The Artistic Digest | Kips Bay New York 2023

The return of the Kips Bay Show House to New York is a major occasion in the world of interior design. This year’s house is an Upper West Side beaux arts beauty: River House, designed over a century ago by Robert D. Kohn for Shakespearean actress Julia Marlowe. The house has lived many lives since,

but its marvelous architectural sweep now provides a spectacular showcase for

the best in luxury design: Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Artistic Tile is

honored to be featured in three spaces: Drawing Room by Neal Beckstedt Studio;

a Bathroom and Closet by Shanna Gatanis of Design Studio 15;

and Primary Bedroom and Hallway by Sasha Bikoff.

“My first design move was the floor.

I wanted a very strong statement.

I thought immediately of Artistic Tile, and their amazing selection of mosaics! We had the equally amazing opportunity to super-scale an existing mosaic, and then to select a special palette of three colorful stones: I was drawn to Limone Marmi, Rosa Perlino and Verdi Alpi. That palette influenced every other choice in the space.” To riff off the three stones on the floor that leads from the stair landing to the intimate space that he envisioned as an architect’s drawing room, Neal chose a stunning slab for two adjacent walls, exotic Breccia Scoppio, with its peachy pink ground, deep yellow clasts and dark merlot veins. The combined impact of the mosaic and the slab creates an unusual space: an upper floor foyer of real design power,

with diverse inspiration.

This grand old house had many spaces

with equally grand architectural details, but Shanna’s bathroom wasn’t one of them.

“We had to build our own character – it was a blank slate! We took the room down to the studs. I went to the Artistic Tile Flagship Showroom, and saw Pinnacle Fête Nero, which became the inspiration for the entire room!”Shanna’s delight in this architectonic material led her quickly to two coordinating tiles, both using the ancient technique of terrazzo: Veronese Multi Colore, which features marble in warm and cool neutrals and the glow of violet and green Lepidolite; and darkly enticing Venezia Black.