The magical mystery tour

BY JACK BEARDWOOD

The San Luis Obispo Rotary Club "Home Tour" benefit provides a glimpse into the area’s history and a peek into the future of decor and house design.

"There’s a lot to be said for seeing how other people live," said Diane Blakeslee, event chair. "You know the ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ show was on TV for years and years. People love to see how other people decorate their houses. It’s a great way to pick up ideas for decorating your own house, because a lot of people can’t afford to hire a decorator. If they can go and see somebody else’s ideas and plagiarize those, that’s a pretty good deal."

Blakeslee said she designed the five-home tour with the intent of providing a wide variety of styles. The tour includes homes with influences that include Victorian, mission, modern, oriental, European, and Mexican.

When Adian Lenz was a student at Cal Poly in the 1970s, she sketched the historic Biddle House in downtown San Luis Obispo for a class project. She liked it so much she vowed to purchase the Eastlake Stick-style home if it ever went on the market.

More than two decades later, she and her husband Richard bought the home and have spent the last decade restoring it to its original grandeur.

Built in 1895, the structure is a classic example of a late Victorian in the Gothic style. The Lenzes have completely restored the interior to meticulous detail.

"We have furnished it with all period furniture, American Victorian furniture," said Richard Lenz. "We were able to acquire some of the original furnishings that belonged to the Biddles. Most of the furniture was sold off at a family auction in 1985. However, we did locate a few of the pieces. One of the bedroom sets came from the house. In fact, it’s interesting, it’s marked on the back of the headboard, ‘Mrs. Biddle, San Luis Obispo.’ It was probably how it was shipped back in 1895."

For over seven years, Madi Gates of Madi Gates Interiors helped them with interior design. "She researched and helped us coordinate the colors because a lot of the Victorian colors are difficult to deal with," he said. "You’re dealing with purples and reds, and things you don’t see in modern homes."

Among the furnishings are Civil War-era and Gothic Revival pieces, including an 1872 Steinway piano.

Moving from downtown to the Edna Valley: The home of Priscilla and Don Beadle has a "no-frills contemporary" exterior architectural style. The "burnt pumpkin" color of the exterior was chosen to match the color of a J. Peterman catalog.

"The reason this house was chosen for the tour is there’s a lot of artistic elements in the house," said Priscilla. "The house is three years old and before that it was two years in the planning. During that time we have worked with a lot of artists, so we have mosaic, we have glass, we have copper, and we have ceramic tile, all done by local artists."

A sleek black concrete floor in the foyer leads to a concrete and fiberglass staircase embedded with computer chips. Stainless steel and copper handrails lead to a dining room that mixes a French traditional table with a Korean persimmon wood chest.

Underneath their breakfast table is a tile mosaic, which was created by Peter Ladolchy. It includes yin and yang symbols, as well as the sun, fire, and dragon. Composed of fused glass from Mexico and tile from Italy and Japan, the images are tied together with spirals–symbolizing what Priscilla calls the simultaneous expanding and contracting forces in life.

In the master bedroom, ceramic artist Tres Feldman created a three-dimensional, asymmetrical tile sculpture.

The home also has traditional and Asian furniture.

Since her retirement from a 23-year career as a corporate executive, the entire five-year effort has brought out a new aspect of her personality. "The artistic side has seeped out of me," she said. "Now I can’t stop."

Another home with views of the Edna Valley is Bob and Duejean Garrett’s 4,800-square-foot Mediterranean villa, which is surrounded by working ranch land and dotted with 150-year-old coastal oaks.

"It is hard to decide which is most beautiful, the breathtaking views that stretch across rolling hills and vineyards, or the elegant interior that combines original art with custom furnishing and Asian antiques," said Blakeslee. The house has several pieces of custom-made furniture, including some that were made with Indiana walnut.

"It’s in a nice setting. We’re high upon a hill with great views," said Bob Garrett. "We see the range of hills that essentially encircle the area. We have hills on three sides of us, we see lots of vineyards and we have cattle roaming around the place, so it’s a rural feeling.

"We’ve used a lot of marble and a bit of hardwood flooring. We have high ceilings, including an entry that has about a 19-foot ceiling, and a lot of glass, of course."

Part of the Varian Family Ranch, the home has several outdoor water features, including a fountain and a man-made pond with a creek flowing down to another pond with a waterfall.

"We enjoy sharing our home," said Garrett. "We designed it so we could accommodate community events."

Moving to Corbett Canyon Road near Arroyo Grande, the home of John and Suzanne Henderson has adobe style on the exterior and a Mexican-Oriental flavor on the interior.

"They picked our house because it’s kind of different," said Suzanne Henderson. "It’s a new house that’s been made to look old. It has distressed floors. It has specially glazed interior walls, the exterior walls are also glazed. It has all pine flooring throughout. The kitchen, the bathroom, bedrooms ... everything is the same. It’s just very rustic, like you might find in a Mexican hacienda."

Among the decor: custom-made bamboo shades, a Ming Dynasty scroll, Japanese block prints, a Chinese temple carving, a Korean and Japanese tansu cabinet, a 400-year-old Japanese screen, and oriental antiques and rugs, as well as several handmade furniture pieces carved in the Mexican style.

The interior was created with the guidance of Thomas Bartlett, who was chosen by Architectural Digest as one of the top 100 interior designers in the world.

In addition, there is a definite open feeling inside and plenty of windows for enjoying the outside view of surrounding vineyards. "You can almost see through the house when you approach it, from one side to the other," she said.

On the grounds are dozens of trees, including 20 full-grown olive trees.

With some of the most spectacular views in San Luis Obispo, the home of Kevin and Nina Kruse is located on a hill overlooking the Country Club area of town.

"It’s like a tree house, it truly is," said Nina Kruse. "It’s perched amongst a grove of oak and Manzanita. It’s like a retreat. You don’t want to leave. You’re close to all of the amenities, but you feel like you’re isolated somewhere special."

Utilizing Spanish Mission architecture, they created an "old world" look.

"We have stone flooring, natural cherry wood cabinetry throughout, and all of the ceilings are wood. We have alder ceilings," said Nina. "Everything is natural. I don’t have any manmade material. It’s all either stone or wool carpeting. We have wall-to-floor windows in the living room and as you come through the house there’s just lots of windows. You feel like you’re part of the outdoors, as well."

The focal point of the interior is a limestone fireplace. In the kitchen, it’s black granite counter tops, a Viking stainless steel stove and refrigerator unit, and a stainless steel hood over the oven.

Adding to the old world feel are tapestry rugs and reproduction paintings of the old masters in the Fleming tradition.

Whether you’re looking for decorating ideas or just love a beautiful home, the "Home Tour" is sure to provide plenty of eye candy and even more inspiration. Æ

Freelancer Jack Beardwood can be reached via the editor at [email protected].