Meet the Kips Bay Designer: Tamara Feldman
The Miami Beach designer shapes a cinematic room at this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York
Born in Mexico City, Tamara Feldman was naturally influenced by its vibrant architecture, multifaceted culture, and deep-rooted history. In nearby Valle de Bravo, her mother built a home immersed into the landscape, and its zero limits to creativity strongly informed her career path, while her artist grandmother, whose soulful paintings were defined by the way she masterfully captured intricate details like the delicate embroidery of a tablecloth, has had an equally profound impact. Art came very naturally to Tamara, a lifelong painter herself.
Today, that unique upbringing, combined with her time living and studying in Tokyo, shape all of Tamara’s work. Her interiors organically meld the structure and clean lines of Japanese design with the warmth and layers upon layers of natural materials that populate Mexican aesthetics.
What was the inspiration for your room at this year’s Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York?
“My all-time favorite film is Great Expectations, the 1998 adaptation by Mexican director Alfonso Cuarón—who, coincidentally, worked on a film that my father produced in the 80s. The lush cinematography, the evocative and consistent use of green throughout, and the elegance of its Art Deco undertones have stayed with me for years. I was particularly captivated by the visual textures of Paradiso Perduto—the hauntingly beautiful home of Nora Dinsmoor. For Kips Bay, I set out to imagine a modern interpretation of her bathroom and vanity: a space layered with glamour, texture, and an echo of cinematic romance.”
Please tell us about a significant piece that helps shape the mood of your space.
“The centerpiece of the room is the Casino Royale mosaic by Donghia for Artistic Tile—making its debut at Kips Bay. Its intricate, interlocking pattern draws from the geometric traditions of 13th–16th century Andalusian architecture, while also nodding to the glamour and symmetry of the Art Deco period—a visual language central to my storytelling. The angular forms and rhythmic repetition create a dynamic sense of movement, while the bold contrast of colors, especially the deep malachite green, anchors the space with both drama and sophistication. This striking foundation not only grounds the design but also imbues it with timeless allure.”
How does your work for this Kips Bay project exemplify your style as a designer—or is it something entirely new for you?
“This room is a more daring, risk-taking interpretation of my design vision. My work is typically layered with rich visual textures—fluted stone walls, metal accents, and chiseled wood details—balanced with carefully measured color and crafted from the finest materials. For Kips Bay, I pushed these elements further, embracing bolder patterns, deeper hues, and heightened tactile contrasts. The result still carries my signature elegance, but with an intensified sense of drama and a spirit of fearless experimentation.”
What does it mean to you to be part of the 50th anniversary of the Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York?
“Hello… pinch me? Being part of the 50th anniversary of Kips Bay—no less than in New York, the true mecca of design in this part of the world—is an extraordinary honor. It’s exhilarating to present our work on such a celebrated stage and to anticipate the reactions to what we’ve created. Most of all, it’s profoundly meaningful to stand alongside such an inspiring community of talented design minds, all united in support of a cause that truly makes a difference.”