2010 Showhouse - The Finished Product

Here are a few photos of the finished room. Thank you to everyone who came out this year to support the Showhouse!

Conversation with Patty Virnig, Showhouse Vice-chair

AC: What inspired you to get involved with the Showhouse?

I am a 10 year survivor, my mother is a 7 year survivor, I'm hoping with our efforts my daughter, and all the daughters in the world won't have to worry about breast cancer.

AC: How do you go about finding Interior Designers for the project?

Interior Designers are sent an invitation to tour the house, usually early October. Our designer list comes from a variety of sources, our best source are other designers who will recommend someone whose work they feel is exceptional.

AC: Over the years the Showhouse has become such a major fundraiser for Breast Cancer Research....how much money has the project raised to date?

We have raised almost $4 million dollars to fund research here at the Medical College. The exciting part is that $4 million is seed money, which means that researchers use that money to do start researching an idea. Once they have had progress with their project they submit proposals to other agencies, e.g. American Cancer Society, Federal Government, and private foundations for more funding. Our $4 million, actually has ended up being multiplied many times in research money. More information is on our website www.breastcancershowhouse.org

AC: What is the most challenging part of the project?

Every year presents it's own set of challenges. This year I thought it would be the economy. With furniture stores and design firms being so hard hit, I was afraid we would have difficulty getting participation. I was wrong. Our community of designers, contractors and vendors have always stepped up to the plate, and this year was no exception. They give countless hours of free service, and labor, and thousands of dollars worth of materials. If you ask them why they do it, they will tell you they do it for someone they know who has had breast cancer. I think it gives all of us a sense of power over the disease, a feeling that we can do something to fight it, and win the battle. We are very close to winning the battle. There is much hope for the breast cancer vaccine which will be tested on humans next year.

AC: It's been amazing to see this year's house come together, especially in that last week before our deadline. There are so many people to coordinate - has there ever been a year when you didn't think the house would be ready in time for the show?

Every year there are times when I think the house won't be ready. It's like having a wedding. You worry that things won't come together, but they always do.

Luxe Pillows

They say selecting the right accessories for a room is like picking out the perfect pair of shoes. If that's true, these pillows are equivalent to the finest pair of designer heels...complete with gold embroidery and copper sequins. My two year old daughter calls the center pillow "money" because it reminds her of the copper pennies she puts in her piggy bank.

New Light Fixture

It was time to retire the old light that had been dangling down into the walkway and install something a little more up to date. I found this great drum style pendant with an interior fabric shade and and a silver-gold finish. The circular motif will tie in perfectly with the gold leaf floor lamp.

Elegant Armless Chair

I found a lovely armless chair in a super-soft chocolate brown mohair, which will be a nice counterpoint to the strong and linear deco style sofa. Although the chair is a brand new piece, it has the proportions and styling of a vintage slipper chair. The low seat and wide back give it a gracious feel.

With the room's very dark wood trim and the rich copper, brown and gold color palette, I would still like to keep the room soft and bright, so I plan to use a plush ivory shag area rug. At 8x10 it will cover the majority of the wood floor and add a another luxurious element to the room.

Ottomans Have Arrived

The custom ottomans look great! They were made in a small upholstery shop -- each and every nail head was pounded in by hand.

New Light Fixture

In spite of its small size, the room has a long and awkward 2-light fixture. For those of us who are tall, it's not hard to bump into it when walking through the room (...am I the one responsible for knocking off that missing glass shade?). So as part of the makeover, the fixture is going to be upgraded to a soft and elegant pendant light with gold trim and an interior fabric shade. It will also hang a little closer to the ceiling, making the room a little friendlier to those over 5'-8". I was excited to discover the new fixture, which you will see in an upcoming post - its a beautiful compliment to the floor lamp and other accessories that will be going into the room.

Painting the Room...

This is the first step in transforming the room. Sherwin Williams graciously offered to donate all of the paint for the project. The angled ceiling creates a challenge. Ultimately I decided to paint the sloped surface in the ceiling color. To create a cohesive look I extended the color down to the same point on the adjacent walls. Next a picture molding will be installed where the two colors meet for an elegant finishing touch.

Sofa Frame Ready for Finishing

The custom sofa frame, which was made by a woodworking firm based in Michigan, was just completed and is now ready for staining and finishing. The exposed solid Maple trim will be stained a dark espresso brown with a satin lacquer top coat. After finishing we will be sending it on to our friends at the upholstery workroom. They will build the coil spring deck and the cushions from scratch, then upholster the piece in a beautiful wheat colored cotton velvet.

Custom Ottoman Design

There are many beautiful coffee tables to choose from, but to maintain the intimate feel of the room I've decided that a pair of small ottomans will be a better fit in front of the sofa. Rather than using off-the-shelf ottomans, many of which are only available in solid colors (and usually in leather), I'm planning to have a pair made. That will give me a chance to introduce some pattern and color, and to do something interesting with nail head trim. I found a wonderful fabric with an embroidered geometric pattern by Robert Allen, and I'll use antique brass nail heads to accentuate the ottoman's tapered profile and to create a simple motif along the bottom edge.

 

Showhouse Palette

I am imagining the room as a jewel box of copper, gold and ivory...

Showhouse Invitation

I was invited to participate in the 2010 Breast Cancer Showhouse. While I can't share all of the details (you'll have to buy a ticket and see it for yourself this June) I can tell you that I will be designing the ladies sitting room, which is located just down the hall from a beautiful private ballroom. This year's Showhouse is a distinguished brick and stone mansion with a breathtaking view of Lake Michigan. In its current “before” state this home would be worth the price of admission, so the finished product is bound to be a showstopper.

Over the coming weeks I’ll share some of the extensive behind-the-scenes effort that goes into transforming what is now an empty bedroom into a luxurious retreat for the lady of the house.