TLC Renovation: Double the Cost, Triple the TIme 
by Poki Hampton
Eleven years ago, when Bob Neilson walked into the house on three acres in downtown Bogalusa, he knew he had to have it. Homeowners Bob and Jan soon discovered, however, that the house, built c1939 by Meyer Berenson and then occupied by his son, Dr. Gerald Berenson, founder of the Bogalusa Heart Study, had many surprises in store for them.
From all appearances, the house looked to be in good shape and would just need the usual updating. The kitchen hadn’t been touched since 1939, the thick plaster walls had a few cracks throughout the house and the heart pine floors had been covered with linoleum. All minor projects in the scheme of things. But, as anyone who has renovated an old house knows, it costs twice as much and takes three times as long as planned.
When Bob noticed water standing on the lawn, the real renovation story began. Consultation with drainage engineers determined that the house had been built on river mud, and this moisture caused the floorboards and joists beneath the house to rot. When the linoleum and floorboards came up, there was water standing under the house. “We took a shovel, stuck it in the mud, and it never surfaced,” says Bob.
A French drain system was installed all around the house. This system not only collects and pumps out excess moisture; it monitors the dampness by computer. About the same time, during a rainstorm, the roof began to leak. The roof had to be replaced, as did all of the wiring and the heating and cooling system. Once the floors and roof were finished, the old wallpaper came down and the plasterers got to work replacing most of the plastered interior walls. What was supposed to be a six-day project turned into 73 long and messy days.
Bob and Jan gutted the old kitchen, and, after much debate about whether to remove a wall between the butler’s pantry and the kitchen, decided to leave the footprint of the kitchen as it was. The kitchen now has cream-colored glazed custom cabinetry, granite counter tops, a tumbled-marble backsplash and commercial-grade stainless steel appliances. An antique butcher block serves as a small island and holds a basket of fresh herbs for cooking. The window is covered by a cream-and-taupe balloon shade.
The butler’s pantry adjacent to the kitchen is much the same as it was originally. Leaded-glass panels replaced the solid-wood cabinet doors and the countertop is now granite. The room is large enough to hold a French country table, c1850, and eight caned chairs comfortably. Glassware and French accessories, such as a confit jar and wooden trough, fill the wide built-in cabinet. This cozy room is where the family enjoys most of its meals.
The formal dining room still has the original butler’s buzzer in the floor near the head of the table. The hostess always faced out toward the entrance hall, and the buzzer was used when the hostess needed something from the kitchen. In this large and spacious room, a double-pedestal mahogany table with satinwood banding and eight Chippendale-style chairs are centered on a colorful antique oriental carpet. Cobalt blue-and-gold china and Waterford stemware dress the table, accompanied by a large arrangement of yellow roses, lilies and snapdragons under the ornate antique crystal chandelier. An elegantly carved sideboard, c1850, by American furniture maker R.J. Horner of New York, holds a large collection of cut glass. Two windows draped in light-gold silk Dupioni frame a grey-and-gold leaf French tremeau mirror.
A curving stairway highlights the entrance hall, where cream-and-taupe striped wallpaper, an oversized oleo jar and planted basket welcome visitors.
The formal living room is a study in traditional ambience. While more up-to-date than the original 1940s furnishings, the room still evokes the lifestyle of that era. Luxurious upholstered pieces are complemented by an 18th century carved French commode, in original condition; two striped fauteuil chairs and silk draperies. A portrait of Bob’s great-great-grandmother Holmes, c1864, hangs over the carved French marble mantle. When Bob and Jan purchased the house, the mantle had aged over the years to an orange color. They brought in a marble restorer, and, after several weeks of soaking in hydrogen peroxide, the mantle returned to its original beauty.
Off the living room is the library, which was once a porch. This room, while quite cozy, has not yet been renovated. An original Tiffany “Dragonfly” lamp adds dramatic color to the room. The den, on the other side of the living room, has large windows overlooking the three-acre lawn. The paneling and the built-in bar in this spacious, comfortable room are original to the house.
The curved stairway and the elegant elevator off the entrance hall offer access to the second floor. The spacious master bedroom has a sitting room to one side and a large balcony—a great place to have morning coffee when the weather is pleasant. A small dressing room off the master holds a French dressing table filled with perfume bottles, a silver dressing set and family photos. A small gold-leaf chair, a carved mirror and ornate sconces complete the picture.
Bob and Jan made a decision early in the renovation process to keep the original bathrooms as period as possible. The porcelain fixtures with chrome legs and hardware were the height of fashion in 1940 and are back in vogue today. The original sconces were removed and cleaned, as were the mirrors. The tile was in very good condition and needed little repair.
At the back of the house is a walled courtyard that is original to the house. “We wanted to find old New Orleans Hard Tan brick to match the exterior for future projects, but they were scarce, so we bought the old Ero Building in downtown Bogalusa, which they were planning to tear down,” says Bob. The Hard Tan brick is used for walkways to and through the formal garden and is stockpiled to use on the pathway to the pool house. Jan, who is an avid gardener and flower lover, has painstakingly planned every inch of the gardens. Confederate jasmine covers an iron arbor that’s been added to the far left of the house. Knockout roses and boxwood hedges circle the arbor, creating a formal pattern.
Off toward the back of the property are the original pool and a rebuilt pool house. “We were going to replace the pool until the repair man told us it was the same style and vintage as Ernest Hemingway’s pool in Key West,” says Bob. The bill to repair the pool was a surprisingly low $800, the least expensive thing in the entire renovation. The pool house was another matter. In 1947, chicken coops had to be removed to make room for the original pool and small pool house. Upon careful examination, the old building had to be demolished and a new one built. What was to be a $27,000 project, like so many others, quickly accelerated past its original estimate. The only part that remains of the original pool house is the wood-burning barbecue pit. “When fired up, it gets very hot and can cook a fabulous steak,” says Jan. With the beautiful sinker cypress beams and cabinetry, the new pool house is Bob and Jan’s favorite place to entertain.
As anyone who has taken a journey into the unknown realm of renovation knows, this is not a job for the faint of heart—or purse. “We spent almost eleven years on this project, but it has been worth it. We wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” says Jan.
Smoky Creek Summer
School for Girls
In 1986, at the request of several friends, Dixie Gallaspy founded the Smoky Creek Summer School for Girls in Bogalusa. Designed originally as a “manners school,” Smoky Creek now offers a variety of courses to the 30 young ladies, ages 11-14, who attend the one-week event. Courses in health, nutrition, decision-making, finance, sewing, yoga,table and party manners, skin care, music, history and community involvement now supplement the ones on etiquette.
“Manners are not something you put on for special occasions,” offers Dixie. “Manners are for every day and give a person poise. Now more than ever, both parents have careers. They have to devote time and patience to teach their children manners and make sure they use them.”
Traditionally, the school has been held on the grounds of Smoky Creek Plantation. This year, Bob Neilson invited Dixie to hold the summer school at his beautiful home.
To register for the July14-18 summer school, call Dixie Gallaspy, 985-735-5661.
