The Kips Bay Decorator Show House has become one of the design industry’s most anticipated annual events – a place where creativity, craftsmanship, and community come together in support of great causes. To celebrate Yates Desygn’s participation in the 2025 Dallas edition, we sat down with Mike Yates, our Co-Founder and Managing Director, to talk about the history of Kips Bay, what makes the Dallas showhouse unique, and what it means for the firm to be part of this legacy once again.
In this candid conversation, Mike reflects on Kips Bay’s 50-year history – from its New York brownstone beginnings to its Texas expansion – and shares how Yates Desygn approaches the challenge of designing without a client, balancing artistic freedom with tight timelines. He also discusses the lessons learned from their first Kips Bay project in 2021, the evolution of the Kips Bay Alumni Committee, and how collaboration with trusted vendors continues to shape their work today.
A Legacy of Design and Purpose
The Kips Bay Decorator Show House began in New York City in 1973 as a way to raise funds for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, inviting top designers to transform the rooms of a Manhattan brownstone. Over the past five decades, the event has expanded to Palm Beach and Dallas — each location offering a distinctive design character and regional sensibility.
Every edition of Kips Bay is built on the same principle: creativity in service of community. Ticket sales, sponsorships, and event proceeds benefit youth-focused charities including Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, Dwell with Dignity, and The Crystal Charity Ball.
Why Kips Bay Dallas Stands Apart
When Kips Bay arrived in Dallas, the format evolved – and so did the scale.
“In Texas the homes are a lot bigger gives the designers a lot more opportunity to show what they can do a little bit differently”
The Dallas showhouse welcomes more than two dozen designers each year, each given a blank slate and just ten weeks to turn it into something remarkable. The result is a rare snapshot of the design community’s collective creativity — from bold, colorful statements to understated, architectural restraint.
Yates Desygn’s Return to Kips Bay
For Yates Desygn, Kips Bay Dallas 2025 marks a meaningful return. Their debut in 2021 – a moody, speakeasy-inspired basement retreat – introduced the firm to a wider Dallas audience and became one of the event’s most talked-about spaces.
“We at the time were fairly new company in the people’s eyes here in Dallas. This gave us the opportunity to really shine.”
This year, the team is bringing that same energy, but with a deeper sense of experience and intention.
“We’re taking the opportunity to really talk through how we get to the design organizations that we’re supporting here in Dallas.”
Collaboration at the Core
Partnerships are central to Yates Desygn’s design philosophy — and Kips Bay provides a perfect platform to celebrate them. Many of the materials, finishes, and fixtures in the 2025 space are sourced from long-time collaborators including Benjamin Moore, Kohler, and Il Granito.
“What we do is we partner with a lot of the vendors that we use normally to use their products in the space, but also cohesively throughout to create whatever the design needs.”
That spirit of collaboration extends beyond the walls of the showhouse — strengthening relationships, generating shared visibility, and fostering community within the design industry.
Mentorship Through the Alumni Committee
Following Yates Desygn’s first Kips Bay experience, Mike joined the Kips Bay Alumni Committee — a mentorship network that pairs returning designers with newcomers to help navigate the fast-paced process.
“…previous designers for the show house are paired with new designers of the show housw to help support them in the process. This is amazing opportunity for people, especially out of town designers, to be connected with designers that are in town to be given support…”
For Mike, it’s also an opportunity to give back to the same design community that helped Yates Desygn grow. The committee’s mentorship echoes the firm’s broader ethos: great design is built on shared experience and collaboration.
Looking Ahead to 2025
This year’s Kips Bay Dallas brings a fresh challenge: the venue is a commercial space, rather than a private residence. While that means the design won’t remain intact after the event, it gives Yates Desygn a new reason to make the most of every moment — from concept to completion.
“…we’re taking that moment to really talk about our process, to talk about our vendors, and to support an organization by getting people in and activating the space as much as possible…”
As always, the excitement lies in the diversity of perspectives on display.
“You will get to experience all 27 rooms and you’ll walk through the entire space and at each turn will have a different experience. And that’s what’s really exciting.”
Plan Your Visit
Kips Bay Decorator Show House Dallas 2025 will soon open its doors to the public. Visitors can explore the full home, discover each designer’s vision, and experience the craft and creativity that make Kips Bay a cornerstone of the design calendar.