Designers' Showcase Opens at The Watermark

When people get to the time when downsizing is imminent, figuring out how to make everything fit into one apartment can be a challenge. And yet, such places need to have all the comforts of earlier, bigger homes. It was this challenge that intrigued a group of area designers and antiques dealers and prompted them to create a Designers' Showhouse at The Watermark for a benefit tonight.

Carole Winer Sorensen of Country Loft Antiques in Woodbury, Wendy Brazauskas of Comforts of Home, Southbury, Marise Jung of Southbury, and Karen Reddington-Hughes of Abrash Galleries will be creating "miniature paradises" of three separate apartments at The Watermark at East Hill, 611 East Hill Road, Southbury.

The Showcase opens on Friday evening, with a special reception from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Commons Building at The Watermark. Facility staff are preparing to serve hors d'oeuvres, wine and champagne.

"We are doing all the food and have underwritten the space, food and bar," said Michelle Bettingole, Executive Director. "We love doing things with the community and this is a terrific idea for a partnership. I don't know of any other retirement communities who have done a Designers' Showcase, so this is sort of like stepping off a cliff."

Since the expenses for the event are underwritten, all the proceeds from each $25 ticket will go directly into the food and fuel banks for Woodbury, Southbury and Middlebury.

Silent auction items — also for the benefit the food and fuel banks — include several original paints, a hotel stay at The Heritage and a ring from The Gilded Lily.

Reddington-Hughes specializes in antique Persian rugs and is collaborating on one apartment with Sorensen. They recently chaired a similar event for the Pomperaug River Watershed Coalition to raise funds for clean water.

"I just thought, 'food and fuel'," Sorensen said. "Lots of people are out of work. This is a good thing."

"We want to show people who are downsizing that they can have a miniature paradise," Sorensen said. "It is not high maintenance, but an important mélange of the past and present."

Reddington-Hughes said the whole concept of a Designers' Showcase at The Watermark came about after she offered some lectures at the facility.  She is also a board member with the Tribury Rotary, and felt that many people would have a close association, especially in the last five years, with food and fuel banks.

"The inspiration for this apartment came from Karen's rugs and art," Sorensen said.

She added touches from her store such as a 19th century, handmade wine-tasting table, wingback chairs from Monique Shay's shop.  The Faux Belles, a painting team comprised of Janice Paul and Dee Hessian, created a faux copper backsplash in the kitchen, with a ceiling border of stenciled fleur de lis. Walls were done in a special technique known as Venetian plaster. Sorensen said she always incorporates a bunny — this time on a Majolica piece provided by Reddington-Hughes — and something from her mother —a pleated and tucked white robe.

"We want people to know that as they age and live longer, they can still live with grade and dignity," Reddington-Hughes said.

The designers all said they hope their projects will give lots of people ideas about how to decorate a smaller space, incorporating beautiful design elements, practicality, and favorite things.

The three apartments; two, two-bedroom apartments and one, one-bedroom unit, will be open on Friday evening during the benefit. Following this event, visitors can view the units with the option of making a donation to the food and fuel banks. The apartments will also be available for purchase, decorated and furnished.

For more information or to reserve tickets for this special event, please call The Watermark at East Hill at 203-262-6868 or Karen Reddington-Hughes at 203-263-7847 or 203-947-4757.