What Is A Designer Showhouse?

I often get asked the question “What is a Designer Showhouse”?  The answer is about to be explained. The short of it is that a Designer Showhouse is typically a space (home, townhouse, condominium, or estate) that is given to selected designers to decorate.

The truth is there is a lot of work that goes behind the scenes to get the finished product the public and media get to see. Like any project a designer tackles one has to create a floor plan and then a design concept. Next the designers need to start thinking about which resources to use. More often than not even when a designer thinks the plan is coming together there are obstacles; for example, the fabric selected won’t be in on time to make production, shipping is costly because it is coming from overseas, freight will take too long because the item is on the west coast, another item is out of stock, the list goes on and on. To get the room to look what the designer envisioned is extremely demanding.

As a designer these are what we call “design challenges”. Contrary to magazines claiming that Designer Showhouses are wonderful because there are no clients to impose what the design concept will be, the challenges can be even harder since there are trades to coordinate and a tight time crunch involved before it is open to the public, in addition to the complications mentioned above.

However, in the end when the room has finally come together thanks to helpful resources and a great support staff it is worth it in the end to see the final product. The satisfaction is bar none!

 ...If you haven’t heard this week is Fashion Week in NY at Lincoln Center. I have the privilege this year to be in a very unusual showhouse. This Showhouse pairs Fashion Designers with Interior Designers to design a space that is inspired through fashion.
The Showhouse is at the Aldyn 
(an Extell property in the Upper West Side) 
at 60 Riverside Blvd. 

It opens to the public September 21^st. 
For more information click on this link http://www.editoratlarge.com/interiordesignevents/american-fashion-designers-at-home-showhouse

Can’t wait to see you there!

Felicia