Decorator Show House
Every two years the Women's Board of the Columbus Museum sponsors The Decorator Showhouse in conjunction with Columbus designers and members of ASID. Rooms are selected by a lottery and so the lucky designer often takes first pick of the living room and so on.
The loggia of the Grandview Spanish style home seemed a natural for the colorful Brunswig & Fils fabric, and I accented with a bright blue to play off the blue of the hanging fixture and the decorative iron grates on the windows. My intent was to bring the indoors out to a colorful and cheery entertainment area for casual days and evenings. April, 2003 This scene has been selected to be featured in the new Brunschwig & Fils book by Ms. Murray Douglas.
My luck was way down the list when I took on the back entry from the garages to the kitchen for the 2001 Showhouse on Tremont. The walls were stone and the floors a slate like tile. To soften all the hard surfaces, I chose a wonderful Scalamandre linen named Edwin's Covey for the quail in fields and lined the swing arm panels in a playful black and cream check that could be seen when entering from the outside. The heavy green velvet--Scalamandre's Marly, accented the antique loveseat and I repeated the check on both bulletin board and chairs. Formal oils on check again played on the contrasts.
In Bexley's 1999 Showhouse, I selected the main staircase and upper hall that I treated with a desk and seating area, but focused mainly on the wonderful cotton chintz with a vibrant Oriental motif. In contrast, a stunning contemporary canvas in bright oranges and golds was the focal point.
In 1997, luck of the draw brought the lower level game room. The house had been built in the early 1920's and featured architectural elements galore. The grand fireplace gave room to a spacious seating area and billiards table over an antique oriental rug. Vintage photographs of vacation destinations in the 30's and 40's and vintage trophies brought back the possible decor of the original owners.
Bexley's Huntington House was the scene in 1995 for the grand tour. In an upstairs maid's room, we primped and painted to be the fussiest space we could conjur. The linen floral on black became the focal point on the camel back loveseat, table cover and French chair. An odd window was treated with dotted swiss and an open doorway was draped with a lush silk plaid while wall were stried with yellows.
In 1993, the Decorator Showhouse featured a new build in New Albany. The wonderful kitchen opened to the bright and sunny morning room with windows on both sides. For a casual feel, the table and chairs were antique and painted and a family painting filled one wall. One side of the room faced the driveway and so were treated with plantation shutters. The opposite side faced the inner gardens and so an off white linen casement with braided rows adorn the window.
