Six Clarkston houses will be featured and offer a little something for everyone. This year’s houses are all within 100 yards of Clarkston’s Mill Pond and shoulc provide a peek into the history of the city, as well as a glimpse into varying lifestyles.
The annual home tour for Clarkston SCAMP will take place June 4 and June 5.The tour is the biggest annual fundraiser for SCAMP’s summer camp for multiply impaired children and young adults.
The Detkowski Home, owned by Cherie Detkowski at 150 N. Holcomb, blends antiques and reproductions economically into its 1,200-square-foot 1927 frame.
Visitors encounter a feeling of warmth with its fireplace and abundance of green and ivory colors which make the house a comfort on a cold winter day.
The home’s most memorable room, ‘the cubby?, is perfect for a child’s playroom with its red and yellow angled walls that peak at the low ceilings.
A Japanese Maple, boxwoods, lambs ear and other plants create an unforgettable landscape that adds a final distinguishing characteristic to this tour stop.
The Campanaro Home is actual the main portion of a house that was originally built on Main Street in 1880. In 1923 the home was moved to 10 Roberston Court where it’s remained ever since.
Historically speaking, early last century the house was the first of what became the Parke Lake subdivision.
For its age and style, the high ceilings throughout the house are unique and add to the mix of older features and modern convenience. Off the master bedroom, the master bath’s Jacuzzi tub, flanked by mirrors below a window, exemplify this blend. Behind the mirrors, you can find a walk-in closet and a ‘water closet,? consisting of a toilet and shower.
Janet and John Vernier own the Vernier Home at 85 East Washington, which was built after the couple’s house burned down in 2001. After the initial shock of losing their home, the Vernier’s brought in the expertise of a custom home builder.
Eighteen months later, this large stone and brick house was complete. Many of the interior designs came from design centers and home magazines. A unique feature of the house is the ‘garden suite,? with its flowery interior designs and a willow tree in the window.
In a seating area of the main level of the house, an original oil by Curd Heyden hangs over a fireplace and adds to the English hunt theme. Adajacent to this is a ‘pub,? which is surrounded by cherry crown moldings. Neighboring the pub is a wine cellar with a barrel ceiling made of oak flooring.
In addition to these features, the house contains an excercise area, a sauna, an 800 square-foot workshop and a pool hall.
At 52 South Holcomb, the Joyce Little House is owned by Joyce Little and was built circa 1880. The house is a treasure trove of sentimental objects.
An antique-filled living room with Royal Dulton and Hummel figurines, as well as other pieces from loved ones, provides a warm and nostalgic setting. Many of the rooms have their own unique pieces, like the treasured lamp once owned by Little’s aunt.
Little’s favorite room, the kitchen, houses a large fireplace and small seating area that provide a back view of downtown Clarkston. Adding a beadboard backsplash, a chic lamp over the sink and a coat of vanilla-colored paint have brightened up the kitchen dramatically. The butcher-block countertop, however, is thought to have been built with the kitchen years ago.
The Swayne House at 109 Wompole Drive is owned by Tom and Lynne Swayne. A flowery feel flows through the house and is based from themes Lynne Swayne saw in photos believed to have been shot in 1926.
The kitchen looks new with its pulyurethane oak cupboards. Lynne Swayne gave a fresh look by sanding, priming, painting and waxing them herself. The Franciscan Desert Rose plates that hang in the cubby are the same pattern her grandmother had.
The living room in particular reflects the flower motif with floral wallpaper and sofas. An antique baroque mirror with beveled glass and lamp over the dining room table add to the amazing attempt to reenact the old photos.
Once known as a birthing house, the Wilson House at 18 North Holcomb, built in 1906, is owned by Greg and Amy Wilson.
The Wilson’s have worked at keeping the history of the home alive. Their bedroom wall contains a seem that marks where the recovery rooms were once divided. The bathroom doorway was also kept narrow to recreate the feel of the original passageway between the delivery and recovery rooms.
One of the most recognizable changes occurred when Greg Wilson tore down the old porch and added a wraparound porch that resemble those in old photos.
The tour weekend begins June 4 in the evening with the Patron’s Showcase Night, which includes a tour of all homes followed by champaigne and hors d’oeuvres reception at Oakhurst Golf and Country Club. The evening requires reservations in advance. The cost is $150 Platinum Patron, $125 Gold Patron or $85 Silver Patron.
On June 5, tours begin in the afternoon and include refreshments. Reservations are recommended. Tickets are available for $22 in advance or $25 dollars at the door. Seniors also can pay$22. Red Hat member groups of 10 or more will receive a special price of $20 if tickets are purchased in advance.
Check-in for both events are at Depot Park in downtown Clarkston. For Saturday’s Patron Evening arrive between 5:45 and 7 p.m. Check-in for Sunday is from 11:45 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For reservations, send payment to Clarkston SCAMP, 6389 Clarkston Rd., Clarkston, MI 48346. Your check receipt will confirm your reservation. For additional information, please call 248-620-1882.