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Meet the Kips Bay Designer: Vicente Wolf

The New York designer will outfit the study at the 50th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York

By Jill Sieracki
Elegant bathroom with freestanding tub, purple walls, plants, sculpture, and framed art creating a luxurious and serene atmosphere.
For the 2019 Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York, Vicente Wolf crafted a room for a lady to luxuriate in using a Kohler tub and eggplant-colored walls accented with touches of gold and rich woods. Photo: Courtesy of Vicente Wolf

Admired for his discerning eye and singular point of view, Vicente Wolf has been a trailblazer in the design world since the 1980s. Renowned for bringing a global sensibility to understated luxury, he infuses each of his projects with a contemporary aesthetic enriched by authentic artifacts collected during his extensive travels.

From multinational corporate headquarters and private residences to boutique hotels, restaurants, country clubs, and signature product lines, Wolf and his team approach every project with a deep respect for simplicity, authenticity, and design integrity. A Cuban refugee who arrived in New York on his own, he has authored five books on interior design, most recently Creative Interior Solutions (Rizzoli), and teaches design courses at New York’s 92nd Street Y.

Man sitting and smiling, wearing a black t-shirt, with his head resting on his hand in front of a white curtain background.
Vicente Wolf. Photo: Courtesy of Vicente Wolf

What was your inspiration for your Kips Bay room? 
“The Peacock Room done by James McNeill Whistler at the turn of the century in London.”

Please tell us more about a significant piece of furniture, art, or accent that helps shape the mood of your space? 
“I found a pair of 18th-century French chairs upholstered in a beautiful damask that was the beginning of the color thread in the space.”

Modern dining room with white table, pastel chairs, large lamp, and decorative plants in a minimalist setting.
This Wolf project features a mixture of classic pieces like the Saarinen midcentury table, French 1940s chairs, custom Preston chairs from VW Home, and polished steel strips on the wall. Photo: Courtesy of Vicente Wolf

How does your work for the 50th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York exemplify your style as a designer–or is it just the opposite, something you have always wanted to try as a designer but haven’t found the client? 
“Doing Kips Bay offers the opportunity to try things that I would want to do, but most clients are not willing to take a leap of faith.” 

You have participated in Kips Bay before, what does it mean to you to be back?
“Working with Kips Bay means supporting an amazing cause that helps kids to see the possibilities that are available.”

Modern living room with large window view of lake, featuring minimalist furniture and gray sofa with decorative items.
A view of the water as seen through oversize window in a past Vicente Wolf project. Photo: Courtesy of Vicente Wolf
Modern dining room with white table, artistic chairs, graffiti-style wall art, and city view through large window.
Wolf curated a perfect room to have breakfast while enjoying artwork and a wonderful view of Central Park West utilizing an early 19th-century Italian sofa. Photo: Courtesy of Vicente Wolf
Modern living room with a cozy armchair, plush sofa, round wooden table, and soft ottoman, featuring abstract artwork on walls.
A sitting area off the main bedroom of a stupendous apartment in Miami Beach. A perfect spot for the lady of the house to practice her cello. Photo: Courtesy of Vicente Wolf

What does it mean to you to be part of the 50th anniversary of Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York? 
“I am honored and pleased to have been selected. My first Kips Bay room helped to launch my career, so it’s always a great experience to participate.”