BY LESLEY BRADLEY

Special to The Pilot

After a 20-year absence, a designer show house returns to the area and spares no expense to entice and engage the public.

Nineteen professional interior designers from throughout the Southeast will take over the Southern Pines estate known as "Inchalene" for a full two weeks, May 7-21. Proceeds from the show house will benefit the Capital Campaign for the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities.

The last designer show house in the area was held in 1989 at the Dun Craig estate directly across the street from "Inchalene."

"We had an extraordinary opportunity to access 'Inchalene' and simply had to take full advantage of the generous offer made by Robert Fessler, the current owner," says Mary Schwab, co-chair of the event. "And his offer was perfectly timed with the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities Capital Campaign launch."

Every nook and cranny of this historic and bucolic estate will be transformed. Even the stables will take on a different role, all just in time for the height of the Sandhills' spring season.

"It will be a fabulous event to kick off the spring season in the Sandhills," says Schwab. "We are expecting as many as 5,000 visitors over the course of the two weeks."

"Inchalene," which is Gaelic for "cottage near the woods," has been sitting rather quietly just down the road from Weymouth House. But as it turns out, "Inchalene" has a long and rich history in Southern Pines.

It was built in the 1920s for James Boyd's mother. The house itself was designed by Alfred Yeomans. But perhaps most exciting is that the grounds were originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted's firm. The original correspondence between Mrs. Boyd and the Olmsted firm resides in the National Archives in Washington, D.C.

"Inchalene" is a wonderful example of an English Tudor-style home, with steep gabled slate roofs, arched doorways, heavy ironwork, copper gutters, strong window mullions, large chimney pots and stucco with wood accents. The house is surrounded by walkways and walled gardens overlooking rolling pastures. It even has a classic English conservatory.

"This is a rare opportunity to tour an estate rich in history while enjoying the design work of talented interior design professionals," says Adair Beutel, who, along with Libby Moodie, is managing the designers. "The designers did not approach this house as one would a museum, but rather as a home where a young, active family would live in 2011. They highlighted the original character of the home while introducing current elements into the design."

There is a lovely stables just down the hill from the main home. During the event, however, instead of horses, the stables will house a boutique featuring antiques, lighting fixtures, jewelry and porcelain, flowers and plants, a stall filled with books, garden urns, twig animals and more.

Ruffles Clement and Alice Robbins have worked diligently to bring vendors to the "Inchalene" boutique that one would not generally find in the area.

"We have vendors coming from as far away as Savannah and as close as our own Southern Pines," says Clement. "We want the stables boutique to be as beautiful and exciting as the Show Hou-se."

In addition to the house and the boutique, there will be special events each day. Kicking off the special events calendar will be Jeffery Deaver. The best- selling author of more than 30 mystery novels and writer of the new James Bond novel, "Carte Blanche," will be signing books along with thriller writer John Gilstrap, whose books have also been on The New York Times Best-Seller List.

"Every day of the show house, we have a special activity planned," says Peggy Baldwin, special events coordinator. "Your ticket to the show house provides you entrance into the special event of the day. So, for the cost of admission, visitors will be able to tour the show house and grounds, shop in the boutique and attend a special event. It makes for a wonderful day in the Sandhills."

A full list of special events can be seen on the Show House website, www.weymouthshowhouse.org.

The two-week Weymouth Designer Show House at "Inchalene" will begin with a gala preview party on May 6. The house will be open to the public May 7-21.

Participating designers include Mary Alice Gozzi, The Corral, Southern Pines; Susie Leader, The Leader Design Group, Pinehurst; Corine Loganbach, Corine de Libran Loganbach Antiquities Decorating, Pinehurst; Betty Kohn, Marlboro Interiors, Charlotte; Ben Everett and Ross Spain, Acquisitions, Ltd., Raleigh/Charlotte; Stewart Woodard Galleries, Raleigh; Pam Hill and Anne Holmes, Village Design Group, Southern Pines; Jeremy Bowan, Karen Brisson and Crystal Blue, SNOBS, Southern Pines; Cathy Maready, Elephant Ears, Southern Pines/Wilmington; Alice Henrick, Provenance Interiors, Savannah, Ga.; Charles Goforth, Trompe L'oeil Painting, Pinehurst; Anita Holland, Anita Holland Interiors, Charlotte; Linda Knight-Carr, Knight-Carr Interiors, Greensboro; Lane Palley Blank, Palley and Southard Designs, Durham; and Chapman Williams, Williamson and Chamblee Interiors, Raleigh.

Tickets are only $25 and include access to the show house, the boutique and the daily special event.

Tickets may also be purchased at the following locations: A Wild Hare, The Wine Cellar and Tasting Room, Coach Light Trattoria, The Country Bookshop, Weymouth Center, Lady Bedford's Tea Parlor, Kitchen Essence, The Pine Crest Inn, One Eleven Main, Pinehurst Patio and Sandhills Winery

For more information, to purchase tickets or to -volunteer, visit the website at www.weymouthshowhouse.org or call (910) 295-0120.