Panic At Kips Bay!

Last Tuesday evening we had the privilege of attending the President's Preview and Black Tie Dinner for this year's Kips Bay Decorator Show House here in New York. For those who may not know, this is the premier Show House that showcases the ultimate in interior design from top designers and architects to help raise money for the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club. This year's house is in honor of design legend Albert Hadley, who at 88 still goes into the office every day. We had a chance to visit with the always gracious Mr. Hadley at the opening and he was full of gratitude and humbled by this latest design tribute, saying he was truly impressed with the fantastic work each designer had put into the show house. This year's event is staged in a grand and elegant neo-Italian Renaissance mansion that is one of the largest and most important townhouses in New York. Located at 22 East 71st Street, it's architecture alone is worth the price of admission (which at $30 is lot less expensive than the $75,000,000 price tag on the home). Of course the rooms are all decorated beautifully but one in particular that really excited us is from one of our favorite architects, William T. Georgis. We love a pretty room, but we're also huge fans of smart, clever design and Mr. Georgis' Panic Room covered all of the above. "Economic mayhem, global warfare, take your pick. We have to hunker down, and where we do so has to be chic and comfortable,” Gerogis said regarding his room. The small, dark, cavernous space is located in the basement and has no windows, but is full of other luxuries including a carved stone fireplace, fine European antiques, a bear skin rug, a stainless steel toilet and of course what every panic room needs, a disco ball! There is also an impressive collection of fine art in the room including a set of Richard Dupont nude sculptures. Dupont's work is often distorted in such a way that your eyes aren't exactly sure where to focus, delivering your senses a heaping dish of dizziness with an extra side of discombobulation (perhaps the original cause for panic!). “There’s oxygen, vodka, Marlboros,” Gerogis told the New York Times. “It’s heavily armed. Jodie Foster had none of this stuff." And clearly she didn't have nearly as much fun. Gerogis, who recently finished re-designing the lobby of the Lever House, also designed one of our favorite projects that Elle Decor published in March of 2008 (see images below). We adore his irreverent sense of humor but also recognize his extraordinary talent is no laughing matter. If you live in the city, make sure you stop by the Kip's Bay Decorator Showhouse to check out Mr. Gerogis' work as well as all of the other terrific rooms in this year's house. The show runs through May 17th and again admission is only $30. It's not only an amazing source of inspiration, it's also for an incredible cause. Lastly, we'd like to thank the New York Design Center for inviting us to the Preview Party and Dinner. We had a great group at our table including: Top Design's Eddie Ross, Heather Clausen from Habitually Chic, Sarah Medford from Town and Country, Interior Designers Joe Nye, Wayne Nathan from NathanEgan, the charming Paul Sisken, and Stephanie Odegard from Odegard Rugs. We had a wonderful time A.L. Thanks again and we can't wait to see you in the building soon! (upper photo by Raeanne Giovanni-Inoue for The New York Times and lower photos by William Waldron for Elle Decor.)