The seventeenth annual Rooms with a View took a turn with the theme this year: The Next Generation. The name is a nod to the direct influence of the “Dean of American Design,” Albert Hadley, who was a founder of the event and has served as its honorary chairman. This popular design event showcases the work of twelve talented designers.
Last year’s designers personally recommended the participants this year. The designers this year were Michael Adams, Olga Adler, Sam Allen, James Andrew, John Todd Bishop, Connie Cooper, Allison Hennessy, Melissa Marcogliese, George Marshall Peters, James D. Petersen, Carmiña Roth and Christopher Stevens. Each was tasked with transforming a five-by-eight space (eight-foot high ceilings and three walls) within the historic Southport Congregational Church. The preview party gave a sneak peek at the vignettes before being open to the public over the weekend. Highlights included a marketplace with more than thirty vendors, fashion show with Snappy Gator, and a book signing with Jeffrey Bilhuber, author of The Way Home: Atmosphere and Object. More than $1 million has been raised over the years, to support the church and its charitable mission.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRAN MCMULLEN