Howard County's 2013 Decorator Show House will not disapoint

Have you seen the Grand Foyer at this year’s Howard County Decorator Show House?  It looks like bleached walnut paneling years ago painstakingly attached but upon touching the wall and taking a closer look, you’ll note Dee Cunningham of Deelite Design finished the walls with a faux-finished to look like paneling but. it’s not.  Apparently it took her and a staff weeks to do and it’s striking.  She added modern touches with a pop of color with artwork, the ceiling and accessories.

This year, the Howard County Decorator Show House is at Mount Ida located on Sarah’s Lane is Historic Ellicott City, near the county Court House.  The 1828 Italianate-Greek Revival blend mansion is normally home to (Historic Ellicott City Organization) HEC, Inc. and Friends of the Patapsco Female Institute however, this year, owner Paul Miller and the organizations whose offices are housed there, have allowed the property to be used as the show house.  Interesting to note, HEC, Inc.’s first connection with Mount Ida was for the Decorator Show House in 1995 and in 2011, Mount Ida became the headquarters for HEC Inc.

The historic Mansion is the work of Charles Timanus, Jr.  He build the stone rubble and stucco structure for William Ellicott, grandson of one of the founders of Ellicott City who passed away ten years after the mansions completion.  The property was then owned by Judge John Snowden Tyson and his three maiden daughters inherited the home in 1878.  Ida, from whom the mansion gets its name resided there until her death in 1930. The home was nearly torn down after the passing of Louis T. Clark, the subsequent owner but Charles E. Miller, father of the current owner purchased the property.

Each year, the Show House Design Chairman, Carroll Fery invites designers in to tour the house and submit proposals.  Frey sets the ground rules, including the installation of crown molding, painted trim and woodwork so the home has a cohesive look.  Frey is a graduate of the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Interior Design.  He formed his own design firm in 1975 and provides interior design and architectural services to both residential and commercial clients.  Carroll also was a professor of interior design at the Maryland Institute for 16 years and still serves as a guest lecturer.

The Show House opened to the general public on September 28th and will run through Sunday, October 27th. Tickets can be purchased online (see below) or at several area establishments like Clark’s ACE Hardware.

For more information about Mount Ida go to https://www.ellicottcity.net/tourism/attractions/mt_ida/ For tickets and information about the Decorators Show House go to www.HECMD.org.  

Above photo of Dee Cunningham by Nate Pesce from the October 2013 Howard Magazine