A historic property in Marriottsville built in the 1800s has thrown open its doors for the 35th annual Decorator Show House, with 16 designers transforming its rooms into a walk-through showcase that runs through Oct. 11. Tickets cost $40, and the event doubles as a fundraiser for Historic Ellicott City, the nonprofit behind the tradition.
The property, known as Valhalla, is described with varying acreage figures across sources: WBAL-TV reports it sits on 93 acres, while a listing for the property from event partner BmoreArt puts it at 100 picturesque acres. A real estate listing for the address on Coldwell Banker describes roughly 92 acres of agriculturally preserved land surrounding the home. Whatever the exact figure, the sprawling grounds give the 16 participating designers plenty of historic character to work with as they reimagine each room.
Sixteen Rooms, One Historic Shell
According to WBAL-TV, the show house features 16 rooms designed by different local designers, each tasked with putting their own stamp on the centuries-old structure. Per the station, the goal for many designers was to “tailor everything to honor the history of the home, but also infuse some modern touches.” That balancing act shows up throughout Valhalla, from hand-painted kitchen countertops to a dedicated wine vault, both detailed in WBAL-TV's report.
One standout space is a sitting room called “Sit for a Queen,” created through a collaboration between two designers who used a wallpaper mural as their color inspiration, the station reports. Even the window treatments carry an educational twist: they were made by design students from the Community College of Baltimore County in the school's own fabrication lab, according to the same WBAL-TV account.
Shop the Show House Before the Holidays
Almost everything on display inside Valhalla is for sale, with items spanning every price range, WBAL-TV reports. The event's official site, Historic Ellicott City, notes that visitors can browse unique gifts, décor, art and specialty items throughout the show house, giving early holiday shoppers a head start. General admission tickets, priced at $40, can be used any day and at any time the show house is open, according to Historic Ellicott City's site.
The event runs Thursdays through Sundays from Sept. 17 through Oct. 11, per BmoreArt's listing, giving visitors a 16-day window to tour all 16 rooms. The address is 1575 Marriottsville Road in Marriottsville, Maryland, according to Historic Ellicott City.
A Fundraising Tradition Rooted in Flood Recovery
Proceeds from this year's show house support Historic Ellicott City's broader mission to advance preservation and restoration projects throughout Howard County, according to BmoreArt. That mission has deep roots in disaster recovery: the organization has used proceeds from past show house events to help fund recovery efforts following the destructive floods that hit Ellicott City in 2016 and 2018, per WBAL-TV's reporting.
The Decorator Show House concept itself dates back decades. The first edition was held in 1974 to raise money for damage caused by Hurricane Agnes, according to a separate WBAL-TV report. A 2017 iteration was staged at White Hall on Chatham Road in Ellicott City, running from Sept. 24 through Oct. 22 that year and featuring Maryland designers let loose on the mansion's 26 rooms, per Preservation Maryland. That year's proceeds went toward the Historic Ellicott City Revitalization Grant Program, the same report notes.
Now in its 35th year at Valhalla, the show house carries forward that same formula: historic architecture, contemporary design, and a chance for visitors to bring a piece of it home.
