Kips Bay Decorator Show House NYC 2023: 12 Mood-Boosting Decorating Ideas You'll Want to Try in Your Home

What’s your favorite place and why? When I was asked this question, I reached far back into my childhood memories, and recalled a grand home I visited with black and white checkered floors, a stately staircase, and high ceilings. There was something about the grandeur that appealed to me. It felt far removed from the suburban split-levels I was used to seeing, and I could fantasize about the wonderful life I thought people had in those homes. 

Whatever our favorite places are, they tend to be ones that trigger strong positive emotions, and wake up our senses. In fact, the most impactful rooms work hard to spark all five senses because we’re likely to remember and possibly be transported by them. The Favorite Place Guided Visualization exercise developed by design psychologist Toby Israel, invites us to visualize our favorite place and the objects in it using as many senses as possible. She writes, “Look carefully around…Notice the colors. The shapes…Pick it up if you want to…What do you hear?... Remember the smells around you…” All of this helps us more fully connect with favorite places, and we can use the elements in them to help boost our mood in our home. 

If you’re having difficulty recalling mood-boosting spaces, you can always expose yourself to the work of interior designers or decorators passionate about creating memorable spaces. Notably, the Kips Bay Show House never disappoints when it comes to well-designed, creative spaces with meticulous attention to detail. This year’s show house rooms were full of texture, sounds, colors, and tastes (we couldn’t eat the cupcakes there but I sure wanted to) that definitely boosted my mood. I took snapshots of 12 decorating ideas to try in your home—see if you can find more.

Add bits of fantasy

 If you’re looking for a room that feels like a cross between The Little Mermaid and Marie Antoinette, this is it. Designed by Sasha Bikoff of Sasha Bikoff Interior Design, the room is titled, Fantasy of Flight; and is exactly what you’d expect from a room inside a cozy seashell. The walls are covered in shades of effervescent pink and purple clouds; banquette seating covered in pink fur; and opulent drapes with bows. And that holographic clam shell bed is a definite showstopper. You can’t help but want to stare at every inch of the space.

One way to add a bit of fantasy into your space is to cover all four walls in a printed wallpaper, ala Bikoff style. Use a print that really speaks to you personally and preferably encourages daydreams. You can also opt for something more simple, like a large piece of artwork that captures your imagination.

Use more than one colored tile in a space

 Sometimes picking tile colors for a room is like eating potato chips, it’s hard to have just one. In this modern bathroom designed by Ahmad AbouZanat  of Project AZ, he used painted brick in two different colors to create boundaries between spaces. AbouZanat calls the bathroom “Untitled” to allow for the user’s “unbiased, emotional reaction”; and refers to an “ode to simplicity” and “a romantic, understated luxury.” It feels earthy and urban as the colors are drawn from the outside of the home.

The rust and white colored tiles creates visual symmetry and a sense of order that can possibly make you feel less stressed and hence, in a better mood. It’s great for smaller bathrooms as it creates the illusion of separate spaces without having to put up physical walls. If this is appealing, try separating your bathroom into sections using different colored tile in a similar manner. You can also install the same tile in different directions to create interest.

 Mix bold patterns

Mixing bold patterns can be challenging if you’re not sure whether they go well together. Mary McDonald of Mary McDonald Inc. Interior Design, does it in an awe-inspiring way that feels visually stimulating but not chaotic. She used an extravagant Shell Grotto wallpaper, against striped and geometric prints, and they all work together. Upon closer inspection, you see it isn’t just a random mashup of prints and patterns, but it’s all about being aware of scale and how the eye reads it.  

For instance, the busy printed wallpaper with large geometric shapes works well with smaller patterned or less busy fabrics in the room as the shapes do not compete, and the eye gets to take a break as it switches back and forth between prints. The eye also rests on solid fabrics throughout the room like the large area rug; the yellow chair, and the deluxe leather settee. To start, find two bold patterns samples you like, and put them side-by-side to get your gut reaction. If it feels like they could work together, figure out why. This will help to sharpen your eye.

 Add curved furniture and bright colors

According to research, curved lines are associated with comfort and friendliness, great elements for mood-boosting. And this bright, modern living room created by Ghislaine Vinas, has curves galore, a definite pick-me-up. Not surprisingly, she calls it the “Good Spirits” room. The curved theme carries throughout the space, from the curvilinear coffee table to the black circle on the ceiling which acts a kind of faux medallion for the light fixture.

I enjoy Vinas’ restrained, yet impactful use of color. Warm colors like this brilliant yellow coffee table tend to be energizing (think of the energy from the sun); the black and white accents are strong enough to match its energy; and the large black abstract geometric prints on the wall add more unexpected touches to the room. But there are also cool and neutral colors like the blue chairs and tan plaid printed walls that prevent the room from looking too severe.  And we can’t forget the large crying baby print. While some may not consider this a mood-booster, it creates really interesting tension that gives the room another jolt of energy. You can start by incorporating bright colored curved accents into your room to give it a boost.

Try patterned tiled floors

A room with patterned floors may very well brighten your day. Notably, straight, pointy shapes tend to be energizing, and can give you the right energy to start your day. This black and neutral-colored geometric patterned floor by Neal Beckstedt of Neal Beckstedt Studio would look great in an entryway or a bathroom. And it goes well with other patterns and textures like this stone patterned wall.

 Fill your table tops with items you love

You can easily go to any big box store and get trendy pieces to put on your tables; and while I love a good trend, it may not be as fulfilling. Decorating your home with objects you love is important to meeting psychological needs of love and belonging as well as aesthetic needs. This table top, created by David Scott of David Scott Interiors, has a worldly, traveled vibe. Take note of the ways the different heights, textures, and shapes create interest. And a shell tassel casually draped over books makes the vignette more dynamic. 

Give them something they can feel 

There’s something to be said for a room that makes you want to reach out and touch all the furnishings. That’s how I felt when I saw this cozy room designed by Kesha Franklin of Halden interiors. She calls it the Heart of the Vine room and describes Vine as “connection, strength, dedication, and friendship” all qualities that will bring joy even during difficult times.

The couch, pillows, and draperies were fully textured, creating an enveloping feeling of warmth. And the vine-like patterned green carpet, which Franklin designed for the Rug Company, along with the hand painted wall covering truly creates an enchanting experience. The palette adds depth to the room with soothing colors like dark green to pale yellow green. And again we see the emotional impact of an oversized photograph, a relatively inexpensive way to add drama. To add texture to your space, start with heavy draperies and pillows (they did wonders for Halden’s room) to create an abundant feel.

Create an emotional reaction with neutrals

When we think of mood-boosting rooms we tend to think of bright colors. But neutrals have their place too. Depending on your experience with neutral colors, it typically evokes a sense of calm and takes a back seat to the brighter colors in a room. But interior design duo, Sawyer and Berson of Sawyer Berson Architectural and Landscape Architecture created an entire room using neutral textures, including walls covered in neutral suede panels.  I felt intrigued by the room with its modern, understated, yet dramatic elements. I love the way the Old Master painting just captivates the space. Overall, a luxurious, restrained mood-booster. If you decide to try an all neutral room, make sure to include different textures and tones for interest.

Make your kitchen feel like a living space

They say the kitchen is the heart of the home; and even if you aren’t much of a  cook, you can still make it cozy. Wesley Moon of Wesley Moon Inc. put a couch in the kitchen, making it feel as cozy as any living room. Even if you don’t have room for a couch or settee, you can incorporate smaller furnishings like a table lamp or unexpected artwork to give it a homey feel. 

Try opulent details

Even in a largely modern room, including small opulent details can add a little extra something that livens up the space and your mood. Interior designer, Timothy Corrigan, used tassels, painted molding, and pleated fabric to create opulence. He calls the room “Spring Fever” and the florals and pastels definitely make it feel fresh and light. The dark green settee works perfectly well in the spring and the cooler months. 

Decorate your door

While walls get all the attention, doors can sometimes be neglected. But not by the designers at Yellow House Architects. They designed the lobby of the show house as well as this show-stopping bathroom they call “Enchanted Seduction Powder Room”. The textured floral patterned wallpaper engulfs the bathroom for a “wow, come see this” reaction. And did you peep the patent leather wall covering on the lobby walls? I couldn’t help but want to touch it, and think it would make a really cool door covering too. 

Create an art installation using books 

Using books as art isn’t new. But finding unexpected ways to use them requires flexibility and creativity. Interior designer, Jay Jeffers, painted a row of books on the bookshelf to blend seamlessly with the wall paint in this stylish library. It’s as if someone just painted the books with the wall; and feels edgy and fun— a great conversation starter for sure. Also, stacking the bookshelf with both books meant to be read and books as art feels really easy-going, and shows how a little ingenuity can bring joy into a study.