“I don’t want the houses I do to look like anyone else’s,” designer Amy Kalikow told HC&G in 2023. Read on to learn how the New York- and Hamptons-based designer behind Amy Kalikow Design achieves her unique style.
How would you describe your aesthetic?
Clean, dimensional, timeless with a touch of whimsy. I think lighting is super important and I incorporate unique and special lighting in each space I design.
I love how many of the spaces you design are black and white—but feel modern and fresh. How do you achieve this look?
In darker spaces, it is important to add elements to bring brightness and texture, whether it be in a textured stone with a metal inlay, or polished chrome hardware. You never want a space to feel too dark that the mood you are trying to achieve gets lost.
Where do you find yourself incorporating color the most?
I love a great powder room, so I tend to incorporate color into these spaces. Great wallpapers with unique patterns and colors, incorporating deep, moody paint colors, or unique marbles provide great opportunities to get creative and bring in color.
Do you have a go-to shade of white paint?
White Heron or Chantilly Lace from Benjamin Moore. They are neutral, clean shades of white.
Paint or wallpaper?
Wallpaper.
Go-to source for wallpaper?
It really depends what I am looking for… I love Phillip Jeffries for their classic, textured wallpapers. They also have great murals and patterns.
I love how many of your projects have unique artistic elements, such as on the wall of a Tribeca kitchen or in the bedroom of a Water Mill home.
I love this artist, Purely Porcelain. She made both of these art pieces. I love dimensional art and these two pieces are very customizable and help create a great moment on any size wall.
How do you approach development projects, such as the model apartments you designed in NYC’s Sutton Tower?
Working on development projects is really fun! You don’t have a client that has an opinion on each piece, which really allows me to select items that I love. I get to design based on how I envision the space, which is super fun!
Favorite room to design?
Kitchen.
White kitchen or natural-toned kitchen?
Natural-toned.
