DC Design House Benefits Children's National Medical Center for 6th Year

Proceeds from the 6th annual DC Design House, featuring a brand new Wesley Heights home at 2507 Foxhall Rd. NW, will benefit the Children’s National Medical Center (CNMC).

The 25 area designers selected to decorate one room of the house will be allotted 35 days to complete the project in time for tours, which will run April 14 to May 12. 

Skip and Debbie Singleton, principals of DC Living Real Estate, started the D.C. Design House event in 2008 initially to raise a one-time donation for the CNMC, but it has evolved into a yearly affair.

A fundraiser for CNMC at a friend’s house sparked the Singleton’s interest in the children’s hospital. Their friend’s child was undergoing treatment at CNMC and the Singleton’s were moved to “help this family and other children in the area,” Sherry Moeller, spokeswoman for the DC Design House, told Patch.

“We usually raise around $200,000 each year,” Moeller said. “100% of the net proceeds go to Children’s National Medical Center.”

The newly built $14.9 million Wesley Heights home, listed by Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Associate Marty Apel, boasts a 14,000-square-foot floor plan, according to a press release from DC Design House.

"The DC Design House Committee chose this home because of its newness, as well as its spacious, elegant rooms, multiple levels, features and amenities which they felt offered many possibilities for interior design,” Apel said in a press release. “I look forward to seeing how the designers will transform the home and its spaces with their installations of beautiful furnishings and décor.”

Most of the staff for the event are volunteers.

“[D.C. Design House] has done a great job fundraising every year,” said Diana Dellavilla, executive committee member for DC Design House.

Roughly $800,000 has been donated to CNMC since the event began in 2008.  An estimated 10,000 people visit the house annually.

“It’s always our goal to reach the amount of $200,000, but we always hope to earn more,” said Moeller.

The proceeds donated to CNMC have increased each year thanks to added events such as private party tours and the Preview Party, set to take place on April 13, with tickets costing $50 per person.

Participants can take the bare bones tour of the house prior to decoration for $5 on Feb 23, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Those payments may be put toward the $25 entrance fee to tour the fully-furnished home from April 14 to May 12.

In addition, everything added to the house by designers will be available for purchase, with 10% going to CNMC. Boutiques located on the lower level of the house will also donate 20% of their profits.

According to Dellavilla, the funds will go to two programs: Hospital Priorities and the Child Health and Center Board. 

From the Child Health and Center Board, the donation will then go into different grants, focusing on advocacy within CMNC.

Tickets for the event are not yet available. 

This year's designers are:

Space 1 - Garden Entry – Amy Mills & Guy Williams, DCA Landscape Architects   

Space 2 - Entry Foyer - Kelley Proxmire, Kelley Interior Design & Frank Babb Randolph, Frank Babb Randolph Interior

Space 3 - Living Room - Camille Saum, Camille Saum Interior Design

Space 4 - Powder Room - Terri Easter, Maris Elaine Gallery

Space 5 - Library - David Mitchell, David Mitchell Interior Design

Space 6 - Family Room - Victoria Neale, Victoria Neale Interiors

Space 7 - Loggia – Taylor Wells, Taylor Wells Design/At Home

Space 8 - Kitchen/Butler’s Pantry - Jessica Parker, GTM Architects

Space 9 - Morning Room - Iantha Carley, Iantha Carley Interiors

Space 10 - Dining Room - Nestor Santa-Cruz, Nestor Santa-Cruz

Space 11 – Bar/Side Hall – Andrea Houck, A. Houck Designs

Space 12 - Powder Room - Charles Almonte, Charles C. Almonte Architecture/Interior Design

Space 13 – Second Floor Hall - Claire Schwab, Claire Schwab Interior Design

Space 14 - Sitting Room - Michael Hampton, Michael Hampton Design

Space 15 - Master Bedroom - Susan Jamieson, Bridget Beari Designs

Space 16 - Master Bath - Darlene Molnar, Darlene Molnar LLC

Space 17 - Bedroom/Nursery - Nancy Twomey, Finnian’s Moon Interiors

Space 18 - Bedroom - Regan Billingsley, Regan Billingsley Interiors

Space 19 - Loft/Media Room - Jeff Akseizer & Jamie Brown, Akseizer Design Group

Space 20 - Bedroom - Katherine Vernot-Jonas, Katherine Vernot-Jonas Designs

Space 21 - Bedroom - Allie Mann, Case Design/Remodeling, Inc.

Space 22 – The Lounge - Lorna Gross, Savant Interior Design

Space 23 - Covered Terrace – Jen Chappell & Ken Berry, American Eye

Space 24 - Lower Dining Room - Scott Cooke, Scott Cooke Design