Can you believe another year has passed and it’s Hampton Designer Showhouse time again? If you have not yet been out to visit this year’s house, you must, before it closes on Sunday September 4th. As usual, the work of the 25 or so participating designers is absolutely spectacular.
Back in 2007, I participated in the Showhouse with Ariel’s Room – Under the Sea, inspired by The Little Mermaid – both the Disney classic and the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. In honor of this year’s house and to support the Southampton Hospital, I am releasing a video explaining the inspiration behind Ariel’s Room. The video can be accessed below Youtube and Vimeo as well as the Rooms by ZoyaB website.
Every year the design community comes together to contribute to such a wonderful organization that saves thousands of lives and provides the community with the utmost care. I am really blown away by how community driven the Hospital is as well, and it ties directly into what I’m inspired by in my own designs. A strong sense of family is important to establish during childhood. If a sense of community starts at home, your child might be more inclined to extend love to their community as an adult, just as the Hampton Designer Showhouse does with the Southampton Hospital. It’s so nice to see good works being carried over into the interior design field.
You can see more in my video above, but I kept this idea of family and close-knit bonds in mind when designing ‘Ariel’s Room’. I included a Needlepoint Art piece depicting Neptune protecting his daughters, each of them holding a special item representing their unique significance in their father’s life. For the basis of the design of the room, I was of course immediately inspired by the beach town of Bridgehampton, the whimsical nature of mermaids and seascapes coming to mind. Growing up in the Ukraine, one of my favorite fairy tales was “The Little Mermaid” by Hans Christian Anderson. For my daughter, the Disney version of the classic represented a more fun and adventurous narrative, and so I wanted to incorporate both feelings into the design.
The video walk-through describes my inspiration for the other pieces in the room, including the “Princess Bed” from my ZoyaB Collection, the custom American-made luxury baby furniture line, and the hand-blown Murano Glass chandelier. ‘Ariel’s Room’ has been featured in Bergen Health & Life and New York Spaces.
A photo from Ariel's Room:
The Hampton Designer Showhouse opened on Sunday, July 24th and will run until Sunday, September 4th at 1224 Scuttle Hole Road, Bridgehampton, NY. It is open daily, Monday through Sunday, 11AM to 5PM. Admission is $30 and includes a journal. For more information on the 2011 Hampton Designer Showhouse, visit http://www.hamptondesignershowhouse.com.
Again, make sure you go visit the Showhouse! It is a wonderful experience.
Happy Child... Better World!
- Zoya B.
