Homes for the Holidays
The Butler County Symphony Association's 23rd Annual Holiday Tour of Homes will run from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 17.
One of the major fundraisers for the Symphony Association, the Holiday Tour of Homes has become a tradition.
“The 20-plus member committee has pulled together a collection of unique and diverse residences and businesses for the tour this year,” said Maxine Rapp, one of the co-chairmen.
Also on the day of the tour, a cookie reception will be held at Faith United Presbyterian Church from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. A luncheon benefiting Hill Youth Chorale will be available at the same location from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. “We will also have holiday baskets on display at the reception for bid,” Rapp said.
One of the six sites featured on this year's tour is a secluded retreat at 251 Ridge Road, Zelienople, full of charm and rustic elegance nestled in a grove of trees overlooking a valley.
The tree-lined driveway gives way to a lovely brick structure with custom-made garage doors and a specially created concrete fountain in the flower garden.
A brick walkway leads to a set of glass doors through which affords visitors a first glimpse of what makes this house so remarkable.
From the pine flooring to hand-turned spindles and custom maple cabinetry from Greenville Wood Products, the house exudes an earthy feel.
The two homeowners/nature-lovers Ken and Sue Leader honeymooned in Alaska and have spent countless weekends and vacations hiking all over the country exploring national parks.
The kindred spirits met at a runners' group and discovered their shared love of the outdoors. Sue, a controller for a law firm, and Ken, an engineer in the field of biology, joined their passion for nature with the art of home building.
“Ken really let me make most of the decisions, though we worked together on researching the process, as well as some of the special projects,” Sue Leader said.The couple planted 90 evergreen trees on the property along with 70 shrubs and numerous perennials, and they put down the tubing for the geothermal heat that runs throughout the house and the three-car garage.“We were lucky that the contractor let us do as much as he did,” she said.To the right of the front door is a great open area featuring a dining room, kitchen and a TV area complete with fireplace.The dark maple of the kitchen cabinetry complements the granite counter tops and the ceramic tile floor.Overlooking the family room area with TV and the dining room, immense windows open up on the wall opposite the kitchen to a luscious view of the valley below.“Typically on a clear day we can see for 10 miles or so,” Leader said.Arches are evident throughout the home in the woodwork and the stonework of the fireplace. Some of the windows are even shaped as an arch. “We wanted something different, not all straight lines and 90-degree angles. I wanted to mix it up a bit,” Leader explained.The fireplace's slate hearth includes authentic fossils. The painted vines on the walls and the plants in front of the window give this room an outdoor feel.A unique dining room table graces the dining area as well. “It's a 400-pound mesquite wood antique door from Mexico,” explained Leader.The table is set on an oxen yolk for the supports. “I found it in the strip district and thought it was unique and would fit this rustic feel we were trying to create,” Leader added. A hand-painted antique buffet completes this dining area which overlooks an intimate porch with two chairs.“This is just a private porch. We entertain on our patio, but this has a doorway from the master suite and is perfect for two,” Leader said.Tucked back in the corner of the great room is a lovely small space that has a coat closet and serves as the entry from the garage area.This area also leads to a set of steps to an apartment where Sue's mother lives. The sweet and spacious mother-in-law apartment is the cat's meow — literally. An avid collector of the Cats Meow wooden pieces, Donna Douglas has several full collections including Erie, the Susquehanna Valley and a host of lighthouses.This only represents a portion of the collection. Also decorating this little nook are family photos and some intriguing pen-and-ink works done by her grandson, Tommy Edward Douglas.The ground floor also features a powder room to the left of the foyer and a wonderful den featuring “his and her” desks and some lovely bookshelves. “My mother and I love to read a lot. We both have e-readers now, but books seem to hang around,” Leader said.Six large panes of glass make up one wall in the master bedroom, which is finished in a sage hue. The master bath, done in more of a mocha motif, features “his and her” sinks and a large shower. The Leaders have installed custom cabinets adorned with quartz counter tops. A dressing table completes this functional yet fun room.On the second floor a guest room with a rustic equine theme is inviting and cozy. “My mom used to cross-stitch and several of them found their way into this room,” Leader said.This home along with two other homes and three public sites will be featured.
In addition to the Leaders' home in Zelienople, other locations on the Butler County Symphony Association's 23rd Annual Holiday Tour of Homes include:• 1258 Evans City Road, Evans City.This 2,050-square-foot log home was built in 2004. The home features three bedrooms with two full and two half-baths. Focal points of this home include the solid-log round rafters, beams and king post, as well as the handcrafted natural log staircases and ridge supports.• 152 Haverford Drive, Butler.The house is known locally as the Hoffman House. Designed in 1955 by Whitney Murphy of Howard and Murphy of Butler, it was built in 1956 for Paul and Mary Hoffman and their family. It is an example of midcentury American modern architecture, significantly influenced by the Prairie School and Frank Lloyd Wright. The house is virtually unchanged.The Mainstay at Saxonburg, 214 Main St., Saxonburg.Constructed in 1835, the structure currently housing The Mainstay bed and breakfast at Saxonburg had served as a residence for the Helmbold family. In 1910, William Berger used the convenient Main Street location to operate a family store. George Aderhold and his family lived in the house in the 1930s, starting Saxonburg Ceramics in the backyard.• Applebutter Inn, 666 Centreville Pike, Slippery Rock.Built by Michael Christley in 1844 on land granted to encourage westward settlement, the original six-room farmhouse was built of bricks formed and fired on the premises. Restored in the 1980s, it's now a bed and breakfast.• The Old Stone House, 2865 William Flynn Highway, Slippery Rock.The Old Stone House is a historic inn and museum of rural life. It was built in 1822 by John Brown as a stagecoach stop and tavern to accommodate business from the newly constructed Pittsburgh-to-Erie Pike, a busy highway that carried traffic northward from the forks of th
<B>WHAT: </B>Butler County Symphony Association's 23rd Annual Holiday Tour of Homes<B>WHEN: </B>10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 17<B>WHERE: </B>Sites throughout Butler County. Reception from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Faith United Presbyterian Church, 1529 N. Main St. Extension<B>TICKETS:</B> $15 in advance at the symphony office, 259 S. Main St.; May's Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St.; Meridian Gift Shop, 298 Meridian Road; and Flynn's Tire Center, 236 N. Main St. Tickets will be $20 the day of the tour at any of the homes.<B>INFO: </B>724-283-1402
