Marilyn Bearham surveyed the golden colors in Debi Ewing’s and Mike Simon’s Vancouver parlor and saw red: Red pillows. A bowl of glittering red and gold Christmas ornaments. A red mantle scarf with five hanging tassels. A quilted red sofa table runner topped with potted feathers nestled in red pots tinged with gold swirls.
“I wanted to add red to a room that was neutral,” Bearham said, herself wearing a red sweater as she described her design work.
When the home opens for the Divine Consign Holiday Home Tour on Tuesday, there will be even more red. Greens and golds, too. Bearham has plans for red ribbon and green garland on the Colonial home’s banister, a Divine Consign Christmas tree in the upstairs widow’s walk, wreaths on the outside of windows and two porch Christmas trees along with holiday decor throughout the home.
The Ewing and Simon home is one of five Felida homes on this year’s tour, which includes decor that reflects contemporary, Craftsman and Victorian styles. Each house will be decorated by a different designer.
“They’re not cookie-cutter homes at all,” Bearham said.
Tickets for the tour are $15 in advance and $20 on the day of the tour. A $10 raffle, with gifts that so far include a Coach bag, iPod and diamond earrings, will also be held.
Proceeds from the event will benefit local charities that help at-risk youth, said Linda Glover, executive director of Divine Consign in Vancouver, which is organizing the event.
Grants will be set up with the proceeds and nonprofit groups that fit the criteria will be asked to apply to receive funds.
Another source of fundraising at the event will be the holiday decorations on display.
Items designated with Divine Consign tags will be available for purchase, Bearham said.
The designers who decorated the homes for the tour worked to achieve several goals. First was matching a homeowner’s tastes with the holiday decorations and complementing the home’s particular style. Before anything goes up, a homeowner approves it, since they’ll live with it, Bearham said.
Designers also strived to demonstrate ideas for using color and accessories in new ways.
This is Ewing’s first year as part of the tour.
“The house, I think, lends itself to the holidays,” Ewing said.
