive fabrics once defined the interiors of America’s most influential tastemakers – from Bunny Mellon to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis

Life by Design is an intimate, visually rich celebration of the House of T, the legendary American fabric atelier whose expressive fabrics once defined the interiors of America’s most influential tastemakers.

Published alongside the much-anticipated revival of Tillett designs by F. Schumacher & Co., this book reintroduces patterns long cherished by decorators and fashion designers yet hidden from public view for decades.

At its heart is the remarkable story of d.d. and Leslie Tillett, a visionary couple whose partnership ranks among design history’s great duos, and whose creative bond propelled them to challenge the cool restraint of modernism with color-drenched exuberance and expressive, hand-driven craft. They built an astonishingly personal work-life enterprise within a narrow Upper East Side carriage house, approaching every commission as bespoke.

Their exclusivity became legend. Decorators such as Sister Parish and Albert Hadley relied on their artistry; international icons of taste such as Bunny Mellon and Babe Paley furnished with Tillett fabrics; and Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis – a friend, patron, and admirer – entrusted the duo with fabrics for the Kennedy White House bedroom, and more.

With never-before-seen photographs, rare correspondence, custom Tillett fabrics, and annotations by the Tilletts’ youngest son, Seth, this is an immersive portrait of two artists who lived their work with intensity and shaped an unforgettable legacy.