While there were plenty of inspirational spaces at the 18th Annual Mansion in May Designer Showhouse and Gardens, one designer clearly should take home a prize for “naughtiest little space” inside Alnwick Hall, aka “The Abbey” in Morris Township.
Marina Case of The Red Shutters garnered particular attention for her creative, slightly scandalous approach in designing a Scottish Lasses Loo featuring funny photos and whimsical touches that have many people laughing. Most notably, this powder room sports framed images of attractive Scottish gentlemen wearing wind-blown kilts that subtly expose their bums. “I wanted it to be feminine, fun and sexy so visitors would want to stay. And I have an obsession with Scottish tartan textiles which I knew could do the job,” Marina told me. “We wanted to offer high impact in this tiny room and chose a small space because we were timid about doing a showhouse for the first time. I love to create discoverable rooms where you keep seeing new things as you look around.”
The Scottish Lasses Loo had mansion-goers buzzing. In fact, one of the docents stationed outside the head-turning space told Marina that she could have sold hundreds of the “cheeky” kilt photographs.
Marina’s interpretation of classic symbols of Scottish tradition also stood out in her other design elements highlighting the unique wool and kilt fashion culture of Scotland. The Lasses Loo garnered particular attention for its striking walls covered floor to ceiling in Alessandra Branca’s fuchsia Alexander Tartan fabric for Schumacher. The ceiling and trim were all done in the rich, deep tones of Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal to further complement the show-stopping walls. Known as the “Rolls Royce” of plumbing fixtures, Lefroy Brooks’ classic lever faucet is the crown jewel of the loo.
This year’s showhouse attracted 24,000 visitors during its run from May 1 through May 31. Presented by the Woman’s Association for Morristown Medical Center (WAMMC), Mansion in May is the association’s signature fundraising event—bringing in more than $10 million dollars for worthwhile causes at Morristown Medical Center since 1974.