Home has rustic holiday charm
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There are Christmas decorations in almost every corner of Dale Kramer's log cabin home in Delavan.
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The fireplace in Dale Kramer's log cabin home is decorated with stockings and Christmas trimmings.
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Mirrors (on the right) help to add to the sense of surrounding by Christmas decorations in the entryway to Dale Kramer's log cabin in Delavan.
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A life-size Santa greets those entering Dale Kramer's log cabin home in Delavan.
RICHMOND TOWNSHIP — There’s a rustic charm about Dale Kramer’s log home that will dazzle visitors during the Delavan-Darien Holiday Tour of Homes on Saturday, Nov. 15
Lush garlands wind around the exposed wooden beams that stretch across the expansive living room.
A patchwork quilt drapes over the back of the overstuffed couch, and stockings dangle from the fireplace mantle.
Several trees are inundated with twinkling white lights and wooden, metal and fabric ornaments.
The Kramer home showcases the large collection of Christmas decorations Dale has acquired over more than 20 years.
At the back of the house, the master bedroom, which is anchored by a four-post log bed, is where the Dickens’ Village—cozy cottages, quaint shops and old-world churches that depict Christmastime in Victorian England—is displayed. Kramer received from her mother one piece of the Dickens’ Village series every year from 1984, when Department 56 debuted its popular line of decorations, until 2003, when her mother died.
At the front of the house, the guest bedroom has a sewing-room theme. A vintage 1920s Singer sewing machine—a wedding present given to Kramer’s grandmother—sits on a small table against the back wall. Wall-mounted shelves and a glass-topped end table hold dozens of wooden spools, spare buttons and other knick-knacks. Baby clothes hang from a hat rack in the corner.
The kitchen at the center of the house is filled with smiling gingerbread boys and girls. Miniature tin pots, pans and cookie cutters dangle from a skinny tree. A banner hanging on the wall reads “Gud Jul,” which is “Merry Christmas” in Swedish, and serves as a tribute to Kramer’s ancestral roots.
Kramer’s love for decorating is evident. Every ornament, every stocking, every light is carefully placed in its rightful place in the home. Kramer estimates it takes her about 50 hours to complete her holiday decorating.
But it’s a labor of love, she said.
“I just like decorating for Christmas,” Kramer said. “It’s kind of a tradition.”
The home, which the Kramers built three years ago, is bustling during the holiday season as the couple’s four children return home to cozy up in front of the fire place, gather for a meal at the dining room table or settle in for a cold winter’s night with a cup of hot cocoa.
Kramer said the home, which sits on five wooded acres in the country, is filled with warmth come Christmas—a stark contrast from the wintry (albeit beautiful) scene outside.
The Kramer home is located at W7611 County A in Richmond Township.
TOUR HOMES
The following homes are on the Delavan-Darien Holiday Tour of Homes on Saturday, Nov. 15:
N4228 Klug Road, Delavan
Owners: Katrina D. MacPherran-Barnes and Thomas Barnes
When completed: 1970s
About the home: A ranch home, barn and guesthouse are part of this property just off Turtle Creek and a Nature Conservancy property. The home features a sunken living room with stone fireplace, four bedrooms and a variety of other additions that make it something more than a traditional ranch.
Décor: Christmas
1090 Phoenix Street, Delavan
Owners: Debra Alder and Dr. Jeff Scherer
When completed: 1983, with a variety of improvements since then.
About the home: The couple are Wisconsin sports fans, so visitors should expect to see plenty of memorabilia from the Badgers, Packers, Brewers, Comets and St. Norbert College, where their daughter, Jenny, runs on the cross country and track teams.
Décor: Thanksgiving
N3684 Petrie Road, Lake Geneva
Owners: Steve and Doris Wedige
When completed: 2006
About the home: This ranch home with an exposed lower level was built on 5 acres, sheltered by mature oak trees. Large windows bring the outside in. Visitors are encouraged to stop by the chicken coop and say hello to “the girls” before leaving.
Décor: Autumn
320 S. Terrace St., Delavan
Owners: Clifford and Sandra Verrill
When completed: 1877
About the home: The home is decorated with vintage items year-round. Older visitors will be delighted to see that the front parlor is dominated by glass-front shelving rescued from Rustads Pharmacy, a store that used to be in downtown Delavan. More original pharmacy cabinets are in the laundry room.
Décor: Christmas
2325 S. Shore Drive, Delavan
Owners: John and Laurie Schroeder
When completed: Early 1920s
About the home: The home was modeled after a cottage the original owners stayed in during a trip to England. A map of 1914 England hangs over the fireplace, a tribute to the home’s origin. A series of prints by Marjorie Bates, an artist known for her watercolors of English country scenes, line the stairway.
Décor: Thanksgiving
The lobby of Comfort Suites, 313 Bauer Parkway, Delavan, also will be decorated for Christmas. Delavan-Darien Holiday Tour of Homes guests are invited to stop by the hotel for cookies, punch and coffee. Guests also will receive free gift bags.
TOUR INFORMATION
Date: Saturday, Nov. 15
Time: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Cost: $8 in advance, $10 at the door; tickets available at Community Bank in Delavan, Bradley’s and Walworth State Bank in Delavan
Sponsored by Delavan-Darien High School soccer. Proceeds from the tour go to fund scholarships.
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