Twin Maples Centennial Show House is Gussied Up With a New Green Look.

[Anna Hackman]

The newly renovated Twin Maples Centennial Show House will officially open its doors to the public on October1, 2008 and run through November 2. Advance tickets are $25 or $30 at the door, with Month-Long tickets $50. Proceeds will benefit both The Carol G. Simon Cancer Center at Overlook Hospital and the Twin Maples Historic Preservation Fund.

Among the 40 designers lending their creative talents to the Twin Maples Centennial Show House is Elaine Griffin, Oprah’s long-time designer who brings her talents to recreating the show house’s ballroom; while the legendary Marshall Watson, who recently graced the pages of Traditional Home, is working his design magic right across the foyer in the Twin Maples estate house dining room. Also on-site, Christopher Peacock winner of House Beautiful’s “Best Kitchen” of 2008 and featured in its September 2008 issue, will display his elegant and new green design style in remodeling the Twin Maple’s estate house kitchen.

“It’s no wonder that the Twin Maples Centennial Show House is being billed as the ‘Kips Bay’ of New Jersey”, says Co-chairman Laurie Finn, designer and owner of La Jolie in Summit, NJ. “This promises to be the jewel of area show houses, featuring rooms and spaces that will be designed by some of the nation’s most talented designers. From Manhattan we have Elaine Griffin, Marshall Watson, Juan Carlos Gutierrez and Russell Minion; from New Jersey, Mary Lou Sweeney, Sandra Carter and Joan Picone, to name just a few of the design talents that will be showcased. It’s a Cinderella story for this beautiful old house.”

“What also makes this a most unique show house is that we have incorporated today’s best practices in sustainable building, while maintaining the historic integrity of this beautiful mansion, which is listed on both the National and New Jersey Registries of Historic Places,” says Heidi Evenson, co-chairman of the Twin Maples Centennial Show House and a member of The Fortnightly Club. “We were very fortunate to have had energy efficient replacement windows donated by Marvin, soy-based insulation blown in by Foamtight, several new doors from Pella and most exciting of all, Perfection Contracting installed a geothermal heating and cooling system, which promises to reduce the energy costs of the 6,500 square foot estate house by 50%. That is $6,000 a year or more off the operating costs of the house.”

The Carriage House on the property is an exclusively green design space where materials that are reused, recycled or renewable were used in every facet of the remodeling and the design and all appliances used are energy star rated. “Hiland Hall Turner Architects, Polo Master Builders, kitchen designer Peter Salerno and green designer Kim Nadel of NICHE have teamed up to transform the Carriage House apartment with completely sustainable building products and green design sources. Joan Picone, Jerri Eskow, Sherrie Round and Kristen Bourse also have green design spaces in the carriage house, where antique prints in reclaimed wood frames are featured by Danielle Ann Millican. The carriage house also has a new high efficiency heating and cooling system.

In the estate house, many designers have used green design elements, with a particular emphasis on antiques. Designer Karla Trincanello created an entirely eco-friendly powder room and laundry in the estate house lower level. Christopher Peacock’s cabinetry in the estate house kitchen is also entirely green and features Peacock Paint, a low VOC line of fine paints. Sherrie Beck has created a green teen space and don’t miss the eco-friendly wine cellar, sure to be a favorite space in the house.

The Twin Maples estate house features a fully functioning geothermal heating and air conditioning system. The lower level of the house will have the Alternative Energy Exhibit with hands-on displays and information on going green in your own home. Tour the exhibit and let Twin Maples show you how you too can complete and energy efficient historic preservation project using sustainable building practices and products.

For those guests who want a sneak-peak of the Show House, there will be a Preview Cocktail Party fundraiser on September 25th with a tour of the house, followed by cocktails at Baltusrol Country Club.

Be sure to mark you calendars for the Black & White Ball “Party of the Century” finale to the Show House, which is presented by the Summit Junior Fortnightly Club on Saturday, November 1st at the Short Hills Hilton. Tickets for both events are available on the website at www.historictwinmaples.org.

Nordstrom’s has graciously agreed to host three special events – two luncheons (11AM to 1PM) and one breakfast (9:30AM-11:30AM) which are mini-fundraisers for the Show House featuring legendary designer and Show House Honorary Chairman, Mario Buatta, who will discuss on October 16, “If You Can’t Hide it…Decorate it.” In addition to Mr. Buatta, internationally renowned designers Jamie Drake and Larry Laslo will also speak. On October 3 design enthusiasts will breakfast with Mr. Drake as he brings tips on “How to Achieve Glamorous, High Style Designs” and on October 9, Mr. Laslo will delight listeners over lunch with an insider’s view of “The Gossip, Grommets and Glamour of Interior Design.” Each event is $75.00 and is being held at the Nordstrom’s Café at Nordstrom at the Short Hills Mall.

Nordstrom will also serve as the host for Show House parking located at the adjacent garage space at The Mall at Short Hills. Shuttle services will run between Nordstrom at The Mall at Short Hills, the Summit train station and Twin Maples from October 1 – November 2 so that patrons can enjoy a full day of shopping, meet the designers and view the Show House. While you are at The Mall at Short Hills, be sure to support the Komen for the Cure’s popular Style for the Cure throughout October.

A wine tasting with Summit native, Connie Fowler will be held on October 17 from 6:30 - 8:30 pm at The Beacon Hill Club, 250 Hobart Avenue in Summit, NJ $75.00 per person. Ms. Fowler will offer tastings of cool weather wines to serve now and throughout the holiday season. Sip and savor an international selection of festive and fabulous wines.

Burgdorff Realtor ERA will sponsor a “Twin Maples, a Colonial Revival Country House” lecture on sustainable historic preservation by historic preservation architect and Show House advisor, Mark Alan Hewitt. This event, for designers, architects, builders and homeowners, will be held on October 23rd. Tour Twin Maples from 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm, then join us for cocktails and the lecture from 6:00 - 8:00 pm at Canoe Brook Country Club, 1108 Morris Turnpike, Summit 07901. Tickets are $60 per person.


And for the kids and in keeping with the green theme of the Twin Maples Centennial Show House, Summit-based author Victoria Perla will read from her new book, “When Santa Turned Green” at The Beacon Hill Club, 250 Hobart Avenue, in Summit on October 23rd. Ms. Perla will read her book and chat with the children about child-friendly ways to care for our beautiful planet. Beverages and cookies will be served. Children must be accompanied by an adult. Children under 1 are free. The cost is $30.00 for parent/child and $10.00 for each additional child. Books may be purchased and signed by the author. Two Shows: 11:00 am -12:00 pm and 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm.

The Twin Maples Estate is located at 214 Springfield Avenue at Edgewood Road. Tickets to all of these special events and the Show House itself can be purchased online at www.historictwinmaples.org or at shops throughout Summit, including La Jolie Maison, Lois Schneider, Sweet Nothings, Brownie Points and the Summit Sampler. Group Tickets are available for 20 or more people for a cost of $20 per ticket.

The Overlook Hospital Auxiliary and the Summit Junior Fortnightly Club have joined forces with the Fortnightly Club of Summit to present the Show House. The Overlook Hospital Auxiliary co-Presidents are Terry Andrews and Amanda Ford, both of whom are also long-term members of the Fortnightly Club. Julie Adams and Tracy Claus are co-Presidents of the Summit Junior Fortnightly Club. Lynne Olivo is the President of the Fortnightly Club. The Fortnightly Club of Summit, founded in 1893, is the 501(c) 3 charity that owns and operates the Twin Maples Estate for the benefit of area charities.

For more information and tickets, please visit www.historictwinmaples.org or call the Show House at 908-273-0301. Group rates are available.

Note: For your futher information, I have written the first part of a series of articles about the greening of Twin Maples on my site, Green Talk.