In spring 2007, Wilson Kelsey Design (WKD) participated in the Designer Showhouse organized and run by the Jewish Community Center (JCC) of the North Shore. The showhouse was Beachhurst, a grand 19th century Victorian located in the seaside town of Swampscott, Mass., and designed by Richard Morris Hunt, widely known as one of the fathers of American architecture.

The project entailed transforming more than 25 indoor and outdoor spaces. The finished showhouse was open for public viewing from May 6 to June 3, 2007. Proceeds went toward funding JCC programs and services.

In December 2006, WKD was one of a select group of New England designers invited to attend an open house and submit design proposals for showhouse rooms. We prepared schemes for three rooms that particularly interested us and were chosen to redesign the grand entry hall.

We were thrilled because the grand entry hall is your first impression of the house, setting the mood and tone of your experience. It's not necessarily a place where you linger for long. And yet, with a foyer/hall as large as this one, it can be a useful space for living and entertaining.

The Beachhurst grand entry hall had what we like to call "great bones." Ten-foot high ceilings and a generous width produced a sense of drama. The 37-foot-long hall led to a gorgeous view of the ocean and the faraway Boston skyline. Exquisite touches such as a working fireplace, an elegant staircase, a high wainscot and a striped hardwood floor left a lasting impression.

As we heard from many visitors, this hall set the tone for
the entire house via its elegance, warmth and sophistication. One guest remarked, "I feel like I'm in a mansion in Europe!"