1.   BUILDER Les Jones has won so many awards for the quality of his work that he could justify a trophy room in his show house.

2.   And, bought it cash and it were show house.

3.   Although known as the most prestigious decorating event of its kind, in recent years the show house has reflected rather than sparked trends.

4.   As every voyeur clutching a ticket and a dream knows, designer show houses are typically celebrations of the perfection that money can buy.

5.   Black culture was an obvious springboard for the show house, but many of the designers stretched the obvious into the universally appealing.

6.   Addressing the decorators when they bid on rooms or spaces, she told them in no uncertain terms that this was not to be your usual summery show house.

7.   But the favored color of this show house is black.

8.   Cars will be parked at a nearby college and gawkers ferried to the show house in buses.

9.   Decorators achieve a clean look in a difficult historic show house.

10.   Designer show houses are typically convention writ large.