If you weren’t one of the 2,600 people who wandered through the Kinderwood Showhouse last fall, you missed an amazing romp into the world of interior decorating. More than 20 designers and 13 muralists and faux painters revealed their talents by dressing the 8,800-square-foot wood shingled house to the nines--indeed the tens.

The house, embedded into the side of hilly West Mountain terrain, boasts one of the best views in town. The rooms, most of them situated to soak up the view, were like runway models for their designers—each donning the most inventive creations and allowing the artists to be as imaginative as they wanted without the normal restraints of client input. “We didn’t want a theme,” says Joanne Threlfall, who spearheaded the project as a fundraiser for Green Chimneys Good Friend Programs. “We didn’t want it to appeal to only one type of individual.

Even before the front door was flung open, exterior details such as the fieldstone-clad foundation, tiered patios, and a dramatic pool tiptoeing close to the edge of the mountainside got appreciative nods. Builders Joe Fossi of Pelham Country Homes and Reed Whipple of Heritage Homes had a challenge in front of them when they purchased the ragged property. Not only were they force to work around an exciting foundation, but they also had to deal with the precipitous landscape. The builders focused on creating a showcase home that would take advantage of the unbeatable vistas while still meeting the standards of today’s open and comfortable lifestyle.

There’s no resisting it - the second you step over the threshold, the house seeps into your consciousness. Not only do panoramic views send your eyes darting, but the abundant details - in the trim work, molding, coffered ceilings, even the light-splashing oval window illuminating the entry hall offer a visual feast. Beyond a wainscoted two-story entry, an archway unveils a picture-perfect dining room. It’s the first thing you see when you enter the foyer. This atypical floor plan is a reflection of the thought and creativity that went into making this home a model for the way we live in 2006.

“The dining room is the last formal room in the house,” says Sara Hopkins whose Easton firm, Sara Hopkins Interiors, decorated the room. “ How wonderful to walk into a room that is always beautiful. It’s always the room that is well groomed. It always looks good. “I would love to have that opposite my front door.” From the moment Hopkins saw the dining room, she knew it was a focal point and wanted the décor to be a striking complement to the gorgeous views. But right from the start, the room had its challenges.

“The dining room was a unique size and the typical rugs that are nine by twelve or fourteen by eighteen wouldn’t work,” says Hopkins. She met the challenge by seeking out an unusual-sized, antique jewel-toned Kashan carpet. Next came the faux-painted walls in a gold and red combination created by Michael James of Decorative Painting and Design. Draperies made of a Cowtan & Tout damask set off the windows, yet leave plenty of exposure to enjoy the view. And even with her choice of table, set comfortably for 12, there is plenty of walk-around room to spare.

Near the dining room a wide hallway, anchored by a wet bar at one end, bridges the living room, study, and powder room before wrapping back around to the entry hall. In a tribute to the city devastated by Katrina, hand-painted wording reminiscent of New Orleans scrolls along the upper border of the hallway. Woven grass wallpaper and a soft Tibetan rug in the living room accent the graceful retreat created by Julianne Stirling of Stirling Design Associates

Nearby is a cozy and tastefully decorated study with a fireplace, an antique Oushak rug, lots of comfy furnishings and silk window treatments, all designed by Terry Reilly and Rita Throckmorton of TR Design, take this room a few notches above the conventional library.

If the dining room is the center for entertaining, the kitchen and breakfast and family rooms are the center for home life. The challenge for Susan Lamy of Prosperity Interiors was once again to work harmoniously with the view. She brought in the natural blues and greens from the outside and carried the theme by framing the doors and windows with hand painted tiles pulled from the drapery design.

The kitchen, typical of today’s style of blending different woods, is as pretty to look at as any piece of furniture. Light glazed cabinetry brightens the room. A contrasting center island in dark mahogany with a distinctive honed marble countertop is an invitation to plop right down on surrounding stools and critique the cook. Just off the eating area, an outdoor veranda provides a sublime venue for taking in the brilliant sunsets to the west.

The sky’s the limit in the blue-toned family room - literally. Designer Sharon McCormick of Fairchild House Interiors liked the idea of lots of blue to match the sky outside. Between the coffers in the ceiling is a mural of night sky. Blue Venetian plaster walls blend with the blues of the fabrics. Says McCormick: “The midnight mural is a reminder of annul camping adventures spent under the stars.” McCormick envisions a fictional family enlivened by books and memorabilia from their travels.

Front and back staircases lead to the upstairs where once again the singular floor plan comes into play. With quirky door placements and separate baths, the five bedrooms and guest quarters are like individual suites. Designer Cathy Jones created a lady’s retreat-somewhat fussy, this feminine room was designed for afternoon tea, writing letters, or working on hobbies. It suggests a more pampered and whimsical time for women than you’d find today, but that’s the fun of it.

On the same end of the house, but totally separate, is the au-pair suite, which includes a sitting room, living room, and bedroom, and of course, full bath. Enter the first sitting room decorated by Virginia Cohen, which has an oriental feel and sparse furnishings, but bold coral walls and creamy white trim bring it all together. Two more rooms beyond, decorated by Hollis Interiors and Robert Nassar, complete the picture.

One of the showstopper rooms has to be the master bedroom suite reminiscent of a Hollywood era gone by. A custom-shaped round bed in silks floats in a room touched by glittering Baccarat crystal. This romantic setting continues in the nearby sitting room, reflected in the design work of Suzanne Novik Interiors, Inc. The walls here have photos of luminaries taken at the peak of their glory. An antique dressing table, chairs done in pale pinks, lavender, and gray with accents of coppery brown are designed to wrap any owner of this house in star quality.

The walkout basement turns out to be an entire entertainment area. A wide-open staircase tiers down to a billiard room, bar, fitness center, media room, and changing room for the pool. The media room, designed by Sally R. Kellogg of Kellogg Interior Design, is a nod to the grand theaters of ages past. Seats ate covered in rich burgundy velour. Even the acoustical panels are covered in fabric to blend in Murals give the illusion of a three-dimensional balcony. It’s a true movie theater.

Denise Balassi of Interior Consultants got the inspiration for the billiard room from her own lifestyle. The playroom no longer has to be strewn with toys now that her children are grown. Today it includes a well-appointed bar, pool table, game table, and fireplace with flat-screen TV built-in above all with a backdrop of countryside vistas.

Much visual style of the home has to be credited to the faux and mural painting that runs throughout the house. A gallery over the second staircase is awash in finishes of metallic paint with a patina created by Victor DeMasi of Monarch Painting. Norvel Hermanovski of Silver Hill Atelier executed an extensive mural to cover the second floor foyer, making the entire wall a canvas of color.

Collectively, the décor of Kinderwood House might be a little too much for the conventional person to live with. Each room, however, with individual personality and unique flair provides not just visual seduction, but a tutorial in the execution of good design.