Meet the Kips Bay Designer: Cathy Purple Cherry
The Purple Cherry Architects principal transforms the staircase and landings at the Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York
The founder and principal of Purple Cherry Architects, an award-winning residential architecture and interior design firm, Cathy Purple Cherry is the author of The Design of a Country Estate (Gibbs Smith), a comprehensive tome that showcases a manor home with eight companion buildings on Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Her namesake architectural studio has been devoted to creating luxurious residences across the United States for more than 30 years. Whether a home is traditional or contemporary, a multigenerational estate or a weekend getaway, the team is guided by a desire to conceive exceptional spaces.
What was the inspiration for your room at this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York?
“My inspiration for the space began with a striking, large-scale bloom wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries. I sought a print with bold proportions that could make a powerful visual statement, especially in our three-story stairwell where the limited floor area called for impact through vertical drama. I also drew inspiration from art and designed the walls adorned with pieces that tell a story—one that gradually unfolds with each step upward, inviting visitors to experience the narrative as they ascend.”
Please tell us about a significant piece that helps shape the mood of your space.
“Hand-blown bubble glass pendants by Hector Finch cascade through all three levels, creating a dramatic vertical installation. Brass flower wall sconces punctuate the walls adding a sculptural element, while a gradient, multi-colored runner that flows continuously from top to bottom amplifies the stairwell’s sense of drama.”
How does your work for this Kips Bay project 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?
“Our residential work often calls for a certain restraint, tailored to the rhythms of everyday life. Through my experience in hospitality and retail design, however, I know that fearlessness is its own form of allure—bold gestures and unexpected details stop people in their tracks. Here, with no traditional room to anchor us, but rather a soaring stairwell, we saw an opportunity to break from convention and craft something deliberately unanticipated, a design meant to surprise at every turn.”
What are you most looking forward to in the experience?
“This marks our first participation in Kips Bay New York. I’m most looking forward to the response to our design, and am hoping that it is well received, recognizing that it will be different. I’m equally excited to connect with new acquaintances from both near and far.”
What does it mean to you to be part of the 50th anniversary of Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York?
“To be part of the 50th anniversary of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York is both an honor and a milestone. The event is a celebration of design at its highest level, a place where creativity is not only showcased but also fuels a greater purpose in supporting the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. Being included among such a talented group of designers in this landmark year feels especially meaningful. It’s an opportunity to contribute to a legacy of innovation, inspiration, and generosity, while adding our own voice to a half-century of extraordinary design stories.”