Fire Places and Fine Moments

Another Holiday House has come and gone.  I barely made it before it closed but I knew it was a must see!  The Academy Mansion was once again home to this spectacular feast for the eyes, now in its seventh year.  Much has been written about this year's show house that benefits The Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  No doubt if you read other blogs, I am sure you came across the coverage, so I'd like to just point out the things that resonate with me.  It's a little subjective, but ...

Designer Amy Lau collaborating with Baccarat (celebrating there 250th anniversary) transforms the great reception area into a Winter Wonderland or Galerie des Glaces.  Inspired by the hall of mirrors at Versailles this hall was transformed into a dining room for a sit down dinner with seating for 20 fit for a queen, and transfixes us with the elegance and grace of Baccarat crystal.  Baccarat's signature red crystal is the focal point in this oh so glamorous setting.  Crystals found in the archive were places around the room and hung from branches on the table for an added layer of sparkle!  I wrote an in depth post on Baccarat here.

I read about the art and scupture, which was amazing through out, so I looked towards the fireplaces.  Each decorator handled this sometimes inconspicuous space with thought and care.

Lillian August had the most architecturally interesting room in the house and made the most of it.  Celebration of the Holidays, or the den, dressed in winter white and pale blue was a quiet respite from the festivities.

The Jupiter console table by my friends at Areté Collection looked phenomenal.  I might need this in my life!

The selenite logs in the fireplace is a treatment I have used in clients homes before; unexpected and delightful!

I was pretty blown away by Gary McBournie's Carribbean Island Holiday room.  I was told he was not allowed to change the walls at all.  The owners liked a leather treatment that had been done in the past and wanted to maintain the integrity of it, so Gary was really forced to think outside the box.  Sheathing and tending the room was the only answer, with Gary's fabric no less, from Antillies.

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Bold art and bars were seen in many of the rooms, to which I say, "Bravo!"

This fireplace gets an A for outstanding.  The shells are elevated to sculptural art and the custom fire screen by Liz O'Brien adds another layer of embellishment as it summons the sun.  Love it!

Michael Tavano always inspires me and his energetic bedrooms; La Fête Nationale or what a Paris pied- à- terre might be like is no exception.

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The 2014 Balmain collection inspired Michael to create this AMAZING rope window treatment interspersed with beads.  That, along with 200 yards of fabric, the painted floor, and the incredible drop ceiling fixture was a real highlight!

The matte, Stiff Key blue, Farrow and Ball paint felt fresh and French.  It played well off the metal in the fireplace, including andirons by Michael Aram.  Michael explained to me that 500 layers of paint were applied to the canvas above the fireplace by Tae-Ho Kim, then a pattern is chiseled out.  You really must see it to believe it.

With the color blue still dancing in my head, I fell in love with the mischievous midnight sequin tulle backed on fabric enveloping the daybed and creating an intimate, rich area to relax by Louis Navarette.

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Since I know Patrick Hamilton personally, I can say his room was as elegant as he is!  The subtle nuances of his deconstructed derby room made for a rich interpretation.  The color of the walls like a mint julep, the light fixture like a requisite decorative hat, the french chairs, and the silk of a jockey uniform all helped the story unfold slowly.

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 I was taken with his treatment of the fireplace in his room with the sculptural Vestal screen from John Lyle.

Linherr Holligsworth set out to create a warm personal space on the upstairs landing with unique accouterments that also had a museum like quality to them.  Welcome to the Gala at the Musée.  What I was especially taken with were the custom bronze window treatments.  Bringing the ball gown like curtains down below the tops of the columns from these custom sculptural hooks was as brilliant as it was beautiful!

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If you have never been to Holiday House be sure to check it out next year.  It's nice to have a show house to look forward to in the fall and it is quickly becoming not only a tradition, but the event of the season for designers and the design minded!

There wasn't a New Year's room so I will just leave you with my wishes for a joyous night and a       HAPPY NEW YEAR.


XO, Carrie



*ph: via 1st Dibs

Holiday House 2012 ~ Part 2

Suzanne  Eason happened to be sitting in her room when I was there.  It's really nice when you are able to speak with the designers, because often times there are subtle references or nuances you may miss by taking a look around and walking out.  In this case the theme was "Origins of life," a birthday study.  The small space was richly layered in my new favorite color combination.  A beautiful place to work and reflect.

I recognized the Trove wallpaper right away, but did not put 2 and 2 together that it was the double helix pattern, as in DNA.  The Roubini rug features a snake with an apple in its mouth:  to tempt Adam and Eve?  The sculptures depicting Adam and Eve were created by master sculptor Daniel Williams for the room.

When a designer pays a lot of attention to detail, I tend to take notice!  Lee Robinson, who you may remember from my coverage of the Hamptons' show house is one of those designers.  The Chinese New Year celebration was apparent in his small space, but Lee made the most of it.  With its black textured ceiling meeting a decorative tape delineating the malachite papered walls, there was a lot to look at.  The decorative chinoiserie transom above the door delighted and surprised.

The trellis motif was carried around the room, and the beautiful bar was as decorative as it was practical

Walking up the steps to the third floor was a nice surprise.  I felt like I was in the hall of mirrors, and apparently, I was.  Jon Call, with the help of Robyn of J. Pocker, did a great custom and stock mirror lined hallway with a geometric ceiling.  Robyn told me it was a striped wallpaper that was cut and put back together in this dynamic way.  That idea is a keeper!  Inspired by the idea of charity, the reflective surfaces reinforce the desire of the designers to exhibit the "brave" and "reflective" concept.  That's so existential.

AH, here's a theme I could detect ~ birthday, in this case ~sweet sixteen.  What 16 year old wouldn't want such a happy place?  I know this because it says so on the door (in crystals).  Done in luscious lilac with sophisticated art and great textiles, Robyn Karp created a dream bedroom for any young girl.  A touch of coral helps keep it young and punchy.

Vincente Wolf created a Swedish Winter Dream Room.  Is that a holiday?  It is classic Vincente Wolf and it is dreamy but...

I miss the days of old where you understood and were aware of the holiday being portrayed.  As I said, the subtle reference in which to design these holiday rooms is so much more interesting than the obvious holiday themed room.  It would be interesting to see how each designer over the years put their own spin on the holidays we know, love, and celebrate ~ otherwise, isn't it just another showhouse?

Kips Bay Show House 2012: Part Un

Bryant Keller gives us a dramatic, bold entrance in this year's Kips Bay show house, celebrating it's 40th year.  Those fashionable Scalamandré dancing zebras seem to be right on, right now!  I was reminded of Mary McDonald's "red moment" in last year's entrance, here .

Bunny Williams, Brian J. McCarthy, and David Kleinberg paid tribute to their recently deceased mentor Albert Hadley, with a throughly modern mix of old and new pieces, an all gin bar, and a strong dose of red; all Hadley signatures.

"Visitors come to a show house for the fantasy, the playfulness, the flair of artistry," says Bunny Williams, this year's chairwoman.  That's why I go.  I want to be wowed.  I want to see ingenuity and fantasy at its finest, and I am rarely disappointed!

Todd Romano's luxe aubergine and citrine dream of a dining room was a showstopper.  Since the 2 condos at the The Aldyn were devoid of any of the classic architectural details that are generally the signature of the town homes used in past Kips Bay show houses, the designers really needed a narrative, a strong grounding focal point.  Otherwise the rooms might have looked as if they could disappear into the water.

Brian de Toro's sitting room was a serene mix of modern classic incorporating a few trends we have been seeing a lot of ~ lacquer and green.  Some of the designers were in their rooms the day Blogfest visited.  Hi Brian, notice the beautiful appliquéd fabric sewn on the curtains, a nice detail.

Coffinier Ku chose the bedroom to showcase a selection of Missoni fabrics because that's a room made for dreaming.  With it's colorful clouds and butterflies, nature amid the organic elements that find their way into our dreams, the bedroom made perfect sense.  I am always excited to see what this duo will come up with.  The chevron fabric, lace-like in texture, was also set into the doors beautifully.

Neal Beckstedt took advantage of a stunning corner view of the city, the Hudson River and the private pool when creating this stylish urban lounge.  I caught him doing a little housekeeping.

Alexander Doherty also created a timeless, tactile space for relaxing and reflecting.  With an interior  room, he created a gallery-like space with a background of bleached wood paneling.

There is so much more.  Come back, won't you?

photos: CLI, Trevor Tondo for NYT