Trent Morse

The first thing to know about this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House is that somebody’s been smoking. Not actually smoking, presumably. But loose cigarettes appear on bathroom counters; vintage ashtrays turn up in lounges; matchboxes are everywhere, many free for the taking. There are Marlboro collectibles, snuffed-out butts and even a space conceived as a smoking room.

Photo by Maxime Brouillet In the primary suite of a largely neutral-toned Toronto home, EM Design Studio devised the kind of serene retreat that makes the distinction between bathing and living space seem arbitrary. Warm French Vanilla marble and Moroccan Tadelakt plaster enfold the bath in a tranquil palette. A bespoke Atelier Février rug, a Fair Design plaster side table, an Apparatus incense burner and Waterworks Henry fixtures add artisanal notes without disturbing the calm.

Memento 7, 2010, by Olga de Amaral hangs on the wall at Heather James Fine Art. “Photos really can’t capture it!” says Jenna Grotelueschen, marketing director at Heather James Fine Art, referring to Olga de Amaral’s Memento 7 (2010). “The gold leaf catches light differently with every step you take around the piece, so it is very dynamic in the room. It’s less like looking at a static object and more like watching light move through water.” That’s a lot to ask of a textile.