From the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, it's "Extreme Makeover: Carpenter Gothic Edition."
Today marks the unveiling of the fifth annual Cape May Designer Show House, with 13 area interior designers combining to revamp the cottage at 511 Franklin St.
This year's show house comes with a twist: For the first time, the cottage's owner will move back into the home after the changes are completed. Historically, new residents have moved in once the showcase is completed.
"She gets a totally redone house," said Margo Harvey, communications coordinator for the Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts, a nonprofit organization. "It really is a beach cottage, even if it is a mid-19th-century carpenter cottage."
The aim of the transformation, Harvey said, is to fuse traditional elements of Carpenter Gothic, like gingerbread trim, with state-of-the-art appliances and air conditioning added.
In each room, a set of before-and-after photos conveys the scope of the overhaul.
"You can see that a historical house can be updated in a way that doesn't ruin its historical integrity," Harvey said. "It still has a lot of those wonderful features that a Carpenter Gothic-style cottage would have."
While the cottage owner will surely appreciate the updates, she won't be able to enjoy them in solitude for quite awhile. The bottom two floors - the residence has a total of three - will be open to visitors through Nov. 1.
For nearly three weeks after that, the cottage will undergo another round of renovations, to be put on display for the holiday season, Nov. 20 through Jan. 3.
- Matt Flegenheimer
Admission: $20, $15 for children ages 3 through 12. Visitors receive a complimentary program with information about the design team. Tickets can be purchased in advance by phone or through the Web site, or at the home itself. Information: 609-884-5404, 800-275-4278 or www.capemaymac.org.
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