FROM GIVERNY TO GEORGIA, ATLANTA’S BEST DESIGNERS PUT THEIR CREATIVITY ON DISPLAY TO SHOW HOW TO MAKE A HOUSE A HOME

The Decorators’ Show House & Gardens Celebrates its 40th Year
with Innovative and Award-Winning Designers

ATLANTA – Beginning Saturday, April 17, some of Atlanta’s most gifted and creative interior designers and landscape architects will take inspiration from the beauty of northern France and bring it to their individual rooms and gardens at the 40th Annual Decorator’s Show House & Gardens. Giverny, the same village that inspired Claude Monet’s Water Lily Pond, is the theme for this year’s house, located at an elegant Buckhead estate spanning more than 4 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens. Presented by the Atlanta Symphony Associates (ASA), the 450-member volunteer organization that supports the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO), the 2010 Decorators’ Show House & Gardens is a nationally recognized event that donates all proceeds to the ASO’s Learning Community and is the longest running event of its kind in the Southeast.

“It’s been amazing to see the transformation at this year’s Show House so far! Each of the designers is bringing his or her unique vision and expertise to create a fresh concept in his or her respective space,” says Mollie Palmer, Chairperson for the 2010 Decorators’ Show House & Gardens. “From high-end design elements to the more affordable, from rustic to whimsical, from classic to contemporary and everything in between, there is something to fit everyone’s tastes. Every patron who visits this year’s Decorators’ Show House & Gardens, whether they are looking to redecorate or renovate their home or simply enjoy the art of interior design, is surely in for an inspirational treat!”

Take a closer look at some of the master designers displaying the hottest trends at this year’s Show House:

• Corey McIntosh, McIntosh Interiors (Inman Park): Sitting Room and Gallery
Corey McIntosh, designer of the Sitting Room and Gallery for this year’s show house, has had his work featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Atlanta Business Chronicle, among others. His company, McIntosh Interiors, works to ensure that clients receive the best possible value for their investment, and he is carrying that philosophy into his design by creating two rooms within a room: one side devoted to budget-conscious options and the other to more upscale options. Both sides will share a neutral backdrop with punches of color from pillows, lamps and artwork, which allows for easy adjustments when the client is ready for a change. The ultimate goal is to prove that beautiful style can be achieved by all.

• Barbara Shelton, Insidesign, Inc. (Perimeter): Teen Retreat
Designing this year’s Teen Retreat is Barbara Shelton’s Insidesign, Inc., whose company has been featured in Atlanta Magazine, Today’s Custom Home and Builder’s Journal. The teen retreat at the Show House will be as whimsical as it is stylish. The warm tones of the wood floor and furniture, contrasting with bright accent colors, will make this a vibrant, youthful space. An eclectic mix of environmentally responsible furniture and lighting will complete this teen haven. A wet bar made from reclaimed pine from a warehouse off of Martin Luther King Drive; an end table crafted from a slice of Red Oak found at a North Georgia job site; natural mica wallpaper panels from Innovations; and a lamp made of recycled Styrofoam – all of these “green” elements make this space a labor of love for the Insidesign team.

• Randy Korando and Dan Belman, Boxwoods Gardens and Gifts (Buckhead): Greenhouse
Randy Korando and Dan Belman, co-owners of Boxwoods Gardens and Gifts, are participating in the Decorators’ Show House & Gardens for the 19th time and are designing the Greenhouse. Boxwoods has received many awards including “Best of Atlanta Hall of Fame” by Atlanta Magazine and has been named one of the top 50 retail establishments in the country. Instead of treating the space as a working greenhouse, they have chosen to treat it like an English conservatory with an indoor dining and seating area overlooking the gardens and the pond. With pops of fuchsia from dinnerware, fabrics and plants, they will create a luxurious entertainment pavilion.

There are several retail options should the design spaces of the Show House leave guests feeling inspired about their own homes. Many of the items in these spaces are for sale and are listed on a price sheet located in each room. A percentage of the proceeds from each purchase benefits the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Learning Community programs. The Decorators’ Show House & Gardens own gift shop, Maestro’s Market, will be selling a wide variety of gifts including European and American antiques, original art and estate, handmade and new jewelry. Purchases from Maestro’s Market will directly benefit the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

For a full list of designers at the 2010 Show House, please visit www.decoratorsshowhouse.org.

About the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, currently in its 65th season, is one of America’s leading orchestras, known for the excellence of its live performances, presentations, renowned choruses, and its impressive list of Grammy® Award-winning recordings. The leading cultural organization in the Southeast, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra serves as the cornerstone for artistic development and music education in the region. Under the Creative Partnership of Music Director Robert Spano, Principal Guest Conductor Donald Runnicles, and President and CEO Allison Vulgamore since September 2001, the Orchestra and audiences together explore a creative programming mix, recordings, and visual enhancements, such as the ASO Theater of a Concert, the Orchestra’s continuing exploration of different formats, settings, and enhancements for the musical performance experience. Another example is the Atlanta School of Composers, which reflects Mr. Spano and the Orchestra’s commitment to nurturing and championing music through multi-year partnerships defining a new generation of American composers.

About Atlanta Symphony Orchestra’s Learning Community
The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra has been playing educational concerts for young people, and taking its music into schools, hospitals, and community centers since its earliest days. The Orchestra now offers a wide spectrum of engaging and entertaining musical experiences for all ages — in Atlanta Symphony Hall, and throughout the greater Atlanta area. Each year the Orchestra’s commitment to music for young people has expanded to create a wider variety of musical and educational experiences for citizens of all ages. ASO musicians travel throughout the greater Atlanta area, partnering with community groups and schools to perform concerts in small community venues, coaching young musicians and providing classical music education for all ages. The programs are designed to educate, stimulate interest in classical music, and create musical opportunities for people who may not otherwise have access to them. The Learning Community at the ASO is generously funded in part by The Zeist Foundation.