A handsome and grand Nantucket-style house blossoms on a hillside, the final preparations for the onslaught of eager visitors underway. The buzz about town rivals the peripatetic pace inside the 8,800-square-foot house as designers scramble to perfect their visions.

Construction of the Kinderwood Designer Showhouse is complete. Now the 23 carefully selected designers and artists move in to transform the various unfinished rooms. Inspired by the miraculous views looking westward toward Westchester County, the designers and artists spoke poetically and passionately about their plans for their assigned nook.

The showcase is a production of Green Chimneys, a Putnam County-based non-profit organization that, using animal assisted therapy, helps emotionally injured and at-risk children. Proceeds will benefit the affiliated Good Friend Program, a mentoring project for single-parent families. Ridgefield builders Joe Fossi of Pelham County Homes and Reed Whipple of Heritage Homes had oversized staffs hammering and sawing all summer in preparation for the September 25 opening. The showcase sits high on West Mountain Road with a stunning panoramic view. But it is the town itself that appealed to the Green Chimneys team. Ridgefield is a wonderful community, dedicated to supporting its youth and their families, says the Green Chimneys Allan Wilson.

We have got a lot of really talented people coming in, says Joanne Threlfall, a Green Chimneys board member and driving force behind the project. The interior designers from this area were very enthusiastic. Its really very exciting. Threfall altered potential participants by way of the American Society of Interior Designers. Trained in the discipline herself, Threfall had clear criteria and high standards for the showhouse designers.

We wanted to be sure we had qualified people, with a proven track record, a sense of style that is appropriate for what we are trying to accomplish. Sharon McCormick of Fairchild House Interiors in Durham, Connecticut, designer of the family room, is thrilled to be included in the Kinderwood Showhouse. I am a veteran of two other showhouses, and the sense of camaraderie among designer professionals, craftspeople, and showhouse volunteers is always a memorable and fulfilling experience, says McCormick. Adds Terry Reilly, a designer who is applying her visions to the houses study: I was eager to become involved because of the thousands of people coming through.

After the final tour has been given, the house will go on the market for about $4 million. While the builders will profit from that sale, proceeds from ticket salsa and the purchase of any design elements will go toward Green Chimneys Good Friend Program.

I hope anyone who comes to experience this magnificent showhouse will not only enjoy the hard work and creations of many talented designers and professionals, but also take some energy and inspiration back home with them, says featured designer Sara Hopkins.

See more about the Kinderwood Showhouse.