The Little Church that Could: The Point Pleasant Village Designer House with Big Shoulders

Sept. 11, 2011 - PRLog -- These days it is not unusual to have a home that needs a bit of sprucing up.  And in historic Bucks County Pennsylvania it isn't a stretch to see towns that have a large percentage of its dwellings built before 1900.  

Yet Point Pleasant might have a corner on that statistic as the entire district was entered on the National Register of Historic Places in September, 1989.  Back in the 18th and 19th century it was a commercial and transportation epicenter as well as a fun fishing and summer resort area in the late 19th and early 20th century.  Point Pleasant even had a coach maker, blacksmith, cobbler and three lumber and grain merchants by 1860.

With all this history it is no surprise that the Point Pleasant Baptist Church had a parsonage built in the mid-1800's.  Which got parishoner, Debi Hutwelker, thinking back in January.  What was her inspiration to get the work done on the 1800's canal home?  Simply put - a designer house.  

Debi managed to convice the 100 or so members of her church, then the entire community that they could save the church hundreds of thousands of dollars, without going into debt, by hosting a designer house.  

Do you know what happened?  Well Point Pleasant  Village Baptist Church is the little church that could because they now have a true collaboration for all to see and appreciate.  As of September 1st the first Point Pleasant Village Designer House opened.  It is a benefit for both the church and the Village of Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania.

Proof positive that there is strength in numbers.  The committee put the word out regarding the selection process, opened the house in April then accepted design boards with an explanation of who the designer thought would live in the room, why they made their selections while including pictures, fabric and paint samples and scale layouts for the room all by the first week in May.   Shortly thereafter, a week, the selection committee made the thank you calls to those awarded rooms and not.  

Right after the committee hosted an empty house preview on July 10th the designers along with their contracts, painters, electricians and crew were working right up until the last minute to meet the tight deadline.  Oh, let's not forget during this time we had hurricane Irene which left the parsonage without electricity thru 2:00 pm the day before opening, a tornado, earthquake and almost 8" of rain!  

Thus trees on wires, mud and rock slides which had all but one road open for visitors to see the designer house are small hinderances requiring prayer from the parishoners.

Now that the first visitors from Lancaster County (yes, they read about it on VisitPa) have gone through the Point Pleasant Village Designer House join the 114 or so people who were willing to take a chance to help the little church that showed it takes a village to put together a designer house with big shoulders.

The designers, including Deborah Smith of collaborativE Synergies, LLC reflects the view of the designers when she said, "this is an exciting way to help a great charity with lofty ideals and I look forward to my small part to help revive the canal house and Village of Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania especially since it is so close to home."

The Point Pleasant Village Designer House located at 34 River Road, Point Pleasant, Pennsylvania is a quintessential Bucks County 1800's modest canal house in bucolic Bucks County.  Anticipate visiting the house as you drive under a canopy of old trees on a road that follows the undulating curves of the Delaware River while passing restaurants, wineries, b & b's and art galleries.  Most fall in love with the leisurely drive from Philadelphia, New York City and New Jersey.

Check out the quaint village and the designer house thru September 25th, Thursday thru Saturday, 10:00 to 6:00 or Sundays 1:00 to 6:00.  Tours are $17 at the door.  Guests have the ability to purchase furniture and accessories in each of the rooms which further benefits the church and village.  Visit the website, www.ppdhouse.org, for more information, the five seminar schedules or extended dates thru October 9th for group tours.

Point Pleasant Village invites you to their sleepy little historic hamlet to check out their canal houses as the weather and leaves change as the designers bring new color in their corner of paradise.