WESTLAKE VILLAGE : House Tour Benefits Wellness Group
It all sounds a bit incongruous: A French chateau set on a California golf course being used to raise money for cancer patients.
That is the idea behind the Emerald Forest Design House opening today in Westlake Village.
The Wellness Community Valley/Ventura, an organization dedicated to helping cancer patients cope with their illness, is sponsoring the house tour every Wednesday and Sunday through June 5.
From the outside, the house is an imposing 8,300-square-foot structure, set against the Santa Monica Mountains and the 16th fairway of the North Ranch Country Club. A pool and sunken tennis court lie behind its gates.
Inside, the house melds the chateau style, including a circular staircase and marble foyer, with the work of 16 California designers.
Tony Duquette, the first American to have a one-man show at the Louvre Museum in Paris, designed the front entry and upstairs sitting room.
Hutton Wilkinson, who has designed homes for such clients as Alida Davison Rockefeller and Sharon Disney Lund, applied his style to the home’s living room.
In addition, 14 members of the Conejo Assn. of Professional Interior Designers helped outfit the five-bedroom mansion. The association is joining the Wellness Community to sponsor the house tour.
The tour costs $15 and the house is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tickets are available at the door or through Ticketmaster. Groups can call for reservations at (805) 374-0022.
All proceeds will go to support the free programs offered by the Wellness Community. The group aims to improve cancer patients’ chances for survival by concentrating on positive thinking and group support. People who want more information about the Wellness Community’s services can call 379-4777.
