I just wanted to take a moment to wish all of my American readers a Happy Memorial Day! Here is a collection of beautiful, patriotic images in celebration of the unofficial start of summer. I hope you all enjoy a day filled with relaxation, family, friends and good old fashioned barbecue!

The design industry lost a legend earlier this year when Albert Hadley passed away in March at the ripe age of 91. So at this year’s Kips Bay Show House, his spirit was definitely alive as so many of the designers paid tribute to Mr. Hadley in their spaces. Above is a living room designed in honor of Hadley by Bunny Williams (who is also the event’s chair) along with Brian McCarthy and David Kleinberg. It features pops of red throughout which was Albert’s signature color. All three of the designers who collaborated on this room worked for Albert Hadley in their early careers and many of the other participating designers at this year’s show house also worked for or were mentored by Hadley over the years. Below is a look at some of the touching little tributes to Hadley that I spotted around the show house…

In the Albert Hadley tribute room, a photo of Hadley beaming sits on a side table by the sofa…

And a bar console in the room is styled with another framed photo of Hadley looking on…

 In decorative painter Chuck Fischer’s room, an inspiration board full of photos, post cards and art work includes a photo Chuck had taken with Albert years ago.

A few rooms in the show house included Albert’s signature “Don’t Forget” notepads scattered about in a subtle wink to the late designer. This photo is also from Chuck Fischer’s room.

Thom Filicia, who started out working for Parish-Hadley, featured four room sketches done by Albert in his gallery space that were lent to him by Bunny Williams. Below is a closer look…

One of the most anticipated events in the design industry is the annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House which is a must-see event in New York that showcases the work of America’s top interior designers to benefit the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. The event began in 1973 after a group of enthusiastic women on the fundraising committee up with the idea as a way to raise much-needed funds for the organization’s after-school programs. Now in its 40th year, this annual event has become one of the most prestigious decorator show houses and has helped raise more than $17 million! Earlier this week I had a chance to check out this year’s show house and it is BEYOND! Usually, the event takes place  inside a sprawling Manhattan townhouse but this year’s show house occupies two adjacent duplex residences at The Aldyn – a modern, luxury high rise overlooking the Hudson River. The two spectacular residences on view are currently listed for $15.9M and $16.9M and boast six bedrooms, panoramic views of the city, private swimming pools, terraces and more. The 31 decorators who participated in this year’s show house truly worked magic to transform the white boxy rooms into beautifully adorned living spaces. There was so much great design under one roof and I’m excited to share some of the highlights. So without further ado, here is a look at some of my favorite rooms…

Foyer by Bryant Keller Interiors 

This bold foyer was the very first room I saw on when I walked into the show house and I loved every inch of this tiny space. I don’t think I’ll ever tire of seeing Scalamandre’s leaping zebra wallpaper! And having such a vibrant, energetic color greet me when I walked through the door made me even more excited to see the rest of the home.

I really loved the juxtaposition of the traditional Chinoiserie pieces, like this 17th century coromandel screen, against the whimsical zebra wallpaper. It’s a pairing that takes guts and talent to pull off and Bryant Keller combined all of these elements so beautifully.

Bedroom by Alexa Hampton

I saw designer Alexa Hampton at the opening night for Kips Bay and joked that I might have to hide in the closet and become a squatter in her beautiful bedroom! I seriously want to live here!

One of my favorite elements of the space are the charcoal lacquered walls, which added a modern touch to the space, and the silver ceiling. Alexa showcased her own fabric line from Kravet for the bed’s canopy. You can’t tell from the photos but the linen fabric has the most beautifully textured embroidery. The pattern is called “Meadowmere.”

Another highlight of this space are the beautiful views of the city as you can see through the windows. Alexa says her favorite Kips Bay room designed by her late father, the legendary Mark Hampton, was a chocolate brown library with white upholstery and that space served as an inspiration for her color choices here.

Gentleman’s Study by David Scott 

Designer David Scott created a handsome gentleman’s study that was all about a play on texture. From the Holland & Sherry grasscloth wall covering to the velvet mohair chaise and silk rug, the beautifully disparate textures really helped bring this space to life. 

_{Designer David Scott}

Gallery by Thom Filicia

Designer Thom Filicia designed a chic gallery which serves as a pass through space that connects to the living room, dining room and library. Like Alexa Hampton, Thom also decided on a high gloss lacquer for the walls except his choice was a bold green color from Benjamin Moore.  Many of the furnishings and accessories in his space, including the “Purple Haze” rug, are from Thom’s home collections for Vanguard and Safavieh and the fabrics are from his collection for Kravet.

This Eagle console is a signature piece from the Thom Filicia Home collection and he uses it in all of his projects.

Study by Brian Del Toro

I love that so many of the designers made such bold color choices at Kip’s Bay this year. In this study, Brian del Toro chose a palette of teal with apple green accents. So many of the designers chose shades of green for their rooms which I’m told was mere coincidence.  Another commonality among many of the rooms is the use of panelling, like Brian used on the walls here, to help give the boxy, uber modern rooms some architecture.

Dining Room by Todd Alexander Romano

At first, Todd Romano says he was daunted by this room which has sky high 21 foot ceilings, but after his vision clicked, he went to work on his space, painting the walls aubergine and bringing in a wonderful selection of furnishings that includes a set of apple green French directoire arm chairs, a venetian murano amber glass chandelier, large scale works of art and many other amazing pieces. For a touch of whimsy, he added a large brass giraffe bust by the sculptor Sergio Bustamante.

A Collectors Bedroom by Alexander Doherty

I wasn’t familiar with Alexander Doherty before this year’s show house but now I will certainly be paying attention to his work. I love what he did in this “collectors bedroom,” especially the addition of the cerused oak paneling to give the space warmth and architecture. He also incorporated a really great mix of furnishings, textures and artwork. I love the bold pop of color from this lacquered mid-century Robsjohn Gibbons commode.

Alexander also brought in an impressive selection of paintings for his space, mostly from private collections.

This photo shows the hallway leading into Alexander’s room…he left no detail untouched!

Kitchen by Robert Schwartz & Karen Williams for St. Charles

I would kill for a kitchen as fabulous as the one Robert Schwartz and Karen Wiliams designed for St. Charles. I’ve always lusted after the beautiful (and uber expensive) La Cornue ranges but who knew they made entire kitchen islands! Everything in this kitchen was an exceptional choice from the gorgeous La Cornue island and St. Charles custom cabinetry to the Miele Refrigerator and all of the well chosen, fixtures, finishes and hardware.

Le Bureau Privé (The Private Office) by Raji Radhakrishnan

When Raji was designing her space for Kip’s Bay she wanted to develop a personality to serve as a muse and so her blank canvas became a private office designed for a curator at the Met. This artful space is so beautifully composed and she really took a thoughtful approach in her work here.

One of the most elaborate elements of her space are the venetian plaster walls which were polished to a very high shine. The photos don’t do it justice but these walls are incredible! Raji says it took 2 and a half weeks to achieve the beautiful finish that you see.

The art installation behind the George Smith sofa is actually a photo that Raji took herself at the Met and had blown up to create the mural that you see. The “Casablanca” striped pillow on the sofa is from D. Bryant Archie who makes the most beautifully handcrafted textiles.

Library by Jamie Drake

You can always expect a brilliant display of color in a Jamie Drake room and this library no exception! He chose a seafoam green grasscloth from Donghia for the walls, and covered the sofa in an array of red, purple and yellow pillows that coordinate with the large Andy Harper painting above the sofa.

On the opposite side of the room are custom built-in wall panels and bookcases painted in a deep green color from Benjamin Moore.

Bedroom by Lynne Scalo Design

I didn’t take many photos of Lynne Scalo’s bedroom but I did manage to snap the artwork above the sofa which Lynne created in collaboration with photographer Norman Seeff. It features portraits of Steve Jobs and Andy Warhol and symbolizes both the artistic vision and commercial success of thee two icons.

Conservatory by Charlotte Moss

Last but not least is an entire master bedroom wing that design doyenne Charlotte Moss transformed into a conservatory. On the wall here is a giant photo that Charlotte took of a beautiful garden in France that she had blown up and framed as a triptych. The furnishings are all from Charlotte’s furniture collection for Century.

Charlotte used a trompe l’oeil effect throughout her space, for example, the “wood paneling” that you see on the walls here is actually a wallpaper from Sylvester & Co! The sisal carpet here is from Charlotte’s collection for Stark. 

It’s tough to see in these photos but the baseboards are actually hand painted to look like Delft tiles…another trompe L’oeil effect in action. (Curbed has a great close-up shot here)

The wall behind the sofa is covered in dried boxwoods and the rest of the walls in a velvet fabric from Charlotte’s collection for Fabricut. All of the upholstery and window treatment fabrics are also from Charlotte’s collection.

Admittedly, this on isn’t the greatest photo but I wanted you to see the antique birdcage in front of the window because Charlotte told me this piece that inspired the entire room!

Here, a shot of the bathroom that is part of the master suite. Charlotte brought the conservatory feel in this space too with the addition of more boxwoods and the larg artwork rom Charlotte’s collection for Soicher Marin. The bath linens are from Leontine.

If you’re in the New York area, I’d highly recommend checking out the Kips Bay Showhouse. This years is arguably one of the best yet! The details are below! Stay tuned for part 2 of my Kips Bay coverage and I’ll be posting additional photos over the weekend on Instagram. (You can follow me @sohaute!)

KIPS BAY DECORATOR SHOW HOUSE INFO

Dates:
May 16th – June 14th

Hours:
Monday – Sat: 11 am – 5 pm; Tuesday & Thursday evenings until 8 pm; Sunday: noon – 5 pm

Location:
The Aldyn Residences
60 Riverside Blvd between 62nd & 63rd Streets

Tickets:
Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at the door or online here

More Info:
www.kipsbaydecoratorshowhouse.org

Even though it’s not quite summer yet, you may want to start getting excited for Fall because come October, interior designer and TV host Nate Berkus will be bringing his signature style to Target with the launch of his new home collection which hits stores October 21st. The 150 piece line will include bedding, bath, accessories, lighting, rugs, window treatments and more. Above is a sneak peek at some of the items and peep the video below to hear Nate dish about his new partnership with Target!

Items above, Clockwise: Decorative Bowls, 7.99 – 14.99 | Washed Oak Box, 24.99 | Decorative Pillows, $24.99. All available at Target this Fall!

A while back I paid a visit to the office of decorator, antiquarian, design historian and author Thomas Jayne. Thomas is best known for his scholarly knowledge of design history, his expertise in historic preservation and his classical interior design work. (And at 6’7” he’s also known for being the tallest decorator in the biz!) With a background in architecture, art history and decorative arts, Thomas began his interior design career working with Albert Hadley and Sister Parish at the celebrated design firm Parish-Hadley. In 1990 he opened his own design studio and is now considered one of America’s most prominent decorators. Below are highlights from my conversation with Thomas Jayne as well as a peek inside his NYC office…

What sparked your interest in design?

I was always interested in decoration and when I was 12 I got paid to put up people’s Christmas decorations and help them with their houses and gardens. One day I was at my friends house sitting on these chairs and I told my friends mother that I was going to be a lawyer and she said “oh no you’re going to be a decorator!” Being a decorator in those days had a huge stigma and so I avoided it until I was 30 when I finally accepted the fact that it’s something I’m really good at. There were other things I knew I could do but I knew that I could be a really good decorator and that’s when Parish-Hadley offered me a job.

What were you doing before working at Parish Hadley?

I worked at a museum and I studied architecture and art history. If you read my resume it’s like a natural progression to being a decorator.

How did growing up in Los Angeles influence your style?

I grew up in the Pacific Palisades where my school, my church and my library were all designed by a great modernist architect named A. Quincy Jones. My first Eames chairs which are here [shown in photo above] were in my best friends house growing up…so I always had modern influences. What was interesting was that even the really modern houses in LA were full of antiques. And later in my career I met a stylist who styled for House and Garden in Los Angeles in the early 50s and if you look at the photos all of the modern looking props were the same because that was what was in the back of her car! They were really trying to push that modernist idiom when they photographed things and they pushed anything antique out of the picture because they wanted to be new and fresh, but in fact many of these houses very often were a combination of old and new. I was always around a lot of old things mixed in with modern architecture so old and new has really become my major focus. And in fact when my first apartment was published these chairs [the Eames chairs] were right in the middle of an antique desk!

How would you define your aesthetic?

People consider us as being traditional but I think the reason we’ve had success is because our work is always contemporary but not modern. We try to recolor and reshape tradition so it appears to be of our generation and fresh. Our catchphrase is that we’re both ancient and modern. I also think that when you push the boundary of traditional in a house it makes it very enduring. I decorated a house in Southampton – the Westerly estate – and Tory Burch bought it and she kept most of the decoration. Anytime a tastemaker like that can decide a lot of its livable 15 or 20 years after I did it is pretty good.

What are some of the great lessons you learned from Albert Hadley?

I learned that (as a decorator) you have to go everywhere and look at everything. He was one of the big promoters of the idea that everybody has something good. Nowadays there are a lot of great resources online but I still like to shopping and see all the dealers in person. I see all the great stuff that just came in that you won’t find online. Also, not everything Albert did was successful. He didn’t always get it right first time but each time he adapted and changed and that’s what made him great.

Your book, The Finest Rooms in America, has been incredibly successful. What do you think makes a room “fine”?

I define fine room as a room that has an object of focus and thought around it. And the basic tenet of the book is the idea that anyone can have a fine room if they take the time to focus on what they want to look at and how they want to arrange the room… Even if it’s a college student with their favorite poster. I wanted it to be a very democratic and encouraging book I want people to read the book and have the feeling at the end that ‘I can do that too.’ Obviously a lot of the rooms I show belong to people who are very rich but at the end of the day everybody has the same concerns and wants a room to evoke similar feelings.

Tell me about your office space…

This Eastern light and being able to see the trees is a pretty great asset. One things about our office is that its very collegial and we share everything which I like. And being in this space kind of feels like being in rental apartment and all the objects in here have a story and a connection.

What are some of the elements of your creative workspace that keep you inspired?

Sitting on that bench and looking out at Madison Square and the Flatiron building is pretty great. And sometimes I look at books and brainstorm but mostly we pick up our ideas away from the office. Here it’s more about production than inspiration and we get more inspiration when we leave. I travel quite a bit and take advantage of all of the opportunities in New York. I go to London on a pretty regular basis and my colleagues there are really inspirational. I’ve also been spending a loot of time visiting my friends in LA from school and they all really creative and interesting.

Every time I see you, you always look so dapper! And I don’t think I’ve ever seen you not wear a bowtie! Has that become your signature?

Ha! I wear a long tie ever 10 days just so people don’t think I’m predictable!

Click ‘read more’ below to see more of Thomas Jayne’s office after the jump!

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