Taking fashion trends from the runway and reinterpreting them for the home was the challenge that eight mid-Atlantic interior designers faced in creating the Washington Design Center’s latest Design House, called "A Fashion House." Meanwhile, the challenge for those planning the exhibit's opening night was to take the designers’ work and put together a party consistent with the fashion-forward themes of the eight rooms.
A little background: Each year, the Design Center partners with a local magazine when it launches a new Design House; this year, it chose DC Magazine, and the two worked with Gala Events and Windows Catering Company to create a lively, food- and music-filled atmosphere consistent with the modern feel of the venue.
“We used a lot of black and white and shiny and metallic items,” said DC Magazine marketing director Martha Pheeny, who produced the event. With the Design House rooms filled with every color under the sun, Pheeny and Gala Events designer Jamie Greenwald opted for a clean look for the cocktail party decor. Case in point: giant black-and-white velour curtains hung along the hallway leading up to the conference-room-turned-lounge that also served as an entrance to the exhibit. The furniture throughout the room was simple, too, including white couches, a tufted white leather bar, and white hydrangea and lily floral arrangements.The centerpiece of the 600-square-foot anteroom was a four- by four-foot square table overflowing with hors d’oeuvres (although it was not really placed in the center, but rather so close to the Design House entrance that many a bottleneck occurred). Meant to fill up the after-work crowd, Windows' menu featured choices ranging from mini cheeseburgers to cheesecake lollipops. There were so many last-minute RSVPs, however, that Windows started creating extra batches of bite-size items just three hours before the event began.
Inside the Design House, the more than 400 guests in attendance weaved their way from living room to bedroom, from kitchen to dining room, with a chance to talk with the eight designers responsible for the looks. Dubbed “the region’s best talent” by Design Center marketing director Julia Chappell, the designers (including Dan Banks, who has appeared on HGTV’s Curb Appeal, and H. Dawn Patrick Wout, who has a design segment on the local CBS affiliate), were handpicked with the help of the DC Magazine editors. Editor in chief Karen Sommer Shalett aided in choosing the runway fashions the designers were mimicking.
The Design House remains open and free to the public through December 15.
A little background: Each year, the Design Center partners with a local magazine when it launches a new Design House; this year, it chose DC Magazine, and the two worked with Gala Events and Windows Catering Company to create a lively, food- and music-filled atmosphere consistent with the modern feel of the venue.
“We used a lot of black and white and shiny and metallic items,” said DC Magazine marketing director Martha Pheeny, who produced the event. With the Design House rooms filled with every color under the sun, Pheeny and Gala Events designer Jamie Greenwald opted for a clean look for the cocktail party decor. Case in point: giant black-and-white velour curtains hung along the hallway leading up to the conference-room-turned-lounge that also served as an entrance to the exhibit. The furniture throughout the room was simple, too, including white couches, a tufted white leather bar, and white hydrangea and lily floral arrangements.The centerpiece of the 600-square-foot anteroom was a four- by four-foot square table overflowing with hors d’oeuvres (although it was not really placed in the center, but rather so close to the Design House entrance that many a bottleneck occurred). Meant to fill up the after-work crowd, Windows' menu featured choices ranging from mini cheeseburgers to cheesecake lollipops. There were so many last-minute RSVPs, however, that Windows started creating extra batches of bite-size items just three hours before the event began.
Inside the Design House, the more than 400 guests in attendance weaved their way from living room to bedroom, from kitchen to dining room, with a chance to talk with the eight designers responsible for the looks. Dubbed “the region’s best talent” by Design Center marketing director Julia Chappell, the designers (including Dan Banks, who has appeared on HGTV’s Curb Appeal, and H. Dawn Patrick Wout, who has a design segment on the local CBS affiliate), were handpicked with the help of the DC Magazine editors. Editor in chief Karen Sommer Shalett aided in choosing the runway fashions the designers were mimicking.
The Design House remains open and free to the public through December 15.
\"A Fashion House\" showcases the work of eight interior designers.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash
Held in an anteroom at the Washington Design Center, the Design House opening-night cocktail party featured a 30-foot white tufted leather bar created by Gala Events.
Photo: Courtesy of Gala Events
Gala Events also created lounge vignettes for the cocktail party, with white couches and glass-covered coffee tables filled with small metallic balls.
Photo: Courtesy of Gala Events
Windows Catering Company passed trays of sushi rolls.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash
Washed in cobalt blue is the "Birds of a Feather" lounge/game room, part of the Design House exhibit, from About Interiors' H. Dawn Patrick Wout.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash
Claudia Powell (pictured, left) and Gregory Tinius's "Chanel Redux
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash
Inspired by this year's steel-and-crystal Prada stilettos and a vintage metallic sequined Prada evening bag, the "Metallic, Sparkle, and Shine Kitchen" (complete with a flueless fireplace) was designed by Barbara Hawthorn.
Photo: Lara Shipley for BizBash
