While much has changed since the inaugural Kips Bay Decorator Show House in 1973, one thing remains the same. For high-end interior designers, an invitation to participate is the pinnacle of success – an honor akin to winning an Academy Award, albeit one key difference.
While filmmakers make the movie, then receive the Oscar, Kips Bay works the other way around. It’s after designers win the prize that the real work begins. In just a few short weeks, on their own dime, they need to create the best work of their career.
Which leads to the question: Why do they do it?
We asked two of this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House mega-talented local participants, Ginger Curtis, founder and CEO of Urbanology Designs and Kelli Ford, principal of Kirsten Kelli.
For starters, both are long-time supporters of the charity, Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club, which provides young people with educational and developmental programs in New York City.
“It’s really an incredible organization. When I got the call, it was a mix of sheer excitement and panic,” said Curtis. “It’s so important to get behind something. In the design industry, Kips Bay is the place to be.”
According to Ford, the show house was an early career goal. She and her sister, artistic collaborator Kirsten Fitzgibbons, opened the doors to their decorating firm in 1990.
“Personally, we considered Kips Bay the paradigm, marking our arrival as relevant interior designers.”
The pair are fourth-time participants, having previously created rooms in 2014, 2017, and 2020.
Curtis, a self-professed master problem-solver, admits to another layer. “I thrive on a challenge. Something comes alive in me.”
Turns out, resourcefulness is mandatory.
Unexpected obstacles are inevitable. Case in point: the primary bath, Curtis’ assigned room, needed a complete renovation. “All the plumbing and electrical had to get ripped out. We lost weeks of time,” she said.
Having an in-house workroom proved a saving grace for Kirsten Kelli’s family room. “Our new venture, Off the Floor, is a fully stocked showroom where everything can be purchased and taken home the same day,” said Ford. “Eliminating wait times is especially beneficial with Kips Bay.”
We asked both designers for a hint what we’ll see in their spaces.
Curtis’ bathroom, a mix of traditional and modern, features custom millwork and a dark, moody palette. The standout feature: an irregularly shaped vanity made out of Quatre Saisons stone.
“Back in the day, King Louis XIV used it for his castle,” she said. “The colors are really amazing – rose, merlot, aubergine, peach, and forest.”
Expect Ford’s family room to reflect Kirsten Kelli’s elevated, eclectic aesthetic. A mix of patterns and pops of color create a relaxing oasis.
“We added stripes to elongate the walls to give them height. Then we painted the trim and beams black, so the boundaries of the room receded,” she said.
Design enthusiasts can view the handiwork of all 22 Kips Bay creatives when the transformed 1940s Old Preston Hollow manse, located at 9446 Hathaway Street, opens this Thursday, November 2 for a two-week run. The 7,996-square-foot property features multiple living areas, five bedrooms, sprawling grounds, and a pool.
“I can’t believe I’m here with designers of this caliber,” said Curtis. “It’s nothing short of exhilarating.”
Along with the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, the Show House will benefit two local charities: Dwell with Dignity, a nonprofit agency dedicated to creating soothing, inspiring homes for families struggling with homelessness and poverty, and The Crystal Charity Ball, which supports children’s charities in Dallas County.
Locally based Urbanology creates relaxed modern interiors that are elevated, curated, and storied. Its design-forward ethos looks beyond today’s trends to design homes with longevity and lasting appeal.
With offices in New York City, Dallas, and Greenwich, Kirsten Kelli offers a diverse range of interior design and renovation services, creating beautifully livable spaces true to the unique personality of the client.
