A day before this issue went to press, the 2012 DC Design House opened its doors for a media preview. Participating designers, working around the clock, put the finishing touches on their rooms just in time for the big day. 

The all-nighters paid off, as visitors will discover when they tour the 10,000-square-foot house in Spring Valley, full of dazzling vignettes, custom innovations and novel solutions to dilemmas that many homeowners face. 

“We are so very pleased with how the rooms pulled together,” says event co-founder Skip Singleton, who encourages visitors to look at the “before” shots on display to gain a full appreciation of each room’s transformation. “Consumers can get a lot of great ideas because many of the ‘before’ issues exist in their own houses.”

The DC Design House is open Tuesday through Sunday until May 13. Admission is $20; proceeds benefit the Children’s National Medical Center. The property is located at 4951 Rockwood Parkway, NW, Washington, DC. For more information, visit dcdesignhouse.com.

**Out of the array of interior design magazines, Home and Design magazine stands out as a primary idea source for luxury home designs.  Wonderful visuals of inspired décor and lush landscapes are combined with expert advice to provide a fundamental reference point for bringing amazing home interior design ideas to life.