After a 2 ½ year hiatus we launched our 34th Decorator Showhouse “Oakdale” in May of 2022. While we continued our mission of preservation during the no man’s land of Covid pause we could not be with lovers of historic showhouses in person until this spring. “Oakdale” proved to be one of our most successful Showhouses in recent times both financially and in attendance numbers. Our Preview Party was a sellout event on a glorious May evening by the pool with food, music and beverages flowing, people chatting, and enjoying the house’s grandeur and each other’s company. “Oakdale” was one of a kind both in its size and stature historically and architecturally. The ancestral home of former Governor Edwin Warfield (1904-1908) provided us with soaring front entry columns, porches encompassing the view and 14 fireplaces. Hand carved mantels, moldings from ceilings to baseboards, more columns on the interiors and sumptuous rooms for entertaining the politically influential, both today and in Edwin’s time! We changed a lot of things in order to accomplish this production including moving the time frame of the Showhouse from our fall dates to spring. This house afforded us the opportunity to present history from the front door to an entire room dedicated to the site’s past. We began the reimagine in early March and opened May 11th, eight weeks of moving out, in, up, down, painting, sanding, plastering, cleaning and cleaning again. Designers begged and borrowed to fill their rooms during the unprecedented nightmare of supply chain problems, and yet as it always does, magic happened. With gracious owners, tireless volunteers, generous sponsors and advertisers, we brought forth a piece of Maryland history for attendees far and wide. Relatives of those whose ancestors, both free and enslaved, had walked the same floorboards 150 plus years ago visited the house. And now that is why we can never relinquish our devotion to history and historic preservation!

For all who participated in, attended and sponsored, WE THANK YOU! And now our search for number 35 begins, see how you can participate by becoming a member, sponsor or volunteer.