The good weather is stretching from Fresno all the way to San Francisco and we had a great weekend. If you're headed north anytime between now and May 29, the San Francisco Decorator Showcase is well worth the ticket. It's 33 spaces by 28 designers and their teams who have turned a splendid Beaux Arts-style mansion in Presidio Heights into a destination.
The house was built in 1902 and if you really fall in love with it, the place is up for sale for $15.2 million. The tour brought back memories of Fresno's past designer showhouses, but it's been quite a few years since the local interior design community has held such an event. Too bad. I miss it.
The Women's Symphony League used to do a fine job with this kind of fundraiser, although it is a lot of work and expense. We have such interesting interior design work being done in Fresno, and it would be good to see the designers work together on something like this again.
Maybe the locals will be inspired by their Bay Area counterparts to try again. These designers have raised the bar on the whole showhouse idea a few notches.
They have, for example, handheld recording devices that tell the story of each room during a self-guided audio tour. These are the devices used for museums. Push #1 and you get the whole story behind the entry; #2 gives you the living room, etc.
The second idea I really liked was that several of the rooms included a back story. For example, in Clarissa's study designed by Caitlin Moran, the fictional character has diplomas (even for synchronized swimming and law school) framed on the wall. You see that she has a bottle of Jim Beam tucked away, a ribbon bulletin board has copies of her intriguing party invitations and an etiquette book is open to a page called "How to respond when someone insults you on purpose."
As a bonus, several of the designers were in their rooms and happy to talk about them. What a nice touch that was.
My favorite room just for its sense of humor was a little bathroom titled "Good Clean Fun" by Mark Morris. He included funny bathroom humor in pictures on the walls that just makes you giggle. I was so glad the designer was on hand that day. He was just as witty as the room.
There's also a delightful "Artist's Retreat" designed by Catherine Macfee that assumes a back story between lovers Francesca and Nathaniel. Francesca is a painter and Nathaniel a world traveler, just returned from his latest adventure. The room is filled with her creations and souvenirs from his expeditions. There is even a note attached to a nude sketch of Francesca, which Nathaniel apparently gave to her as an anniversary gift. Sweet.
The whole experience is well worth the time and money if you enjoy seeing fresh ideas in gardening and interiors. As a bonus, there is a silent auction in the carriage house.
If you go:
Date: Now through May 29
Where: 3701 Washington St.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursdays; 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays and Memorial Day.
Admission: $30, $20 for seniors. Included self-guided audio tour.
Information: (415) 447-5830 or www.decoratorshowcase.org
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