Holiday Tour of Homes
This year's Holiday Tour of Homes, sponsored by the Butler County Symphony Association, will prove to be the most eclectic yet.
"The houses are each special in their own way and span the time between the Civil War and the 1990s," said Joyce Catt, who coordinates the event.
Featured on the tour is a home built with plans debuted at the 1940 World's Fair in New York City, a Victorian work in progress, a contemporary home, a farmhouse and several other residences, each with its own unique personality.
At 825 Whitestown Road is a home decorated by its owner — a talented artist — that exudes warmth, comfort and softness and a love for antiques and family traditions. The interior design has more to do with colors and fabrics than structure and lighting.
Strolling up the inviting walkway, it is immediately evident you are walking into a home that is loved and lived in. From the time Sharon and Bill Holt began dating they loved the property on Whitestown Road.
When their children left home and they decided to downsize, the area was the first place they looked for land.
"We contacted the owner who lived in Kansas City and we hit him at the right time and he sold us the four acres," said Sharon.
The Holts acquired additional land totaling 5Z\x acres featuring a lovely creek and deciduous trees.Bill, an employee at AK Steel and avid woodworker, made some lovely choices for the wooden cabinetry and furniture in the home — and Sharon's creative and decorative touches can be seen in every room."I made the window treatments in the house and designed the color schemes and themes," said Sharon. "I often build a whole theme around a single item," she added.Once inside the Holt residence one is welcomed into a living area that features a dining room and a living room with vaulted, 14-foot ceilings. Off to the right is Sharon's studio: a bright room with large windows where she paints and holds classes twice a week."This room has the best view," said Sharon. One huge window faces the creek while the other is home to a bird feeder.Down the hall, which is painted in a willow hue, is the guest bathroom, where an authentic chamber pot sits beside its contemporary version.This somewhat French looking bathroom has interesting photos and was patterned after a swatch of fabric."I found this lovely black and gold fabric with butterflies on it and I knew I had my theme," she said. The window treatments and accents are golden butterflies with a dark background.
Black is tied into the guest bedroom down the hall, which features a jungle theme."I painted this picture of a tiger and I liked it, but I really had no place for it. So this room was designed around the tiger," said Sharon.On the table sits an authentic camel ankle bracelet, which has been turned into an ashtray. Several wooden animal carvings and bamboo are used as accents.Sharon painted this room and chose to use an animal print border vertically to create a pinstripe look on the walls. Three Christmas trees with a "Call of the Wild" theme are the room's focal points.In the corner of the living room sits an antique writing desk that Sharon gleaned from an auction. This room's focal point is the fireplace, which boasts two mantles. On the upper mantle sits Sharon's Santa collection, while the lower features a collection of antique crocks."This lower mantle is actually a beam from my father-in law's homestead that was being torn down," said Sharon.A 9-foot Christmas tree in white poinsettias with blue accents flanks the fireplace, which is in the middle of split French doors.Antique paintings and a hand-carved wooden turtle from Hawaii add to the eclectic décor in the room.A piano is home to an antique metronome and mandolin which were Bill's grandmother's. "She was a piano teacher in Butler. We believe they date back to 1896," said Sharon.
Just off the living room is a breakfast nook and kitchen. The nook has a fountain Sharon created from a birdbath she received as a gift."I just loved it and didn't want to put it outside, so I added the water feature. Now I get to enjoy it year round indoors," she explained.The walls of this room are unique in that Sharon has inscribed words to an Italian poem into the plaster."We aren't quite sure what the words say, but I liked the look and it fit into the Tuscan theme of this room," she said.Just off the kitchen is the master suite. "This is probably my favorite room of the house," said Bill, who created a mirror and jewelry box to complement the oversized pine furniture.The border around the top is a leaf stamping that Sharon did with leaves collected on the property. She then stenciled a poem titled "The Power of Littles" around the room in between the leaves."I just really loved the poem and wanted to incorporate it in here," she said.The master bath features a jet tub. The room is painted mink and accented in a faded avocado color. It will feature an oriental themed droopy pine tree flanked by two brass herons.House tour patrons will exit through the couple's garage in which a mural depicting a Tuscan village is in process."Our gatherings usually spill out into here, so I decided to make it look more interesting than just a garage," said Sharon, who is also planning one wall to serve as a gallery for work that doesn't fit into the house décor.This home exudes comfort and family and is welcoming and inviting from the front door to the garage door.
On the other side of town at 133 Leeward Road sits another one of the tour's gems. Nestled in a 32-acre valley with lovely trees and a stream is the creation of Doug Bell of Bell's Custom Interiors.The 6,800-square-foot house inhabited by Bell and his wife Mickey can be described as palatial. The exterior is fabricated light stucco with clean lines."Originally it was a Florida House plan, but we wanted a basement and some other extras. I redesigned the plan and had it redrawn — which raised the ceilings and gave us the lower level," said Doug.Walking into the contemporary modern house, one is acutely aware of the large artwork, most of which are Doug's own creations.The home opens into a foyer with ceramic tile and a vaulted, 20-foot ceiling.Straight ahead is a conversational area featuring an entertainment center and fireplace. Two of Doug's immense creations add character to this room. A sculpture hangs above the fireplace and the first painting Doug created for the home hangs above the entertainment center."We put acoustical panels behind that painting to absorb some of the echoing you can get from the high ceilings and the flooring," he said.Sharing this big common area is also a breakfast nook and lovely kitchen. Dark wood and coffee-colored quartz countertops compliment a four-seat and hexagonal shaped island in the middle of the room. The furniture is a brushed chrome and light pewter patina.To the left of the entryway is an office and the master suite, which features a bathroom with a bubble-jet tub and a shower created from glass blocks salvaged from a school. CraftMaid Cabinets in maple give this otherwise stark room warmth and depth.The unpretentious bedroom done in a faded plum features a sunburst pattern above the glass door, which leads to the aluminum deck that runs the length of the house.Deciduous trees give the room an ever-changing view. The deck overlooks the patio pool and during winter gives way to a view of the creek in the valley below.The railing on the deck is subtle with glass panels. "I hate looking through bars," said Doug. "When I look out the window or when I am sitting on the deck, I want to see the trees and the woods," he explained.
The Bells have successfully meshed contemporary and Greco Roman in their bedroom with columns on the furniture and artwork."We are eclectic, you can find a little of everything throughout the house," said Doug."I like to take everyday stuff and make it suit my needs," said Doug, who took leftover wood and tastefully transformed it into a metal looking sculpture and used leftover metal to make a geometric mobile in the kitchen.In the basement, one can experience Bells' home entertainment talents. The lower level environment becomes one of a sophisticated play room, whose java and black colors project swank and style. A pool table, shuffleboard table and slot machine are featured on the gaming side of the room. The other side of the great room has a full kitchen and bar with Yuengling on tap.At the end of a bar a sign that says "In Wine there is Truth" leads to a wine cellar that contains a variety of wines — some homemade."We belong to a group called Grape Nutz and enjoy studying and now occasionally making some wine," said Doug.The wine cellar is decorated with antique wine-making equipment and a collection of corks and books.The basement connects to the patio which has a pool, hot tub, small pond with fountain and a fire pit crafted from stones found on the property. There is also an outdoor bar equipped with another tap for light beer and one of the home's 11 televisions."We entertain a lot. Almost every weekend this room is being used for gatherings," said Doug."The biggest gathering we've hosted has been about 100 family and friends at Christmas," Mickey added.The Bells' social lifestyle is reflected by items like a buffet with electrical outlets for the crock pots and other entertainment items."The table top flips over to a green felt card table," Dougl offered.Such details suggest friends, family, fun and fellowship are ways of life for the Bells, and their house reflects their per- sonalities.
WHAT: The Butler County Symphony Association's 17th annual Holiday Tour of HomesWHEN: Reception from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at North Main Street Church of God, self-guided tour hours from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 18TICKETS: $15 presale at the symphony office on Main Street, May's Music Shoppe on East Jefferson Street and Truly Yours in the Clearview Mall; $18 day of the tour.
