Published: May 03, 2008 12:50 am            

SLIDE SHOW: 2008 Designers' Showhome

Click here to see the Designers' Showhome slide show






For the last five years, the house at the corner of Elm and Washington streets has been the home of Savage Designs, Denise Savage’s interior design business.

Savage moved her business into her home, at 1021 N. Washington St., after her husband died in 2006.

In February, local interior designers began transforming it into this year’s Designers’ Showhome, which opens today.

Vicky McCain, one of the designers who has been working on the house, said there was a tour before the house closed in February so work could begin, and she thinks those who toured before will be pleasantly surprised by the changes.

Savage said she hasn’t been inside for two weeks, and she’s also excited to go inside.

“You would not believe the changes it makes ... The furniture doesn’t start moving in until the last week. They’re doing landscaping today. It’s unbelievable the difference.”

Savage bought the house in 2002 from Everett and Fran Bradley, who she thinks lived there about 15 years.

“I liked it because I was hunting for a location and I wanted to buy a house for my design studio, and it was located across the street from a furniture store. I was beginning to fix every room up like a showhome.”

She said the house was built by the J.P. Grace family in 1915, and is a modified American Foursquare with Craftsman details.

“I think it was pretty modern for when it was built. They put plugs in the floors, which the average person didn’t do back then.”

Savage said many of the original details, including an ironing board built into a wall, are still in the house. It still has part of the original butler’s pantry, though it has been modified to enlarge the kitchen.

“It’s a huge house. There are going to be a lot of rooms to see,” Savage said.

McCain said the house opens at 7 p.m. today with a party, which is a ticketed event. The house then opens to the public at 11 a.m. Sunday. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through May 18.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

McCain said funds raised from the showhome benefit local charitable projects, including the domestic violence shelter, Guardian Angel Hospice and the St. Joseph Hospital Foundation.

She said people should come to support the charitable projects and to get new ideas for their own homes.

“It gives people a chance to see some new and exciting ideas they can do in their own homes, or they can contact designers and get them to work at their homes. There are a lot of new things to see.”

Danielle Rush may be reached at (765) 454-8585 or via e-mail at danielle.rush@kokomotribune.com



If you go:

The 2008 Designers’ Showhome, which sits at the corner of Elm and Washington streets, will open to the public at 11 a.m. Sunday. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through May 18. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.

        

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