The 5th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas highlights the design prowess of 25 acclaimed interior designers and architects from around the country. Known for its often avant-garde approach, each edition of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House reflects the latest trends in interior design, from color choices to style selections.
Here, several Dallas Show House designers share tips for tackling a home renovation project, based on lessons they learned while crafting rooms for the event. Learn how to roll with the punches and what to prioritize when starting your own home refresh with the wise words of these standout designers.
Home Renovation Tips + Tricks From Kips Bay Show House Designers
Think Outside The Box
"When life hands you lemons, make lemonade—or in this case, think outside the box when you’re handed a design challenge! We were given a kitchen that had no walls and quite a few doorways; we couldn't do much to change that, so I decided to embrace and enhance it, making the doorways a feature of the space with architectural molding and fun details."
- Courtney Tartt Elias | Creative Tonic Design
Inside the dining alcove, a vintage Show Pony lemon tole-chandelier delicately hangs above a bespoke plaster floral table, crafted by Segreto Finishes, and a sculptural banquette. 1st Dibs garden chairs wrapped in Sanderson fabrics, custom-built by House and Town, complete the space.
Prioritize Spatial Planning
"Space planning is vital when undergoing a renovation. It is critical to think through furniture placement within a room so that you can work through any constraints or tricky situations before the construction process really ramps up. Completing our floor plan with approximate furniture sizes and locations helped us work through the challenging layout of our room and maximize its usability."
- Kate Figler | Kate Figler Interiors
Inspired by Botticelli’s "The Birth of Venus," the room radiates sophistication with Gracie’s Linda’s Garden mural wallpaper depicting a lush garden scene in soothing greens, pinks and blues, reminiscent of ancient Roman frescoes.
Be Flexible
“Fight for your design, but be flexible. Sometimes embracing the oddities of the room, makes for a beautiful end result.”
- Katie Davis | Katie Davis Design
Swaths of pattern, though playful by nature, feel mature with Iksel’s sophisticated ivory floral striped wallpaper.
Decoration Leads To Transformation
"You can achieve a lot with decoration alone vs. construction. Construction is always our friend, but it's not always necessary to create a welcoming space. Wallcoverings, lighting, pretty fabrics and thoughtful furnishings go a long way in creating a welcoming space. If you have to leave the construction for another time, go forward with the decoration first!"
- Lisa Henderson | Lisa Henderson Interiors
The floral pattern selected for the drapes (which were custom-made by The Shade Store) and wallcovering were sourced from Lisa’s own textile collection, aptly named The English Garden.
Rise To The Challenge
"Be prepared to pivot when obstacles arise and, whenever possible, have a back-up plan in place. This was the case with our room, when our ceiling light fixture was damaged in transit and we had to think on our feet to find a quick replacement."
- Robert Frank | Robert Frank Interiors
The new Melt Chandelier by Arteriors and Workshop APD with its integrated LED lighting is the focal point of the room.
Repurpose Vintage Finds For Totally Unique Pieces
"Make something old new again! You can add interest to your home by finding new purposes for vintage pieces to have updated functions. We had so much fun creating our bar for the Sobremesa Lounge out of an antique European desk."
- Javier Burkle | Burkle Creative
The cozy and intimate setting of this lounge is grounded by antique touches everywhere. Most notably perhaps is the vintage French renaissance library table that has been converted into a full-service bar complete with storage and sink.
Consider The Trim
"A high gloss white trim is the perfect choice to add refinement to a space. It punctuates a room beautifully. For example, in Le Salon du Champagne the juxtaposition between the Gracie wallpaper and high gloss white creates that 'wow' moment we love!"
- Trish Sheats | Trish Sheats Interior Design
Fabrics from Kravet’s new collection in collaboration with Joseph Altuzarra adorn the window treatments, which were custom-made by The Shade Store, as well as the 19th-century French armchairs.
Design With A Purpose
"The most important thing you can do to make your renovation a success is to know how you will use each room. If it's a dining room, you can also create an additional area to entertain in and act as a library, intimate dining space or sitting room. Make the most of each space so you can really live in your whole home."
- Kim Scodro | Kim Scodro Interiors
The dining chairs showcase metallic details which stand out against the high gloss dining table painted in Antique Rose by Benjamin Moore.
It's All In The Details
"I would love to see homeowners embrace intricate millwork when approaching a home renovation. These details add character and elegance to a space that can otherwise be overlooked—it's often a missed opportunity to add interest. A balance between incorporating detailed craftsmanship and a willingness to pivot and adjust your design can lead to a truly transformative outcome that is perhaps slightly less stressful!"
- Traci Connell | Traci Connell Interiors
The design of this lounge integrates a rich tapestry of historical and modern details.
Work With Your Space
“First and foremost, I would say to work with the strengths the space is giving you. For example, in our room, the floors wouldn’t have been the color or finish I might have chosen from scratch, but we ended up keeping it and it works. The same with the trim windows: the stain grade trim had a dated feel, but we kept it and played up other areas and strengths of the space, and it works really well. I also have a belief that people shouldn’t be afraid to go bold on accent colors, patterns, or wallpapers to transform your space. Lastly, always start with a well thought-out color plan.”
- Eddie Maestri | Maestri Studio
This dramatic salon is wrapped in a dynamic cocoon of Porter Teleo's Into the Wild wall covering.
Visit The Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas
The Show House is open to the public now through November 13, 2024, and is a major fundraiser for Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, as well as local Dallas charities Dwell with Dignity and The Crystal Charity Ball. Learn more here.
