By Emma Bowen Meyer, For The Herald Bulletin
ANDERSON — With a flair for both interior design and décor, Larry and Lori Blankenship have spent the past 15 years renovating a stately home overlooking Killbuck Golf Course that was originally built in 1853.
Drawn to the home when they first moved to Anderson, they initially passed on it because of its high price. They rented a residence as Larry began practicing neurology with Central Indiana Neurology — but Lori couldn’t forget the regal abode.
“I saw it on the cover of a homes catalog and just fell in love with it,” Lori said. “I watched it for a year and kept cutting its pictures out of the catalogs. Finally we saw that the owner wanted an offer, so we came and looked at it.”
In person, the couple could see that the home needed some serious tender loving care. Not only were updates like air conditioning missing, but cornstalks were growing in the front yard and a number of dead animals were discovered inside.
“It had been abandoned and was horribly dirty,” said Larry. “We paid professional cleaners to come in because the smell was so bad. Later when we first turned on the heat, the smell rooted out more dead animals.”
Sitting in the beautiful living room, the “before” description is impossible to imagine. One room at a time, the Blankenships have transformed the dwelling into a lovely and comfortable setting with elegant touches and chic décor.
A father’s skills
Crediting Larry’s father, Larry Lee Blankenship Sr., a great deal for the finished work, Lori noted that his master carpentry skills have “made this house shine.” These skills supplied the family with all kinds of unique woodwork that really add an extra layer of character to the home.
“His father and I have similar tastes. We like wood and antiques,” she said. “He builds things in West Virginia and brings them here on a trailer.”
The team pours over magazines and Lori points out what she likes. Often she asks for modifications — taller, narrower, made to fit in a corner, etc. He takes the designs and measurements to his workshop and creates some magic.
The kitchen is a testimony to his wizardry. Desiring different heights on the pieces, Lori not only received an interesting staggering accent, but also several arched pieces that add appeal. Ornate trim sets the cabinetry apart, as does her choice to paint two sections green.
These highly-crafted additions do not end in the kitchen. The bathrooms have been lined with features designed to look like antique furniture rather than bathroom fixtures. Nothing Lori designs is too difficult for her father-in-law to produce.
“It’s so much fun to work with him,” she said, mentioning that he and his wife, Peggy, will come and stay for a week or two at a time.
“This house wouldn’t be what it is without my dad,” added Larry. “He has put so much into it . . . time, energy, and love.”
“I don’t love the house,” chimed in Larry Sr. “I love the people.”
Room for children
In 2002, the family built a new room onto the old abode to create enough space for their three children to entertain friends. The large, open space features Brazilian cherry hardwood floors, deep brown leather couches, a big-screen television, an oversized aquarium and exercise machine.
Conveniently opening up to the kitchen and eating area, the space is comfortable, and its warm tones are welcoming.
Lining the walls that connect the new room to the music room is a series of pictures given to the family by patients of Larry Jr.
After discovering the doctor lived in the historic home, one patient after another brought old pictures or sketches of the property through the years.
The changes are evident, as is the care the Blankenships have invested in the abode.
“This has really been a labor of love for Lori,” her husband said.
