MOMENTS FROM THE 2015 KIPS BAY SHOWHOUSE: TILTON FENWICK

Photos courtesy of Timothy Bell

Sometimes the smallest spaces are the best spaces to get in a showhouse. Case in point with the 2nd floor hallway designed by my friends Anne Maxwell Foster and Suysel de Pedro Cunningham of Tilton Fenwick. I was thrilled to find out they were involved in the esteemed showhouse this year, especially since one of their design mentors Markham Roberts created a room in last years showhouse. Their charming hallway, entered through an archway leads to stairs, so it is a space that is a pass-through. They did a great job creating a cheery spot, filled with really interesting art and their unique signature color combinations. The pairings they use, like the colors in their watery ikat rug for Studio Four NYC, always makes me think of the colors in a new way. Ahead, a look at their highly detailed hall. When it comes to city living, making a small area look larger is everything.

With an eye for cool art and talent for combining textural woods and finishes, a cotemporary BDDW console holds a richly glazed Christopher Spitzmiller lamp (a favorite shape, and I am pleased to share I have recently joined his office), tiny painting on an easel, a pretty horn box and a mini bar. A photograph by one of my favorite Brit artists, Karen Knorr, ( I covered her work in-depth here) adds an exotic Indian locale to the mix.

A better look at the Karen Knorr.

A vase of fresh Lilacs mirrored the flower bouquets in their print for Duralee, Zulla in Sea Green. One of the best details of the room was the creative way they included a wide tape trim as a chair rail. A beautiful Houles fringey tape created a division from the printed section and the solid painted wall below.

And the "before" shot gives you a sense of how drastic the transformation really is.