Interior designers give stylish touch to mansion rooms
From a Marie Antoinette-themed room with faux python-covered walls to a monochromatic treescape mural depicting a misty morning dawn-themed hallway, designers from New York City to Greenwich unveiled their latest styles yesterday for the first-ever designer showhouse to benefit Greenwich Hospital.
A 10,000-square-foot 1928 French-manor-style mansion at 200 Stanwich Road got a complete makeover by 17 designers, a photographer and a muralist. Each designer was free to paint the walls, create moldings, bring in new furniture and paintings, redesign the windows, and even decorate the terrace to feature their work and create a new look for the traditional house.
Some of the designers made dramatic changes to their spaces. Some of the rooms of the dwelling went from family rooms to chic living spaces. The owners of the home, Richard and Ginna Kelly, have relocated while the Greenwich Designer Showhouse is being held.
Designer Lynn B. Garelick, of Greenwich-based LBG Interior Design, had to contend with a large chimney directly in the center of her upstairs sitting room. She had it removed to open up the space and filled it with a comfortable chair and ottoman as well as a desk and bookshelf. She wanted the room to be a place where someone could go to write a letter or read a book. The walls were covered with a textured woven wallpaper with a tree-branch pattern and on the floor was a blue, beige and brown Oriental rug.
The rear bedroom originally was painted green with red trim and designer Carmina Roth, of Belle Haven Interiors, transformed it into a cream with French blue and navy room accented with imported Swedish antique furniture.
Greenwich designer Barclay Fryery completely redesigned the dining room with bold faux python-covered walls with silver and gold antique mirrors, and white faux patent leather chairs, gray silk draperies and a long table with a selection of china.
Each room was decorated by a different designer, who chose the color, design and concept for their space.
“They pretty much gave us free range,” said Roth.
Many of the designers chose a comfortable, casual, yet elegant feel for their design.
“It was a small room, but I wanted to treat it like a jewel box,” said Matthew Patrick Smyth, of New York-based Matthew Patrick Smyth Inc., of his corner bedroom. “I wanted a room that you came into and it was very tranquil and peaceful.”
Most of the designers have participated in showhouses before and all of them do work in Greenwich.
All the net proceeds from the showhouse’s $30 ticket price will go toward Greenwich Hospital’s Center for Integrative Medicine.
The showhouse is open every day, except Memorial Day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. through June 17. For more information, visit www.greenwichdesignershowhouse.com.
