Imperial designs winning window

Published 8:09 pm Wednesday, December 12, 2012

The winning window design team from Imperial Furniture includes, from left: Amy Klapchuk, Carol Springsteen, Luann Werblow, Audrey Maxey and Eileen Springsteen.

Imperial Furniture’s winning decorating entry in Doug McKay’s window downtown is filled with very-pink visions of Christmas morning sugar plum ferries.

Carol Springsteen, daughters Audrey Maxey and Eileen Springsteeen, niece Amy Klapchuk and Luann Werblow created the winning window at 143 S. Front St. in the Leader Publications and Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce promotion which coincided with Small Business Saturday after Thanksgiving. Imperial wins advertising. Ninety-nine votes were cast.

Audrey’s and Eileen’s blue doll house, made by a friend of Carol’s, was reimagined as a gingerbread house and equipped with lights with help from Carol’s husband, Art.

“We’ve been down and changed the batteries three times to keep it lit,” Carol said Wednesday.

The walls of the girl’s bedroom are adorned with suckers made from white Styrofoam discs striped with red paint for peppermints.

Bouncy balls wrapped with cellophane became gumdrops.

“We were trying to make it look like a little girl waking up on Christmas morning,” Luann said.

“It’s pink and sparkly and festive,” Audrey said — especially the tree topped with a wicker deer head painted pink and wearing a top hat, which Eileen clearly covets.

There are a lot of elements to fit into tight quarters.

“The old fireplace is from my house. The antique buggy is mine from home.”

“We’re glad everyone enjoyed it because we had fun doing it,” Audrey said of their fourth annual effort.