For the past 20 years, renowned interior designers from across the nation have lent their extensive talents to a Cinderella-story showhouse renovation in the mountains of Western North Carolina. Sponsored by Atlanta Homes & Lifestyle Magazine, the Annual Cashiers Designer Showhouse® is a collective effort to benefit the Cashiers Historical Society’s preservation efforts on a high-elevation Appalachian Mountain plateau.

This year, the 19th Annual Cashiers Designer Showhouse® will be held from August 13th-August 28th and will combine historic design with modern sophistication. The Showhouse will take place at Burt Farm, a sprawling 1880’s historic home resting on more than 100 rolling acres. Exemplifying Western North Carolina’s natural amenities, Burt Farm has maintained some of its original structure to provide a haven for scenic activities and charming strolls.

Throughout the Showhouse, there will be special events on property featuring different speakers and lectures. There will be a variety of lunchtime options including Lunch on the Lawn with Friends, featuring special guest Timothy Corrigan, international designer and author best known for his book, An Invitation to Chateau de Grand-Luce. If you are looking for a more laid back lunch atmosphere, be sure to check out the food truck. Next, make sure you tour the Garden of Eatin’͟ and fill your basket with a wild foods pick-nic at No Taste Like Home/An Edible Landscape programs.
In the evenings once you’ve worked up an appetite again, you can relish a five-course Find Dining dinner, which will feature ingredients foraged on the Showhouse grounds and prepared by the chefs of The Orchard Restaurant, one of Cashiers’favorites for farm-to-table cuisine. After dinner, there will be the Wine and Sweet Talks event, which will feature historical, fashionable and creative programs such as Forever French,Why Women Wore What They Wore,Drink Your Own Garden, and Picking the Perfect Paint. What better environment to discuss paints, gardens, and fashion than over a glass of wine?

After touring Burt Farm and attending the special programs, visitors can enjoy boutique cottage shopping around the Cashiers Crossroads featuring antiques, home furnishings, apparel and other uniquely upscale specialties. Many of the boutiques are owned by successful Southeastern interior designers who take refuge in the cool mountain air during the hot summer. With the generous support of Atlanta Homes, ADAC and other local and regional sponsors and under the leadership of Event Chair Maxine Sikes, the showcase draws more than 4,000 visitors annually.

Daily tour tickets are $40 each and available for purchase at the Cashiers Area Chamber of Commerce, located at 202 US Highway 64 West.

For more information or special event reservations, contact the Cashiers Historical Society at 828-743-7710 or visit www.CashiersHistoricalSociety.org/Showhouse. Overnight accommodations in the area include full service resorts, mountain vacation home rentals, small boutique hotels and bed and breakfasts.

Visit www.DiscoverJacksonNC.com for a comprehensive lodging directory and helpful information on other local amenities and recreational opportunities.