Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens 2023: See Every Room Inside the Georgian Estate

By Zlata Kozul Naumovski

A sprawling, Walter Frazier–designed Georgian estate is home to the now open Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens 2023. Beyond the redbrick façade, dozens of interior designers have taken over the 8,000-square-foot residence, which also features two cottages, a garage, and multiple gardens overlooking a nature preserve.

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"We take pride in showing many different design styles in the house," says Chrissy Davis, president of the Lake Forest Chapter of Infant Welfare Society of Chicago, the showcase's benefactor. Indeed, with 33 newly designed interiors and eight reimagined outdoor settings, the inspiration is varied and abundant.

Open for tours through June 4, the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens 2023 offers a colorful look at the ideas captivating the region's interior designer right now. Peruse for yourself with the digital walk-through below.

Foyer by Sarah Vaile Design

Foyer by Sarah Vaile Design

Sarah Vaile caught a glimpse of DeGournay's Jazz collection, inspired by French artist Henri Matisse, and there was no looking back. She covered walls floor-to-ceiling in a custom colorway of the silk fabric with linen cutouts. "The wall covering created the gallery-like experience we envisioned in the foyer," she tells AD PRO. The stunning architecture of the floating curved staircase is complemented by a custom abstract runner from the Rug Company.

Powder room by Studio at Westmoreland Farm's Lynne Beyer

Powder room by Studio at Westmoreland Farm's Lynne Beyer

Lynne Beyer brought a distinctively midcentury vibe to this powder room with a pedestal sink and sconces—all vintage Warren Platner—and a curvaceous Harvey Probber–inspired lounge chair. She paid homage to the late Lake Forest designer Frances Elkins, sister to renowned architect David Adler, by romantically draping a window wall, adding silver and gold leafing to the ceiling, and installing a plaster torchiere.

Living room by Vincere, Ltd.

Living room by Vincere, Ltd.

A 28-foot hand-knotted rug by Ariana Rugs at Lapchi spans the length of the living room designed by Vincere, Ltd. Slub silk wallpaper, courtesy of DeGournay, sheathes the walls, offering a subtle shimmer. Luxurious yet comfortable, the room is furnished with a marble fireplace from Paris ceramics, embroidered wool curtains from Holland & Sherry, and a Jean-Michel Frank chair from Holly Hunt.

Library by Joey Leicht Design

Library by Joey Leicht Design

Moody and dark, the library stuns with its ebonized walls and hand-painted mural abstract ceiling. A sinuous Vladimir Kagan chair harmonizes beautifully with the soft, organic elements found throughout the space. Smartly, the existing bookcase was modified to accommodate a custom banquette.

Primary bedroom by Soledad Zitzewitz Interiors

Primary bedroom by Soledad Zitzewitz Interiors

Designers Soledad Zitzewitz and Kasia Nienhau created an elegant and serene retreat starting with the room's centerpiece, a classic canopy bed upholstered in a Pierre Frey fabric and accented with long white drapes. Walls are finished in an ethereal, hand-applied Venetian plaster inlay fabricated by Simes Studios. The firm then layered in brass accents and stripped antique furnishings, adding warmth to the luxurious space.

Primary bath by Ablaze Design Group

Primary bath by Ablaze Design Group

The primary bath evokes a sense of drama with the various ceiling heights, but the handcrafted tiles and natural stone and brass accents nod to more classical, timeless design.

Ladies’ dressing room by Sally Brown Thilman Interiors

Ladies’ dressing room by Sally Brown Thilman Interiors

Lacquered walls in a blush tone, a ruffle-trimmed vanity, and an oh-so-sweet skirted banquette give this room designed by Sally Brown Thilman Interiors a feminine air. Windows are framed in a sheer fabric, allowing light to flood into the space. The glow of French wall lamps provides further illumination.

Men's dressing room by Centered by Design

Men's dressing room by Centered by Design

Moody and beautifully curated with vintage pieces, this space is for a gentleman who appreciates fine cognac and a little whimsy. Claire Staszak of Centered by Design imagined Harry Styles lounging sanguinely on the burnt orange mohair sofa from Knole or penning love letters from the vintage secretary.

Primary suite hall by Anne Coyle Interiors

Primary suite hall by Anne Coyle Interiors

Anne Coyle went for gutsy, girlie, and gorgeous in this inner sanctum, coating the walls in a soothing green, throwing down a leopard carpet, and blinging out the narrow space with crystal sconces and a vintage chandelier.

Retreat by James Thomas Interiors

Retreat by James Thomas Interiors

James Thomas Interiors turned to Pierre Frey's archival prints to cocoon the walls and ceiling of what the design firm founders imagined as a quiet escape in which to enjoy a glass of wine or afternoon nap. The palette of cinnamon, ochre, and brown oozes sophistication. "It's a tad unusual," Tom Riker tells AD PRO, "but we love its quirky, unexpected qualities."

Damp room by Horn Danly Designs

Damp room by Horn Danly Designs

In a long corridor off the entry, Jill Danly created a space to welcome guests and enjoy cocktails. "My goal was to design a functional and captivating entryway, fit for a luxurious greeting and maybe even a champagne tasting," she said. Danly incorporated circular geometry, rich materials, and French accents into the moody palette. Abstract art and hand-applied crystal beads on cabinet doors evoke bubbles, as though a preview to the adjoining champagne storage room. "The space is perfect for both champagne connoisseurs and nonalcoholic enthusiasts, which led me to the title of the Damp Room."

Dining room by Alexandra Kaehler Design

Dining room by Alexandra Kaehler Design

Citing the home's pastoral grounds, Alexandra Kaehler sought to bring the outside in. She relied on a leaf-print wallpaper, drapery with a floral fabric, and a palette of tonal blues and greens. "It just felt right to bring that magic inside in any way I could," she said. "We truly made the dining room feel like an extension of the garden just outside the doors."

Kitchen by Ablaze Design Group and Patina Collection

Kitchen by Ablaze Design Group and Patina Collection

George Markoutsas of Ablaze Design Group opened up four rooms to establish a new footprint in the now spacious kitchen. He created a custom alcove for the range and hood, and topped counters with natural quartz. Plain and Fancy custom cabinetry is in a white oak rift cut with custom stain. Drawers are accented with metal straps and an island has full access to storage cabinets. For the heart of the home's design, Patina Collection selected an antique draper's table to serve as a buffet or casual dining spot, while white oak hardwood floor by Divine Flooring in a parquet pattern unifies the space.

Upstairs hall by Meg Caswell Collection

Upstairs hall by Meg Caswell Collection

A black lacquered ceiling reflects the color-bursting wallpaper in Meg Caswell's narrow space, which designer punctuates with a bold red runner and built-in coffee bar.

Guest bedroom by Randy Heller Design

Guest bedroom by Randy Heller Design

The guest bedroom upstairs is swaddled in a sea of neutrals and textures, including natural linens by Rose Uniacke, wool, silk velvet, and buttery leather hides. In a nod to European design, walls were treated to a limestone wash and applied moldings. "They create an old-world feel and offer depth and texture," says designer Randy Heller. She installed a platform bed with a French mattress to coddle somniferous occupants and added a Calacatta Viola marble mantelpiece for architectural interest. A pair of Lalanne sheep sourced through Antiques on Old Plank Road provides a touch of whimsy, while contemporary art by Alexa Culioli and vintage works from Richard Norton Gallery give visitors something to contemplate if they tire of counting sheep.

Guest powder room by Relativity Textiles

Guest powder room by Relativity Textiles

Erin Minckley designed the guest bath as a portal into springtime, employing the firm's Palm Flower wallpaper and an earthy green-blue palette.

Young collector's bedroom by Jenny Brown Designs

Young collector's bedroom by Jenny Brown Designs

Cheery and pure joy, this space was pulled from fond memories of designer Jenny Brown's childhood. She mixed florals, checks, and colors with antique and vintage furnishings, including a French Directoire commode and Italian tole chandelier, for a fun and fresh room well suited for a collector of any age.

Boy's bedroom by Ilene Chase Design

Boy's bedroom by Ilene Chase Design

Focusing on texture and tonality, designer Ilene Chase uses an earthy color palette and luxurious fabrics including leather and mohair to create a space for a young man to relax and decompress. The custom bed is modular, allowing for maximum versatility. She didn't skimp on details either: The bedroom's walls are covered in a chocolatey Phillip Jeffries wallpaper and adorned with artwork by Francine Turk, Jamie Kost, and David Ryan, and the floor is treated to an area rug from Holly Hunt.

Upstairs bath by Stone Textile Studio

Upstairs bath by Stone Textile Studio

Elizabeth Mollen created a whimsical Jack-and-Jill bath teeming with bold pops of pattern and color courtesy of the wallpaper and hand-painted floor tiles. She curated a gallery wall of vintage art and mixed in modern pieces throughout the space.

Mudroom by Katy Evans Design

Mudroom by Katy Evans Design

In the mudroom, which serves as second entrance to the home, Morris & Co.'s Simply Severn wallpaper swathes the walls, a nod to the house's English-style architecture. Outfitted with ample storage, this workhorse of a room is full of thoughtful details, including the scallop bench trim, brass sink fixtures, and lantern lights.

Designer's office by Nora C. Marra Interiors

Designer's office by Nora C. Marra Interiors

Transforming a hallway into an office for the interior designer homeowner, Nora C. Marra installed custom etageres for storing fabric swatches and finish samples and a pine desk with leather insert. Spacious enough to meet with clients, the inviting space is layered in paper-backed embroidered fern fabric (the ceiling is an Osborne & Little grasscloth), while a beautiful pendant from Hector & Finch offers a modern take on a traditional light fixture.

Front entry by Elizabeth Stamos Design

Front entry by Elizabeth Stamos Design

A pair of Billy Baldwin Studio slipper chairs flank a stone-topped dresser in the front entry, while Les Indiennes Textiles’ Rayure wallpaper stripes the interior.

Den by Emily Sturgess Design

Den by Emily Sturgess Design

A medley of textile patterns from Pierre Frey, Sister Parish, Cowtan & Tout, and Raoul Textiles create playful layers in Emily Sturgess's den, where she encourages rowdy game nights and moments of solitude alike.

Energy room by Joyful Designs Studio

Energy room by Joyful Designs Studio

Designer Joy Williams worked with Fuller Architectural Panels to create the custom window panels featuring Egyptian deity Anubis, a key element to her celestial, Afrofuturist inspirations. Other custom works include the ceiling mural by Bijou Wallcoverings.

Bath by Interior Design Partnership (IDP)

Bath by Interior Design Partnership (IDP)

Thibaut's Aerial Garden wallpaper, trimmed in Benjamin Moore's Sheer Romance blue, sets the tone for the East Cottage's delightfully dramatic bathroom. Interior Design Partnership pairs it with artwork by Erik Knight and linens from Matouk.

Living room by Michele Frigon Design

Living room by Michele Frigon Design

A pair of scalloped rattan stools from Mainly Baskets Home pull up to a Made Goods coffee table in Michele Frigon's main room. Maresca Textiles’ Harwick Botanical print covers the custom side chairs by Prairie Interiors, and the lavender accent continues to the Stray Dog Designs chandelier.

Kitchen by Lori Lennon & Associates

Kitchen by Lori Lennon & Associates

Black, white, and brass make for a luxe palette in design Lori Lennon's kitchen, where the mosaic tile floor's floral motifs seem to reflect off of the ceiling's painterly wallpaper.

Back hall by Maggie Getz Studio

Back hall by Maggie Getz Studio

Visual Comfort sconces topped with Fermoie shades illuminate the cottage's back hall. A darling vertical stripe by Peter Dunham Textiles decorates the walls, while a floral print in baby blue from Carolina Irving Textiles covers the tucked-away console.

Study by Kelly Hurliman Design

Study by Kelly Hurliman Design

In the cottage's study, lavender-hued custom cabinetry by Trim Tech Designs plays off the undulating travertine table sourced from local dealer Curated by SG. To ground the interior, Kelly Hurlimen selected a printed fabric from Zak + Fox to upholster the vintage acrylic chairs.

Bedroom by Lauren Collander Interiors

Primary suite by Lauren Collander Interiors

The Monarch Fire rug by Alexander McQueen for the Rug Company lays an endearing foundation for Lauren Collander's moody bedroom retreat, which is wrapped in a Phillip Jeffries grasscloth.

She shed by Elizabeth Krueger Design

She shed by Elizabeth Krueger Design

In addition to a stylish spot for solitude, the She shed posed a great opportunity for designer Elizabeth Krueger to show off works from her newly launched design label Opame Collective. The interior's mirrors, ceramics, and coffee tables come from the gallery, while the seating is sourced from local Anees Furniture & Design and South Loop Loft.

Center retreat by Millárd LLC

Center retreat by Millárd LLC

In designer Evan Millard's retreat, a set of woven wicker seating (decorated with pillows covered in Kettlewell Collection's Naren fabric) plays off of the interiors’ original cedar planking. Beyond that, a quartet of scalloped sconces from Pared Lighting flank artist Amanda Carol's London Gray painting.

Garden room by Cynthia McCullough Interiors

Garden room by Cynthia McCullough Interiors

Va-va-violet! In the garden room, Gaston y Daniela's Siejo pattern from Kravet pairs well with Wells Textiles’ Delphinium pattern covering the table and windows, respectively.