Earlier this week the Emily June Designs team hopped on an airplane to visit the 2nd annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Dallas. This Georgian estate underwent a total transformation by 26 different designers from across the country, and every room was absolutely stunning! Each room the we saw offered us inspiration in some way, and it was amazing to see so many talented designers having their work displayed in one house.

While seeing these spaces was a great experience, it was also fun to read about each designer’s inspiration for their individual spaces because it helps to understand the story that they are telling with their designs. The following designs are some of our favorites from this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Dallas!

Our friend and fellow color-lover Courtnay Tartt Elias with Creative Tonic designed the “Moulin Rouge Media Lounge”, and it is such an inspiring space! When we visited this space, Courtnay told us that with this design, she wanted to prove that a media room could be a multipurpose space. Instead of this media room being used just to watch movies, she wanted to create a space used for watching football games, hosting girl’s night, having drinks with friends, or enjoying a family game night! She definitely accomplished designing the ideal multipurpose media room. Not only is her use of color and pattern inspiring, but so is her thoughtful approach to space planning and functionality!

“I hope this room showcases that I am about the details just as much as the colors. My room is so deliberate in absolutely every single choice from each book in the bookcase to every piece of fringe and passementerie because I really want people to surround themselves with beautiful, meaningful things” -Courtnay Tartt Elias for Veranda Magazine.

“The Heimat” is the primary closet designed by Javier Burkle of Burkle Creative. This closet features a “his and hers” storage design along with a dressing area and a lounge area with a bar. Every single detail in this space was amazing, down to the trim around the doors and windows! Javier created a very layered design without cluttering the space with too many elements. The runner from OKA adds the perfect amount of color to the room, while the large mirror adds some drama (and the perfect opportunity for a mirror selfie)!

“I think we did a great job getting as much storage as we could with the space we had, as most people in Dallas with houses this size want more out of a closet than what we had to work with. It now feels like a very livable space. The most exciting part is the amount of textures that we could combine” -Javier Burkle for Veranda Magazine.

Corey Damen Jenkins has always been an inspiration to us, but his work in the show house’s dining room takes that inspiration to another level. “A Tent for New Beginnings” was inspired by old school dinner parties and features a ceiling tented with 200 yards of sapphire blue fabric. The ceiling alone was enough to take our breath away, but the rest of the design was truly amazing. Corey Damen Jenkins put a modern twist on this inherently traditional dining room design by displaying modern art and using marble with green veining details. While it is unusual to see a dining room with two tables instead of one large table, he did this to put a post-pandemic spin on the traditional approach to dining room design.

We were totally amazed by “A Study in Optimism” designed by Ken Fulk which included the house’s study, den, and screened porch. This room is a bar which is adjacent to the study, and features a lot of design elements inspired by the Art Deco era. The walls are covered in blue velvet which gives the room such a rich and luxurious feeling!

“I do happen to be madly in love with the Art Deco era … and it had me thinking about that period of time and the cult of beauty, the optimism, and storytelling nature that came out of that ear. I wanted to take that sense of historical context and reimagine it for rooms in 2021.” -Ken Fulk for Veranda Magazine.

“Menagerie Chinois” is the morning room designed by Dennis Brackeen that overlooks the backyard pool. This space is filled with natural light that highlights the whimsical colors and patterns that Dennis used. The closet was converted into a bar to make the room more versatile because even though it is a “morning room” it can be used for ay occasion since it is central to the home.

“The reason why the room is a bit whimsical is because I want people to smile when they walk in. It’s light and happy but still sophisticated and will leave you feeling like you’ve been somewhere new. I hope it whisks you away to memories of your own travels.” -Dennis Brakeen for Veranda Magazine.

Amanda Lantz of Lantz Collective designed the “Meet Me in the Family Retreat…” room. When we first walked into the room, our attention immediately went to the gallery wall under the stairs that was created using art from Amanda and her father’s collection. It is truly breath taking! The manner in which the art is hung is unique and leads people to take a second look at the focal point of the room. The Kravet wallpaper used int his space really draws your attention upward, making the room appear taller. The bold use of color in this space gives it a lively and playful vibe while still being sophisticated.

kips bay favorites