Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Mary Douglas Drysdale at the Richmond Symphony Designer House

An opportunity to experience a room by Mary Douglas Drysdale is not to be missed. Last Friday I had the chance to do just that at the Richmond Symphony Designer Showhouse. Mary designed the living room with a nod to America's past and an eye to the future. It is an unparalled combination of bold pieces and subtle, meaningful details. The result is an elegant, seamless room that is both welcoming and stunning.
A Great Dane sculpture by Mark Perry is the focal point above the fireplace - unexpected and enjoyable all at once.
A curved settee is paired with a monochromatic graphic pillow. The seating in the room was enveloped in Sandra Jordan's alpaca and curved and straight lines were balanced throughout the space. Artwork subtly referenced our nation's past and its future direction.
Here's Mary with the uber talented Tobi Fairley who created a stunning Stair Hall with traditional furniture treated with modern painted finishes and fabrics. I loved the color palette too - light blues with accents of red. Go here to see a rendering of the space.
My dear friend Anne with Mary - who was the epitome of graciousness. You may have noticed the bare feet. Depending on the shoes you had, the protective foot coverings could be a bit slippery. But this brings me to another element of Mary's design - pattern. The gorgeous patterned cognac floor with light and dark accents (hard to see in my photos) and the pattern on the curtains were designed by Mary. Tom Hickey of Rising Tide Inc. is the decorative artist that beautifully executed the floor design.

Is this all the photos?

Yes, I'm to say. When I attended the Gala, it was unclear if any photos could be used so I limited myself to photos of the designers (although as you see here I couldn't resist taking a few photos of Mary's room.) For bloggers attending Press Day, the only room allowed to be photographed was Mary's. Be sure to visit Jeanette's A Passion for Home in the next few days as she will likely have more images of the room to share.

Is it worth the drive if you live in DC?

Yes, many of the designers in this showhouse created fabulous, creative and inspiring spaces! Set on 8 acres on the James River, the gardens and landscaping are a treat unto themselves. The Designer House remains open through Oct. 11 - details here.

8 comments:

Teresa Hatfield ~ Splendid Sass said...

That floor is to die for and the sculpture above the mantle is rare. I love it. The colors here are so quaint and elegant at the same time. Love it all, and thanks for sharing this beautiful home.
Have a nice day.
Teresa (Splendid Sass)

Lauren said...

oh Michele!! Wish I could have come and it looks like you had a great time. Anne looks beautiful!!

xoxo,
lauren

Sherry @ No Minimalist Here said...

Oh, I can't wait to go! One of my DIL's friends is a designer there.
Thanks for sharing.

Unknown said...

Actually, I love your friend's dress....do you know where she found it? smiles.

debra @ 5th and state said...

lucky you michele!
mary looks approachable as are her rooms.
tobi is a darling, how fun!
DEBRA
STILl sending your photos?

Unknown said...

Michele - it looks like a beautiful show house. I really wish I lived closer, so I could see it. Thanks for the look inside!

Tom said...

Thank you for the photos! I enjoy reading your posts.

The stencilled floor and the painting of the living room is documented in progress at http://www.facebook.com/RisingTideInc if you are interested. Mary Drysdale is an artist and I am proud to have worked with her on this project.

Janell @ House of Fifty said...

The lines on the back of the settee are wonderfully whimsical and dramatic! Looks like a great time...Janell

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