Exclusive Tips from Thom Filicia & More Designers from the 2015 Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Just across the street from Andy Warhol’s former residence, you’ll find a dignified mansion with a Beaux-Arts style limestone facade. This year, it’s the home of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House, New York’s pre-eminent designer showcase. We visited last week and compiled exclusive tips from some of the designers.

Thom Filicia

Thom Filicia wanted this room, which he called “A Study in Style,” to blur the lines between the public and private space. He created two separate areas with a desk for working and a sofa for lounging and entertaining.

Thom’s tip: “The space was really about the layering of textures and materials – even though the space has a consistent color tone that makes the space feel serene and relaxed, the textures and materials create a depth and layered sophistication.”

Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2015 - Thom Filicia - A Study in Style

Photo via Architectural Digest

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Alessandra Branca

The Arthur Sachs mansion doesn’t have a family room, so Alessandra Branca made it her mission to ensure that the living room would be a comfortable space to relax. Many pieces in the room are in an elegant Asian style, and she also added a casual element with a slip-covered chair, modern linen sofa and paisley lampshades.

Alessandra’s tip: “Things should be owned. They should not own you. Your home should be like your clothes – if it’s not comfortable, you won’t want to wear it.”

Kips Bay Decorator Show House - Alessandra Branca's Living Room

Photo by DecoratorsBest

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Charles Pavarini III - Pavarini Design

Though Pavarini Design’s lounge was called “Midnight Manhattan,” the room was anything but dark. Pavarini is known for creating a dramatic effect with lighting, and in this space, a room that could have easily skewed toward gloomy and flat was masterfully illuminated with state-of-the-art LED and OLED systems.

Pavarini Design’s tip: “Everything must be dimmable to prevent glare and to set the mood. Place a small floor-mounted spotlight under a plant or behind a sculpture for dramatic effect. Vary your lighting: lamps, overheads, sconces, and task lighting to create interest in the source of light.”

Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2015 - Charles Pavarini Midnight Manhattan Lounge

Photo by Rafael Quirindongo

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David Phoenix

David Phoenix filled this peaceful bedroom with soft shades of gray and neutral patterns. Though there are multiple prints all being used within a small space – plaids, damasks, a traditional rug – they don’t compete with each other because of their similarity in tone.

David’s tip: “I layered a lot of the same color and tone – I wanted it to be restful. In a bedroom, people should have whatever is luxurious to them. Surround yourself with things that are beautiful to you.”

Kips Bay Decorator Show House 2015 - David Phoenix Gray Bedroom

Photo by DecoratorsBest

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Alan Tanksley

In his “Gentleman’s Study,” Alan Tanksley honored Pavlos Papageorgiou, the husband of friend Alexa Hampton, with a subtle Grecian theme. Using creative items like a cork sculpture of the Temple of Athena at Paestum and Greek key trimmed pillows, he paid homage to his muse without going overboard into the Aegean Sea.

Alan’s tip: “The theme is a study/retreat, and in this case, not just a place to work but to relax within the same space. The furniture layout and the fabrics I chose, such as de Le Cuona and Kravet, allow its users to sink into a restful mind while escaping other hectic environments. Not overloading your eyes with too many ‘extra’ things is a gift and an important tool that many people never master, ie. send in the pros.”