A show house is the residential equivalent of a Met Gala. It becomes a fantasyland with a kaleidoscope of colors and a myriad of extravagant textures, wallpapers, and finishes for a short and sweet time. A show house will challenge our design perceptions like Zendaya in her Joan of Arc-inspired Versace for the 2018 Met Gala, or Rihanna in, well, anything. We are left overwhelmed and yet inspired.
But when the ball is over, the celebrities have to return to their reality, and the fantasyland show house has to grow into a home that resonates with a luxury buyer.
That can be a challenge.
It requires a level of expertise that only a handful of real estate professionals possess. There must be a return to emphasizing splendid architecture over the temporary dramatic interior design. That means taking the time to peel away some of the sumptuous layers that create a show house while leaving just enough behind to imbue the home with subtle but substantial star power.
It’s a collective effort requiring thought and precision about what work of 24 different designers stays, what goes, and what is brought in to create that recognition that a show house is now a family home.
From Show House to Family Home
Compass listing agent Amy Detwiler brought in the George Bass Stage & Design team to generate a reality for this home that, while still exceedingly luxurious and stylish, would emphasize the architecture and resonate with potential buyers.
Most of the polarizing paint colors in the 12,340-square-foot, six-bedroom home had already been neutralized, and much of the striking wallpaper was removed to create a cleaner palette for staging.
For instance, during the show house incarnation, the eye was drawn to the Fine & Dandy’s wall panels in the entry and the red walls and ceiling in the adjacent dining room. While gorgeous, these design elements deflected from the architectural drama of the staircase and the beautiful white oak-fluted millwork. A simple coat of white paint and two remaining panels offer a refreshed take that allows a buyer to appreciate the home’s natural elegance.
What Stays is as Important as What Leaves in a Show House
The kitchen is one of the exceptions to the paring down of the show house incarnation and remains as visualized by the designer Christopher Peacock. With practicality in mind, he installed two islands topped with charcoal Montana Midnight Matte quartz, allowing for both prep and entertaining simultaneously.
The midnight blue cabinetry is highlighted with cerused oak. Arteriors metallic drum pendants add the perfect touch. Peacock used an amusing tangerine monkey wallpaper by Cole & Son and Artistic Tile mosaic backsplash tile. My favorite part of the kitchen when I toured the show home was the entertainment island equipped with an inspired wine-chilling trough sink.
Most of the heavy draperies were removed to reveal the pastoral views. I would never reinstall curtains because the home sits on over two acres of private woodland. The views offered through the many floor-to-ceiling windows are natural works of art.
Harold Leidner’s Landscape is Natural Artwork
The Harold Leidner Company created the landscape design for the home’s first owner in the 1990s. His client owned racehorses and wanted a country estate feeling. Thirty years later, the firm continues to be involved and has recently completed work on the natural creek that runs from the front of the property to the back. Although the front entry features a more formal landscape design, the property soon gives way to a serene woodland with massive Live Oak trees and vibrant Japanese Maples.
The show house has grown into the luxury residence it was meant to become, and the transformation could not have been executed more beautifully.
Compass Real Estate listing agent Amy Detwiler has 9250 Meadowbrook Dr. offered at $15.995 million.
