The Junior League of Detroit—veterans of almost five decades of showhouses—hosted its biennial event in September 2020, bringing together 27 design teams to reimagine the city’s historic Bingley Fales House. Migrating for the first time to Detroit’s Indian Village neighborhood, the 2020 Designers’ Showhouse transformed the first two floors of a more than 100-year-old Georgian mansion into a dynamic mix of decorating styles. “The home has a very interesting history, and it has all its original features,” says charity chair Liana Dabir of the 16,000-square-foot estate set on over an acre of meticulously manicured land.
In our recently released aspire design and home Showhouse Issue, we sat down with Julie Holmes to learn more about her creative process in designing the Reading Room for this project.
aspire design and home: How much time did you have to complete this room, start to finish?
Julie Holmes: We spent quite a bit of time planning and dreaming – but when it came to putting it all in place it really just took us a couple of long days
aspire: What was your biggest challenge? Did you have a Eureka moment during the process?
Julie: Our biggest challenge was working around the existing Pewabic tile at the fireplace. The pink and green floral tiles really drew your eye in and were a bit distracting.
aspire: What was your inspiration for this room?
Julie: The estate itself was inspiration, we felt the little room and fireplace were calling for a nod to its own history – but we did love adding contemporary art to try and bring everything full circle.
aspire: Did you step out of your comfort zone for this project, and if so, why?
Julie: I’m not sure we stepped out of our comfort zone exactly, but we surely pushed the envelope and pulled out all the stops!
aspire: Despite the fact that there were so many designers involved, there is an inherent cohesiveness to the home. Did you all converse/collaborate? Or was this a completely individual process?
Julie: We did not collaborate with anyone else; our room was completely individual.
aspire: Is your preference for a showhouse a small space or a large space? Does one or the other provide a better opportunity to stretch your creativity?
Julie: I preferred the smaller space; I think it gave us room to be a bit more creative and see what it could really become. Plus, with a smaller room, we were able to really dig into the details and make sure every single thing was perfect!
aspire: Describe Detroit in one sentence.
Julie: Detroit is not our hometown, but it was certainly an amazing experience to share in the grand history of the Bingley Falls Mansion and her inspiring surroundings.
This or That?
aspire: Paint or wallpaper?
Julie: Wallpaper
aspire: Hardwood or rug?
Julie: Rug
aspire: Beach or Mountains?
Julie: Beach
aspire: Saturated Color or Black and White?
Julie: Saturated Color
aspire: Brunch or Dinner?
Julie: Brunch
aspire: Midcentury or 18th Century?
Julie: 18th Century
aspire: Draperies, shades, or nothing?
Julie: Draperies
aspire: 2001: A Space Odyssey or The English Patient?
Julie: The English Patient
aspire: Week at the spa or Week of Broadway shows?
Julie: Week at the spa
Photography by Jeff Garland.
Click Here to view more interviews with our Junior League of Detroit Showhouse designers.
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