ASPIRE JLD DETROIT SHOWHOUSE GRAND OPENING!!!!
After months of brainstorming, planning and hard work, the grand opening of the ASPIRE Junior League of Detroit’s Designer Showhouse has finally arrived! Naturally, we couldn’t miss it!!!!
From Left to Right: Director of Design: Jody Ossman, Vice President: Colleen Daly, Brand Ambassador: Justin Shaulis
As you know, we have been sharing photos and designer updates on the Showhouse. But nothing prepared us for the stunning vision of the Fisher Mansion in person! From the moment of our arrival, everyone, from designers to guests were very friendly and eager to participate in the evening’s festivities. As were we!!!
Once we donned our blue booties, we were ready to enter.
Here is where you hold your breath. From top to bottom, side to side, every minute detail was placed with one purpose - to be awe inspiring.
““My first thought when we first walked in was that the house was gorgeous to begin with, but each designer enhanced the look of each room and took it to the next level. I was beyond impressed!””
The traffic flowed and guided us through the house in a type of tour. At every corner a guide was present to answer any questions you might have. Upon entering each room, we were immediately greeted by the designer that transformed it.
Colleen & Justin with Julia Buckingham
Colleen & Justin with Jeanine Haith of ShowHouse Interiors
““I was impressed by the fact that even though each room was designed by a different person, there was a cohesive theme throughout the house that flowed from one room to the next.””
Kristen Eleni Shellenbarger of Iron Key Designs in her Garden Bath by our Green Tudor Mirror
Jennifer Schoenberger in her Nanny’s Bedroom with our Stainless Steel Console Table
““The design bar was set high with trend setting color palettes, great nods to Detroit’s past (and future), innovative furniture plans and fascinating products.””
While the designers were clearly the stars of the evening, we couldn’t help but feel a little famous ourselves by the warm and gracious welcome we received from everyone! It was a feather in our cap too to hear from designers that we didn’t partner with that after seeing our products in other rooms, they wished they had!
Justin Shaulis with Corey Damen Jenkins in his Living Room, our Aluminum Bowl in the foreground
Justin & Colleen with the man of the evening, Hill Harper
It is clear that in the Detroit community this project is a big deal. We met with customers while we were in the area, and they expressed how grateful they were that we were able to be involved with it.
““I have visited many show houses, as well as participated in quite a few- and the JLD & Aspire Showhouse is a not only beautiful, but not to be missed; filled with great talent and interesting points of view all housed in the beautiful Charles T. Fisher Mansion.””
At 9pm the house was closed to guests and everyone moved out to the garden where a party was in full swing! Tented stations housed food and drink stations and lounges were set up where we all talked and had a great time. A live band performed cover songs ranging from Mo-Town to Jazz to Pop, perfect for a Detroit party! There was even a performance artist airbrushing a live model to a backdrop portrait of Frida Kahlo De Rivera amplifying the high design ambiance of the evening.
We can’t even begin to tell you how honored we were to be a part of this momentous event. We didn’t only supply product, we helped visions come to life! We were the tools the designers were able to rely on; and that is a wonderful feeling!
If you can, we encourage you to visit the Fisher Mansion in person. The Junior League of Detroit is hosting an open house from now until October 7th. You can buy tickets to visit the ASPIRE JLD Detroit Showhouse by clicking the link below. All proceeds from the showhouse support various community programs and grants, including recent initiatives such as EAT (Education, Access and Tools) which equips kitchens to be fully functional so families can cook and eat together at home; and projects in connection with other social service organizations such as Forgotten Harvest, Cass Community Services and the Empowerment Plan. Since the JLD’s Designers’ Show House inception in 1976, the organization has raised over 4.5 million for community programs in Detroit.
