Best In Show
The 17th RNS Show House at the Shore is a wonder to behold, but it’s just one of the beautiful show houses open for viewing this month.
by Marjorie Preston
Forget HGTV and House Beautiful. For beautiful, doable, up-close ideas on how to transform a house into a sumptuous, welcoming home, visit the Ruth Newman Shapiro Cancer & Heart Fund’s Show House at the Shore, in Margate through August 10. The 1920s-era Georgian brick home, with formal columns, a wrought iron balcony, brick courtyard and brooding magnolia trees, was christened Seabright on Rumson by owners Mark Arbeit and Mitch Tannehill, who bought and restored the aging structure, then made it available to RNS for its popular summer fundraiser. The result, as befits this upscale Margate neighborhood, is grand. From the first-floor formal living room, with its moss-and-cream palette, coffered ceiling, onyx-faced marble fireplace, and equestrian chic, to the third-floor retreat, with rattan club chairs facing a candlelit Buddha, the home is a masterwork of pure elegance from more than a dozen interior designers. One of the most stunning rooms in the show house is the library-slash-entertainment room, where dozens of books and thousands of CDs are displayed on ceiling-high shelves, but the home’s audio and video system are artfully concealed in cupboards. Plush, down-filled armchairs in cherry-and-white plaid with a dog motif are a whimsical touch in the otherwise regal space, with Roman shades and rich floral tapestry drapes for privacy. The kitchen, suggested by an English country estate, features Carrera marble countertops, tumbled stone floors, and two-toned cherry-wood and soft yellow cabinets for a bright look, plus hand-painted Delft tiles and tons of natural light. No surprise to see Wolf and Sub-Zero appliances here—the pricy stoves, refrigerators, freezers and wine coolers are practically mandatory in contemporary show house kitchens. Another charming space is the breakfast nook, with a bistro table and chairs curtained in red-and-white striped cotton ticking. A mural on the wall warns, in French, “If you love me, be careful!” Chandeliers and wall sconces of sparkling Baccarat crystal add to the opulence of the home, and a vintage-looking chandelier of wrought distressed metal with gleaming crystal teardrops gorgeously illuminates a dining area. Before the red front door closes to the public forever, make haste to see the RNS Show House, which supports a very worthy effort: the Ruth Newman Shapiro Heart & Cancer Fund. If you’re a real show house fan, RNS is just the start. The Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts’ 4th Annual Designer Show House is open in Cape May through October. The Craftsman-style Otis Townsend Residence, built in 1915, is something of a departure for MAC, which raises money through the project to help generate tourism and preserve the legacy of Victorian Cape May. Unlike previous Cape May show houses, which underwent significant structural renovations before being decorated and furnished, the Townsend house was largely intact when almost 20 designers descended. In every room, they stayed faithful to the Arts & Crafts or Mission style of decor, which emphasizes richly stained woodwork, furniture with clean, spare lines, light fixtures of hammered copper and brass, and neutral walls. Against this decorous backdrop, however, the design team imposed a lushness of detail and pattern that is almost too much to absorb in a single walk-through. A third-floor “media pub chamber” features a wet bar with ceramic tiles that resemble snakeskin. Oversized pillows and ottomans add extra seating in the lounge area, and knick-knacks, bric-a-brac, curiosities and special features—birdcages, candles, books, postcards, frosted glass lamps, even copper valances—crowd every space. One room that relies less on excess is the charming second-floor nursery, where a Beatrix Potter-style mural evokes a dreamy woodland-like feel. Talk about something for everyone. Go, and be inspired.
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