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Two Apartments Enthrall at 2012 Kips Bay Show House
Top New York designers transform two 6,000-square-foot apartments into incredible color-packed treats for the eyes
Houzz Contributor. After graduating from UC Berkeley, I found myself utterly unprepared for the real world and at a loss as to what I should do next. Luckily, one day I stumbled through the doors of Architectural Digest and was taken under the wing of legendary editor Paige Rense. She had the vision to look past my uninspiring sociology degree and my general lack of experience—an unlikely journalism career was born. After AD, with my magazine karma still intact, I was hired by yet another publishing legend, the food critic and writer Ruth Reichl. I currently ply my trade as a freelance writer and editor and live in stylish Mid-Century-Modern comfort with my dog, Mike.
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New York City is lined with canyons of skyscraper-like apartment buildings, so it's actually a bit surprising that this is the first time in the 40-year history of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House that it's being held in a high-rise building on the city's Upper West Side. Each of the two-story units in the showcase has 6,000 square feet of indoor living space plus a 3,000-square-foot terrace. There were a number of tributes, large and small, to the legendary decorator Albert Hadly and color, color everywhere. Come along as we begin by opening the door to Apartment 2101.
by Rikki Snyder
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The foyer was designed by Bryant Keller. He used red to brighten a space that receives little natural light. The zebra wallpaper, tiger-print pillows (both from Scalamandre) and animal accessories are a tribute to Albert Hadley, who was a huge animal lover.
Keller imagined his client to be a young working woman from an old-money family, so she has pieces that are old and new. "It's a more traditional look with a modern sensibility," says Keller.
The circa-1790 English Sheraton settee is from Phillip Colleck; its frame has a floral decoration and painted putti.
Keller imagined his client to be a young working woman from an old-money family, so she has pieces that are old and new. "It's a more traditional look with a modern sensibility," says Keller.
The circa-1790 English Sheraton settee is from Phillip Colleck; its frame has a floral decoration and painted putti.
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| The chimpanzee and elephant stoneware sculptures are by Knud Kyhn for Royal Copenhagen and are from 1963 and 1969, respectively. They were found at LEO Designs in Manhattan's Greenwich Village. They sit on an 1820 English Regency papier-mâché tray table from Phillip Colleck. "It has a black lacquer chinoiserie tray on a later stand. The stands are always made later to fit the tray and make a table," explains Keller. |
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The red theme continues in the "Too Hot to Handle" kitchen by Robert Schwartz and Karen Williams of St. Charles of New York; it inspired the design for the entire room.
The apartment's original kitchen was small and partitioned off, so the designers opened it up to the breakfast room (see photos following) to "enhance and embrace today's open lifestyle where people combine cooking and living in one room," says Schwartz.
The antique pot rack is from Ann-Morris Antiques.
The apartment's original kitchen was small and partitioned off, so the designers opened it up to the breakfast room (see photos following) to "enhance and embrace today's open lifestyle where people combine cooking and living in one room," says Schwartz.
The antique pot rack is from Ann-Morris Antiques.
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| Other finishes in the kitchen include stainless steel, high-gloss cabinetry and an Italian marble countertop in a color known as red Levanto. |
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| The red idea carries over to the Flamberge Rotisserie. |
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| Cleaning up isn't as much of a chore when you have an open, east-facing Manhattan view. The hammered-nickel sink is from Native Trails. |
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The breakfast room, by St. Charles of New York, features a quartz table, a custom figured-walnut server designed by Karen Williams and a vintage 1940s Murano glass tulip fixture. The floors throughout the kitchen and the breakfast room are European oak.
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| "Girl in the Red Dress," by photographer David Drebin, hangs on the wall opposite the kitchen's east-facing windows. "We thought of it as another view," says Schwartz. "It's like she's looking out a window." |
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| Just outside the kitchen is a 3,000-square-foot terrace that was designed by Gunn Landscape Architecture and Vert Gardens. |
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| Part of the terrace is planted with stumperies. "It's an English concept that features naturalized decayed gardens," says designer Alec Gunn. "I thought it was an interesting contrast with the urban environment." |
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| A few steps up from the main level of the terrace is the pool. A typical feature of New York City apartments this is not. |
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| Back inside, Thom Filicia's gallery, another of the show house's tributes to Albert Hadley, flows into the dining room and living room. All the furniture is from the Thom Filicia Home Collection for Vanguard Furniture. |
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Todd Alexander Romano's bold use of color is on display in this exuberant dining room. Romano opened his own firm in 2000 after working at Ingrao and with “King of Chintz” designer Mario Buatta.
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| Brian McCarthy, David Kleinberg and Bunny Williams (this year's show house chair) collaborated on the living room in honor of their mentor Albert Hadley. All three designers currently have their own firms, but each of them worked with Hadley at Parish Hadley. The Le Corbusier tapestry above the sofa is from the Jane Kahan Gallery. |
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| Another view of the living room. The designers mixed antiques with 20th-century furniture and used a number of works of modern art to draw the eye up toward the 18-foot ceilings. |
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| Designer Raji Radhakrishnan imagined that this home office belonged to the head curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The Venetian-plaster walls provide "richness and finesse," says Radhakrishnan. "And I wanted to have something visual in every corner, each a little vignette of its own, but they still had to work together," he adds. Desk: Ralph Lauren Home; desk chair and Jules Leleu armchair: Maison Gerard; bookcase: Sebastian Ezzaruiz Tilt, Cristina Grajales |
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The photo for this mural of a chapel at Versailles was shot by Radhakrishnan. "Photo murals are one of my signatures," she says. "I shot this image several years ago but saved it so that it could be part of my first Kips Bay Show House room." The red Zig Zag Table is the same as one that was in Albert Hadley's home.
Mantel: Chesney's; table: Zig Zag, LeavittWeaver; rug: F. J. Hakimian
Mantel: Chesney's; table: Zig Zag, LeavittWeaver; rug: F. J. Hakimian
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| A George VII writing table from Kentshire takes center stage in David Scott's "Gentleman's Study" and sits on an indigo zebra silk rug from Carini Lang. The bronze and glass shelving unit by Paul Evans, a 20th-century artist and furniture designer, is from Todd Merrill. The English menswear company Holland and Sherry was used as the source for all the textiles. |
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| Jamie Drake's library celebrates "New York, urbanism, and books," according to his description. A lacquered frame surrounds an upholstered panel featuring a painting by Andy Harper. The custom chairs and sofas "were inspired by a Maison Jansen design from the 1940s." (Maison Jansen was a Parisian design firm founded in 1880 by Dutch-born Jean-Henri Jansen.) All the fabrics and wall coverings are by Donghia. |
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| Upstairs the "Sleeping Beauty Nursery," by Zoya Bograd, was inspired by a Swedish baroness. "It has a modern interior with traditional furniture," Bograd says. "The tufting on the bed has a 1920s feel." Bograd designed all of the Gustavian-style furniture. |
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| "I always incorporate a little Murano glass into every room," Bograd says of the mirror. "I glazed the walls to give them some shimmer, added the stencil, and then I bedazzled them. There are over 500 beads in the room. I started with a few but couldn't help myself." |
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Lynne Scalo's "After the Party Retreat" has lacquered white walls and a daybed upholstered in a metallic weave. She collaborated with well-known photographer Norman Seeff and incorporated two of his iconic images, one of Andy Warhol and the other of Steve Jobs.
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| In this upstairs bedroom, Alexa Hampton of Mark Hampton played off the modern architecture and urban views. Her firm's press release notes that "it provided the yin to our yang and our bedroom is a study in contrasts." The feminine nature of the canopy is "provided its foil" with masculine accessories. The design is also a nod to Hampton's favorite Kips Bay room by her father, legendary designer Mark Hampton: a chocolate-brown library with white upholstery. The bed and curtains were custom made by Anthony Lawrence-Belfair Draperies. |
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| The Jansen desk in Hampton's bedroom is from Florian Papp. The screen in the corner is also from Florian Papp, and the desk chair is from Newel Antiques. |
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| The second-floor study was designed by Brian del Toro, who used a painted finish to bring architecture to the room. "I was inspired by the fashion designer Charles James," says del Toro. "He used color in extraordinary ways — all sorts of jewel tones one against another." |
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| The black and white photo on the side table is of del Toro's father. "This is my first show house, so it's my way of being sentimental," he says. The room has a mix of midcentury and classic furniture. The Italian parchment chairs are from the 1960s. See more amazing rooms from the event: Rooms Delight at 2012 Kips Bay Decorator Show House |
Comments
Becky Harris So much fun to see. Wow, were Jamie Drake and Brian del Toro sharing the same brain? Their rooms are remarkably similar (and fabulous).
13 months ago · Like
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ebova Outstanding apartment! Congratulations.
13 months ago · Like
Fine Art & Portraits by Laurel All the rooms were luxurious, tasteful, and well composed. I felt most of them worked together, except for the purple dining room and the pink baby's room. The master bedroom, although very different in style from the rest, still connects somehow, perhaps because of the bold drama.
13 months ago · Like
morgana44 All beautiful but my faves are Bryant Kellar (entrance hall)and Alexa Hampton (bedroom). Love the use of color and beautiful accessories and artwork from all.
13 months ago · Like
Gracious Living by Design Beautiful and inspiring. Love all the tributes to Albert Hadley!
13 months ago · Like
franki7 S T U N N I N G!!!!! That photo mural of a chapel at Versailles - brilliant!!! The nursery by Bograd - just fantastic. What talent!!! franki
13 months ago · Like
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citygirly Luxurious, exotic, colourful and wish it were mine apartment. Wow!
13 months ago · Like
patscats2 Loved those outside spaces. Love the artwork hanging in front of the drapes, but I think it was too big for the space.
13 months ago · Like
Hides and Co. The nursery is so lovely. I can see why it originated with a Swedish baroness.
13 months ago · Like
beverly123 I liked the St. Charles kitchen with the 'Girl in a red dress' photo on the wall...it was emotizZ!onal to me
13 months ago · Like
hjthal1 Way too "designy." These rooms are so self-consciously designed by designers who appeal to people who have more money than common sense. No one could actually live in these rooms. Imagine putting your feet up and cracking open a beer in any of these rooms? I think not.
13 months ago · Like
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carol1 What a mess. There are only a couple of rooms I would not be afraid to be in. Colors are interesting, but overall the atmosphere is kinda scary, mostly. Lacking in the feel of a home - but definitely designed.
13 months ago · Like
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PaintColorHelp.com Dallas Love the dining room and Thom Filicia's gallery especially. All the rooms are very nice.
13 months ago · Like
Andrea May Hunter/Gatherer Showhouses are, by design, "designy". They're not about "putting up your feet and cracking open a beer." They're about theatrics and luxury in the way that haute couture fashion is not about what you wear to the laundromat.
13 months ago · Like
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Shelter 7 Great floors, nice treatment to oak.
13 months ago · Like
eahurst I would have cracked open a beer in everyone of those rooms - more cozy than 'designy' rooms usually are - at least to a peon like me. I loved each one.
13 months ago · Like
Willow Murphree I admire talent in any genre, and I don't mean to insult anyone, but I must admit that as of late that with the worlds economic problems, showboating (or showhousing) seems almost obscene. For myself, it would be more interesting to see what designers of their caliber could do with far more meager means, the kind of means that more of us could relate to.
11 months ago · Like
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susan9692 I could live here. Beautifully done and in the most stunning taste. Color and style..WOW!
8 months ago · Like
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davisbj What a wonderfully sophisticated home!
8 months ago · Like
Paradise Restored Landscaping & Exterior Design This was interesting and fun - Love it when you anxiously await the next photo - would love a virtual tour of this apartment -
8 months ago · Like
Mahvish Naqvi very well designed! a perfect showcase home. I wasnt too wild about the baby's room, it was really off from the rest of the apartment.
7 months ago · Like
Sheila Schmitz Showcase fans, we just posted a tour of the 2013 Kips Bay house:
by Rikki Snyder
by Rikki Snyder
Ideabook: See the Daring Designs at the...5 weeks ago · Like
zeetzeet Does anyone know where I could purchase the blue porcelain crackle glazed lamp with gold base in the Kips bay 2012 bedroom by Alexa Hampton of Mark Hampton? (Click photo to see the whole lamp) 
2 weeks ago · Like
zeetzeet Picture of lamp... 
2 weeks ago · Like
Ideabook updated on Oct. 16, 2012.
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