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Walking through this year’s Kips Bay Show House elicits two reactions: One, the amount of inspiration around every corner will make you want to redecorate, stat. And two, if you weren’t sure about wallpaper before, the pattern play on display in these rooms will convert you.
The townhouse’s dedication to showcasing the best of wallpaper starts dramatically on the staircase in the entryway. Richard Rabel’s deep blue design with a peacock-inspired applique kicks things off with a bang; the style envy continues all the way to the top floor, where Young Huh’s “artist loft”–inspired space stuns with a technicolor backdrop. From murals on the ceiling to custom de Gournay installations, there’s no shortage of wallpaper inspiration. Fortuitously, quite a few are available to purchase; here are our favorites.
The One with Moving Walls
“Truman Capote and Lee Radziwill would come here while a party is raging and have a little tete-a-tete, sneaking away for a little champagne,” says Jim Dove of the inspiration behind his “champagne bar” room on the first floor. With rich blue and brass features lending an overt opulence to the space (Dove says he wanted it to feel like the inside of a Fabergé egg), the wallpaper had to convey luxury. He chose an inky Schumacher print, whose wavy moiré pattern and textured feel make the walls look like they are moving.
Bring it home: Try it out in your dining room to lend some moody elegance to your next soiree.
The Classically Sophisticated One
According to Alice Engel, who leads the interior design department at Peter Pennoyer Architects (and designed this space), the entire impetus for the guest room’s design was this Schumacher wallpaper. Engel and Pennoyer fell in love with the elegant design, and livened it up through citron accents around the room—though we think special attention should be paid to the contrasting crown molding. Playing off the blue in the paper, it adds an unexpected bit of juxtaposition. “We designed [the room] for a houseguest coming in from Paris for the weekend,” says Engel of the room’s imaginary inhabitant.
Bring it home: The neutral colors and timeless design of this print make it perfect for a larger space, like a living room or office.
The One Made to Be Photographed
Bold colors, abstract shapes, and the odd botanical print all combine to make one totally jaw-dropping wallpaper. Young Huh used the Fromental paper to emphasize the tall ceilings in the loft by drawing the eye up with a punchy pattern. The attention to detail in this wallpaper almost makes it look hand-drawn.
Bring it home: Test this wallpaper in a powder room to bring a painterly touch to a smaller space.
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