To see interior designers congregate under one house filled with their designs is an exciting opportunity for design enthusiasts, including myself. And tonight, I share some incredibly exciting news that there is a Southern Style Show House in our future.
Yes, it's true. Richmond, Virginia will experience excitement of the design-kind very soon. The Richmond Symphony Orchestra League's 2010 Designer House will debut September 13, 2010. It will be unlike any other show house.

Photo by Jami Carlton
Mary Douglas Drysdale, well-known DC-based Interior Designer with roots from Charlottesville, Virginia, will participate in the show house. As the only designer invited outside Richmond's city limits, I'm hearing she proposed it reflect the spirit of the South and got other designers onboard to help add to the Southern Style and Design theme.

The design elements in this room bring a cohesive look to a design period I am fascinated with.
I have followed Ms. Drysdale's design work since the early 90's. It was at a time when I wasn't sure what direction I wanted to go with the design of our home. When I took one look at the pages of Traditional Home and Veranda featuring her work, it was then I realized how much I admire neoclassicism.

A vignette that celebrates shape, design and beauty.

The mix of chair styles and the wall color makes an eye-catching impact to my eyes.

It is because of Ms. Drysdale that I have always longed for the infamous Baker sunburst mirror.
I love how I can follow her work in print as well as Facebook and Twitter. Technology only gets better and better.
Other designers include Tobi Fairley, who hails from Arkansas with a design aesthetic that pleases both the traditional and contemporary design connoisseurs.

House Beautiful March 2010 cover featuring Tobi Fairley Designs

A very chic vignette by Tobi Fairley Interior Design
Not only is she a great designer, what I admire about Ms. Fairley is how savvy she is with social media. She's active on
Facebook,
Twitter and hosts
her own blog. Connecting with your peers as well as those who admire your work is a wonderful thing. It is another venue, in addition to print media which I wholeheartedly support, to stay abreast of the latest and greatest in their world of design.

Contemporary yet Tradtional by Tobi Fairley Interior Design
It is thanks to my interest in Ms. Fairley's design work that I now subscribe to ay Magazine, local to Arkansas. I love to view the design styles of all regions of our world, including Arkansas.
Textile designer, Sandra Jordan, joins this fabulous mix of southern designers with her line of Prima Alpaca fabrics which I featured here previously.
Soft to the touch, Ms. Jordan offers an array of colors and designs, including plaids.
The fabric is sumptuous and offers subtle texture that can set off a sensuous vibe.
The fabric of choice for a throw at the ongoing DC Design House by designer Michael Hampton only proves how versatile Prima Alpaca is.
Lighting is a favorite design element of mine. If you want to invest money into your home, invest in good and decorative lighting that suits your style. So when I heard that Julie Neill, famed lighting designer from New Orleans is going to be a part of the Richmond Orchestra Symphony League's Design House, I couldn't be more excited and intrigued by the possibilities.

Photo by Michael Terranova
My introduction to Ms. Neill's work came via well-known blog,
Things that Inspire when she featured her entryway with custom-made sconces by Ms. Neill. Stunning, to say the least. I have been a fan of her work ever since. She also designs furniture.

McCullum Vanity by Julie Neill Designs
This only makes me more eager to see what she has in store for the design house.
Having made reference to social media earlier in this post, let me add that Ms. Neill also hosts a Facebook fan page as well as a blog named the Bayou Contessa.
A true southern designer through and through is Phoebe Howard. She rounds-out the 5 sorority sisters of Southern Style at this design house. I couldn't be more thrilled. As a long-time fan, Mrs. Howard's style of traditionalism is what I crave.
The home she shares with her husband in the Hamptons was featured in a recent issue of Town & Country Magazine. I savored every photo and every detail in that article. (My favorites in the above photo are the headboard quilt, artwork depicting the American flag and the framed intaglios above the bed.)
Brown tones are what I'm into right now, so you can imagine how much this entryway of Mrs. Howard's Hamptons home resonates with my home's goals.
Mrs. Howard also has a blog, hosted by Leah Kennelly, as well as a Facebook fan page. I must not forget Twitter too.
There are a number of interior designers, local to Richmond and Virginia that are included in the design house which I will gladly elaborate on as I learn more.
So hold onto your hats, Richmond, as design enthusiasts invade your town in the Fall!
Recent Comments