Symphony tour visits Center Twp. home
CENTER TWP — The Butler Symphony Holiday Tour of Homes is gearing up to get participants in the holiday spirit. Five homes and a church are bedecked with the beauty of the season and will be open for viewing Dec. 1.
The annual home tour is the main fundraiser for the Butler Symphony Association and for many has become a tradition.
“All proceeds every year go to funding the amazing concerts provided by members of the Butler County Symphony Orchestra,” said Sue Morrow, chairman of the holiday house tour.
The symphony has grown during the past 70 years and so has the caliber of musicians, she said.
“It is a cultural resource that is considered one of the finest regional professional orchestras in Western Pennsylvania, attracting talented musicians from Pittsburgh and surrounding communities and as far north as Erie,” said Morrow, who has been involved with the tour for seven years and chairman for the last six.
As the symphony changes, so does the tour. “We aren't sponsoring a free reception this year, but instead are offering a lunch for the reduced rate of $5,” said Morrow. It will be held at First English Lutheran Church, 241 N. Main St. A holiday basket raffle will be on display at the church from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 1
“Two of the homes on the tour have been prior entries. We are choosing to include them on the tour again due to requests from folks who missed seeing these homes before,” said Morrow of the Pinkerton home and the Kirby Litzenberg and Mike Cameron home.
Donna Delp's house has never been on the tour, but she has decorated it like a professional. The home of Donna and Clyde Delp sits at 121 Lakeshore Drive and is full of festive flair and fun.
“There is an eclectic feel of Victorian, European and Native inspirations throughout our home,” said Delp.
The cozy entryway instantly evokes a feeling the holiday is near. A warm ceramic tile floor catches the eye while lovely antiques frame the foyer. Keeping watch in the corner is a fabulous Woodland Treasure-themed Father Christmas on a beautiful round table.
“My children went together and purchased this to add to my collection,” she said.
Delp's Santa collection is vast and ranges from Victorian pieces to the more contemporary. “Santas were the first Christmas-themed items I collected with the help of my kids and other family,” she said.
A variety of beautiful Santas stand on each of the stairs leading to the second-floor balcony festooned in greens and garland. A wooden backlit screen also decorated with holiday décor can be easily seen from below.A lovely Nativity set sits on an antique marble-topped buffet with brass adornments.“When I first moved here, I went to a home décor party and this Nativity is what I bought,” she said. “Not long afterward I was asked to be a hostess. I knew no one, but bravely invited the street and made a bunch of new friends,” Delp remembered. The family had moved from their Victorian home in a small town in California to Butler.An eclectic grouping of porcelain collectibles is housed in a majestic claw foot china cabinet.“In California I used to have a bride-themed room, so those items are sprinkled throughout the house,” she said.Through the foyer, the family room boasts oversized leather furniture and a big-screen TV. “This room is for my husband to watch his golf and his cowboy shows,” said Delp of the somewhat rugged décor and the lack of lace.The mantle here is reflective of the reason for the season and features a beautiful portrait of Christ and a hand-carved olivewood sculpture of Jesus from the Holy Land.Two antiques from Italy are also must-see appointments in this room.“One of my dearest friends was going through moving her mother into a nursing home and needed to downsize. She offered me these two pieces, a rocking chair and a settee,” she said.Heading toward the kitchen is a wet bar with a host of wine Santas and Christmas bar-themed novelties.The entryway to the kitchen is a stone arch with built-in shelves creating a grotto effect.“I am not a fan of square corners and wanted to create something special once we got rid of the sliding glass doors,” she said. The stones were hand cut and pieced together so there would be no straight lines. “It was like a puzzle before we put it up. It is always the focal point when someone comes into the house,” she added.Through the archway to the left is the Garden Room. “This room is where I start all my plants and seedlings for my garden,” said Delp. The room with its tile floor and vast windows has been transformed into a kid-friendly Christmas room.“We decorated this room with Santas, bears, a Charlie Brown animated sculpture and a Victorian Mr. and Mrs. Claus,” said Delp.The eat-in kitchen is a combination of all the styles that Delp emulates: “European, Victorian, and nature inspired.A slew of Santas decorate this room but it's the lighted Eiffel Tower that takes center stage. “I love the French country theme,” said Delp.“Our son painted the walls with a rustic Venetian plaster to keep with the French country theme,” said Delp.The kitchen gives way to a formal dining room. Satin table and chair coverings make this room inviting and warm. Parquet floors covered with an area rug lend the room warmth. A subtle theme in this room is love, angels and family. A substantial china closet houses a lovely collection of “Old Country Roses” patterned dinnerware.“The china closet, table and chairs were the first things we bought when we moved here,” she said.One wall has an antique wedding photo dating back to 1850. The framed photo has a lovely border made with lace from the wedding dress and the boutonniere of the groom is pressed into the border as well.
“I loved the photo as soon as I saw it and knew I had to have it,” said Delp. “I got a call later from the vendor who came across the actual wedding certificate of the couple,” she added. Ironically the couple was from Butler. The framed certificate hangs beside the portrait.Just off the formal dining room and looping back to the foyer sits the sunken Victorian Room. “My husband has his room and this room is for the ladies,” said Delp with a smile. “We have tea here and it's just a comfortable pretty room to be enjoyed.”A wooden mantle the Delps found in the basement is creatively paired with a piano appearing as a mock upright. The mantle boasts a festive collection of nutcrackers with a special one taking center stage. “When we were in California my husband and I went to see 'Phantom of the Opera' when it first toured, with all the original cast. It was magical,” she said. The following Christmas, her husband presented her the Phantom Nutcracker.Opposite the piano is an early 19th Century mammoth breakfront that came in two pieces from California. A blanket of snow covers the surface which is bedecked with pieces from several Christmas Village sets.The Delps only full-sized Christmas tree, decorated in whites and reds with silver accents, stands stoically in the corner.“I love the Old-World ornaments and opted to use them here,” she said.She is excited to open the home she's worked so hard to decorate. “Don't be afraid to peek in all the corners and definitely don't forget to look up,” said Delp to those who will be touring her home.Tickets for the house tour are on sale now.
The house tour is a major fundraising event for the symphony association.<br>- 515 N. McKean St. — This house is home to a 5-foot nutcracker standing guard year-round. He is joined by the family's vast collection of Christmas memorabilia. Beams and oak paneling with hidden compartments are all special treats in this home.<br>- 703 N. Main St. — This three-story winter wonderland features Nativity sets and mangers collected from many different countries such as Scotland, Italy, Germany and Poland.<br>- 237 Teakwood Road — Mighty old oak trees line the roads of this neighborhood nestled in the forest. This home boasts a gingerbread room and a white winter wonderland themed- -space.<br>- 1734 Oneida Valley Road, Karns City — This large estate features more than 60 decorated trees. The house sits on a gentle hill overlooking a small pond in a rural setting.<br>- First English Lutheran Church, 241 N. Main St. — A 100-year-old building hosted the reception for the first Symphony House Tour in 1990 and again for the 25th anniversary of the Holiday Tour of Homes and again this year.<br><h3>If You're Going</h3><br>WHAT: Butler Symphony Holiday Tour of Homes<br>WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 1<br>WHERE: Various locations around Butler County<br>TICKETS: Available at the Butler County Symphony offi ce, 259 S. Main St.; May's Music Shoppe, 247 E. Jefferson St., Meridian Gift Shop, 298 Meridian Road; and Clyde's Saloon 242 Prospect Ave., Cadogan.
