Left to Right: Molly Westfall, Laura Deffenbaugh, Susan SanSouci, Rebecca Anderson, Robyn Mitchell
Cashiers Historical Society’s 29th Annual Designer Showhouse, which runs August 28 through September 5, is made possible by a barrage of volunteers, skilled craftspeople, and expert architectural and interior designers. A few of the designers whose creativity is on display this year in the Cashiers Lake neighborhood home call the Plateau their home.
In fact, Highlands’ Holly Watson and Rebecca McCracken, as well as the design team at The Designer’s Market in Cashiers, are among the dozen-plus interior designers involved in the Designer Showhouse project.
Designers lent their touches to the décor of the modern mountain house planned by Thomas & Denzinger Architects, constructed by Turnkey Construction Group, and landscaped by Tate Landscaping Services. For example, Watson focused on the Designer Showhouse’s gear room, which is a dedicated space for storing all types of outdoor equipment, etc.
“I imagined the gear room as a place for a fisherman to hold their rods and tackle box or an artist to house their easels and paints for easy access to paint the scene right outside their front door,” explained Watson.
Rebecca McCracken
Watson gleaned experience in design through her role as director of retail at Old Edwards Inn’s Acorns. She has lent her distinct touch to the store’s merchandising, curation, and visual presentation.
Additionally, Watson’s eye for originality and balance has been honed as the owner of Dead Artists Gallery. It’s in this space that she curates a presentation of vintage and antique art that has interested collectors, homeowners, and designers alike.
Also based in Highlands, Rebecca McCracken is a designer with The Summer House by Reeves. She focused on the Showhouse’s events barn. McCracken has enjoyed a career in the home furnishings industry, making her a quality choice for determining adequate selections for the space. She makes it her goal to provide both practicality and elegance in her design projects.
“The space has a great mix of dark tones from the paint color, and light with all of the open walls,” said McCracken. “It has a beautiful view of Cashiers Lake.”
With its collaborative team of around 15, The Designer’s Market of Cashiers tackled the Showhouse’s terrace and grilling porch. For the last 18 years, the firm’s expert designers, overseen by owner Susan SanSouci, have presented clients’ individuality, while also achieving livability, in countless homes.
Holly Watson
Said Molly Westfall of The Designer’s Market. “Outdoor kitchens are one of our specialties! Our NatureKast cabinetry is uniquely engineered for outdoor living, but with the timeless beauty of real wood.”
She added: “As we designed the space, we imagined how homeowners and guests would naturally gather, entertain, and relax on the terrace to take in the home’s spectacular surroundings. Our palette draws inspiration from the landscape itself, incorporating rich browns, warm taupes, and layered greens that reflect the natural beauty of the Cashiers area.”
The annual Designer Showhouse is the primary fundraising effort of the Cashiers Historical Society. Tickets must be purchased to visit the Showhouse. An opening night party, A Mountain Affair: Celebrating Cashiers & Its Outdoor Traditions, is Thursday, August 27, from 5:30 – 10:00 P.M., at The Village Green in Cashiers. Tickets for the opening night party are available exclusively through Sponsorship and select Benefactor packages.
Other events surrounding the Designer Showhouse include informative lectures by design experts, craft, cooking, and gardening demonstrations, an informative bourbon session, a book signing, and more. To learn details, visit cashiershistory.org/cds-events-2026. For general questions about tickets, etc., call the Cashiers Historical Society office at (828) 743-7710.
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