Welcome to TGP Tidbits where we round up the happenings and our musings of the design industry each week. This week we take a look at Nantucket by Design, a £10 Vintage Train Ride, and Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York. Written by Natalie Aldridge.
Nantucket by Design
Designers and aficionados alike have just returned from a dreamy stretch of island time, with salt in the air and design on the brain, for Nantucket by Design, the annual celebration hosted by the Nantucket Historical Association. From elegant garden parties to thought-provoking panels, it was a sun-soaked swirl of creativity, conversation, and coastal charm. We’re charmed by the beautiful moments captured from the week’s events.
Photographs courtesy of Michael Blanchard, Emily Elisabeth, Bill Hoenk, and Georgie Morley.
The week kicked off in style with the Opening Night Party at The Nantucket Hotel, where guests sipped cocktails and enjoyed the kick-off to a week of design on island. Throughout the event, the island’s most beautiful venues, from the iconic White Elephant to the historic Hadwen House, played host to an inspiring lineup of speakers, luncheons, and pop-ups. The Design Luncheon featured design luminary Patrick Frey of Pierre Frey, in conversation with Stacey Bewkes of Quintessence.
More highlight moments included panels exploring textiles, global fashion and design, and Nantucket’s design heritage with some of the industry’s top talent. Intimate gathering included this harbor-side private dinner hosted by NHA Board Member, Connie Anne Harris. Other notable offerings included hands-on workshops celebrating historic crafts at the NHA’s property, Greater Light, in partnership with Alpha Kilo.
And then there was Martha Stewart with her bestselling Gardening Handbook. In one of the week’s most talked-about events, a garden dinner was hosted in her honor, complete with topiaries, green linens, and Garden Gimlets. It was every bit as layered, lush, and elegant as you’d expect. Very Martha, and very Nantucket.
Nantucket by Design continues to be one of the season’s most delightful intersections of history, heritage, and high style. We are already counting down to next year.
Nantucket by Design continues to be one of the season’s most delightful intersections of history, heritage, and high style. We are already counting down to next year.
A Glamorous Return to the Golden Age of Travel
This summer, a bit of transport nostalgia is steaming its way back into our hearts and onto our itineraries. In an inspired collaboration with Uber, the legendary Golden Arrow Pullman train is once again gliding along the English countryside, offering guests a rare chance to step back into the golden age of travel for just £10.
Originally launched in 1929, the Golden Arrow carried well-heeled passengers from London to Dover, where they would continue on to Paris in high style. Today’s revival retains every inch of that historic glamour, as depicted in the likes of Downton Abbey and Poirot. Think plush Art Deco interiors, gleaming wood paneling, and the romance of dining in motion, complete with a three-course, wine-paired luncheon and live violin performances en route.
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Dubbed The Grape British Railway, this limited-time experience includes a vineyard visit in Sussex, an elegant onboard meal inspired by local produce, and a welcome return to the kind of travel that favors charm over speed.
At The Glam Pad, we long for this very sort of beauty and civility. Travel as it should be, where the journey itself is part of the delight. The Golden Arrow reminds us that true elegance lies in the details, and that a bit of pageantry never goes out of style.
It is a rare opportunity to trade the everyday for something altogether more cinematic, and with tickets priced at a mere £10, it feels like the most stylish steal of the season. Tickets for this once in a life time event are exceptionally limited. The next ticket drop opens August 11th at 10am GMT here. Set your alarm!
Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York
The grand dame of show houses is back. After a brief postponement earlier this year, the 50th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House New York will open to the public this fall from September 30th to October 19th, and it promises to be one for the books.
This year’s edition will take over a magnificent 9,000-square-foot townhouse in the heart of Greenwich Village, a true architectural jewel box. Built in 1900, the eight-bedroom brick and stone beauty is peak old New York glamour, with all the trimmings: 13-foot ceilings, seven wood-burning fireplaces, a parlor floor suite, and a soaring conservatory great room that begs for a soirée.
There’s even an original Otis elevator for a proper grand entrance, plus multiple private terraces and a garden lush enough to make you forget you’re in the middle of Manhattan. In short, it’s a dream and the perfect canvas for this year’s crop of design talent.
Over the past five decades, the Kips Bay has served as a launchpad for more than 800 celebrated designers. This year, a new cohort of tastemakers will reimagine the turn-of-the-century townhouse, transforming it into a living exhibition of high style and layered inspiration. It’s a fitting location for the golden anniversary of an institution that has long been a cornerstone of the design calendar.
Originally founded in 1973, the Kips Bay Decorator Show House has raised over $30 million to date, supporting critical programming for more than 11,000 children through the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club. The New York event has since inspired sister showhouses in Palm Beach and Dallas, each carrying forward the tradition of exceptional design in support of an important cause.
We’ll be keeping a close eye as the designers are revealed in the coming weeks. Until then, mark your calendars, book your tickets, and prepare for an unforgettable walk through one of Manhattan’s most beautiful townhouses, reimagined as only Kips Bay can.
For updates and ticket information, visit Kips Bay Decorator Show House here.
Read our favorite articles of the week!
Gil Schafer and Rita Konig’s Guide to the Downeast Antiques & Art Show in Maine written by Jill Simpson Frederic.
Creatively Ink-Lined: The Illustrated Diaries of Christopher Isherwood’s Mother written by Leyla Spratley for World of Interiors.
Shop this week’s inspired finds!
x Natalie
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Follow Natalie on Instagram: @natalieealdridge
