Dr. Decorator Talks About Designer Showhouses
Every year in towns and cities across the U.S. a design phenomenon occurs – the Designer Showcase. This is a magical event in which a building or home gets the Cinderella treatment. Interior designers and craftspeople transform banal or derelict interiors into visions of total beauty and style. I have been participating in these showhouses for about 20 years. It has been one of the highlights of my career as an interior designer. I have been honored to work with numerous wonderful and creative people.
Setting in a showhouse at historical Hempstead House in Sands Point, New York. The mix of colors and textures creates a timeless setting with french flavor and styling. Interior design by Jeani Ziering.
My admiration for the people in my industry is infinite. It never ceases to amaze me how designers can take plain empty rooms and create sumptuous spaces of fabulous beauty and elegance. Generally held in the Spring or the Fall, showhouses can take place in a variety of venues. These range from palatial country mansions to New York City townhouses and apartments, or to sprawling Hamptons beach homes. The cities and locales are greatly varied but the showhouses across the country share many common elements. They are generally sponsored by a charity such as a school, hospital, library, medical research team, or children’s group. Designers and craftspeople donate their time and talents.
Decorative painters turn plain walls into vistas of murals and faux treatments such as glazing, marbleizing, and myriad varieties of fabulous faux finishes. Manufacturers and suppliers donate or loan the varied elements that go into the creation of the rooms . Items such as fabrics, furnishings, wallcoverings, antiques, rugs, mirrors and various accessories are used by the designers like brushstrokes on the previously blank canvas of their chosen spaces.
Each house and each show has its own sense of adventure. When we go to view the new spaces every year, I feel like I am a child unwrapping a special gift. There is a sense of wonderment. What will I find here? What will the house look like? What space will I get? What will I do with it? It is like creating a Gala or a Broadway show. We have limited time in which to do our work and limited time for our display to be viewed. We get about 2 months to renovate and decorate our spaces. The show then runs anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks. Each designer is given their own individual space in which they can create their personal vision. Because they are not restricted by a client’s vision (or lack of vision), the designers can give free reign to their imaginative spirits. We strive for everything to be perfect – the background of the room, the furniture, the fabrics, the art, and the accessories. The disparate elements must work together to create a cohesive setting for the public to view and enjoy. But sadly the time passes quickly and before we know it, the show is over. All that work and all that energy and then — pouf — it is gone.
This gracious bedroom was created for a showhouse at a North Shore Long Island castle. Designer Jeani Ziering worked from the raw space to create a beautiful bedroom for the fictional princess of the castle. Walls are faux painted in a soft green glaze. Furnishings mix is classic and timeless.
Like any house, the Designer Showhouse has kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, hallways, etc. The house has all the elements of an average home but on a much grander scale. The showhouse is a wonderful event for the public to view. Manufacturers and suppliers make their products available to showhouse designers because they want the exposure to the public. At a showhouse people can see the work of leading interior designers and view the latest innovations not only in furnishings and decorative products but also in kitchens and baths, media rooms, libraries, and other wonderful spaces.
Arlene Travis and Carol Aronson are very much to be credited with having been in the forefront of the Designer Showhouse concept. Since 1971 their firm — Mansions and Millionaires – has created visions of splendor with their annual Showhouses on Long Island’s North Shore. I spoke to Carol and Arlene and asked them a few questions:
The concept of Designer Showcases is popular across the country. It is my perception that you ladies were among the initiators of this concept. Please explain what inspired you and how you implemented this inspiration.
“Living in the area called the Gold Coast among castles, palaces, and other Beaux Arts structures from the turn of the century , it became impossible not to wonder what would happen to these structures. We seized upon an article on a similar project on the West Coast and decided it would be a timely venture to combine the goal of bringing this era to the forefront while also raising money for not for profit organizations”.
Your work has helped to save many grand homes from the wrecker’s ball. Your completed projects bring people back to an era of gracious living. How do you find the homes that you feature? How do you select your designers?
“Many homes are reviewed prior to selecting a showhouse site. Some of the criteria we use include the questions – Is there a mystique about the site, did any unusual events occur in the residence, did any famous people reside there, it is architecturally significant? Professional interior designers are selected through many sources. We consult with major trade houses. We view portfolios and web sites . We review our stable of designers with whom we have worked for the past 40 years.”
Does each new home and each new show still give you the same thrill as when you started this journey?
“Each show is a different site and is a totally new experience. The thrill is always there or we would have to fold our tents and creep away. “
What is your philosophy?
“Our design philosophy has always been that yesterday’s architecture is compatible with today’s lifestyle. The room is the canvas, the design is the art. Unlike most other shows where each room seems isolated from the next, we feel that the rooms must flow with a harmonious compatibility. Our showhouses are unique in the world of showhouses.”
What are the location and the dates for the upcoming show?
“Designers Showcase 2011 will be located in Chestnut Manor in Upper Brookville from September 10 through October 30. It will benefit the Mill Neck School for the Deaf.”
For more information call Jeani Ziering – Ziering Interiors – 516-869-1049
Mansions and Millionaires – 516-671-1313
