Our 2018 RSL Designer Showhouse Space, “Holly Lawn.”
Spring has returned, and what better way to herald this seasonal change than by participating in the 2026 Designer Show House, Richmond Symphony League’s annual fundraiser? We’ve proudly participated before, and this year we had the honor of designing the foyer.
Since the foyer is typically the first introduction to the home, we took great care to highlight the ties between the interior and the exterior in order to achieve a welcoming, calming, and uplifting space that seamlessly transitions from the outside world to the more intimate.
The Designer Show House itself is a playful, slightly exaggerated take on Jeffersonian architecture, and we winked at tradition and then gave it a twist in the foyer by honoring the overall sense of order and architectural lineage while adding modern details.
The 2026 RSL Designer Showhouse, Foundry Manor. Photo courtesy of the Richmond Symphony League Designer Show House.
Often an overlooked throughway that devolves into a dumping ground for items like shoes, umbrellas, and backpacks, the foyer becomes something much more powerful and peaceful in this iteration.
Inspired by Martha Wayles Jefferson, Thomas’s wife and the first lady of Virginia during his tenure as governor, we layered warmth, softness, and femininity onto the inherent structure and order of the room. Instead of simply serving as a passage into the home’s interior, this foyer becomes an inviting space in which to linger, complete with a sofa and accent pillows that tie in the room’s colors as well as carefully chosen tabletop details that invite a closer look.
To honor the home’s style and the energy of the season, we infused the space with a light, classic sensibility and balanced it with a sense of playfulness and a connection to the environment. Grasscloth wallpaper in neutral gray with wavy white detailing and a natural fiber rug add organic softness, while pink curtains, molding, ottomans, and a gingham tablecloth provide comforting yet not overly sweet color counterpoints.
Natural elements, including lively florals, a tabletop sculpture crafted from weathered stone, a faux bois mirror that feels reminiscent of tree rings, and mounted turtle shells, ease the transition from the exterior to the interior.
To emphasize that this feminine space is a living one, we wove floral components throughout; sconces with details reminiscent of flower petals, vine-like trim on the luxurious curtains, large vessels overflowing with blooms and greenery on the center table, and smaller glass vases framing a contemporary painting that celebrates organic shapes.
By combining antique pieces with flat, worn patinas and mixing in glass top tables and brass fixtures, the foyer achieves a relaxed, lived-in quality that also simultaneously feels luxe and elevated. The room’s appeal goes beyond its design aesthetics, however. The rug, draperies, and bench cushion fabric are all made with indoor-outdoor approved materials, ensuring the pieces are functional for everyday living.
