KIPS BAY DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE 2018

A PERSONAL TOUR

Seems I'm always slightly behind. The Kips Bay Decorator Show House closed on the last day of May and here we are in June. For anyone that missed the show house I'm putting together a little tour of what was one of the better show houses of the past few years. Located once again on the Upper Eastside at 110 East 76th Street in a seven level extraordinary thirty-six foot wide townhouse there was plenty of old and new talent dressing out the show house in some exciting new trends.

The minute you walk in there's a bit of a letdown that this is going to be a little tired, the same stuff you'd expect to see; traditional but beautiful and seen before.

But once through the vestibule you're socked with a staircase like nothing you've seen before.

Floors

Ceilings and oh those walls!

Floor after floor of amazing graphics crafted seamlessly as it zigged and zagged and zipped its way from floor to floor all done by next wave designer Sasha Bikoff.

I was told by the docent who greeted me at the door it was best to start at the top and then work my way down. I took her advice and hit the top floor where Charles Pavarini did the more established designers proud creating his tranquil Wellness Retreat for Mind, Body and Spirit.

The concept incorporated both interior and exterior space both bathed in tranquil light and an abundance of healing crystal.

From the sublime to the ungapatchka, from floor to ceiling not an inch of space was left untouched by pattern and/or art. The art, as eclectic as the furniture, had photography fighting oils and classic pieces punching it out with modern art in a visual battle for your attention.

I had barely a moment to breath in this over-produced drawing room.

This piece of art pretty much summed it up. This was certainly not an exercise in more is less.

Next up was a series of bedrooms and a chance to relax if not completely fall asleep. The Sleeping Beauty suite by Mark Sikes was fit for a princess

Brian del Toro's bedroom encapsulated the essence of relaxation with its folding screen of fresh blossoms and flitting birds on a background of copper tones

The combination of transitional elements under an Asian influence were a perfect combination

This was followed by the better-known tier of design royalty with Alexa Hampton's version of a Bedouin tented parlor.

Its faux fabric draped walls and soft touches of dusty rose and lilac were exotic and very near perfect.

It's never easy to be assigned a bathroom but this year Marcia Tucker took on the task to my mixed reviews as well as the woman I shared viewing the bathroom with while we were both surveying the bathroom's pros and cons.  We both liked the living orchid wall and loved the yacht-like quality of the envelope.

What seemed to baffle us was the glass enclosed water closet and its accompanying sculptural light. It wasn't a shower. It was a toilet. It was glass enclosed. This didn't provide privacy. The only reasoning we could come up with was the intended client must have suffered from a very bad case of gas.

Next up was more design royalty with the always-stunning Drake-Anderson gathering room. This was a space meant for entertaining. A massive curved sofa referencing Vladimir Kagan softly hugged the window side of this golden room.

A panel wall separated the seating area from where the bar stood, a dark place where drinks were served in front of a mirrored wall. This space lit its own fire.

Big names abounded at this year's show house and the ever-present Barbara Ostrom was there to bring her New Jersey style to the house. Her signature detailed woodwork and oversized furniture was ample support for her pop art ceiling.

Using Frank Stella as her muse she painted the ceiling in his trademark style that made a statement I'm not sure I understood.

Dining at the other end of her lushly ornamented room was a table fit for a king with the finest bone china and gold-rimmed stemware.

The only thing missing was a pair of antique French Sevres turned into modern lighting fixtures...Oh here they are!

Talk about a stacked deck, Bunny Williams was there as well with more curved sofas and exotic wood walls.

My favorite touch was this built-in spider panel. A touch of humor goes a long way in a room.

The ground floor held the kitchen designed this year by British designer Clive Christian

Adjacent to the kitchen was a very sweet little vignette by Steilish. It was small in size but huge in delightful design. I couldn't stop staring at this beautiful Cathedral photo.

This amazing patio extended out from the kitchen making what was in essence an airshaft into a green oasis. Done by Nievera Williams it took a very difficult space and turned it into magic.

The bottom floor belonged to Juan Montoya and all his quirkiness.

Dot paneled ceramic walls gave off a very modern vibe

But then he'd throw in art deco arches

and place them next to an American influenced antique chair and library bin. It was definitely a space that provided plenty of drama.





















THE GALLERY

Untitled #4 Cy Twombly in Rome, 1966
Horst P. Horst
Represented by Staley-Wise Gallery