Co-chair Joyce Hart promises lots of color when the2019 Jewels on the Bay Showhouse opens to the public on Jan. 20. This 24^th annual designer showcase is the Mediterranean Revival Etowah Hagan-Jackson House at 4511 Bay Shore Road.

Twenty-three interior designers are transforming each room in keeping with the historic ambiance of the circa-1920s home. The showhouse is open to the public Jan. 20 through Feb. 17 and ticket sales benefit the Boys and Girls Clubs of Sarasota County.

“It is not going to be a beige home,” says Hart, who is co-chairing the showhouse with her husband and fellow interior designer Jeff Hart. “You’ll see more jewel tones, turquoise, stronger blues, some black details, and with a soft gray background color in the hallways.

“What happened,” says Hart, “is the designers came onboard, looked at the house, saw Old World and chose to make it a little more traditional and a little softer.” 

In recent years, Jewels on the Bay Showhouses were uniformly coastal or more neutral towards contemporary. “This house is going to be warmer and more traditional,” says Hart. “When people walk through this one they’re going to see a nice eclectic mix; it’s not going to be what they expect. It will not be boring, I promise you.”

Cook’s is doing the kitchen: Old cabinets in the kitchen and painted them – putting in an old-fashioned stove, new countertops (dark wood cabinets will be painted sort of green color of the tile that’s already in the house)

Jeff and I are doing a bathroom and we’re keeping the classic 1920s green tile – it’s not avocado and it’s not mint; the tile is there and it’s all in good shape, we’re using a bright black background with kelly green flowers – to make it fun

The Jewels on the Bay Designer Showhouse is open through Feb. 17. For ticket details, visit designershowhousesarasota.com/.

And read about the history of the Etowah-Jackson House here.