Moody, Edgy Design Sets The Interior Design Tone At Holiday House Showhouse Soho 2016

Holiday House 

The Sullivan Mansion

40 & 50 Sullivan Street

New York, New York  10012

open to the public:
November 17-January 8, 2017
11 am to 5 pm daily

Nest by Tamara's 

12  Favorite Designs 
at Holiday House Soho 2016
(in honor of the 12 days of Christmas!)

Iris Dankner, Iris Apfel, Jared Seligman

Holiday House's annual showhouse here in New York City opened this week to glowing reviews.  With two side-by-side expansive townhouses in Soho that were in the last stages of construction, orchestrating this showhouse was no easy feat.  No problem because Iris Dankner pulled it off wearing a ball gown, a big smile, and emphasizing her commitment to breast cancer research.  This year they went with no media sponsor and it worked to procure attention with the press who showed up enthusiastically and seemed smitten. Iris wisely paired up with Jared Seligman for the project this year, moving locations from her usual spot, a historic town house on the Upper East Side to take it up a style notch.  The showhouse honors design icon, Iris Apfel this year, and the committee hand selected a group of incredibly talented designers who did not disappoint.  The overall tone was set with moody, stylish and cutting edge designs.  We saw a lot of black, as well as rich colors and it's safe to say there was no minimalism this year, instead, a cornucopia of layered textures and colors and incredible art.  Edgy is a word that comes to mind, and we noticed an infusion of fashion into the interior design this year too.  Farrow & Ball, my favorite paint company, provided their lovely hues to the home as well. 
In addition to writing about it, I am thrilled to be one of the designers.  My business partner, Susan Young and I were invited to decorate a powder room off the top floor terrace and to utilize and showcase our new wallpaper collections with root cellar designs.  We wrapped the walls and ceiling of this tiny, all white space with our new pattern, Tree Spirit in a custom color we call Moody Emerald.  At first glance, our wallpaper pattern maybe resembles a William Morris historic design, then at closer inspection you are looking into the window of a kaleidescope, then stand back and it feels like something you have never seen before--mission accomplished!  We are happy to note that our small room was featured in the virtual pages of Architectural Digest, W magazine and NY Spaces following the opening gala.  
Take a look at the stellar designs that most caught our attention, and these two houses are open to the public through the holiday season.  What a wonderfully, inspiring way to spend an afternoon perusing these beautiful rooms while giving back to this important charity for women and women's health.   

Happy Nesting

XO Tamara

1. Campion Platt's Black Friday Feast 

feels plucked straight from a Tim Burton movie, with beautiful design elements combined with the unexpected. A gorgeous rug by FJ Hakimian begins the quality story, and the beautifully applied wall finishes created with Alcantara fabric continues that bespoke design throughout the room showing much detailing.  Then, he sets the table with a lot of whimsy, including black crow sculptures on each plate. 

this photograph: Alan Barry Photography

2. Local Maker's Friend Giving Holiday 

by Jaime Walters

Jaime thinks outside the box in this space, and brought in layers of textures and materials to show a kitchen sourced all locally, mostly by artisans from Brooklyn while utilizing beautiful wares from Gilt Home--accessories and tabletop items outfit this stellar kitchen.  The art installation with artist Mae Elvis shows an artist living and cooking in the kitchen and brings this kitchen to a new level of cool!

this photo:  Alan Barry Photography

3. Tori Golub's  Solstice 

is beautiful and mysterious, yet welcoming. You may remember I wrote the cover story for NY&G about an art-filled home Tori decorated on the Upper East Side.  Tori is one of the industry's talents who continues to inspire us with the unexpected and avante garde. For this space we loved the decorative painting by Anthony Lawrence Belfair and bespoke upholstery and draperies utilize textiles from Patterson Flynn Martin.

4. Sasha Bikoff's Rose All Day dining room shows fun, layered pink hues and a zest for living well.  We love the Pierre Frey wallpaper, Christopher Hyland drapes, the beautiful moody flower arrangements, the Albino Peacock from Creel & Gow, and the wrapped Campana zig zag chairs and creatively set table.  Bravo!

this photo:   Alan Barry Photography

5. Charle J. Nafie Architects 

created a dazzling foyer/gallery and powder room showcasing Brett Design wallpaper, furniture from Maison Gerard (the cabinet), KLASP (striped bench), and lighting from MSK Illuminations.  Charles smartly combined traditional and modern elements together here in this unique space. 

6. Ryan Korban's Black on Black on Black
brings together fashion and interior design seamlessly.
Utilizing black mannequins dressed in black gowns set against a black painted wall, paints a dramatic picture of living in this room. He layered with texture against this landscape which gives off the feeling of an old Hollywood movie set, and very fashion forward.

7. Harry Heissman's Black and White Christmas

showcases a beautiful 19th century carousel zebra by Karl Muller (Yew Tree House Antiques). The walls and ceilings are covered in contrasting textiles from Stark. The entire space is a homage to vintage and modern designs combined in a layered, nuanced space.  

8. A Lady's Boudoir by Patrick Mele shows layers of rich, shades of pinks and maroon with Schumacher fabrics and Kostas Upholstery.  We are smitten with the Doug Meyer cameo art pieces covering one whole wall in the room bringing a personal story to the space.  Patrick explained each cameo represents a different romance of the room's inhabitant--a true homage to a woman's secrets and desires.  Beautiful and unique antiques from our friends over at Newel Gallery.

this photograph credit:  Alan Barry Photography

9. Master Bedroom Suite by 

Joan Dineen & Alyson Liss-Pobiner

Dineen Architecture 

shows a soothing repite with gorgeous detailing in this master bedroom suite that is layered, but edited and one of the light spots in the home for us.  Fort Street Studio Silk carpet welcomes.  We loved the Lorin Marsh side tables, Waterworks bathroom fixtures, Calvin Klein Home accessories, and art from Winston Wachter Gallery.  It is easy to see why these two were awarded Rising Stars of Design by the New York IFDA Chapter a couple of years ago.

10. Tina Ramchandani's Master Suite brings us the Happiest of Hours. This room was meant for entertaining, and wrapped in an ombre design that morphs from blue to black, the space transforms our mood easily from day to night.  A stocked bar cart with state of the art furnishings (we love that sectional sofa from Designlush), this room has an inviting aura.  Wares from Designlush, Baldwin Hardware and Tuffenkian and Artnet

11. Joyce D. Silverman created a Mad Hatter Rooftop, which is complete with mushrooms, topiary and over the top, festive tabletop and garden designs. Kostantino's Floral Design created the beautiful flowers. And, lighting from my favorite source, Remains.

12. Tamara Stephenson & Susan Young's Garden Day terrace powder room showing a mossy knoll and Root Cellar Designs' wallpaper.  We brought in natural elements after wrapping the walls and ceiling with this techno pattern channeling the garden and custom colored Tree Spirit pattern in a Moody Emerald color. Sconces in selenite from Rachel Laxor for Viyet, outdoor modern seat by Pennoyer Newman and mirror from Terrain.  hand towels from root cellar designs' renaissance collection.