Joining Heart and Design For ARF's Annual Showhouse

Animal advocates and design lovers alike will join forces to raise money for the Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons’ fifth annual cocktail party and designer showhouse on Saturday, May 30. All proceeds will benefit ARF and the organization’s work to find good homes for orphaned dogs and cats.

The ARF Thrift and Treasure Shop in Sagaponack will be turned into a designer showhouse featuring six rooms styled by a few of New York’s top interior decorators, including Brian P. Brandy, Jamie Drake, Kevin Hart, Tamara Magel, Mark Schryver and Peri Wolfman. Each room will feature Thrift Shop items and pieces donated from the designers’ own collections. Unlike at traditional showhouses, every item in the ARF designer showhouse will be for sale. There will also be a selection of ARF dogs and cats on hand for adoption.

“I love dogs. I have two cockapoos and one Tibetan terrier,” said Ms. Wolfman of Wolfman-Gold Designs, who will be participating in this particular showhouse for the first time.

Inspired by her passion for riding horses, she will create a space she calls “Out of Africa,” transforming it into a tack room filled with vintage boots and saddle racks, and hand-crafted benches, as well as a vintage 1950s chair with an animal print, beside a table with a cocktail shaker and martinis. There will also be a large photograph of zebras and mosquito netting curtains. “I like to do a little bit of a fantasy room. I like dreaming it up and opening it up” for everyone to see, she explained.

Mr. Hart of Kevin Hart Design, who has a cairn terrier named Lakshmi, turned to dogs that he has known for inspiration for “The Dog Portrait Sitting Room.” Describing it as a fun, useful and comfortable space, he said this room will feel familiar, “like it’s always been like this.”

The room already has a dog-patterned wallpaper, “so I’m really designing around it,” he said. “I’m creating dog portraits, larger framed paintings, that will go on top of it,” layering a larger pattern on top of the smaller one, he explained. There will be an eclectic mix of contemporary and historical furniture as well. “I like creating this tension between traditional and modern pieces,” Mr. Hart said.

Other spaces will include a “well-worn country farmhouse sitting room,” courtesy of Brian P. Brady of Brady Design; a “Turkish Delight” by Jamie Drake of Drake Design Associates; a “Guest Room at Camp Barn” by Tamara Magelalso; and “Tippi’s Bedroom” in honor of Tippi Hedrin by Mark Schryver of Schryver Design.

New to the event this year is a “Meet the Author” book signing with Jorge Bendersky, who will bring his book “DIY Dog Grooming, From Puppy to Best in Show: Everything You Need to Know, Step by Step.” All proceeds from the book sales will also go to ARF.

The event is chaired by Gordon Hoppe, Gigi Mahon, Sandra McConnell and Jeff Pfeifle along with vice chairs Peter Hallock, Lisa McCarthy and Marshall Watson. Doors open for “exclusive preview hour” ticket holders at 5 p.m., and general admission is at 6 p.m. The showhouse will be open to the public on Sunday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for a $10 suggested donation, with children admitted free of charge.