Video: The 2025 Holiday House Tabletop Design Event at The Colony
Video: The 2025 Holiday House Tabletop Design Event at The Colony featured over 15 leading designers showcasing cutting-edge designs.
The 2025 Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach is truly a garden house, and not just because of its balconies, loggias, porches and covered terraces overlooking a pool patio highlighted by lush landscaping. The garden theme continues inside, where rooms dazzle in a bouquet of rich colors and a profusion of botanical patterns and trellises on walls, fabrics and floors.
Showcasing the work of 23 designers, the eighth edition of the show house benefits the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County and the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club in New York City, where the first Kips Bay show house opened in 1973. Since then, the project has raised more than $29 million for after-school and enrichment programs for children, according to organizers.
The setting this year is a 1937-era, red-brick house overlooking the Intracoastal Waterway and Providencia Park at 1125 N. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach. The fundraiser is open for tours 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Sundays through March 16. General admission is $50 via advance ticket purchase and $60 at the door if available. Ticket and admission details are available at KipsBayDecoratorShowHouse.org.
Here’s a room-by-room tour filled with organically inspired delights, starting on the ground floor and then heading into the courtyard garden before taking the curved staircase to the second floor and making a stop at the guesthouse.
ON THE FIRST FLOOR . . .
Dining room, by Bierly Drake and Steele Inc.
Palm Beach designers William Bainbridge Steele and Christopher Drake envisioned a “Jardin Botanique” garden of botanical ferns for their dining room in the heart of the house’s L-shaped layout.
For drama, they coffered the ceiling to enhance the room’s existing moldings, and for the color palette, they decided on black, white and greens. For the dominant green, the designers turned to Brad Brooks of Brooks Painting Inc. in West Palm Beach, who suggested a green often used by Palm Beach first-generation architect and decorator Addison Mizner, explains Drake. The color was “fresh and represented Palm Beach, but was not the typical parrot green,” Drake says.
In addition to their architectural statements, the design team also displayed colorful and well-lighted artwork representative of Palm Beach, including work by Orville Bulman from Findlay Galleries and a painting by William Skillings from a New York gallery. “They are very exciting and just pop off the wall, which is not easy to do with the Sanderson (palm-frond-theme) wall covering, Jardin Exotique,” says Drake says.
Adds Steele: “We split the dining room into two areas with a pair of octagonal tables, (paired with) banquettes and armless chairs — and in between is a skirted table. We felt that a long table would be predictable, and we wanted to take a fresh approach.”
Living room, by Marshall Watson & Reid Deane Ganes Interiors
In one of the largest rooms in the house, New York City-based designers Marshall Watson and Kate Reid, along with Alissa Deane and Mercedes Ganes, celebrate the Golden Age of Palm Beach of the 1920s and ’30s. “We came across the Art Deco-style mural wallpaper from Iksel,” says Deane. “It takes center stage and everything in the room complements it and is informed by it.”
Lacquered surfaces and vibrant colors incorporate an unexpected color scheme of mint green, teal, burgundy, camel and cream. Whimsical fabrics and hand-stenciled patterns on the ceiling and rug, along with details of bamboo and rattan, give the room a playful but polished look.
“When thinking about Palm Beach, you think of pastels and seashells,” Deane says. “But we wanted the living room to feel elevated and sophisticated with a modern twist. To accommodate all types of people, especially growing families, we incorporated a few seating areas, a comfortable sofa with modern club chairs, a dining table and a decoupage backgammon table, to name a few of the pieces.”
Vestibule and foyer, by Leta Austin Foster & Daughters Inc.
Palm Beach designer Leta Austin Foster, with daughters Sallie Giordano and India Foster, envisioned their vestibule and foyer as a classic winter garden. When visitors enter the vestibule, a skirted table set with china and silver catches the eye, Foster says.
“There are plants on the marble console under the window, and plants in the corners of the room, so it looks like a greenhouse where you can eat,” she adds.
The ceiling, painted a soft gray/blue, is layered with trellis. The adjacent foyer, meanwhile, is wallpapered in Honeysuckle Trellis grass-cloth from Leta Foster’s collection at Waterhouse Wallhangings.
Bar, by Robin Henry Studio
Repurposing the home’s bar, designer Robin Henry, whose firm is in New York City, says she re-envisioned the space to be a ladylike aperitif “Blossom Bar.”
“It’s a bright happy space, right off the living room with a nice view facing the water,” she says. For her starting point, she chose a graphic wallpaper with an 1810-era pattern to create the mood she had in mind. She also reimagined the style of the existing bar.
“It was a traditional bar, but the back bar was kind of a big wall, and I thought: That’s too much booze.” So she created a Rococo-inspired backboard embellished with felt and ribbon and featuring plaster brackets to display the bottles for what she says is a far more attractive and interesting look.
Sitting room and powder room, by Shakoor Interiors
Designer Erin Shakoor of Chicago calls her combined space “The Continuum,” which she says “references the concept of never-ending because of the sitting room’s rounded shape.”
Envisioning this cozy space for a couple who are attracted to sculpture and textiles, she blended those aspects with Art Deco- and Brutalist-style design elements. “The theme is avant-garde, rooted in the couple’s art collecting and dynamic ideas of living harmoniously,” Shakoor says.
Kitchen, by Rajni Alex Design
Rajni Alex, who has design studios in Boca Raton and Bronxville, New York, envisioned her kitchen — with an adjacent hallway, laundry and breakfast room — as a “nicely packaged space” that she calls the “He(ART) of the Home.”
“This is my dream kitchen,” Alex says. “When you do a show house, you have the luxury of designing what your heart desires” — and it didn’t hurt when sponsors provided her with top-quality marble, appliances, countertops and carpet. “Budget was secondary,” she says. “Aesthetics with functionality was the front driver.”
While Alex was impressed with the home’s overall architecture, she felt the kitchen area was cramped. “In this home’s era, the kitchen was where people (simply) cooked. I wanted to bring it to today’s way of living and make it luxurious, relevant and the heart of the home.”
To marry traditional and modern, her self-described “Today” kitchen features a jewel-toned brown palette, Shaker-style cabinetry, contemporary hardware, a sculptural modern-style island and a focal-point range hood, hand-finished by German Ayestasin Venetian plaster to look like brass.
Sitting room, by Amanda Reynal Interiors
Designer Amanda Reynaltitled her sitting room “The Lilly Pad” in homage to Palm Beach fashion icon Lilly Pulitzer. The room’s wall covering and almost all the fabrics were drawn from a new collection, Lilly Pulitzer for Lee Joffa, explains the West Palm Beach designer, who also has a studio in West Des Moines, Iowa.
“Designing a room is different than designing a dress that you take off at night,” says Reynal, whose room was featured in a previous article in the Palm Beach Daily News. “I aimed for the room to stand the test of time and feel comfortable day after day.”
Interior recreation area, by MONIOMI Design
Miami-based designers Ronald Alvarez and Monica Santayana created “11:11,” a trio of spaces comprising a spacious rec room and an accompanying hallway and bathroom. The designers showcased some of their “Made by MONIOMI” pieces: a marble-and-onyx ping-pong table, a domino game table, custom basketball hoops, tiered stools and their Umpire Bar Cabinet and Bench.
Eschewing tradition, they gave the rec room a feminine twist with mauves, burgundies and rusts. The cabana bathroom radiates a moody vibe, with a color palette inspired by florals, while the entire hallway is enveloped in cowhide.
“Our challenge was to inject all of the features and amenities to assure the perfect lounge experience with an elevated level of luxury,” Santayana says. “We wanted to create a more exclusive members club vibe, providing all of the amenities for the perfect game night,” Alvarez adds.
IN THE GARDENS . . .
Porch and foyer, by Louise W. Cronan Interior Decoration
West Palm Beach-based designer Louise Cronan created her “Parkside Veranda” — a front porch facing a side street — as a place where the homeowners might sip an afternoon drink while looking at Providencia Park. Amid ferns, hanging planters and topiaries, a pair of McGuire rattan butterfly chairs anchor the space.
The door opens into a foyer, where an existing metalwork piece with birds of paradise is encased within a round window. The piece inspired artist Chuck Fischer’s mural, depicting birds of paradise intertwined with Australian tree ferns, nods at the natural beauty of the landscape.
Pool courtyard, by Garden 26 Landscape Design
Landscape architect Helen Lambrakis and landscape designer Erik Moraillon, both of New York City, named their pool courtyard “Green Bliss: A Retreat into Nature.” The idea, they say, was to install tropical plants to create a haven of tranquility with a sense of coziness. “We first had to work with what was given to us, and we were lucky,” Moraillon says. “There’s a beautiful banyan tree, and the pool has a distinctive (L-)shape.” While the existing area was inviting, overall, the pool terrace was exposed, he says. “There was no sense of exploration, so we created a sense of discovery as well as a sense of wellness, comfort and the feeling of being protected.” To do that, they created different “moments” within the garden: a fire pit, reading nooks, a yoga pad, a dining area and benches along the pool.
Poolside lanai, by Oxford Design
Tampa-based designers Tate Casper and Jordan Winston’s “Poolside Perch,” as they named it, is a lanai that serves as an indoor/outdoor extension of the home. “We envisioned that the Palm Beach woman who occupies this house would entertain her friends on our lanai,” Tate says.
The color scheme of green, pink and blue has pops of yellow, punctuated by a red-and-white umbrella and drapery of blue-and-white ticking, “We started with (iconic designer) Billy Baldwin’s collection of furniture — a canopied bed, tuxedo sofa and armless settee,” Jordan adds. An antique verdigris-finished baker’s rack supports plants in terracotta pots and, thanks to the cocktail accessories, serves as an outdoor bar.
Cabana lounge and summer kitchen, by Meg Lonergan Interiors
For her “Between Two Realms” cabana lounge and summer kitchen, Houston designer Meg Lonergan was challenged by a 75-foot-long red-brick wall that runs the length of the first-floor porch facing the courtyard. “I was overwhelmed with how to decorate the length of that wall while making it interesting, so I decided to drape the whole space, which made it cohesive, cozy, softer and a bit theatrical.”
Interested in Greek mythology and wanting to make her lounge luxurious, Lonergan says she chose to be guided by Greek Revival references. The image of Persephone, the goddess of spring, is painted on burlap on the ceiling, and pomegranates also are featured in the space.
Other noteworthy items include a Tree of Life element crafted out of shells by artist Sheema Muneer, a custom Helios Table with an eight-pointed sun design, and panels with custom tracery that edge the ceiling and incorporates Greek design motifs.
ON THE SECOND FLOOR . . .
Stair hall, stairwell and landing, by Nikki Levy Interiors
Boca Raton designer Nikki Levy says she wanted to reflect a continuum of moods of the moment in her “Atelier Botanica” space. “It’s such a long expanse (that) it’s almost a journey of self-discovery,” she says. “Interior design is not just about pretty things but can reflect different moods and vibes — and who we are on the inside. It’s meaningful.” The moods she sought to capture in her space, she says, move from soft, dreamy and contemplative, to hard, fun, and quirky. As such, the color palette varies, too, from deep purple to orange and teal, with ombres in between. Representative of the self-discovery journey, secluded in the alcove under the stairs is a secret garden.
Primary bedroom, by David Mitchell Brown
Creating the bedroom of his dreams, from sunset to sunrise, was a dream come true, says Palm Beach designer David Mitchell Brown, who goes by “Mitch.” His space, named “Worth Every Peony,” is large enough to accommodate the moods, spectrum of colors and energies from the time day breaks until nightfall, he says.
“Sunrise is on one side. The blue peonies are my idea of a beautiful garden and the warm blue skies of sunrise. It’s energizing, exciting and peps you up,” Brown explains. On the opposite side of the room, the tranquil color of seashells recalls the sunset’s glow.
The artwork above the bed in the center of the rear wall is key to the space. “The painting by Simeon Braguin from Findlay Galleries is soft and energizing at the same time,” he adds.
Primary bedroom’s dressing room and terrace, by Kristin Paton Interiors
In her woman’s dressing room, named the “Jewel of the Nile,” and the adjoining terrace, titled “The Gentleman of the Jungle,” Boston designer Kristin Paton envisioned the woman of the house, after dressing for the evening, joining her awaiting husband on the balcony.
Paton gave the dressing room an Anglo-Indian vibe. “The white carved elephant console from F.S. Henemader (in Palm Beach) was the inspiration. It’s beautiful and very elegant.” The terrace overlooking the pool is a “a little more ‘Monkey Bar-esque’ and playful,” with a console supported by sculpted swans and, above it, a shell-encrusted mirror.
Primary bedroom’s bathroom, by Laure Nell Interiors
French-born designer Laetitia Laurent, who now works from Boca Raton, envisioned the bathroom of the main bedroom suite as Les Coulisses, which roughly translates to “backstage,” she explains. The idea was to create a space to accommodate “rituals, where you get ready for the night ahead,” Laurent says.
Overall, she says, the space is “sexy, moody and boudoir-like combined with the notion of travel.”
A custom-made plaster bas-relief panel serves as a focal point. “It’s ‘jungle-esque,’ inspired by my Parisian background and my trip to Africa, and the tub is wrapped in leather, like a Luis Vuitton or Govard trunk, playing off the travel feel,” she says.
Primary bedroom’s sitting room, by Caroline Gidiere Design
Atlanta designer Caroline Gidiere took inspiration for her sitting room from a famous dressing room designed by the late Frances Elkins and a pink bedroom created by late Billy Baldwin for the late Lee Radziwill. Gidiere also playfully named the room: “The Ladies Club of Palm Beach.”
“There are so many well-known private clubs in Palm Beach,” Gidiere says, “and this sitting room is where a lady might take coffee after a luncheon or (have a) cocktail before dinner, or a place she might go to write a note.” With that in mind, furnishings and accessories include skirted slipper chairs, a small bar, a writing desk, bookshelves, a coffee service and a pink rotary phone.
Her room could be from the 1904s, ’70s, ’80s or today, she says. “The design doesn’t speak to a moment in time. It’s very feminine and feels very Palm Beachy to me.”
Balcony, by Amal Kapen Interiors
Designer Amal Kapen of Cold Spring Harbor, New York, created a balcony named “Meet Me at the Casbah” as a tribute to what she loves most about Florida design. “It’s happy — an ‘Addison Mizner-esque’ design mixed in a whimsical way with what I call ‘Mid-century Regency,’ blending Mediterranean style with a resort flair,” she says. To interpret the style, she used rattan and bamboo and then added bright colors: blue, green, coral, aqua and yellow mixed with brown and natural elements. “I based my balcony over the pool on an Arab courtyard, adding trelliage and Moroccan elements and motifs like the Alhambra lanterns,” Kapen says.
Guest suite, by B. Berry Interiors
With studios in Charleston, South Carolina, and New York City, Betsy Berry asked herself what she would prefer if she were invited to stay in the house’s guest suite. And what she would want, she decided, was a room that was “an Old-World classic, a beautiful retreat.”
Following her vision, she chose a hand-painted Gracie wallcovering with a deep-olive background overlaid with creamy silhouettes of trees and flowers. “It gave the room depth and made it a cozy escape,” she says. The cream color is found throughout the room, most notably in the fabric used for the draperies and the panels of the canopy bed. Meanwhile, punches of chartreuse create contrast and surprise.
And to add interest underfoot, she selected a patterned textural abaca rug.
Guest suite, by Mally Skok Design
Palm Beach designer Mally Skok, who also has a studio in Boston, envisioned her guest bedroom as a “Gentleman’s Retreat” that would showcase “Shantaram,” one of the fabrics in her new collection. “I am a fan of what the millennials call the ‘full drip’ — using the same fabric on the curtains and companion wallpaper,” she explains.
The interesting young man she envisions occupying her room would have recently returned from India, she adds, and enjoys traveling and collecting. “So I delved into my found collections for things that had a heavy masculine energy to put on the bookshelves, and I had the opportunity to add (fabrics from) some of my other collections that have masculine energy, on the headboard and chair.”
IN THE GUESTHOUSE . . .
Lounge area, by Nellie Howard Ossi Interiors
For her “Getaway Lounge,” which leads to the guesthouse, designer Nellie Howard Ossi — principal of her namesake Jacksonville Beach firm — created a flex place for guests to work and play as well as a retreat for members of the household.
“An asymmetrical space with angles, I started with the wallpaper because I wanted to use matching fabric. The wallpaper is a beautiful block-print-and-trellis pattern representative of my style,” she says.
A fun element is a bar hidden within a closet “so that any hour could be happy hour,” she says, pointing out how the bar’s landscape-design wallpaper contrasts with the rest of the space.
Sitting room, by Indigo Pruitt Design Studio
Charlotte, North-Carolina-based designer Marie Cloud of Indigo Pruitt Design Studio wanted to activate the senses of those who enter her “Renewal Retreat” sitting room, so she used lavender, sage and rosemary as the basis of her color palette.
“I wanted the room to be calming and refreshing,” Cloud says. Lavender, which provides the backdrop for various shades of green, “feels coastal but grounded,” she adds. “I also added a little punch of chartreuse, which is exciting and unexpected when paired with those sophisticated tones.”
Rounded shapes are another constant in her room: “I love the soft circular shape. It keeps the eye moving within the space.”
Guest bathroom, by House of Clark Interiors
An aficionado of marble, designer Kelly Collier-Clark chose slabs of marble as starting points for her guest bathroom. A marble named Arabescato Corchia is the star of the room, says the designer, who is based in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. “It completely wraps the shower and envelops the walls.”
Her custom vanity is fashioned from fluted tundra stone with an integrated Silestone sink.
The Kips Bay Show Decorator Show House
If you go to the show house:
Location: 1125 N. Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Sunday through March 16.
Price: General admission is $50 via advance ticket purchase and $60 at the door if available. Ticket and admission details are available at KipsBayDecoratorShowHouse.org.
For more than 20 years, Christine Davis has written about real estate, interior design and related topics for the Palm Beach Daily News.
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