BU-Uncaster Farming, Saturday, May 10, 1997 Farmhouse Part Of ‘Home Is Where The Heart Is’ LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff EAST EARL (Lancaster Co.) People told Willard and Libby Brundege they were crazy when they wanted to purchase an old farmhouse to fix up. The dilapidated place had no indoor plumbing and had fallen into great disrepair inside and out But Libby saw past the peeling paint, nicks and dents in the wood work, and the splintering unfin ished floorboards. Beneath the chipping stucco exterior, Libby envision beautifully restored sandstone. That was last year. This year the restoration is complete. “It turned out even more beauti ful than I envisioned,” Libby said. Friends and family members also stand in awe of die transfor mation. Even strangers drop by to comment on the revived beauty of the stately two-story sandstone farmhouse. One of these strangers asked the Brundeges to participate in a fundraiser by opening their home for tour. The fundraiser is for the Hinkle town Mennonite School. Although the Brundeges three children are grown and have never attended the Hinkletown school. Libby said, “We are Christians and known the importance of Christian education, so we were eager to help.” The annual “Home Is Where The Heart Is Tour of Homes” will be held on Sunday, May 18, from 1 p.m. to S p.m. The Brundege farmhouse was built in 1920 from materials from the original 1745 homestead. The Brundeges* removed the original wainscoating that had four different colored layers of paint and had the wood dunked in strip ping solution at a refinishing shop. The solution stripped the paint from the grooves and all that needed to be done to the wains coating was to cover it was a clear protective coating and tack it up in the dining area. Because Libby works at Cones toga Woods, she designed a kitch en and had the company make a kitchen from Lenga wood imported from Chili. Lenga wood is similar to cherry wood and the beauty of the wood grain is visible beneath the white ivory stain. A new portion was added to the house to allow space for a downs tairs bathroom, a roomy laundry room, and back entranceway. All new walls were put in throughout the house. The builders said that the floor boards were disgusting and not worth keeping, but Libby insisted. Two downstairs rooms now have mellowed wooden floors covered with area Oriental rugs. Libby also insisted on refinishing the original wooden inside doors. Others said the doors were too deeply marred to redo, but the heavy wooden doors now show only enough dents to add character to their beauty. Originally the upstairs had four bedrooms, but one was converted into a large walk-through closet leading to the master bathroom. The master bedroom features a pencil-post canopy bed. A guest room and their college-age daught er’s bedroom are also upstairs. Outside, the sandstone has been restored and shutters added. The sandstone had been gathered from the fields and brought to the house plot by using a stone pulley. Some of the exterior buildings have been removed and the other buildings revived. The land is farmed by a neighboring farmer. An old ccmctary on the farm speci- lies in the deed that it must be maintained by those who live on the premises. The enclosed cemet ary, surrounded by open fields and a few older trees, has tombstones dating from 1788-1930. Libby is intriqued by the Mcssner’s Gra veyard because the tombstones have various spellings of the name Messner. “I have always loved old things,” Libby said of her vision to redo a house that others did not consider worth saving. The home is furnished in a com bination of antiques and collecti bles. The dining room chairs are from Libby’s great grandfather. But most of the furnishings are bargains that Libby garnered from haunting garage sales and auc tions. On the day of the tour, the Brun dege home will be decorated by Petal Perfect, New Holland, and by Hometown Collectibles of Bowmansville. Other homes on tour include the following: •Carl and Wilma Weaver, 1699 Division Hwy., New Holland. From the windowsills to the large stone fireplace in the newly remodeled Williamsburg blue kitchen and the small fireplace in the master bedroom, this 1787 stone farmhouse has plenty of warmth and charm. The history from this home is recorded on the deeds that the owner has kept for display, stating that 322 had once been a toll road. The original mill work throughout the home has been maintained over the years. • Earl and Marilyn Weaver, 224 White Oak Rd., New Holland. This two-story traditional home decorated with a Victorian flair was designed by the Weavers. Angique family heirlooms furnish the parlor and the light airy family room features a cozy node for relaxing. Marilyn and her family created the artwork on display throughout the home. The deck is made from recycled plastic milk jugs. The Heritage cream kitchen, fireplaces througout, and an out standing view of famland makes this home an enjoyable place for family and* friends to gather. • Martindale Schoolhouse, 594 Martindale Rd., Ephrata. This century-old two-story school was built in 1888. The first floor is still used as a parochial school. Com memorative plates and a Martin dale history book are available for purchasing. • Larry and Laveme Eby, 1480 (Turn to Page BIS) The home is furnished with many bargains that Lib by garnered The kitchen Is made from Lenga wood Imported from Chili. Lenga wood is similar to garage sales and auctions. cherry wood and the beauty of the wood grain Is visible beneath the white Ivory stain. About ono year ago, this was a dilapidated farmhouse with crumbling stucco exter ior and no indoor plumbing. Libby Brundege and her husband Willard oversaw restor ing the house. It Is one of the homes Included in the “Home Is Where The Heart Is Tour of Homes,” which will be held on Sunday, May 18, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The annual tour Is a fundraiser for Hlnkletown Mennonite School. Against professional advice, Libby Insisted the original floor boards be sanded and refinished. To everyone’s surprise, the mellowed wooden floors bear no trace of Its former deterioration.
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