Twice a year, the NYIGF (New York International Gift Fair) showcases the best home and lifestyle goods in the market for buyers, press and other members of the design industry. I always look forward to going to check out the latest trends and to discover amazing new products and brands. (As a side note, The NYIGF is officially rebranding and changing it’s name to “NY NOW, the Market for Home & Lifestyle” which I think is a better fit. I always felt Gift Fair sounded a little misleading. ) Anyway - A couple of weeks ago I popped by Pier 94 during the NYIGF which focuses more on a cross-section of newer home brands. Armed with my iPhone and my favorite photo app, Instagram, I set out to document my favorite products and trends from Pier 94. Here’s a look at some of the things that caught my eye this season, starting with the photo above from Made Goods which has a wonderful selection of chic furniture and accent pieces. I was especially loving their collection of faux shagreen items, including the Annika stools and Nella console pictured.
Manglam Arts, an exporter of beautiful furnishings from India had this graphic display of black and white pieces on display. I’m a sucker for anything bone inlaid and Manglam Arts had some very unique pieces. I loved the chest in the back left corner with the chevron pattern.
Natural Curiosities is such a great resource for art. This piece, Golden Feathers, is a new addition to the company’s Animal Kingdom collection and features actual bird feathers that were each hand painted in gold and dropped onto a linen bed which illustrates the natural movement of fallen feathers.
There were lamps galore on display at the Lamp Works booth. They have a plethora of lamps to suite every style and taste.
Oomph is a brand that I always love checking in on to see what’s new. Their products are so vibrant and colorful and many come in a variety of surfaces and materials that you can customize. New introductions this season include the Newport console, seen here in a sunny yellow called Gambol Gold. I just love the laquer finish and fretwork detail. The X Bench Setee seen in the front is also a new introduction.
I was super excited to stumble upon the Dunes & Duchess booth this season! Launched nearly three years ago by stylist/editor/blogger Stacy Kunstel and photographer Michael Partenio, the brand has evolved from a simple collection of candelabras and hurricanes to a robust assortment of lighting including table lamps, wall sconces and chandeliers which you can see here.
Another home furnishings favorite is Bungalow 5 which has some of the most stylish furniture and accessories in the market. Here is their Higashi coffee table which is a new introduction. I love the brass details and Asian feel.
How cute are these vintage bathing suit prints? I spotted them at the Wendover Art Group booth and had to snap a photo. These would be perfect in a beach house!
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…
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.
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.
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.
David did a great job in layering the room with a perfect selection of art, accessories and other decorative objects. The sculpted bronze etagere mounted to the wall is a Paul Evans piece from Todd Merill Antiques and David styled the shelves to a “T”!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!)
The opening night benefit for Housing Works’ annual Design on a Dime fundraiser is always a super fun event that I look forward to each year. All the major players in the New York design community are there and it’s a great opportunity to catch up with one another and have a little fun while shopping for a great cause! Here’s a little recap of the night captured through the lens of my iPhone and my favorite app Instagram!
One of my first stops was HGTV designer Genevieve Gorder‘s booth for Valspar which was one of the event’s sponsors. I loved the vibrant green color on the walls and Genevieve’s told me that it’s called Luscious Green from Valspar’s Ultra Premium line. It made everything in her space pop including the equally luscious pink peonies and the white Chinese screens. Genevieve also dished that she’s working on a new HGTV show set to premiere early next year called The Real Genevieve which will chronicle the renovation of her own home. I’ll definitely be watching!
Another booth I was excited to check out was the one by the lovely and talented ladies of Tilton Fenwick. I loved the wall treatment in their space which was actually stenciled using a green color from Valspar!
I also stopped by Nick Olsen’s colorful booth. He had a ton of great stuff for sale including a sickly discounted pale yellow Christopher Spitzmiller lamp that I was salivating over. Unfortunately someone else had already purchased it by the time I spotted it:(
I’m a huge fan of Elle Decor so I was thrilled to bump into Michael Boodro, the magazine’s editor-in-chief, at Design on a Dime! Here was there with his publishing team and was thoroughly enjoying the evening’s festivities. Elle Decor was another one of the evening’s sponsors.
I am pretty sure interior designer and correspondent for ABC’s The Chew Evette Rios had the most extensively designed space at this year’s event! She partnered with HomeGoods to create a loft, inspired by Prince William and Kate Middleton, complete with with a living area, dining area, a nursery nook for a future royal baby-to-be and even an upstairs which I’m sure is a first in the history of Design on a Dime! Above is the dining area. Evette also happened to be wearing the cutest sparkly dress ever! (You can see it here!)
Dering Hall – the online marketplace for goods from the world’s best interior designers – also had a booth which was installed by Steven Gambrel who is one of my favorite designers! The space was full of eclectic pieces and quirky touches like the award ribbons that adorned the walls. Above is a sneak peek!
I wasn’t familiar with Willey Design before this event but I loved this graphic and colorful sitting room they created for Design on a Dime and will certainly be keeping this firm on my radar!
Another person I enjoyed chatting with was Yetta Banks who oversees design & construction for MTV. She designed a modern, white living space that had cool TV projection on the wall above the credenza. She must have stood directly in front of the projector in this photo – ha!
Patrick J Hamiltondesigned a handsome library and here’s a peek at a chic desk vignette from his space.
Although I saw plenty of amazing people and spaces throughout the course of the event, the highlight of the evening had nothing at all to do with design or shopping. It was spotting the legendary Bill Cunningham and I couldn’t resist snapping a photo of him in action! You can follow more of my Instagram adventures on the Instagram app @sohaute or here from your web browser!
Maison de Luxe brought together so many uber talented designers under one roof and there were so many gorgeous rooms it was difficult to narrow down the spaces to feature here on the blog. Below are more of my favorites from the show house including rooms by Philip Gorrivan, Nathan Turner, Kathryn Ireland, Ron Woodson & Jaime Rummerfield, Suzanne Rheinstein and Oliver Furth.
Breakfast Room & Solarium – Philip Gorrivan
Philip Gorrivan‘s room for Maison de Luxe was originally the home’s breakfast room with an adjacent solarium. Philip created a chic salon style space that evokes a sense of glamour and luxury. The color palette of soft hues was a nice counter balance to the tailored furnishings which were mostly custom designs. The upholstery is from Philip’s fabric collection for Highland Court and artful wall covering was a custom design from Gracie Studio. Other highlights include the 17th Century Italian armoire and the the Herve van der Straten ceiling pendant which is one of only two in the world.
The solarium featured a neutral pallete with gold accents and more beautiful custom furnishings including a daybed that Philip designed and additional vintage pics from LA’s Blackman Cruz. The embroidered sheers which reveal a view of the homes beautiful gardens were one of Philip’s favorite elements of this space.
Recreation Room – Nathan Turner
Inspired by his grandfather who was an avid game hunter, Nathan Turner designed an elegant gentleman’s lounge with a worldly, ‘back to Africa’ vibe. Many of the furnishings are from his furniture collection for Elite Leather, the fabrics were from Ralph Lauren and many of the accessories seen here were from Pottery Barn. Gotta love a high-low mix! The giant pendant light is from Ames Ingham. To tie back to his original inspiration of big game hunting, he hung contemporary photography of safari animals throughout the space.
The room already had such beautiful architecture so the elements of Nathan’s design – like the block printed Indian paisley wall covering – were carefully chosen to compliment the intricate wood paneling and other architectural details.
Mrs. Doheny’s Bedroom – Ron Woodson & Jaime Rummerfield
Ron Woodson & Jaime Rummerfield did double duty for Maison deluxe designing the upstairs bedroom that once belonged to Mrs. Doheny and serving as co-chairs of the opening gala. Their opulent design paid homage to old hollywood glamour and the jewel box of a room featured vibrant shades of pink which was ultra-feminine and perfectly fit for the lady of the house.
I also really loved the standout Chinoiserie mural behind the bed which featured a peacock motif and served as a focal point in the space.
Guest Suite – Suzanne Rheinstein
Rumor has it that the Greystone mansion has been haunted since 1929 when a scandalous murder-suicide took place…a story that only adds to the intrigue of this historic estate. Designer Suzanne Rheinstein designed the infamous ‘murder room’ which she transformed into an elegant guest suite. The furnishings are from her popular LA Shop Hollyhock and the fabrics from her Lee Jofa collection.
Social Secretary’s Room & Upstairs Kitchen – Kathryn Ireland
Million Dollar Decorator Kathryn Ireland decorated two small but chic spaces at Greystone which included a secretary’s nook and the upstairs kitchen. The secretary’s nook was another one of my favorite spaces in the house and although small on space, it was definitely big on style. This beautiful Swedish secretary my favorite piece and I love how it was impeccably styled with family photos and objets. The modern abstract artwork above it provided the perfect old and new juxtaposition.
Opposite the desk is this cozy seating area that’s perfect for a relaxing drink by the fire. The English armchairs slipcovered in Kathryn’s fabric are from her shop on Almont Drive.
I had a chance to interview Kathryn for a fun project that I’ll be posting about in the new year and during our chat she gave me the full scoop on her kitchen design for Greystone. Kathryn’s design for the home’s upstairs kitchen was modeled after grand old English estates that would traditionally have a separate kitchen for the nanny to fix her meals own meals and also serve the children breakfast. The space is perfectly reflective of Kathryn’s signature bohemian style and her colorful fabrics used throughout added such a vibrancy to a space that was previously rather dull.
Because the home is a historic landmark much of its original architecture, including the kitchen cabinetry and counter tops, must remain preserved so Kathryn had to work around numerous limitations. She used a checkered fabric to create a skirt for the lower cabinetry and a matching inner curtain for the upper cabinets. Here popular Marrakech fabric was used to create a roman shade over the kitchen’s windows. The space was effortlessly styled with family friendly touches like bowls of cereal on the table and even some of the pottery that her kids had made in school over the years.
West Grand Hall – Wendy Schwartz
Wendy Schwartz and her design partner Kristi Bender were newcomers to Greystone and designed a spectacular upstairs grand hall for the home’s west wing. I was obsessed with colorful abstract watercolor wall covering from Black Crow Studios which provides a modern contrast to the homes original mouldings. And the wall covering is actually removable! Many of the other pieces in this space were from CuffHome a – newly launched line of custom furnishings, accessories and curated vintage from Wendy Schwartz Design. One of the standout cuffhome pices was this sulptural rope covered chandelier above the console table which is available in the CuffHome shop.
Girl’s Room – Oliver Furth
Oliver Furth designed a teen girl’s bedroom which was such a fun space! I loved the salon style art wall and the whimsical pendant sculpture above the console by Elyse Graham which is made with balloons. I also thought the high gloss ceiling was quite fabulous as well as the graphite wool upholstered walls. I wish I had a room like this when I was a teenager!
The Twilight Room – Kendall Wilkinson
Last but not least, here is the “twilight room” designed by San Francisco interior designer Kendall Wilkinson. Quite conceptual in its design, the twilight room’s highlight is an infinity mirror installation filled with flowers. I’d never seen anything like it before.
Maison de Luxe is in its final week so be sure to check it out before its close on December 22nd. 22nd. Click here for a link to purchase tickets.
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