Rooms With a View: Must Attend Designer Event

By Christine Finch Oleynick

Each year I look forward to Rooms With A View (RWAV) and this year is no exception. Now in its 22nd year, RWAV is the premier design event in Fairfield County created by the Dean Of American Design, Mr. Albert Hadley, and now with Honorary Chairman, Thom Filicia. Each year, 12 designers are invited to create 6’ x 8' vignettes. These mini-rooms (8-foot ceilings and three walls) are staged in the library and great hall of the historic, stone, Gothic Revival-style Southport Congregational Church in Southport, CT.  

RWAV is unique in that it is not a showcase in the traditional sense.  It is a sound bite version of a designer show house.  The designers are challenged to get an idea across in a small amount of space.     

The show opens to the public on Friday, November 11 at 10:00 a.m.  

Some of the highlights of the weekend include the Gala Party Friday evening, featuring cocktails and fabulous hors d’oeuvres by the top restaurants of Fairfield County, with an entertaining live and silent auction, as well as Gingerbread People decorating from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. for the kids in the tent. For $10, your child will receive a home-made gingerbread person, frosting and candy to decorate with as well as 1/2 hour of babysitting while they do it!  

Saturday, November 12th, the doors will open at 10:00 AM and features two special events.  Our popular Luncheon by Festivities has a new element this year, "The Sinatra Songbook" (a live performance by Paul Whitmore and Peary Spaght) and the evening will feature an exceptional Champagne Tour of the Vignettes and Gourmet Dinner by Paci Restaurant.  On Sunday, November 13 at 2 p.m., a Gingerbread House Workshop will be held in the main tent.

RWAV is open to the public on Friday and Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 PM and Sunday from 12:00 to 5:00 PM.

The Shops at RWAV have more than 30 vendors from around the country who are selling their crafts, antiques and decorative accessories.  A Marketplace Café, as well as other exciting events, are planned to fill out the weekend.

Over the last 22 years, RWAV has raised more than $1,500,000.00  Proceeds support the work of the church and its many local and international missions, including Alpha Community Services, Bridgeport Council of Churches, Bridgeport Rescue Mission, Burroughs Community Center, Center for Women and Families, Eagle Hill School Scholarship Fund, Emerge, Inc., Family Re-Entry, FSW, Grasmere by the Sea, Homes For The Brave, Horizons, Janus House, The Kennedy Center, Operation Hope, The Pilot House, Project Learn, Prospect House, Simply Smiles, St. George’s Soup Kitchen, and Visiting Nurses of Connecticut.

This year’s designers include:

·       Hannah Childs for Hannah Childs Interior Design   

·       Joss Citrone and Beth Sheridan Schoenherr for SHERIDAN INTERIORS

·       Tyler Constanda for TC Designs

·       Ken Gemes for KEN GEMES INTERIORS

·       Douglas Graneto for DOUGLAS GRANETO DESIGN    

·       Michelle Morgan for MORGAN HARRISON HOME

·       Jhon Ortiz and Scott Falciglia for THE TAILORED HOME    

·       Stephanie Rapp for STEPHANIE RAPP INTERIORS

·       Christina Roughan for ROUGHAN INTERIOR DESIGN

·       Jonathan Savage for SAVAGE INTERIOR DESIGN

·       Alexa van Batenburg for HAUTE CINQ   

·       Sarah Weiland for TUSK HOME & DESIGN

·       PARKER & COMPANY  (chapel design)

Nearby restaurants include the Grey Goose and Artisan at The Delamar Hotel. 

National Sponsors:

CIRCA LIGHTING      FARROW & BALL

Media Sponsors:

atHome/Moffly   CT Cottages & Gardens     New England Home

Serendipity

Retail Sponsors:

Millie Rae's      Walin & Wolff

Liquor Sponsor

Asylum Disillery

Narthex Designer

Geoffrey Walsky for Fairfield Co. Antique and Design Center

For more information, please call 203-255-4538

Southport Congregational Church

524 Pequot Avenue

Southport, CT  06890

For more information, contact Christine Finch Oleynick at Christine@ChiltonAndChadwick.com. 

Designing and Staging Interiors to Sell Your Home

Q&A With Fairfield County Based Interior Designer, Alexis Parent Interiors:

Selling your chic and elegant home means selling a lifestyle. We at Chilton and Chadwick sat down with Westport native and Interior Designer, Alexis Avellanet Parent, for some tips on how get your luxury property poised for a competitive real estate market.  Alexis has recently returned to running her own full-service design firm after spending years working on high-profile projects for the corporate division of Lillian August.   Her projects included designing several multi-million dollar model apartments for NYC’s prestigious Extell Development. With a modern aesthetic that is sophisticated yet inviting and livable, Alexis is sought after by HGTV for staging productions and by homeowners and realtors for designing private residences that sell.

Alexis Parent Staging 

Q: Hi Alexis, thanks for sitting down with us today. How can Interior Design and Staging services help a luxury property to sell more quickly and for more?

A: My pleasure!  By providing a look that is current and clean, but not necessarily taste specific, buyers can envision themselves moving right in.  Proper presentation can help your home sell faster and at times even for a higher price! You need to know who your buyer is. Your design professional and realtor can help you zero in and appeal to your target market. designing to sell and Staging are tremendous marketing tools and have become the new standard for selling a refined home.  In fact, the Association of Property Scene Designers states that staged homes sell 43% more quickly than un-staged homes.

Q: What is the most important room to keep “re-sale ready?”

A: I always encourage my design clients to stay ahead of the curve with their kitchens.  They are the heart of any home. If you are updating your kitchen before putting it on the market, be sure to incorporate light, neutral colors and finishes.  The ultimate goal to re-sale is being able to appeal to a wide variety of buyers.  Try and stick to the classics.  Crisp white cabinets are always a hit and good quality appliances will be noticed.  Kitchen upgrades can get expensive, but the good news is you will get your money back on this one.  

Q: How is a luxury property different to stage than your average home?

One Riverside Park

A:  With interior design in general, the quality of the décor should reflect the home’s price range and style.  Prestigious homes are held to a much higher standard.  For example, the fabrics and furnishings in a high-end Greenwich home should be far more luxurious than you would find in a hip yet lower priced apartment in SoNo.  It is important to highlight the amenities that make your home so well appointed.  If there is a large pool patio or BBQ, be sure there is inviting outdoor furniture with pops of colorful pillows.  Buyers should be able to envision themselves entertaining friends and family.  Wine cellars should be stocked, gym spaces should have at least a few pieces of exercise equipment, etc.  There should be no forgotten spaces and cleanliness is paramount.

Q: How can sellers stage their own home?

Staging for Property Brothers

A:  Property can likely one of  your biggest investments.  You never get a second chance to make a first impression.  It may sound cliché, but it is very true.  While I strongly suggest finding the right pros to work with, I can tell you some of the easiest changes to make:

1. Start with a clean slate.  Sadly many buyers do not have a tremendous amount of vision to see beyond your current décor.  Remove overly decorative or dated wall coverings and apply a fresh coat of paint to everything possible. While you may love your bold color selections, be sure your home isn’t too taste specific.  I strongly suggest going with colors that are on trend, like light grays and soft whites.

2. Let there be light!  Every buyer wants good lighting in their prospective home.  Something so simple as maximizing the wattage or switching to LED or Halogen bulbs in your fixtures can make a space feel brighter and larger.  I also suggest adding mirrors, taking down heavy draperies and pruning any outdoor landscaping that darkens a room.  Do whatever is needed to make your home feel light and airy.

Duplex Penthouse

3. De-Clutter.  This is so very important and can be a touchy subject with sellers.  Family photos, memorabilia, collectibles and many other personal items can be distracting to a buyer.  Less is more! Essentially, you want to de-personalize the home.  At times homeowners can over furnish a room so consider moving pieces into storage.  This will make rooms appear much larger.

If you are interested in design services from Alexis, you can learn more at:

alexisparent.com | ph: 203.451.5630

Article by: Bailey Bitetto