– Local Designers to Showcase Their Talents-
Historic Ellicott City, Inc. (HEC) announced today the selection of their 34th Decorator Show House, “Oakdale” in Woodbine MD. This event begins on Friday, May 13 and runs through Sunday, June 5, Thursdays-Sundays. This magnificent estate, dating from 1838, is the former home of Maryland Governor Edwin Warfield (1904-1908)and is on a tranquil 180-acre tract only 20 miles from both the Washington and Baltimore beltways. The property, which boasts 12 fireplaces and 22 rooms encompassing 9,500 square feet, will be beautifully transformed by 17 local designers into a wonderful show house ready for visitors. In addition to touring the show house, ticket holders will enjoy the onsite café, extensive boutique offerings and ongoing estate sale. Most items within the show house will be available for purchase. Tickets are $30 in advance on HEC’s website or $35 at the door. Advance tickets can also be purchased at participating partner retailers, listed on HEC’s website. All proceeds will benefit the non-profit Historic Ellicott City, Inc. whose mission is to support the preservation and restoration of the Ellicott City Historic District as well as other historic Howard County properties, and to promote a greater awareness of Ellicott City and Howard County history. For more information, visit https://showhouse.historicec.com or call 410-461-6908.
In addition to the regular show house experience, there will also be special events taking place including the “Design at Dusk” series which will feature not only a private tour of the show house and its boutique shopping experience, but interesting and relevant talks by selected show house designers. The first “Design at Dusk” takes place on Wednesday, May 18 from 5-8:30 PM and is titled “Is this Good Art? How to Begin Your Art Collection.” Light refreshments will be served. Other planned special events will include wine tastings provided by local winery Black Ankle Vineyards, and an antique car show. Visit the website showhouse.historicec.com for more information.
To kick-off the 15-day fundraising event, there will be a Preview Party, taking place on May 11 from 6-9:30 p.m. at the house and will feature cocktails, live music, dinner by Rouge Fine Catering and an official ribbon cutting ceremony. As many as 200 guests, including local dignitaries and HEC supporters will be in attendance and receive a “sneak peek” of the beautifully decorated home. In addition, Preview Party attendees will be the first to have an opportunity to purchase many of the lovely items within the show house.
“After two years of lockdowns resulting in no opportunity to produce a show house, HEC is excited to be able to bring back our decorator show house with such a magnificent home that is seldom open to the public. This year should be grander than ever considering this spectacular home and the many talented designers and special events that are planned. I promise you won’t be disappointed!” says Connie Siegel, HEC president and show house co-chair. “In addition to helping to preserve this estate, we’re welcoming the opportunity to raise much needed funds in order to continue our mission.”
Oakdale is on the National Register of Historic Places and sited on land acquired by the Warfieldsin 1766. Upon arrival to the front of the main home, guests will enjoy the grand front porch, graced by 18- foot Doric columns, providing a striking view of the property’s fields and woods. In addition to the main residence, an additional 8,870 square foot entertainment space was added to the historic structure in 2005.
For more information on Historic Ellicott City, Inc., tour times and to purchase tickets, visit showhouse.historicec.com or call 410-461-6908.
About Historic Ellicott City, Inc.:
Historic Ellicott City, Inc., commonly referred to as “HEC,” is a nonprofit volunteer organization founded in 1972 as a result of the merger of Historic Ellicott Mills, Inc. and the Ellicott City Bicentennial Association, Inc. Shortly after its founding, the organization began a long-term effort to restore and operate the B&O Railroad Museum which was damaged in the major flooding from Hurricane Agnes in 1972. At the same time, HEC was actively supporting an effort to establish the Ellicott City Historic District Commission and promoted the designation of the old portion of Ellicott City as an officially recognized member of the National Register of Historic Places.
HEC is best known for its decorator show houses, which began in 1984, that has resulted in the restoration and opening to the public of many private historic homes throughout Howard County for all to see. Through this and other fundraising campaigns, HEC has been able to support many worthy projects including the restoration and moving of the historic George Ellicott house on Main Street, the preservation of the Thomas Isaac Log Cabin, and more recently, helping Ellicott City recover in the aftermath of the tragic 2016 and 2018 floods. For more information or to become a member, visit https://historicec.com.
