Breakfast at the Manor

Mill Neck Manor plays host to the 2010 Designer Showcase this year, inviting 25 interior designers to revamp this architectural giant of the Gilded Age. Built in 1923, Mill Neck Manor is a Tudor revival. Noteworthy features include stained glass windows depicting five Shakespeare plays and the impressive formal gardens that surround the house. Originally home to a cosmetic heiress it is no wonder Mill Neck Manor pays such detail to beauty.


Karen Arpino, one of the featured designers, carved out her own unique space on the property in her room "Breakfast at the Manor". Using several key Grange pieces, Karen was able to create an intimate gathering space that comfortably contrasts the grand scale of the manor. The Ermitage table serves as a unifying piece, around which one's inner circle of family and friends can congregate.


Karen chose to customize the Ermitage table, Cane chairs, and Directoire Tuileries console in muted color finishes. The soft grays and creams set a gentle tone, an easy way to ease oneself into the morning.

In addition to the hand picked furniture, Karen also took to refinishing the floors. The hardwood floors were painted to mimic marble tile creating a successful tromp l'oeil. Here Karen kept with the spirit of the home's architectural revival, using modern innovation to recreate classic decor.

The Showhouse is on view thru December 12th.