Baltimore Sun Covers the Baltimore Symphony Showhouse at Ritz Carlton!

Dennis Hockman from the Baltimore Sun Newspaper covered the Baltimore Symphony Showhouse and it hit the stands today on the first day it was open to the public. He wrote a wonderful story highlighting the same floorplan of the 2 Living Rooms in the show house on the front page of the Style section. Fitzsimmons Design had the half page from the crease in the paper, up. It was great coverage.

Jennifer Naperlaski from Fitzsimmons Design said, " It was so wonderful to work the room today. A number of people came to see the show house because they saw the story in the Style section this morning as they were eating their breakfast. We have sold several pieces in our room to benefit the Symphony today." Many people may not know this but, everything in the Show House is for sale. A Homeowner can literally drive down to the showhouse and pick out a room and buy it! Jennifer also reported in that we  had great traffic. I hope that you will come to the showhouse tomorrow on Mother's day. I will be in the room personally and will be able to chit chat about the features of our room. I look for ward to meeting you!

Gina Fitzsimmons ASID

Baltimore Symphony Showhouse is now Open at the Ritz Carlton!

Here is a sneak peek of one half of the Living Room. It is a very open floor plan and this is our grouping for that after dinner brandy when you get up from the table. We have hung a 5ft. Oil Painting
with a narrow drink ledge running down one wall. The loveseats that we used are slipcovered for ease of care.

Please come and attend the Show House because it is for a very good cause. The Symphony appreciates your support.

Open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 5 p.m., Thursday from 10 to 8 p.m., Monday, May 30th from 10 to 5 p.m.

Ritz Carlton Inner Harbor

801 Key Highway, Baltimore, MD 21230

Well, it has been a long week. We got the draperies installed yesterday just before the Residents Party Last Night. No, I did not see Tom Clancy! I got the DVD running at the last minute with our portfolio playing. Then I finished up with the little baby white stickers on the furnishings in the room. All of the contents of all the rooms in the showhouse are for sale. If you are going through the house and you see something that you like there will be a Master List where you can look up the price of that item. If you would like to purchase that item you can pay for it and then pick it up at the end of the show.

This has been the best group of designers and symphony volunteers that I have worked with to date. Things went pretty smoothly except for the redesign of my window treatments at the last minute and the glass shelves not fitting.

Yesterday Dennis Hockman  from the Baltimore Sun was due at the house at 9:30 AM. As I was laying in bed and thinking that if I really hurried I could get there when he arrived. Then I had an idea! It would be easier to email him from bed and then I would not have to get up!

There are two units that comprise the show house. While walking through the condo next door, I was taken with the contrast between Victor's Living Room being sooo...contemporary and my space being more traditional. I emailed Dennis that I thought that it would make a great story for the Baltimore Sun Paper, same unit - two different ways. He emailed me back that he thought that was a great idea and he may just use it. Later in the afternoon he emailed me again and said that he loved our Livnig room and

 he was indeed going to write the story! How exciting is that?

Thanks, Dennis! Sometimes it just pays to stay in bed!



Baltimore Symphony Show House- Move in Day!

It's move in day at last! We had a truck rented and a helper to move all of the furniture from our retail store Details of Design in Annapolis, Md. and then the whole plan fell apart! The helper could not make it and we had to cancel the truck and pay for a delivery company to pick up and deliver the furniture to the show house in Baltimore. Luckily, it all got done.

                    I took a load of accessoreis in my car and went in through the front door of the Ritz Carlton Condominiums. They have these bellhop rolling carts that I was able to use. However, you do feel obliged to tip rather heavily since the bellhops are so very nice. The bellhop and I started rolling down the endless hallway to the next building. The hallways in the Ritz are very well designed. The flooring is a patterned carpet with marble rectangular panels inserted every so often to break up the long hallway. It is very attractive. As we started down the hallway though the cart would roll, roll, roll, then bump as it hit the edge of the marble insert in the floor. After about ten of these bumps  a lamp literally jumped off the cart and smashed on the floor! I was in shock! I did not have another lamp to replace it! When I got back to the store Jennifer helped me glue it all back together like a jigsaw puzzle. It really doesn't look too bad. I bet no one will notice (famous last words!).

                We have hung up the artwork. We have a couple of original oil paintings that have been stopping people in their tracks as they take their preview walks of the designers rooms. The art has been complimented a lot. The rugs are down in the space. I understand that one of the Ritz Carlton managers has walked through and said that he had been most of the units in the buildings there and he had not seen any other tennants in the building use the Living Room space as we had with the secondary grouping off to the side. He really liked the spaceplanning.

                  I picked up the glass for the shelves in the recesses by the fireplace and went to slide them in. They of course did not fit! I had asked my assistant to order the shelves and to look up my notes on a yellow pad to order them and I was in such a hurry, I neglected to tell her that we needed to take a clearance allowance off of my dimensions. I got 4 of the 6 shelves in, but I have to go back to the glass company to get the two cut down. nothing is ever easy. The drywall of the recess is crooked on one side. Just my luck!

                    We are down to the last few days! I also received a call from Ron at the drapery workroom yesterday. The first words out of his mouth were, "We can't use this fabric on the crown molding of your treatment. It won't work!" I told him that I would be right down and he and I would figure it out. You really have to remain calm through all of the trials and tribulations. There is no sense in getting an ulcer.You definitely have to be a good problem solver to be a good designer. Well, during my last minute visit to the workroom in DC we worked out the application of the glue so it would not penetrate the fabric. The workroom has 75 top treatments in work in front of my job for a nursing home project. So, as long as they get done, I will get my draperies somehow at the last minute and just in time. Let us pray!

                      Sometimes I forget why I love being an Interior Designer! I am sure when the room is all pulled together my amnesia will have disapated and I will really enjoy meeting the public and discussing the space in person. The first unveiling is a private party next Thursday evening for the residents of the Ritz Carlton. Maybe someone will love the room so much that they will just say, "Can you please just move this whole room up to my condo, I love it just the way it is!" Let us pray!

                     The grand opening is on May 7th to the public and runs until May 30th. If you are there and one of our designers is working the room, please let us know that you have been following our blog!

                     We will see you there!

Coverage of the Baltimore Symphony Showhouse

Paint Coverage,  that is! It's been an exciting week at the Baltimore Symphony Showhouse!

 Fitzsimmons Design is the only design firm representing Annapolis, Md. in the Baltimore Showhouse. We are honored to participate and have been assigned the Living Room.

We are slowly but surely making progress. We have gotten the room painted in Benjamin Moore, Historic Color, Mystic Gold, Thanks to my trusty painter Wayne and his crew. "It's like wrapping yourself in caramel!" said Corey Hamby when she saw the photo.    

  The floors have  been done also, but, as you can see in the photo, they are under wraps. I took a peek and the Ritz Carlton finished the hardwood floors in a Brazilian Cherry. Thank goodness that we did not have to pay to do the floors! In a showhouse situation the designer is responsible for paying for all of the designwork to the room.

Our Living Room Area adjoins the Dining Area. Jim from Elegant Decor has wallpapered the walls in a bamboo pattern. Jim and I were showhouse neighbors at Arden House. We had a phone conversation about the bump out columns between the two rooms. We agreed that instead of just wallpapering the columns that he could use the same trim molding on the columns and insert the paper inside the panel and I would have my painter paint the color of my walls around the panels to help the flow between the two areas. When I arrived to check my paint job, I was very surprised  that the columns had not been painted in the Mystic Gold . I called  later that day to find out that they had indeed been painted . It's a mystery, they are white now. I have a load of last minute details to attend to and just do not have time to worry myself about this. If you ask ten different Designers how they would treat it, you would probably get ten different solutions!

In the hub bub of everything else that is going on I went to Market in North Carolina last week. We were there 5 days and really enjoyed ourselves. The state of North Carolina has the best people! After you have been there for 5 days you definitely come home with a little twang in your accent. This market the manufacturer's had all sorts of new product. Six months ago they were relying on their existing inventory and showing previously introduced merchandise because of the economy. I found all sorts of goodies this time that I purchased for our retail store in Annapolis, Details of Design. I also took my clients fabric swatches with me so I would have good accessories in stock in the store when it comes time to put the finishing touches on the load of installs that I have coming up in the next month. Take a look at my new best friend at market below! He is a Big Boy. I know one of my clients will want to adopt him! He doesn't eat much and you don't have to walk him!

The Baltimore Showhouse Pallet of Fabrics

Well time is rushing ahead and we are getting all of the furniture ordered for theBaltimore Symphony  Showhouse Living Room at the Ritz Carlton in the inner harbor. We have pulled a warm pallet together and are using Benjamin Moore Mystic Gold HC-37 on our walls. The fabrics range from amber toned chenilles for elegance and durability to a bit of animal pattern for a fun accent with sophitication. We love the natural linens for our neutrals in the room.

Here is the floorplan that we have developed. The open area is attached to the dining area. We have set up the Living room to have two seperate groupings. One grouping is around the fireplace and the other is an intimate grouping at the other end of the room for two couples to sit and chat and maybe enjoy a beverage or two.

The above sketch shows an oversized oil painting of a scene on the Eastern Shore as our focal point for the two loveseat grouping. The cocktail table in this group is gold leaf and Mother of Pearl. It's precious!

Unfortunately the oriental rug that we selected is "Discontinued" This  is a designer's least favorite word in the English Language! We will have to find a replacement in the sage green and ambertones of the original selection.

I have to get in touch with my painter Wayne and set up a time when he can get in to paint the room. The scheduling is important since other people live in the same building full time. I think the organizers of the Showhouse have their hands full with all of the different sub contractors coming and going.

Follow along and we will update you on the 35th Baltimore Symphony Showhouse at the Ritz as we progress to the completion of this Living Room.

Fitzsimmons Design awarded the Living Room at the Ritz Carlton!!!!

Fitzsimmons Design has been chosen to design the Living Room at the Baltimore Symphony Showhouse this year at the Ritz Carlton Condominiums at the Inner Harbour in Baltimore! Above you can see that the room is in it's raw state with the cement floors. This showhouse is out of the ordinary because usually the designer has to repair plaster or deal with surfaces that have been painted 28 times over the last 50 years. This year they are giving all of the designers a break- brand new walls!!!


The elongated Living Room adjoins the Dining Room which will be designed by Jim Ryan from Belair, Md. It will be quite challenging to bring the open areas together in a cohesive design. Follow along in our blog and you will see how we pull the whole project together over the next 8 weeks. This years showhouse also has a tighter time frame in which to accomplish the magic that we are known for!

We will keep you posted, wish us luck!!!

Cozy Chic!

There is something to be said for that Cozy Winter Night cuddled up in front of the fire!

It is especially pleasing to have big thick wooly socks and a warm throw over you as you watch American Idol. This homey feeling has turned into the big design style of "Shabby Chic." It includes all of the distressed wood finishes, the chenille fabrics, the time worn comfortable furniture that you will never part with as long as you live. What a wonderful stressless approach to design, one does feel right at home!

In our retail store, Details of Design, Jen and Corey have gathered the elements needed in the store to make a display to show you the way to pull the look together. They have used a nifty drop leaf table that does double duty as a console table against the wall or as a dining table when the leaves are up. On the floor they have used a new upbeat version of a braided rug. This one is woven with a chenille yarn to give us a warm fuzzy feel! Some of the artwork they used is framed pressed botanicals. They included accent tables and pottery pieces with unique finishes and lamps with a bit of whimsey. 

So, as you can see, real "Luxury" stems from real "Comfort"!