THE DINING ROOM
From the living room I entered into the dining room, which was pure drama. With the teal lacquered walls that were smooth as glass to the deconstructed buffet against the length of the right wall, the room was a story of contrasts and extreme color blocking.
The designer, Kristen McGinnis, used Al Held paintings on loan from the Cheim Read Gallery, and what a statement they made! The light sculpture above the dining table, constructed by combining driftwood, neon, cork, plastic, and string, was designed by the McGinnis’ childhood friend, Elliott Hundley.
To the rear of the dining room sits an abstract gold bench and a balcony that overlooks the “Atrium” below.
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| {the view of the dining room balcony from the atrium below} |
VERITAS-The Bar and Sitting Room
The dining room leads to “Veritas”, the bar and sitting room, and a must for every home. This room, designed by Dineen Architecture and Design, was one of my favorite rooms in the house, and not simply because I love wine. The room was intimate, but did not seem at all small, as a large portion of the walls consisted of floor to ceiling windows that overlooked the atrium below and a glass skylight above.
“Veritas” was designed with many layers of color, texture, and shape to create depth – much the same way that wine has many layers of different overtones which collectively form its unique flavor. The wood paneled walls in the bar area along with the teal lacquered ceiling, venetian plaster walls and the light penetrating through the sheer window treatments in the sitting room, come together and create a unique but special space. On one wall, large scale images from the celestial globe are applied to several layers of Venetian plaster. The figures are in such a large scale that it is difficult to make out the images at a glance, but upon closer inspection, I was able to identify Perseus and Taurus – astronomy is obviously not my strong suit! Seated in one of the chairs while viewing these celestial images can be mesmerizing, especially over a nice bottle of wine. Furthermore, the designer has gone above and beyond to seamlessly merge items from the past with items from the present. Even though these items are from different periods, they compliment each other and work together well. It is these many layers and how they are merged together that make this room a successful one.
I hope you enjoyed visiting the 2nd floor of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House. If you missed my tour of the first floor, you can view it HERE . Be sure to check back for more on the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in the upcoming days. There is more to come, and the higher up we go in the townhouse, the better it gets!
And here is a link to a tour of the 3rd floor, which includes my favorite room, “the lounge suite”
Again, thank you Kravet and Doodle Home for your hospitality and for making this visit to the Kips Bay Show House possible!
