Meet Some of the Interior Designers Behind the Preservation of a Landmark High Point Home
The Junior League of High Point Designers’ Showhouse presented by national media sponsor, ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME, was a stunning success this past October. The restoration of the Dalton-Bell-Cameron House, built in 1913, came after being gutted by fire in 2013. It was slated for demolition in 2018 until the High Point community united to save and rebuild it.
Top designers from across the country were a part of this transformation. Designers Libby Langdon of Libby Interiors, Inc., Andrea Schumacher of Andrea Schumacher Interiors, and Lauren Clement of Lauren Nicole Designs were among the group to include a mix of Crystorama light fixtures in their design. They share their experiences and design inspirations with behind the scenes planning and problem solving.
Let’s start with the living room designed by Libby Langdon. “My room at the Showhouse was a tribute to Mary and Carter Dalton who built the historic home in my hometown of High Point, NC, in 1913. I wanted to create a space that balanced feminine and masculine elements to create a comfortable yet stylish living room, perfect for entertaining or spending cozy winter evenings at home by the fire. I’m a fan of blush, and I especially love mixing it with darker, more masculine colors like charcoal gray and black. My new furniture collection for Fairfield and new artwork collection for Paragon, as well as my rugs for Kas and lighting for Crystorama were the jumping off point for furnishing this space. I combined all my products with fabulous fabrics, cool color combos, lots of texture and fresh finishes to create a chic living room that suits both the man and lady of the house,” says Langdon.
Design: Libby Langdon
Design: Libby Langdon
Libby has her own Crystorama line of lighting, Libby Langdon For Crystorama. She discusses her selection of light fixtures used in her design. “In keeping with balancing elements, I incorporated fixtures from my Hillcrest collection. The pattern featured on the Hillcrest chandeliers and sconces are strong and angular, while the milk glass softens the piece by filtering the light as it shines through. The Hillcrest chandeliers were positioned over the two main vignettes to provide light overhead, and sconces were added on either side of the fireplace to light an area that would have been dark otherwise,” explains Langdon.
Design: Libby Langdon
Libby Langdon for Crystorama Hillcrest 2 Light Vibrant Gold Wall Mount
Libby shares her experience of turning chaos into order. “When I came down to High Point from New York City, I learned that I wasn't able to install my room! We ended up having to push all of the furniture and accessories to one side of the room, cover everything in blankets for protection, hang huge "Do Not Touch" signs, and pray for the best. While I would have loved to install my room when I had initially planned, being a designer is all about problem solving, which we did and it ended up being a-okay in the end!”
As a High Point native, this project was very personal to Libby. “I absolutely loved coming home to launch two brand-new product collections, and to participate in breathing new life into this historic home.”
Next up, the office designed by Andrea Schumacher. She shares her inspiration for designing this space. "We selected a bird print wallpaper to reflect the surrounding gardens and landscape into the decor. The wallpaper was the main inspiration for the rest of the room."
Design: Andrea Schumacher
Andrea used the Crystorama Broche ceiling mounts in her design. “They provided visual eye candy and fit the space perfectly. The angled ceiling prevented us from over scaled fixtures,” she adds.
Design: Andrea Schumacher
Even though the room presented a few challenges, they were creatively navigated. “We originally were going to wallpaper all the walls, but were instructed to keep the paneling, so we had to revise our concept and decided on a wallpapered screen, wallpapered ceiling and painted the paneling,” Schumacher explains.
When asked what the highlight of the restoration was, she said, “The final gathering was the most special, to bring all the designers together and celebrate.”
Andrea was grateful for being a part of such an inspirational restoration project. “I was so inspired by all the creative solutions to the spaces. I loved how easy everyone was to work with. I feel honored to have been a part of this project and help the home owner bring her childhood home back to life.”
On to the Butler’s pantry and hallway leading to the main stairwell designed by Lauren Clement.
Lauren shares her design approach and inspiration. “This space is not huge so I wanted to pack it full of a punch of color and a pop of metallic accents. A bright southern style butler’s pantry ready to put a smile on your face and a drink in your hand as you transition from the kitchen to the dining room.”
Design: Lauren Clement
Lauren used the Crystorama Duval chandeliers in the hallway. “These two fixtures are the jewelry in my space. I knew I wanted something gold with different materials so these pendants with the glass beads were just perfect! Gold is such a hot style trend. Their reflection off of my neutral wall color alongside the other bright punches of color made for a perfectly sophisticated space: modern traditional with a touch of flair and formality.”
Design: Lauren Clement
With so many designers working on their spaces, being mindful of tying everything together was important especially with a transitioning space. “I was quite concerned that my space was a pass through and I would not know what my fellow designers would be doing with their colors and styles. This felt stressful but in fact it turned out quite beautifully and somehow it all just worked!”
For Lauren, being a part of this project was inspirational and heartfelt. “Being a part of this showhouse restoration was an amazing experience and a true part of history in a town that gives back to the Design Community. It felt like a small way that I could connect and give back. I so enjoyed bringing this space back to life, imagining how it would be used today while keeping the original Southern hospitality feel alive.”
The talent and dedication of these designers has created a stunning Showhouse experience to High Point’s visitors and local community.
To see a full list of designers that participated in the 2019 Junior League of High Point Designers’ Showhouse, click here.
The Showhouse will be featured in print in the ASPIRE DESIGN AND HOME SHOW HOUSE ISSUE slated for publication July 2020.