Usually designer show houses feature rooms designed in the most traditional and unrealistic possible sense (i.e. "The Girl's Room" is always pink with ballerinas, 4 books, and 3 sets of clothes.) Not so the Philadelphia SPCA's designer show house. Atop a set of stairs in an old Victorian Mansion lies the twisted traditional (if still unrealistic) drawing room designed by the collaborative innovators of MONA.
(Play the slideshow for lots of pictures and close ups.)
M.O.N.A.'s space, The Drawing Room, re-interprets the home's lineage into a surreal, neo-Romantic boudoir with references to 19th-century themes that include decorative lacemaking, silver gelatin print photography, the industrial revolution and classic horror novels, amongst others. In order to highlight the broad capabilities of our professional network, M.O.N.A. produced every single piece of furniture and the larger potion of decorative accessory for this room. Signature items include a white oak tete-at-tete, silver-leafed rocking horse/buggy, electroformed copper fireplace screen and antique settee with handcarved, painted wood and patent vinyl upholstery. A strong axis of half black/half white invites further drama into the space while likewise creating an innovative play of texture and pattern. [It's] intentionally-seasonal with its inspired lighting, achromatic scheme and Gothic influences.
The historic mansion is open for viewing seven days a week through November 9th and benefits the Philadelphia Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
