2009 Kips Bay Show House Designer: Donald Schermerhorn
by habituallychic
04 . 16 . 09
The best way to tour the Kips Bay Decorator Show House this year is to take the elevator up to the 5th floor and work your way down. Give yourself plenty of time because there is a lot to see! Everyone I’ve spoken with agrees that it is the best show house in years and there is something to love about each room. Another one of my favorites is the 5th floor room designed by Donald Shermerhorn. I actually felt bad that I had never heard of Mr. Shermerhorn before because he is such a wonderful designer but that’s what is so great about a show house. They introduce you to interior designers who you may not be familiar with and it’s great for giving them the exposure that they deserve!
The rooms on the 5th floor were once the office of a gallery, more on that later, and were devoid of any architectural details so the designers had to get creative. I love that Mr. Shermerhorn created a shiny modern box which he then filled with a mix of antiques and modern art. I really love this type of mixing of periods and styles and could have spent all day in this room. The show houses are also full of fabulous ideas to take away like floating the bed in the middle of the room. I would never have thought of such an idea but now that I’ve seen it in person and how beautiful it looks, I might just have to try it for one of my clients.
Even though the colors in the room are mauves and ivories, it is a room that balances the masculine and feminine so perfectly, that I think anyone would feel comfortable in this space. The lovely George III tea table can be used for eating or working and I love the sitting area by the fireplace for reading with the large abstract painting by Stephen Pace (available through the Katharina Rich Perlow Gallery) behind it. What’s funny is that another designer in the show house also uses a Stephen Pace painting in his room and there is a lot of other abstract paintings used this year. The house is full of wonderful coincidences that help the flow.
What I love most about this room is how serene it feels. The pieces don’t jump out at you but are quiet and elegant. When you look around is when you start to notice all the wonderful details and they all perfectly relate to one another. The antique oriental rug from Stark also helps to pull everything together as well. I have a feeling that we are going to be hearing a lot about Donald Shermerhorn in the future and I can’t wait to see more from him!
13 Comments
Hi ,
I agree a very serene and placid room.Really enjoyed seeing the work of Donald Shermerhorn.
it is a beautiful space -i was just talking with scott at domicidal maniac about studios and daybeds and this is a great solution -i’ll have to send him this post!
I love how he used matte paint on the walls(or is it wallpaper?) with a glossy ceiling of the same color – such a great look!
HC –
Thanks for, as always, giving me a glimpse of someone who is creatively brillant!
Keep up the good works!
style perks
The room is gorgeous…reminds me of my favorite hot chocolate. What really captured my attention was the flowers. Beautiful arrangement!
Great mix of colours – thanks for introducing us all to another fabulous new (or new to us) designer!
Thank you for sharing with us this week some of the 2009 Kips Bay Decorator Show House rooms. For those of us in the Midwest, it is the only look we’ll get at some of the best and upcoming decorator talent in the country.
Connie
I love floating beds; it is a little strange feeling sleeping in one though…..
Donald has been my decorator for 15 years. In the several apartments and homes he has decorated for me, his keen eye and gentle manner have produced
beautiful, serene interiors that are always the envy of my friends and guests. The key to Donald’s interiors is that they do not scream “decorator”. They are beautifully thought out and designed without being ostentatious or “trying to hard”. I will always employ Mr. Schermerhorn for my decorating needs as he truly understands the way I live and the serenity I desire for living life the way I want.
This room is the one that caught my eye in the NYT story about Kipps Bay, so it was wonderful to see all these other views. Thanks!
To rise and shine and be able to exit on both sides of that day bed, certainly do give one the option of having a “good side of the bed” day! I loved the color.
Such a collection of serenity.
Thanks to your blog, I was able to visit the Kips Bay Showhouse last weekend (I was in NYC for a long weekend). It was wonderful, and luckily someone gave me the tip to start from the top and work my way down. This room by Donald Shermerhorn was one of my favorites – so soothing and sophisticated.
Clean and comfortable. A very mauvey palatte which is very warm.
I found some awesome designs at http://7×7.com/content/design/7×7-designers-challenge-and-winner
totally worth a look.
I am probably one of the few people who have seen the Kips Bay showhouse since it’s inception in the 70’s, and always leave with my journal crammed with notes.
The Schermerhorn bedroom was thoughtful, very serene and designed well. The color palette was a huge relief from the strident tones of several other rooms.
Many of the rooms and common areas this year from Montoya’s room on the first, the Corcoran landing on the second floor and the Flesher bathroom on the third were especially well done. The Gloria Vanderbilt bedroom was also quite beautiful with the silver leaf paper and worked well off the Bergreen sitting area. I liked the art gallery too.
Overall, the best house in years!