Another Opening, Another Show (House) - White Webb Returns to Kips Bay

Following their highly acclaimed debut at the 2005 Kips Bay Decorator Show House, Matthew White and Frank Webb have been selected for a return engagement.

New York, NY (PRWEB) April 16, 2008 -- White Webb will design a room at the Granddaddy of them all -- the Kips Bay 2008 Decorator Show House in New York City. Opening to the public on April 24th at Manhattan House, this year's show house is sure to be a stand-out. Rather than the 19th century, gilt-edge townhouses of past years, Manhattan House is a 1960's white brick apartment building, famous for being an early New York home of Grace Kelly.

With an eye toward paired-down, but exotic style, Mr. White and Mr. Webb, along with their design team, will create a modern bedroom suite that evokes the glimmer of India through 21st century eyes. With sculptural antiques and sleek upholstery, the room will be swathed in calming tones of oyster, pewter and gold, blended with silver-leaf and the polish of acrylic. Jewel tones will be dotted here and there in a bit of lacquer or works of art. This spa-like bedroom suite will provide visual warmth and creature comforts while appearing to float above the rooftops of the urban landscape.

A primary focal point of the room will be a glittering bed alcove created by the California artist Clare Graham. Known for his work with recycled materials, Mr. Graham will create stunning wall panels veneered in a most unusual material - tin can lids! Ranging from silver to pewter and gold to bronze, the colors will give an astonishingly rich effect, quite in contrast to the lowly origin of the materials. At the center of the artist's "tin can boisserie", White Webb has designed a sumptuous bed, which will be upholstered in fine Donghia fabrics and outfitted with luxurious bed linens from Casa del Bianco. For a touch of privacy while maintaining openness to the Manhattan skyline, the windows will be dressed in a series of layered, sheer panels. By pairing two delicate Castel fabrics in simple, flat panels, the designers will lend a gauzy, veil-like appearance to the windows.

The generously scaled master suite will also include an intimate, library-like seating area complete with comfortable armchairs of White Webb's design, as well as an elegant, book-filled étagère and sleek reading lights by Laura Kirar for Baker Furniture. Underlying the seating area will be a gorgeous, antique Indian rug from Doris Leslie Blau. Its intricate, yet subtle, patterning and soft tones of gold and teal will literally blanket the room in refinement and comfort. The floor beneath the antique rug will be covered in a simple woven matting by Patterson, Flynn and Martin.

To bridge the sleeping and reading areas of the room, White Webb has created a custom writing desk in shades of deep aubergine, peacock blue and brilliant gold. Combining references to ancient Mughal architecture with refined modern styling, the desk embodies the artful blending of old and new - a White Webb signature. This technique is further exemplified by the duo's selection of artwork and accessories for the space. Juxtaposed with a contemporary abstract painting by Eric Aho will be a 12th century Indian sculpture of a heroic torso from Art of the Past. Stone planters and inlaid wooden trays from Odegard will share space with modern photography and glassworks by Seguso Viro. Study, writing and tranquil sleep are a few of the activities that this chic and sensual room will afford.

About Kips Bay
The Kips Bay Show House is widely considered the national interior design event of the year. It showcases the world's top designers in a way rarely seen elsewhere. For more information about Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club and this year's show house, visit www.kipsbay.org.

About White Webb
White Webb, LLC is an interior design firm with offices in New York City. The firm's principals, Matthew White and Frank Webb, bring a sense of history to every interior design project, but balance it with an appreciation for modern life. This blending of old and new is the hallmark of the White Webb sensibility. Whether working with major art and antiques in architecturally significant houses or creating a fantasy setting in the gallery world, White Webb approaches all projects with an eye toward the past and the future, and a touch of wit. For more information on White Webb, visit www.whitewebb.com.

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