Starting November 1, Beverly Hills's Greystone Mansion will be on display for the public, with a brand new design. A wonderful new spin on an old attraction, "The Great House At Historic Greystone Estate" will be available for viewing from November 1 to November 16. Veranda magazine is presenting this year's exhibition, a fantastic creative collaboration between the City of Beverly Hills, Veranda Magazine and Friends of Greystone and executed by a remarkable group of nationally and internationally renowned designers. On Tuesday, October 21, a sneak peak was given of Greystone's new look.

The pleasure of seeing this year's special Design Showcase at Greystone firsthand was shared with Shelby Kopecky, a design and history enthusiast. Greystone is a true Beverly Hills treasure. Originally owned by the storied Doheny family, the mansion was built between 1927 and 1928. Its lavish and commanding presence extends both inward and out, as one can see on a tour of this commanding estate. And with over 55 rooms, it's hard not to be wowed.

The press release from Veranda magazine notes that 25 top designers were handpicked to redesign the interiors and landscaping exteriors of Greystone. Carolyn Englefield and Robert DeCarlo of Veranda spoke at the breakfast reception, noting that Veranda was "very selective" when choosing designers, who later brought "eclecticism" to the task. Each designer had the choice to do as many as three rooms. Carolyn previously noted that with this artistic and historical undertaking, "We are bringing in the world's top designers to create a show house that will enable visitors to not only appreciate their work, but also experience the grandeur of this 46,000 square foot mansion." Many of the designers at the event expressed delight at working with such a fine group of fellow creative artists. It was noted that these particular 25 well-known designers were also grouped together in sections of the house, according to whose designs seemed to work best together. The reception began outdoors on a sun- kissed terrace with a breathtaking view of Beverly Hills and beyond. At the breakfast reception catered by Lawry's, designers, Friends of Greystone and others mingled, enjoying the careful restoration of the mansion just in time for the show. Katie Leede-McGloin, one of the 25 designers, relished the opportunity to work on Greystone, as "you get to escape up here, let it all go." McGloin was familiar with many of the other designers, as well as with the mansion itself, which she had visited in the past for weddings. While designing the Salon D'Arte, she enjoyed how Greystone "hearkens back to another time" and liked the scale of the rooms. When asked to be a part of the "Great House" event, she thought it sounded like a lot of fun. Had she met any of the fabled ghosts of Greystone? "I hear they are floating around... unfortunately, no." Leede-McGloin works out of Santa Monica, at Digs by Katie.

Susan Rosen and Gay Parrish represented Friends of Greystone at the event. Rosen, the president of Friends of Greystone, and Parrish, a member on the board of Friends of Greystone, pointed out just a few of the very special architectural elements of Greystone, and how careful the city was when restoring the mansion for these upcoming gala events. Parrish pointed to the 3-inch Welsh slate on the roof, and pointed out how every single ground tile was removed and re-inserted, in exactly the same location as before. Parrish has been involved with Greystone since the 1970s. Rosen was very happy with the restorative work performed on Greystone over the last 15 years, and looks forward to vibrant growth in the number of visitors to Greystone, with the help of Veranda's team of expert designers. She also noted that this year the plumbing and electricity was finished at the mansion. For the last five to seven years, the Los Angeles ASID sponsored the annual design events at Greystone, though this year, Veranda Magazine took over. For many years, Boy Scouts enjoyed the beautiful grounds for visits, events and camping. Surrounded by beautiful cypress trees, multiple garden terraces and patios, it is easy to see why anyone would love spending time there!

Burks Hamner, who designed the elements outdoors, including the reflecting pool, shared with us some thoughts on his artistic inspirations. The idea behind the fountain and garden was to "restore" it and to "honor the architecture" of Greystone. His design includes an ancient urn (at least hundreds of years old, if not a thousand) in an alcove and Italian vases from Eye of the Day, in Carpenteria, California. Hamner drew his own renderings of the garden, and let us know that the room and garden renderings, true works of original art, will be for auction at the Pacific Design Center on Tuesday, October 28, to benefit Friends of Greystone.

Designer Jack Fhillips's room certainly did please!

Moving inside, exciting designs greeted the eyes. Designer Jack Fhillips created a breathtaking combination of warmth, excitement and calm with his modern look for the Grand Salon Ballroom, and surrounding hall. Fhillips said he wanted to give the grand room a family feel, while also imparting fun and youth. His striking combination of cream, black and white came off to beautiful effect. Fhillips works out of Palm Beach Florida, where his office, Jack Fhillips Design, Inc., is located. Fhillips's designs have been showcased in "Architectural Digest," "Country Living" and "The Wall Street Journal." The library, designed by David Phoenix and Rose Tarlow of Melrose House, was everything a library fan could dream of, complete with a huge globe. Richard Shapiro had a whimsical take on the drawing room, replete with Chinese treasures and a lampshade sporting his name.

The Morning Room and Solarium, decorated by Richard Hallberg and Barbara Wiseley, had a strange way of quickly growing on its inhabitants. Using the distinct lighting to their advantage, Hallberg and Wiseley lavished detailed attention to all aspects of the room, including new custom painted wallpaper, a sculptural chandelier of their own design and a whimsical flair, as they included animals, hidden about the room. The Solarium absolutely glowed with warmth, inviting bystanders to come and enjoy the day in style, and maybe even pick up the morning newspaper and pull up a seat for a midday nap. Upstairs, the rooms were all lovely and very different, ranging from the modern and earth-toned designs, to Turkish and Ancient Syrian-adorned designs.

The guest sitting room and terrace were designed with flair and class by Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat. Exuding warmth and utilizing all open, bright spaces, the guest sitting room felt open, spacious and terribly inviting. The designs could suit any home very well. The terrace was another beautiful exhibit, and though still under work, was another classy and fun environment. Complete with an outdoor table and luxurious seating, the terrace also opened up to a secret staircase-adorned walkway. Lucas enjoyed the design process, and was looking forward to the arrival of his last outdoor pieces. Lucas and Chilcoat work out of West Hollywood, at Lucas Studio, Inc. Lucas and Chilcoat have taken part in home showcases before. Some of their designs have been published in the Los Angeles Times and other publications for their recent designs at the "Wired Living" Home Showcase House. Very friendly and personable, Lucas also directed attention to the downstairs bowling alley and billiard room, where the Doheny family once employed a man whose sole job was to set up pins on the bowling alley.

Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat were just as delightful as their designs!

The grand entrance hall and upper gallery, as designed by William R. Eubanks and D. Mitchell Brown, was a grand treat. Eubanks and Brown did a phenomenal job with all aspects of their design area, which spanned two floors. The very able designers brought in their own artwork collection to adorn the walls, hearkening back to the art that would have fit the mansion in its early days, while also including a fun splash of color. Moving up the grand staircase and noticing the humbling effect of these sizable classic pieces, it was easy to imagine that things couldn't possibly get better. However, Eubanks and Brown took what should have been a cold, dark area, and turned it into a warm and inviting area for conversation. The designers noted that they hoped to transform the grand entrance into the "heart" of the house. They certainly accomplished this task, even adorning the wooden-paneled wall with a multi-colored Pollock-esque piece, showcasing brightly colored hearts within one another.

The "heart" of the house's very own heart!

Using the wooden interior to great advantage, the New York and Palm Beach-based designers brought in bright, beautiful satin pillows to adorn terribly inviting couches and tables adorned with hand-sized delights of all sorts. Eubanks has been designing for three decades, and has been described by clients as "the best in interior design." Eubanks is a member of the Interiors Design Alliance Advisory Board and a member of ASID and IIDA and of the Interior Design Advisory Board of the University of Memphis, among other memberships. His designs have also been featured in many magazines, including "Great Designers of the World," "Veranda" and "100 Designers' Favorite Rooms." Brown has been working with Eubanks for 10 years, and is the vice president of interiors and showrooms at William R. Eubanks, Inc. His work has also been featured in a number of prominent publications, including "Best of Florida Design," "Veranda" and "Spectacular Homes of Metro New York." Brown and Eubanks both currently work at William R. Eubanks, Inc., of Palm Beach, New York and Memphis, though they also have taken on various projects in Los Angeles and currently, Montecito. Both of these gentlemen use classic elements in their designs and have designed for A-list clients. Though the competition was excellent, this design was the highlight—don't miss it! This area made sumptuous and elegant sophistication truly inviting. Participating in this experience of artistic material majesty —and knowing it's for a great cause —could make this the best entertainment value around.

Designers William R. Eubanks and D. Mitchell Brown truly took our breath away with their exquisite designs.

Tickets are only $30 per person to see the amazing things the designers put into Greystone. The fun only lasts for about two weeks, though—so don't delay! All proceeds from the tours will be donated to Friends of Greystone, the Beverly Hills organization dedicated to the upkeep and promotion of this local monument. There will be a number of celebrations to kick off the opening of "Great House." On October 30, there will be a preview gala at Greystone (the "Chinoiserie Au Jardin"), to take place at Greystone from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It will be hosted by Lisa Newsom, Ann Getty, Mary McDonald and Nathan Turner. Newsom is the founder of Veranda magazine and editor-in-chief, Getty is the honorary chairperson, and McDonald and Turner are the event co-chairs. Tickets are $300 each and will be available for a limited time. If you can't make that party, the mayor and Beverly Hills City Council will be hosting another cocktail reception at Greystone next Wednesday, October 29, also from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tickets are $100 per person, and advanced registration will be required. Interested parties can call (310) 285-6850 for further information. I hope you get a chance to see this "Great" showcase!

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