Luxe Styling at 2012 Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Study by Brian del ToroJanet Ramin - Sweeping views of the Hudson River as well as the penchant for green colors were the major features of the 2012 Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Every year interior decorators have the opportunity to design a room to their heart’s desire – rather than a client’s – with only their imaginations as their limits. The location of this year’s show house is a beautiful condo complex, the Aldyn Residences, overlooking Manhattan’s river.

Our first room above by designer Brian del Toro is a jewel-like study rich in beautiful materials and a brilliant blue-green and lime green color scheme. The walls are painted in a teal grid-like pattern and the sofa upholstered in a matching teal strie velvet. The throw pillows are wrapped in Japanese obi, the sash used to tie kimonos. The gold, silver, and champagne check rug is from F. J. Hakimian Antique Rugs. The cubist glass mirror by Verner Panton further contributes to the sparkle of the room. Del Toro worked for the famous duo Parish Hadley before opening up his own firm. 

Dining Room by Todd A. RomanoTodd Alexander Romano designed this ultra-sophisticated dining room with many tongue-in-cheek accessories. The dining centerpiece is a Mexican Hilario Madrigal sculpture of a purple pineapple. Can you spot the brass giraffe? The long-neck animal by Sergio Bustamante brings your eye up to the spectacular two-story space and the Venetian Murano glass chandelier. Providing elegance to the room are the French Directoire chairs. They're upholstered in Brunschwig & Fils fabric of the popular lime green color, brightening up the warm chocolate-painted walls. 

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Elastic Living Luxury Apartment Rentals - Is It for You?

Irwin Weiner ASID - There's a groundswell of enthusiasm for "elastic living." By that we mean apartment, condo, and hotel-like buildings that offer short-term or longer-term accommodations, fully furnished, with complete-package amenities (maid service, room service, gym, pool, concierge).

Your small or large suites are bigger than what you'd find at a hotel, they're decorated as they would be for a luxury apartment or house (albeit "staged" and missing that interior design stamp of the owner's personality), and they have generous kitchens. The result: you're living in a luxury condo that mimics an intimate boutique hotel.

Corporations and individuals who travel and work a lot find elastic living properties to be the height of convenience; think an actor working for several months on location shooting a movie or TV show on location away from home or a busy executive who has an extended project away from her home office. AKA Luxury Furnished Suites is one such provider in multiple cities (e.g., Beverly Hills, NYC, Philadelphia), and the view of a terrace in their Central Park location (see top photo) shows the allure and fantasy of a fully-furnished luxe accommodation, which they cleverly refer to as a "Pied-À-Terre On Demand."

The following video interviews people who live in these elastic living rentals - and don't you think they would be ideal situations for families who are decorating their homes and have to move out for a period of time while their demolition, renovation, and interior design projects are in full swing?

Bonus

Click here for What's Wrong with a Hotel Look for My Home?

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41 Madison - Spring Tabletop Trends and Decor Spotted

Irwin Weiner ASID - Today's featured design video is all about the latest trends in tabletop decor from 41 Madison, the Manhattan showroom building chock-a-block with vendors specializing in helping designers and homeowners achieve perfect tablescapes.

Besides a lively debate from interior designers about the merit of placemats and tablecloths, the video also highlights the trends in patterns and colors (yes, this year, it's all about bold color and color blocks, although when is it not about color?). Click on the 41 Madison link to explore their amazing roster of vendors, and click on the various photos in this article to check out other tabletop available from a variety of designers and retailers.

 

On the issue of placemats versus tablecloths for setting a great table, I think there's a place for both, along with placesettings set directly on a beautiful table surface. Why have strict rules when it should be all about theater, drama, and having fun with entertaining and everyday mealtime? 

Bonus

And speaking of color, click here to read Exploring the Souks of Marrakesh.

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7 of the Most Expensive Furnishings and Decor Pieces in the World

Irwin Weiner ASID - Eileen Gray's Dragon Armchair (top) was crafted between 1917 and 1919. It recently sold at auction for $29 million. Imagine if your interior designer were to suggest to you that you spend that much money on one item for your home! While I'd love the commission on such a purchase ... well, long gone are the days of decorators walking around with clients who have wads of blank checks stuck in their pockets.

Still, let's fantasize, shall we? Imagine having the Dragon Armchair or one of these other ultra-expensive items decorating your home. Click on each photo for more information. (Middle: Birds of America by James Audubon - $7.9 million. Below, from top to bottom: Harrington Commode by Thomas Chippendale - $5.9 million; Artemis and the Stag - $28.6 million; Great Silver Wine Cistern - $3.8 million; Badminton Cabinet, 1732 - $36 million; Qianlong Dynasty Vase, mid-18th Century - $83.2 million.) 

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