Inspiration from Kips Bay Decorator Show House
/Wrenda Goodwyn • special to the Fort Myers News-Press/USA Today Network • March 26, 2022
There was a lot of interior decorating inspiration to bring home from my visit to the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Palm Beach this week. The three main takeaways: Lots of bold (really bold) color. Spectacular ceiling treatments. Beautiful lighting in every room.
Twenty-four acclaimed designers and architects from all over the country participated in showcasing their talents and the best that interior design has to offer. Every square inch of the home is filled with every product and idea that you can imagine. Visual overload doesn’t begin to describe it. Disneyland for designers and décor enthusiasts does. So worth the drive to the other coast!
The décor is vibrant, optimistic and happy with shades of citrus colors like that beautiful tangerine we see so much of now. And green. Lots of green in every shade you can imagine. Pantone’s color of the year, Very Peri, a bold lavender shade, also made it into many rooms with color, ceiling treatments and accessories.
The pandemic has definitely given us all a chance to rethink how we want to live in our homes and look for ways to find happiness and joy in our décor. Each room offered lots of options to consider.
The home was built in the 1920s and is listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Because of its age, it presented many challenges to the designers who brilliantly hide them. For example, what does one do with slanted walls? Cover them with a beautiful screen!
As a Southwest Florida interior decorator, I am constantly on the hunt for inspiration that I can bring back and adapt them to my client’s homes. A few of my takeaways are listed below. But first, a little information if you decide to venture over to the “other” coast. The home is open until April 3 so there is still time to visit.
If you go:
5th Annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House
3001 Spruce Avenue, West Palm Beach
10 a.m. - 4 p.m. daily through April 3, 2022
All proceeds from the Show House will support the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx, New York, and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.
A few of my takeaways:
• Rich bold colors with a lot of whimsy. Artwork, wallcoverings, paint and even a custom hood lacquered to match the cabinets.
• Small space or wall imperfections? Cover a wall with a gorgeous folding screen. It adds depth to a small room and covers a lot of things we would rather not see.
• Wallpaper the ceiling! This is beautiful when set within a coffered ceiling or a ceiling where you can add architectural elements. The sky is the limit on how creative you can be.
• Make the exterior part of the interior. I know, we say this all the time. But carry it a step further with rugs, rattan tables, a chandelier, surround drapes to protect from the weather and you have a cozy outdoor room that is part of the home.
• Lattice on a grass cloth wall and ceiling gives the room the feel of a garden party.
• Bar carts. They are everywhere. And they don’t even have to be a traditional cart. A pretty vignette created on a tabletop, kitchen island, beautiful tray or console are perfect. The key is to creatively arrange colorful, pretty things that make you happy every time you make a refreshing beverage!
Wrenda Goodwyn is a Southwest Florida interior decorator, A.S.I.D. associate and gold member of the Interior Redecorators Network. She helps homeowners throughout Southwest Florida with timeless, affordable ways to create beautiful spaces and solve decorating problems. Her articles appear the first Saturday of each month. For more information, visit her website at spectacularspaces.com. Call her at 239-850-5800 or e-mail wrenda@spectacularspaces.com. For more decorating tips, articles and photos, visit spectacularspaces.com/blog