St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild’s Decorators’ Show House Preview

I had the privilege of getting a sneak preview of the St. Margaret’s Hospital Guild’s Decorators’ Show House and Gardens at 57 E. 57th St. This is the Guild’s 62nd Home Tour, the longest running home tour in the country. This year there will be plein air artists at the home painting on many days. Local artist work is featured throughout the home including Kyle Ragsdale (Harrison Center) and Beth Clary Schwier (Fine Art Gallery- Irvington).
All the proceeds benefit Eskenazi Health. This unique Guild of Women have volunteered their time and talents to this project every year. I’ve been going on the home tour for the past 25 years. There are other tours out there, but none as wonderful as this one. Every nook and cranny and room is decorated by a professional team. Many are new designers and others have been doing the home tour for decades. You will see the most current trends as the designers blend their talents together to create a home that is not only stunning but liveable. The home has a very family oriented theme with a magnificent pool table in the living room that the family insisted must stay. I was on the pre-tour with just bare rooms and the transformation is astonishing. The rooms flow with warmth and charm.
I always come away with new ideas for my own home. Rooms that have items for sale will be located in a binder at the Welcome Tent as you leave, so be sure to take a picture if you are interested in something.
The front door has a massive arch of vines yet to bloom. The foyer is intimate and with a Classic inspired wallpaper mural  (detail photo left) that is stunning. There is a half bath off the foyer with artwork done especially for the space and look up at the handpainted ceiling.
The massive living room is grand, but with the furniture placement it seems cozy. Be sure to look up again – clouds are on the ceiling and incredible lighting!
The dining room/family room combo is so inviting with the three sets of french doors opening to the new pool, patio and hot tub! What a great place to have a party!
The office is dark and dramatic and glorious with views of the garden and built-in bookshelves. Check out the lighting – the home has exquisite choices in lighting.
The kitchen is probably my favorite ever! It features the most beautiful granite island I have ever seen. Wait until you see the wall color!
The upstairs master suite has a hallway with a deep curved ceiling that glows with an iridescent color choice – magnificent! The room is the most relaxing sanctuary I have seen in a long time – you just want to curl up and never leave. The pillow is very special – check out the designer’s notes.
When I stepped into the bathroom suite my jaw dropped and even more so in the unbelievable walk-in closet (bigger than my bedroom) with stunning dark wood built-ins and an island of drawers with a tooled leather top -Wow.
The two sons in the house have the coolest bedrooms you can imagine. One with sports balls on a display wall and  the other with patterns and colors I want in my own house. original-tile
One of the baths has kept the original wall tile which is an amazing diamond shaped pale celery color (photo left). The designer took out the old tub and put in a glass shower without disturbing the tile (magic).
The laundry room is a real treat with patterns, colors and art that make you smile and enjoy the task at hand.
There is an amazing guest bedroom that is completely done in recycled, refurbished donated pieces from Diversions, a non-profit who collect donations and re-purpose pieces to give to those in re-entry from homelessness. Monkey-on-wallpaper
The basement has a huge family room – check out the coolest carpeting you’ll ever see.
Just for fun, when you visit the house see if you can find the tulip light and monkey wallpaper (shown right. Clue: in the same room).
This is just a sampling – there are dozens of spaces beautifully decorated in this gorgeous house.
The landscape designers have been busy turning the outdoor space into a dream come true.
Thank you Sherrell Smith, promotions director for the tour and for Roz showing me around. The Show House runs April 29th through May 14 (closed Mondays) Start a tradition and take your mother or daughter and enjoy a wonderful afternoon. Stop by Maggie’s Hoosier Marketplace in the big tent out back. Tickets are on sale at showhouseindy.org