Home tour to be held Saturday

Southeast Missourian

House-hoppers can get more than just trimming tips out of Saturday's Holiday Home Tour, organizers say.

"It gives them a glimpse of their family life, their ways, culture, traditions, how other families celebrate Christmas," said Ellen Haskell, receptionist/secretary for child welfare with Lutheran Family and Children's Services of Missouri.

The Lutheran Services' Southeast Missouri office will hold its annual Holiday Home Tour from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. The event was canceled last year because the office was in the process of changing directors. This year's tour is being co-sponsored by the Arts Council of Southeast Missouri.

"With the numbers in our office dwindling due to budget cuts, we needed some help," Haskell said. "And they had put on a holiday home tour last year, so they were fresh from the experience. We just thought it would be a good idea to team up with them."

The five stops on this season's tour include the homes of John and Jerri Wyman, Tim and Sandy Kelley, David and Cheri Fuemmler, Rodney and Pam Arnold and the Southern Heritage Bed and Breakfast, owned by Susan Steel.

A luncheon will be served at Good Shepherd Lutheran Chapel, 1904 West Cape Rock Road from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., and a Children's Arts Exhibit will be on display at the Arts Council, at 119 Independence. Refreshments will be available at the exhibit.

Except for last December, the local Lutheran Services office has been coordinating a Holiday Home Tour for the past 15 years. The agency is supported mostly through private donations and fund raisers. The holiday home tour is normally their largest event of the year.

Past tours contained more homes, but organizers say they now choose holiday quality over quantity, which is not easy.

"First, everybody gets together and brainstorms to see what neat homes they know about. Then it is a matter of contacting the home owner and convincing them to let 300 people traipse through their house," Haskell said.

Tickets for the Holiday Home Tour are $15 in advance for the tour and luncheon or $10 for the tour only. Tickets may be purchased the day of the tour for $12, though lunch will not be available.

"I'm really excited about the older homes downtown and the bed and breakfast," Haskell said. "But then, with the newer homes, it is interesting to see how they take older traditions and mix it with new things."

Tickets may be purchased at the Lutheran Services office, 334-5866, and the Arts Council, 334-9233.

Southern Heritage Bed & Breakfast

John and Susan Steel

306 Independence Street

The Southern Heritage Bed & Breakfast came to life over the past summer in the heart of downtown Cape Girardeau. Known locally as "the Juden home," the building was constructed in 1905 by Louis Houck as a wedding present for his daughter.

Parts of the interior, such as the gas chandelier and the black and white oak parquet floor on the first level, came from Briarwood, the Houck estate, according to proprietors Susan and John Steel.

The three original coal-burning fireplaces have ornate cast fronts that were historically designed to keep combustion gases from entering rooms and improve radiant heating. The period dining room features a distinctive bay window with curved glass.

Rodney and Pam Arnold

2516 Carriage Crossing

Approaching the Arnold home, its "weathered" brick and natural stone exterior hint to something extraordinary inside. Upon entering, visitors are exposed to a dramatic foyer featuring a custom inlaid wood and tile floor with a Brazilian cherry and maple border, along with Greek columns and a large Romanesque window that bathes the room with light.

In the kitchen, countertops of granite, maple cabinets with "chocolate" glaze, bronze medallion on the backsplash, alabaster and other soft accent lights work with the organic color scheme to create a relaxed, natural environment. Built in shelves display a treasured pottery collection that honors five generations of artists from the family, including Terrell Evans.

The lower level of the Arnold home provides the perfect setting for Pamela's snow village, which incorporates local materials, classical design elements and furnishings inspired by Florida and the Southwest.

Tim and Sandy Kelley

295 Cedar Hills Lane

Sandy Kelley, a kindergarten teacher at Jefferson School, loves colors. She prefers neutral shades for floors, but likes to indulge in rich wall colors, which produces a stunning effect.

Sandy's hand-painted furniture pieces add personality to the entire living space. As the family has moved several times in the past 15 years, she has become adept at making existing furnishings work in different settings, such as using an heirloom quilt for a kitchen table cloth.

For Christmas, the main floor features a Snow Village, which Sandy began "developing" 15 years ago after she received a single piece (representing Jefferson School) as a gift, and a Santa tree.

David and Cheri Fuemmeler

2611 Saddleridge

The Fuemmelers' stately brick dwelling blends into the wooded landscape of a peaceful cul-de-sac. Wrap-around porches and large windows ensure plenty of natural light and grand views of the outdoors.

The interior flows in a circular pattern that echoes the arc of the cul-de-sac, while soft colors from sandy beaches provide the color palette. Visitors are first drawn to a casually elegant parlor with classical motifs and the Fuemmelers' traditional Christmas tree.

The lower level features a second spacious family room where another, less formal, Christmas tree is displayed, along with a snow village and electric train.

John and Jerrianne Wyman

235 Merriwether

The Wymans' residence is authentic. There have been no structural changes since it was built in 1883 by Leon J. Albert, a local merchant and businessman and one of the original founders of the Normal School, known today as Southeast Missouri State University.

The gardens and wrap-around front porch invite entertaining and imply a warm welcome for visitors.

One of the things you won't find in the Wyman residence is a magnificent kitchen. With the original kitchen in the basement, which is not unusual in older homes, the Wymans work out of a converted butler's pantry that serves them well. However, a new addition for a large kitchen and sunroom is in the making.