Design House ’97 Ready for Visitors

The scene at the Assistance League of Southern California’s Design House ’97 was one of orderly chaos Monday as designers put finishing touches on their creations and organizers readied the seven-bedroom home for tours beginning today.

“It’s wonderful to show what remodeling can do to a 30-year-old California home,” said Janet Harrison, public relations director for the league, of the house that was built on the property that was once the site of the Ruby Keeler/Al Jolson estate.

Although they worked with a complementary color palette, designers were given free rein to transform the private home into a showplace--though the owners were consulted before anything radical was done.

One designer created an underwater world in a lower level powder room. Another transformed an existing bathroom into a “hobby hideaway,” an arts, crafts and sewing room. Still another brought the Rancho Street house’s garden inside by painting the kitchen bright yellow and adorning the walls with painted floral arrangements.

Many designers said that although they had much to work with when they started, the home did need a lot of attention.

“I’m sure it was lovely when it was brand new, but trends go out,” said designer Cheryl Casey Ross, of Cross Interiors, who transformed the dining area. “It was tired and ready for a face lift. It had good bone structure; we just had to improve upon it.”

League officials said they go into the redesign of a home with the idea that it should be well-done and elegant, but accessible.

“Most design houses are very flamboyant and gorgeous, but you can’t imagine living in them,” said volunteer chairwoman Patricia Alcantara. “I think people can relate to a house better if they can imagine themselves in it.”

Tours of the Design House will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays until Nov. 2. Parking is available at the Courtyard of Encino, 17401 Ventura Blvd., and a shuttle will be provided to the home.

Proceeds from the $17 admission will go to the Assistance League’s nine charities. Last year, the design house raised $130,000.

For more information, call the Design House Hotline at (818) 379-2345.