For its 45th year, the Kips Bay Decorator Show home is set at 125 East 65th Street in ny City’s Lenox Hill neighborhood. in-built 1905, the four-story, neo-Georgian-style red brick home was designed by world-renowned artist and architect, Charles A. Platt, as a personal residence. The estate features original details, including paneling, a mantelpiece, painted-beam ceilings and herringbone flooring.
Proceeds from the Decorator Show House, which magnetize an estimated 15,000 visitors every year, benefit the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. The club offers innovative after-school programs for quite 10,000 kids, ages six through 18, in 10 locations throughout The Bronx in the big apple. The organization has raised over $20 million thus far.
View a gallery of redesigned rooms here.
The Challenges of Historic Renovations
Designer Robert Bakes from big apple City, N.Y.-based Bakes & Kropp Fine Cabinetry redesigned the kitchen, and designer Yorgos Scarpidis of recent York City, N.Y.-based firm SCARPIDIS outfitted the guest bath. like many early 20th–century home renovations, the project came with significant challenges.
“Relocating the bathtub within the prevailing bathroom in an old mansion − similarly as moving the bathroom to its own room − posed many unforeseen issues,” said Scarpidis, adding that much of the plumbing had to be restructured.“We had to coordinate and resolve with our contractors, installers and stone installers. We were one among the few design teams that created a full working bathroom.”
In the kitchen, the low ceiling was the largest challenge. Because it had all-time low heights within the house, the look team had to form the illusion of extra space.
“Many guests were surprised to hear that the ceiling was low as they felt that the high proportions of the cabin and the light colors chosen for the space were made up of it. it feel much taller,” said Bakes.
Unique Touches
Often the foremost enjoyable a part of redesigning a historic house is taking advantage of its character. In 1905, big apple City had just opened its subway system, had jumped millions in population size and had seen an influx of immigrants from everywhere the planet. Bakes honored this history within the kitchen with a brand new transitional cabinet style called the Revelane.
“The Revelane concept delivers an ideal harmony between trends of latest and times of old,” said Bakes. “We designed the cabinets with modern silhouettes, clean lines, and symmetry, but chose finishes that would traditionally be considered farmhouse textures.”
Along the 2 walls and within the island, the maple cabinetry is hand-painted a creamy white in Farrow & Ball’s Wevet creamy white color. The point of interest is that the custom hood, which is formed of walnut and finished with polished nickel detailing for a touch of antique.
In the guest bath, Scarpidis drew inspiration from the art movement period to form a bold and modern look. Black marble stone with gold veining covers an oversized majority of the lavatory and embodies the time period’s glamorous style.
“We loved every aspect of the method from design to completion, additionally as bobbing up with new ideas of the way to enrich the experience of a rest room,” said Scarpidis. “We were always pushing the limits while maintaining a functionally elegant and timeless design.”