Holiday House NYC kicked off with a gala preview event last week, and is officially open to the public every day through December 18. A variety of events will take place throughout the run, from author's night with Mario Buatta to live music and wine tastings. Click here to learn more.
Below is a preview of each of the 27 spaces created by top interior designers, provided by Holiday House NYC.
Holiday House designers in Mario Buatta's "Golden Anniversary" hallway
Mario Buatta: Golden Anniversary
In celebration of his new book Mario Buatta: 50 Years of American Interior Decoration, "The Prince of Chintz" has installed the iconic mural of his maximalist apartment, orginally seen in Architectural Digest in 1974, under the grand staircase at Holiday House.
Ally Coulter Designs LLC: 'Tis the Season
“As a designer, I'm honored to be able to spread awareness for breast cancer through my work. When people enter my room, I want them to experience the power of the life-force of the room, to feel the joy, hope and warmth that perseverance brings,” said Coulter.
Campion Platt: Suite Dreams
“I have always wanted to design the master bedroom at Holiday House, as it is traditionally one of the most important rooms in a home,” said Platt. “This year I was happy to collaborate with Sleep Studio for a number of reasons. In addition to their luxurious products, I really believe in their philosophy of 'Awaken, Refresh, Relax, Dream' because sleep is the most undervalued asset in our fast-paced world. Designing around the concept of beautiful sleep will become more important as we all begin to more fully understand its profound effect on every aspect of our lives.”
Cullman & Kravis: 30th Anniversary
“Since we are celebrating our firm's 30th anniversary, we wanted to personalize our room with some of C&K's favorites,” said Ellie Cullman. “The cover of our new book inspired the palette-shades of orange, cream, gold and silver and of course, a touch of leopard. In honor of all the women who have worked at C&K over the years, we have selected contemporary art created by female artists. We are toasting to special milestones and hope our guests can experience the celebration!”
CW Design: Republic Day
Catherine Weinstock's dedicated space, which is a "Reading & Reflection" room, evokes subtle Moghul influences from Northern India and Pakistan, with some “Modernist” elements.
Darrin Varden Design: Winter Solstice
“The Winter Solstice occurs on the shortest day of the year, which in many cultures symbolizes the moment of renewed hope since astronomically it marks the beginning of shortening nights and lengthening days,” said Varden. “The colors of blue and green are representational of water, cleansing, baptismal. The repetition of the circular shapes in this room remind us of the continual process of life and living, our interconnectedness to others and the world in which we exist.”
Deb Landis Design: Chinese New Year
Drawing from the inspiration of classical chinoiserie for the holiday "Chinese New Year," the traditional interpretation has been given a contemporary twist by choosing a black and white chinoiserie grasscloth wallcovering printed with an enlarged pattern and added negative space. By adding modern furnishings to the vaulted hallway, the embossed white leather rattlesnake credenza with polished stainless steel pulls and trim, the art deco nickel and frosted chandelier from the 60's and the black and white contemporary art, the designer distinguishes the hallway as an important and beautiful space within the mansion.
Deborah Martin Designs: Summer Solstice
Set against an opulent backdrop of caviar-like pearl glass bead and gold leaf wallcovering, a bold and sizzling summer palette signals summer full on. Richly ripe fruit and floral hues relate summer themes, and a 52-inch diameter Christopher Guy mirror mimics the sun's glory. Curated accessories in pops of white amid photographs of nude bathers clearly gesture to summer. The bright pinks and fuchsias in internationally acclaimed artist Paul Thomas' works pay homage to Holiday House.
Decor by Guillaume Gentet, Inc: Women's Day
Gentet's vision for the intimate courtyard space, which he has entitled: "Time to Go to Palm Beach," draws inspiration from the luxurious textures and furnishings of a festive salon de thé. Pastel hues and detailing of a unique bar, a banquette sofa centerpiece flanked by lighting á la baccarat, Parisian café table tops and chairs set amidst a field of lush fabrics, turf, and lattice work were assembled to create a festive gathering place within the jeweled heart of Holiday House.
Franklin Eighth: Jazz Appreciation Month
Inspired by the complexity and contrasts within jazz music, and the Art Deco aesthetic that defined its heydey, interior designers Sarah Sarna and Tina Ramchandani of Franklin Eighth have brought their sophisticated sensibility to the elegant first floor ladies lounge. Tina and Sarah marry patterns and textures popular in the 1920's, like geometrics, sateens, and mohair, with a present day palette of blacks-and-whites.
Gregory Allan Cramer: Celebrate the Holidays
Growing up in small rural Pennsylvania town instilled in him the simple reality of love, health, family and cherished friends. The bold design is dedicated to his favorite Aunt Lorraine, who was taken by breast cancer, many years ago. She was a vibrant woman who enjoyed her time on Earth and was his Auntie Mame.
J&G Design: A Painterly Christmas
Although traditionalists at heart, this is not your average Christmas. Through their signature traditional-meets-modern style, J+G Design has transformed this grandeur setting into a lively and cheerful atmosphere by creating moments of pop and color. With vibrant hand-painted panels at the center of their inspiration, the designers wanted to bring attention to the artist at work. The room features sculptural metalwork, a specially designed settee, and fabrics inspired by a painter's palette.
J Cohler Mason: New Year's Day
“Our master sitting room is a warm and inviting space, one that welcomes you in to escape the hectic life of the city,” said Cohler. “This room is a curated collection of contemporary pieces mixed with elements from the past. It features sophisticated clean lines with sumptuous fabrics and furniture. A soft warm gray provides a neutral background to this space, which is infused with pops of color in the fabrics, art and accessories.”
James Rixner: My First Apartment
The grand scale of this room inspired James Rixner to create a complete living environment in one room. Rixner envisioned a young female executive in a new position, who has just purchased her first apartment. The colors and furniture express a youthful, hip approach to this luxurious space.
Joseph Parisi Interiors: Cartier Holiday: Evelyn Lauder's Love Bracelet
The inspiration for the room is the Love Bracelet commissioned and designed by Leonard Lauder for his wife Evelyn Lauder.
Kelley Jackson: Venetian Holiday Gallery
Inspired by Rubelli Venezia's new wallpaper Principessa Kocacin, based on an eighteenth-century embroidery, the sumptuous gallery includes a vintage Murano chandelier and a Chinoiserie style bench of Kelley Jackson's design executed in pink to honor the cause. Down the corridor a colorful chandelier by Lladro anchors a more starkly modern space with a sleek vintage Venetian mirror.
Michael McKinnon: St. Andrew's Day
McKinnon’s design is inspired by the Scottish country house and serves as a context to display oil paintings done by his grandmother, Ellen McKinnon, a breast cancer survivor. The table will be set for high tea, a Scottish tradition, with crystal, china and silver by Baccarat, Bernardaud and Christofle.
Patrick J. Hamilton: St. Patrick's Day
Like most things in Ireland, this room starts with a story. Transport yourself to the sitting room of a Dublin row house, recently inherited from his family by the worldly young man in residence. In a mix not unlike Dublin itself today, the past rubbing elbows and elbow patches with the present, the room celebrates a modern interpretation of St. Patrick's Day within a traditional shell, and pays tribute to the lore, backdrop and history of both the Emerald Isle and its celebrated patron saint.
Rachel Laxer Interiors: Valentine's Day
Laxer's mother is a breast cancer survivor (she's so fortunate for early detection and seems to be doing fine), and supporting this cause means the world to her. An advocate of "functional art," meaning that art is not something you simply hang on the wall but it is the table, chair, lights, etc, Laxer's intent is to celebrate and show many wonderful and unique pieces by different artists from many locations.
Scott Formby: Aftermath Lounge: December 25th/10pm
A place to retreat after all the presents have been opened, the kids are in bed, the in-laws are out the door, and the fights have been fought. "Our world is moving so fast, we all need an aftermath lounge," said Formby. "This velocity affects design as well, and this influence is evident in my room. No longer do we rely on one style, one culture or one voice."
Studio Tim Campbell: The Blue Angel
“Our room is inspired by the film, The Blue Angel—a modern interpretation of transformation, decadence and desire,” said Campbell.
Susanna Salk: New Year's Eve
Inspired by a picture on Instagram of a young world traveler home between trips, Salk was inspired to create a room in the same spirit: for a worldly young woman just coming home after a journey filled with excitement and laughter. She craves a haven that cocoons but also encourages her to seek out the next adventure.
Tinatin Kilaberedze Interior Design: A Child's Bedroom at Christmas
Kilaberedze's room is a young girl's bedroom during Christmas, with red as the dominant color to reflect the holiday spirit. With elements of tree branches, a moon, and a rabbit she created a screen, and with a night owl she designed a desk. Kilaberedze wanted to bring the magical feel of a forest at night inside with playfulness and imagination.
Tony Ingrao and Randy Kemper: Casablanca Christmas
"For the Holiday House this year we decided to explore a more exotic side of the holidays—Christmas in Casablanca," said Ingrao and Kemper. "Our room pairs the dark elegance of a Moroccan club with the grandeur of the Woolworth mansion. Rich woods and massive paintings mix in with a light, neutral palette; organic sculptures and vibrant palms lushly dress the crisp white walls. It's East and West, North and South—a real international celebration of the season."
Weitzman-Halpern Interior Design: Sweet 16 Bedroom
Weitzman and Halpern wanted to create a modern, sophisticated room that captures the youthful energy of today's 16 year old. Inspired by Instagram and social media, they designed a custom wallpaper for the featured wall that documents a day in the life of this teenage girl. The pattern and color palette of the carpet, a Weitzman Halpern original design, sets the tone of the room's energy. By combining the use of new and vintage pieces, they've created a unique space that reflects the personality of today's dynamic and tech savvy teenager.
Patrik Lonn Design: A Swede in Scottish Holiday Spirit
Lonn's recent travels to the Scottish highlands inspired his design of this room. He was intrigued by the warmth of the Scottish people and the wealth of the rich traditional flannels and textiles. The deep, vibrant colors consistently used drew Lonn to Callanish plaids and Craigie inspired textiles. A 19th-century Sultanabad rug anchors the room and adds to the holiday spirit.
Stephen Bastone: Madrugada (not photographed)
Titled "Madrugada: In The Nascent Holiday Hours", the room features numerous fine components: fine porcelain from Bardith Ltd.; an outstanding antique rug from Beauvais; custom textiles and trimmings from Christopher Hyland, Inc.; two chairs covered in rare Prelle upholstery; antique furniture from Newel as well as Alexander's Antiques. The adjacent courtyard garden is designed by Bastone in collaboration with Zeze.
Located at 2 East 63rd Street in Manhattan, the home is open from 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with extended hours until 8:00 p.m. on Thursday evenings. Tickets are $35 and proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.
Photo Credits: Designer photo by Brian MacKay and room photos by Edge Media
