2009 Kips Bay Show House Designer: Lichten Craig
by habituallychic
04 . 22 . 09
Right next to Kathy Abbott’s room at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House is a wonderfully chic sitting room and bedroom by Lichten Craig. I know I sound like a broken record but I really loved this room too! I think the fact that Lichten Craig is an architecture and design firm is the reason that their room is full of so many wonderful details, starting with the sitting room floor. When I was reading over their notes, I was amazed to find out that the custom oak floor in the radiating squares pattern was finished and cut off site! I guess they definitely measured twice and cut once since it looks beautiful and sets the stage for the dramatic double door entrance into the bedroom.
What I noticed about the door were not only the square polished nickel hardware that the doors were built around but also the sleek Art Deco Olive Knuckle hinges from Von Morris. I also appreciated that all the screws on the hinges lined up as well. It’s that attention to detail that will set a great architect or designer apart from the rest!
I also love that in the land of McMansions and cavernous bedrooms that this one feels cozy when you close the doors. I think it would make a perfect guestroom. The 1950’s abstract painting is second in the show by Steven Pace. The other is in Donald Schermerhorn’s room. It works well with the art in the sitting room which includes another abstract painting not seen in these photos.
What I thought was wallpaper is actually a silk cut velvet in a faux bois pattern from Schumacher that was used to upholster the walls. I have to tell you that I normally do not like cut velvet or faux bois (“fake wood”) but it looks great in this room. I’m also impressed when a designer can make me think twice about something I would have usually written off. The unglazed bisque double gourd lamps are by everyone’s favorite potter, Christopher Spitzmiller. I love the symmetry of the windows, lamps, bedside tables and benches at the end of the bed.
I think future Kips Bay Decorator Show Houses are going to have a lot to live up to since this one seems to be one of the best in many years. I am so happy that it introduced me to so many wonderful designers and I can’t wait to check out the Lichten Craig website to see what other chic homes they have created! 
21 Comments
I absolutely LOVE that black and white striped floor. It would even be amazing in a chevron pattern. To die for.
xoxo
Rebecca June
very nice! the floor is amazing, and while i love all things faux bois, i’m in agreement on cut velvet- never use it- but it is stunning on those walls, isn’t it?
thanks again, chic, for more great kip’s ba rooms!
As a show house hostess, I have to say this is my favorite room to host besides Dorothy’s room, it garners the most questions from visitors. I also love the rooms personally and intend to use this as my own bedroom inspiration.
Fabulous roudup on Kips Bay! I love reading through all of these posts. Thanks for putting it all together for those of us who can’t make it this year. Nice work as always.
Wow .. thanks for introducing Lichten Craig. Beautiful Bedroom, and sitting room. I’ll be checking out their website as well.
Vitania
Oh my lord, that is one of the most beautiful rooms I’ve seen in ages! I love the floor, the door AND the velvet on the walls – who would have thought!? Thanks for sharing…wish I could be there to soak it all up in person!
I really like his use of that off-white that has enough pigment in it to compliment the dark color. Very soothing- all the rooms and nicely balanced. In fact, I can see entering this space after a really bad day and being brought down a notch. There certainly is a dark coolness to the atmosphere. The only concern I would have is how long before the owner would want to feel UP -lifted via use of color. Do you think this look has longevity regarding mood?
I have to talk to my husband about that fabulous oak floor!!!!
I toured kips bay last week and this without question the chicest room in the house. It is definitely done by someone who knows what they’re doing. It’s brimming with fresh and glamorous ideas – just what I go to showhouses for. I spoke with an attendant to ask them what was on the ceilings and the sitting room walls and she said it was a mica glazed venetian plaster. It was so beautiful and different. So much more imaginative than just doing a white or cream ceiling. And those upholstered walls in that faux bois Schumacher velvet was perfectly done. Also they used a high gloss dark chocolate paint on the trim that added such a richness and luxurious to the spaces. It was beyond belief. Pity they didn’t have one of the larger areas I would really like to have seen what they could do to one of those. Drop dead chic rooms these!!! Thanks for sharing the pictures with us. It was great to feel that excitement again.
Wow, those wood floors are so amazing! What a great idea! I have to agree with you about the small cozy bedroom. Some of these master bedrooms in new houses are bigger than most living rooms and I don’t see how people can sleep comfortably in them. I prefer to be cacooned!
I love that floor. Love. That whole room is so symetrical. Love it. Thank you for sharing!
Love these rooms! So international in scope without being pretentious – perfection! Thanks for all of the great posts–keeping us up-to-date.
Wow, these interiors are grand and luxurious!
HC –
I love the simplicity of the bedroom.
vroom
After I had toured the entire house, this was one of the rooms that I returned to. I thought it would make a wonderful guest room – so soothing and well thought out. But, my favorite thing in the room was the tablescape on the right, and I was so happy that you took a picture of it! I am not ashamed to admit that I came home and rearranged the set up in my front hall to emulate the wonderful arrangement on the dresser in this room – the scale and proportions of all the items were perfect. Truly inspirational!
Couldn’t agree more that this is the most glamorous room in the show house. We were lucky enough to hire the talented architectural firm Lichten-Craig to redo our Park Avenue apartment six years ago shortly after they first hired Joel Woodard to do interior design. We had a ball, and ended up with the most gorgeous, timeless place. He’s the best.
LOVE the B&W floors. I really miss not being in NYC for Kips Bay this year. But you are doing an excellent job in sharing the experience. Thanks so much!
Utterly fabulous. I’m a broken record but I love blk & wh stripes. The faux bois wall covering looks stunning.
Very fun to see (:
I toured kips bay early this week and these two rooms just blew me away. They are the pinnacle of real chic. Every detail from that amazing floor to even the chic detailing on the bedspread had an incredibly beautiful execution. While the two spaces are medium sized I love that everything was scaled it. It pumped up the glamour quotient without being in any way overwhelming. I wonder who the genius is at that firm that came up with upholstering the walls in that velvet fabric? Why don’t magazines feature this kind of work? Thanks for sharing the great pictures.
Really, really beautiful. So polished and refined. That square floor and those upholstered walls are truly inspired design!! Love that silver-grey on the sitting room walls and ceilings! So much softer and atmospheric than just painting them. It’s a perfect example of how to do neutrals without being boring!!! The art is perfect for the vibe here!!! Thanks for sharing.
What I loved about these rooms was that while they are urbane and dramatic and very sophisticated, they don’t scream at you. It’s like being in a roomful of people and you just know who the most dapper or chic one is. I went thru the house twice and there was just something about these two rooms that was so refreshingly different from the rest!! Kudos to Lichten Craig! I hope to see more from you in the future!!