The second Loudoun Arts Council Designer Showhouse will open its doors on April 25 in Lansdowne.
The show features work by 19 different designers, many of them local to Loudoun County.
The setting for the designer rooms is a large Apsley model Van Metre home — donated by the company and up for auction after the showhouse closes. It's not the only thing for sale: visitors can purchase any item in the house from a $50 lamp to a $6,600 sound system.
All the proceeds from the $15 admission fee go to the Loudoun Arts Council, an organization that advocates for artists.
Loudoun Arts Council president Gale Waldron is confident that this year's showhouse will be an improvement over the council's freshman attempt in 2003.
"It was a learning experience," Waldron said. "Now we're doing the 2005 showhouse, we have come a long way."
The council has succeeded in landing some major sponsors for this year's event, Van Metre and Bank of America among them.
BUT IT'S what's inside the house that really counts. The luxurious home contains a conservatory, au pair suite, media room, wine cellar and more.
"This house has 15 rooms and they are each and every one just wonderful," Waldron said.
While the designers were given a color scheme and theme, they only had blueprints to work with as they came up with designs.
"For me, that was the trickiest part," said Mona Aleem, a Lansdowne resident and first-time showhouse designer. "I was so excited when we could go in and see the framing of the room."
Aleem, who is with the franchise designing company Decor & You, was assigned the gentleman's guest bedroom. But while she went for a masculine traveling theme in deep reds and browns, she wanted a woman to feel at home in the room as well. She added some feminine touches, like soft white fabrics.
Aleem estimates that there is $30,000 worth of material in the room.
"Generally, you can furnish a bedroom for 15 to 20,000," she said. "I rarely do every single thing," such as the lights, flooring and artwork.
Sterling-based designer Liza Walczak, owner of Lisa Jane Interiors, has participated before in showhouses. This year she was assigned the au pair suite.
"Our philosophy was that it's a fun room, although we wanted the style to keep with the house, which is the grand Tudor style," Walczak said. "Her room has got to be a little hipper and a little more fun because she's from Paris and she's in her early 20s."
Go
The Loudoun Arts Council Designer Showhouse will be open from April 25 to May 15. Tickets are $15. It will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays except Thursdays; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursdays; 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. Visit www.loudounarts.org or call 703-777-7838 to order tickets. Group rates are available. The showhouse is located in Lansdowne. Take Belmont Ridge Road from Route 7 into Lansdowne, turn left at Riverside Parkway and right on Kipheart Drive and follow the signs. Cameras, children under 8 years old and spike heels are not permitted.