The Secrets of a Designer Show House…

The 2016 SOTA Designer Show House has been a major endeavor for all those involved. This year’s house is located at 1403 Hamilton Street in downtown historic Allentown. If you are a long-time resident of the Lehigh Valley, then perhaps you will remember the Moyer-Metzger mansion that was last used as a photography studio. This fundraiser is a great opportunity to see talented designers and landscape architects transform this property and offer creative ideas and inspiration for your own home.

The Society of the Arts (SOTA), is a non-profit women’s service organization whose members actively support the Allentown Art Museum. These dedicated women “take the Museum to the community” through various educational events, by supporting the museum as docents, and by funding purchases for the Museum’s print collection, among other things. Their biannual Show House is just one of the many fundraisers they plan throughout the year.

I am proud to be one of the designers invited to participate in this year’s SOTA Show House. It is a great way for me to help this hardworking group support the arts in the Lehigh Valley, and it is also an opportunity to demonstrate my skills and creative talent to other interior design enthusiasts.

I’ve been involved in several show houses and each one is operated differently. I’ve even done one that was a TV pilot. The way I approach a room in a show house, may not be typical of every designer, but I’ll let you in on a few of my little secrets.

One of the first things people want to know is, who pays for the renovations and the products used in my space? For me, it’s all about reaching out to my network of vendors, contractors and other resources to see who can help me accomplish my design goals. Sometimes it’s as simple asking to borrow a piece of furniture or a rug or accessories, while other elements of a space require something more customized. In this case I often need to ask my vendors if they would be willing to offer their custom products or services on loan or at a deeper discount. It takes a combination of creativity and practical problem solving to come up with design elements that I can use for my space and be able to sell or reuse after the show house is over.

Each show house event also offers different terms and conditions as to how the room needs to be left after the event is over. Typically, as a designer my responsibility is to return the room to the color and condition it was in when I took over the space. However, if there are elements that the homeowner wants to keep, that can be negotiated. Many items in the designer’s rooms are also available for purchase by the viewing public.

I’m also often asked what criteria I use as inspiration for my space. Here’s my basic approach:

1. I make up an imaginary client, one that I have developed through my years of experience.

2. This client has a broad range of tastes, wants the very best at a great price, and a functional design that is beautiful, too – don’t we all?!

3. I strive to create a room with mass appeal, demonstrating my varied skill set and all the design elements I consider whenever I do any renovation.

4. Finally, and most importantly, my imaginary client is willing to step out of their box! I want to show people that a little leap of faith into their creative zone, with a trained professional, can be fun and offer results beyond their imagination. It is crucial to create an exciting, memorable space for our visitors.

Each one of the designers participating in the 2016 SOTA Designer Show House, along with the organizers, has put an incredible amount of work into their spaces, and into making the fundraiser successful. I personally invite you to come and support this exciting event, which opens Saturday April 30th and runs through May 22nd. The show house will be open Monday through Saturday 10am-4pm, and Sundays noon-4pm. Tickets are $25 at the door or $20 if purchased in advanced at several retailers in the area. Visit http://www.sotapa.org/ for more information.

Once you’ve seen my space, “The Library,” I’d love to hear your impressions of the room I have created. You can reach me on my Bailiwick Interior Design Facebook page or by email at carrie@bailiwickinteriordesign.com.