Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens Tradition
TAKE A MOMENT
To walk with us through a
time-honored tradition of
EXCELLENCE IN DESIGN.
Every other year, since 1985, the Lake Forest Auxiliary chapter of the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago selects a GRAND, HISTORIC PROPERTY in the Lake Forest, Illinois area to be the site of its Showhouse & Gardens.
The Showhouse is now ranked 4th in the country, allowing the Showhouse Committee to choose from an exclusive pool of homeowner applicants.
WHY WE DO THE SHOWHOUSE
The Infant Welfare Society of Chicago has 16 auxiliary chapters whose primary functions are to raise funds and provide volunteer services to support the clinic.
FOR 32 YEARS, the Lake Forest chapter, founded in 1926, has hosted a nationally recognized designer Showhouse & Gardens.
It is one of the largest fund raising events associated with the Chicago clinic and over the years we are proud to have raised MORE THAN $4 MILLION OF DOLLARS from this prestigious event.
The women, children, and families who receive medical and dental care at the Infant Welfare clinic are among the most hard working and deserving populations in the city.
ADVANTAGES OF PARTICIPATING
CREATIVE FREEDOM
The Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens is a chance to exhibit your creativity. Although we request traditionally-rooted interior design, cutting-edge ideas and new ways of energizing interior and garden spaces are welcome.
We prefer to think of it as timeless, luxury design with a little twist!
PUBLICITY
Every year we attract some of the most prestigious national and local shelter publications, newspapers, and television coverage.
The opportunities for promotion
and new business are unlimited! In 2017 we increased our publicity initiatives and expand related special events and parties to attract additional media and attendees.
GIVING BACK
Participating in the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens gives you an opportunity to contribute to one of the most worthy causes in Chicago.
DESIGNER SALES
Participating designers have an opportunity to sell furnishings and accessories in their rooms. Prices are determined by the participating designers with 15% of proceeds from designer sales donated to the Infant Welfare Society of Chicago.
OUR HOUSE
Many of our homes have been designed by such DISTINGUISHED ARCHITECTS as Howard Van Doren Shaw and David Adler, and feature unsurpassed details like original molding, paneling, doors, flooring and verandas.
Competition for designer spaces (approximately 22 to 34, depending on the size of the property), has also increased.
WE ARE PROUD OF THE STELLAR QUALITY OF INTERIOR AND LANDSCAPE DESIGNERS WHO REPRESENT OUR HOME. As a result, throughout the three week period the house is open to the public, we attract as many as 7,000 GUESTS.
Because of the NATIONAL REPUTATION of the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens, we are fortunate to be able to invite only the BEST DESIGN CANDIDATES for consideration.
THANK YOU TO OUR MANY PAST
SPONSORS
Abbott Laboratories
Associated Bank, N.A.
Baytree National Bank & Trust Co.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois
Brass Light Gallery
Cramer Kraslett
Dade Behring Inc.
Deerpath Inn
Design Investors
Edward Jacks & Company
Farrow & Ball
Fortune Brands, Inc.
Frank Ponterio Interior Design
Garrett Popcorn
Harpo Inc.
Harris Bank
Jenn-Air
Knauz Auto Group
Kohler
Lake Forest Bank & Trust
Lake Forest Sportscars
Lake Forest Pediatric Dentistry
LaSalle Bank Wealth
Management Group
Lazard
Leo Burnett Worldwide
LUXE Home
Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC
Middlefork Luxury, LLC
Molex
Morgan Stanley
Nortel
Northwestern Medicine -
Lake Forest Hospital
Ovation Pharmaceuticals
Pickell Family Foundation
Raymond James Financial, Inc.
Rocco Fiore & Sons
Sara Lee Corporation
The Grainger Foundation
The Northern Trust Co.
The ServiceMaster Company
The Walgreen Company
Tiffany & Co.
Uline
Vedder, Price, Kaufman & Kammholz
William Blair & Company L.L.C.
INFANT WELFARE SOCIETY OF CHICAGO
WHY WE ARE DIFFERENT
The Infant Welfare Society of Chicago is celebrating more than 108 years of providing healthcare to Chicago's medically underserved. Since its founding in 1911, the agency has grown in response to changing needs initially providing fresh milk from “health stations” in response to high infant mortality.
Since 1970, its mission has been fulfilled through a single freestanding clinic that offers a unique array of services under one roof . . .
FOR CHILDREN - well child care; pediatric dentistry; child and adolescent mental health counseling; early child development assessment; optometry; teen services and literacy.
FOR THE FAMILY - management of chronic diseases, preventative care, prenatal, and family planning. In 2005, a fund was established to assure that low-income women are able to obtain screening mammograms.
As of 2017, the entire family is covered under the care of the Clinic.
In 2007, an endowment was established to assure that Infant Welfare can continue to serve as a medical home for an increasing number of children with
special needs.
PUBLICITY
Rooms and garden spaces of designers participating in the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens have been featured in a number of prestigious magazines, newspapers, and other media. These include:
JWC Media/Sheridan Road
Traditional Home
Architectural Digest (ad)
House Beautiful
Window & Wall
Creative Home
Bed & Bath
Chicago Home & Garden
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Sun-Times
Pioneer Press newspapers
Daily Herald
News-Sun
CBS TV local affiliates
About.com
KitchenAid catalog
Christopher Peacock
Additional publicity through major sponsors