Earlier this week I was guided by my Garmin out to Crozet, Virginia to tour the 2011 Charlottesville Design House. Only twenty minutes from downtown Charlottesville, on a grassy knoll of 120 acres with the Blue Ridge Mountains in the distance, sits the splendid Mint Springs Farm. A traditional brick manor home built in 1920, Mint Springs Farm is the perfect 3,500 square foot canvas to showcase the talents of 17 Virginia interior design firms.
The four bedroom, three bath house features two floors of inspiring rooms, each a reflection of the individual styles of the designers. Thanks to the Design House Committee, I was able to snap a few vignettes within the house and its surrounding gardens. These are merely teaser images to whet your appetite; you must make the trip yourself for the full experience. (And for those who can't, after the house closes, I'm hopeful there will be images on the website, like they posted of the 2010 house's virtual tour.)
Many of the furnishings, accessories, and works of art on display are for sale and each room has a pricing sheet available. The hospitable volunteers scattered throughout the house will show you pictures of the spaces before they were styled; this will give you a sense of the full transformation that took place in only seven short weeks from the time the design boards were submitted to the house opening to the public.
From classic English country furnishings to exotic Far Eastern decorative arts, I found countless inspirations for my Norfolk Nest within the walls of Mint Spring Farm and I trust you will too.
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| theatrical ceramic Italian whippets stand guard in the grand foyer (Heidi Brooks Interior Design, LLC and Steele, Sterling & Crandall Interiors, LLC) |
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| in the formal living room, a sumptuously appointed secretary and desk chair (Stedman House) |
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| pedestal table, orchid centerpiece, and silver candlesticks in the dining room (Holly Joseph Design) |
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| a classic nickel butler's table is nestled in a corner of the dining room (Holly Joseph Design) |
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| I fell in love with this crystal chandelier in the luxurious master suite (Interiors by Moyanne) |
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| who doesn't love a pop of pink in a power room? master bath by Moyanne Harding (Interiors by Moyanne) |
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| master bath (Interiors by Moyanne) |
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| dresser, mirror, and accessories in the "Tween Room" (Embellish Interiors) |
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| Mint Springs Farm's back yard and open porch |
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| beds of white hydrangea line the back gardens (Piedmont Master Gardeners) |
The Charlottesville Design House, benefiting Shelter for Help in Emergency, is opened until Sunday, May 22, 2011. Visit the website for tour hours, a list of the featured designers, and ticket information ($20 for adults or $15 for groups of 5 or more, which can be purchased at various Charlottesville locations or at the door). For additional information and updates visit their Facebook Fan Page!
And be sure to pick up the May issue of Cville Magazine's Abode, which includes an in depth a room-by-room guide to the house.
