The Kips Bay Decorator Show House Opens to the Public
The Kips Bay Decorator Show House, the most highly anticipated design event of the year, opened its doors to the public on Thursday, May 14. Participating designers were tasked with transforming the Arthur Sachs Mansion, a Beaux-Arts-style masterpiece on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, into an elegant exhibition of fine furnishings, art, and technology.
Now in its 43rd year, the legendary Kips Bay Show House is hosted by the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, one of New York City’s most distinguished non-profits. The legendary event was started by supporters of the Boys & Girls Club to raise critical funds for the organization’s youth-oriented programming. Over the course of four decades, the project has grown into a must-see event for design enthusiasts thanks to its inimitable roster of participants. This year’s lineup, which was hand-picked by a committee helmed by the leading interior designer, Bunny Williams, features twenty-two of the country’s most innovative and accomplished interior designers and architects.
Each participant was responsible for revamping a portion of the five-floor, 9,600-square-foot townhouse, which was originally built for Arthur Sachs (of the investment firm Goldman Sachs) in 1909 by Buchman & Fox, one of the leading architecture firms of the Gilded Age. The stately mansion recently underwent a major renovation and now boasts a fully restored limestone facade, five original fireplaces, a rooftop outdoor kitchen and living room, a planted garden, and a lap pool. The townhouse, which faces Andy Warhol’s long-time residence, now a New York City landmark, is currently on the market for $35 million.
While every inch of the Kips Bay Show House deserves to be savored, we have rounded up a few not-to-be-missed highlights:
- Branca, Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Image courtesy of Rafael Quirindongo.
Branca: The Italian-born designer Alessandra Branca is known for her chic, comfortable, and classically inspired interiors. A master at creating beautifully edited spaces, Branca infuses her projects with a sense of Old World luxury and modern practicality. For her Kips Bay living room, Branca married classic elements with contemporary touches. The space features a dramatic Coromandel screen flanked by contemporary prints, an inviting Gainsborough chair, and a lacquered black-and-gold coffee table.
- Drake Design Associates, Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Image courtesy of Rafael Quirindongo.
Drake Design Associates: Jamie Drake, who launched his esteemed firm in New York in 1978, is celebrated for his dynamic and exuberant interiors that are both glamorous and liveable. His striking design for the mansion’s foyer features shimmering burgundy walls, a gravity-defying console table, an ornate Chippendale-style mirror, and sculptural, cloud-like light fixtures.
- Bennett Leifer Interiors, Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Image courtesy of Rafael Quirindongo.
Bennett Leifer Interiors: Bennett Leifer creates bespoke interiors that accommodate his clients’ needs, personal tastes, and budgets. Like many of his interiors, Leifer’s sitting area in the Kips Bay Show House is classically refined yet modern. Hand-painted Japanese-style gilded wallpaper adds a golden glow to the nook, while a graphic rug and an angular pendant light add a contemporary edge.
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Gail Green Interiors: Gail Green creates interiors that are timeless and elegant yet decidedly modern. For the Kips Bay bathroom, which Green dubbed “An Artful Loo,” the designer sought inspiration from Keith Haring’s artwork. The space includes graphic black-and-white ceramic tiles featuring a maze of anthropomorphic forms, whimsical light fixtures, and a bright red mirror for a pop of color.
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Pavarini Design: Charles Pavarini III, whose style is a highly poetic blend of traditional and contemporary design elements, creates dramatic interiors that are informed by his keen sense of color and style. All of Pavarini’s projects hinge around a powerful central design theme and in his “Midnight Manhattan Lounge” in the Kips Bay Show House, he employed shades of blue and a variety of textures to create a sensuous, moody space. The room features a fireplace mantel ensconced in pewter-leafed travertine marble tile, shimmering walls, and shagreen embossed leather drapery.
- Rottet Studio, Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Image courtesy of Marco Ricca.
Rottet Studio: Lauren Rottet, founder of the international architecture and design firm, Rottet Studio, imbued the mansion’s rooftop terrace with a sense of lighthearted whimsy. The airy outdoor living space features sunny glass butterfly mosaics, a life-size glass dalmatian, and mid century modern-inspired lounge chairs.
- David Phoenix, Inc., Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Image courtesy of Rafael Quirindongo.
David Phoenix, Inc.: The Los Angeles-based interior design David Phoenix has cultivated a classic style that is effortless yet impossibly elegant. Phoenix’s master bedroom in the Kips Bay Show House boasts a soothing palette, tartan upholstered walls, and a thoughtfully curated collection of traditional pieces.
- Mark D. Sikes,Inc., Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Image courtesy of Rafael Quirindongo.
Mark D. Sikes Inc.: An expert at balancing beauty and function, Mark D. Sikes seamlessly blends all-American classic style with both modern and European sensibilities. In his elaborate Kips Bay dining room, Sikes masterfully layered red-and-white patterned wall coverings to create a backdrop for an intriguing mix of fine art, antiques, blue and white porcelain, and wicker furniture.
The Kips Bay Decorator Show House will be open to the public seven days a week through Thursday, June 11. Proceeds from the Show House, which attracts an estimated 15,000 visitors each year, benefit the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club.
