First Look 45th Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Opening on May 2, the 45th Kips Bay Decorator Show House brings the creativity of eighteen top designers and architects to 125 East 65th Street, a five story 1905 Georgian townhouse by Charles Platt. For years the headquarters of the China Institute, the building is now on the market and the designers give an idea of the versatility of the spacious rooms.

The entryway gallery by Canadian design firm Powell & Bonnell echoes the classicism of the building with a black and white theme, adding contemporary elements for a fresh mix.

In the front hall, they continued the theme with a reverse color scheme. Against black walls, a small seating area has added drama with a neon framed painting and modern steel ceiling installation.

Richard Mishaan‘s showstopping sitting room is an ode to travel, craftsmanship and heritage.

With a nod to the maximalist interiors of Renzo Mongiardino, Mishaan emulates the layered sophistication of artistic spaces like those in Venetian palaces that have been created over time, often including acquisitions from far flung locations around the globe.

Likewise, Mishaan’s globally inspired room is anchored by an intricate Iksel wallpaper, Rumi, printed in London, based on the design of hand painted wooden walls from a 17th c. house in Aleppo, Syria, now installed in the Pergamon Museum in Berlin.  An enormous 19th century Persian Serapi rug from Hakimian continues the dialogue of exotic pattern and antiquity.

Eclectic pieces help tell the global story. Above, a rare Edouard Lievre mirror reveals the painter’s interest in Japanese styles melded with gilding of French Rococo style. And a large Peter Schlesinger gourd adds a contemporary flair for color and texture.

Layering in artisanal textiles, including Fortuny and many hand loomed silks from Venice’s Bevilacqua, bespoke accessories and a curated selection of decorative arts, the room feels both timeless and of our time.

Beautiful details and contemporary additions, such as a Walton Ford painting, prints created in conjunction with Soicher Marin, below, parchment tables and select accessories continue to tell the eclectic story of a “Well Traveled Room.”

Looking to accentuate the classic architecture of the building, designer Jonathan Savage created an enveloping yet dramatic solution for the stairway and landing.

Starting with MJ Atelier‘s modern hand sculpted chinoiserie wallcovering, Savage commissioned the artist to add hand applied plaster motifs referencing his southern roots,

some accented with silver and gold details. Flanking mirrored niches, William Haines crystal sconces contribute sparkle and light onto a Saint Clair Cemin sculpture, below,

as you approach the landing, where a Stephen Antonson console (not pictured) adds artistic flair to the seating area.

 all photos by Stacey Bewkes for Quintessence

Stop back next time as we move upstairs for more from the 45th Kips Bay Decorator Show House.