More home, than mansion BY PAT GERLACH Daily Herald Correspondent Posted Monday, October 27, 2003 "It's not really a mansion. And it's not a museum. It's our home," Laura Nevel said. She was having "the talk" with her two school-age children who had just come home in a state of mass confusion. When the school bus deposited the children (then 7 and 9) at their new Schaumburg home, classmates called them the "kids that live in the big mansion." Perplexed, the Nevel youngsters ran to their mother with questions. "Where's the mansion? Why haven't you ever shown it to us?" they demanded. Laura had no alternative. She had to set her children straight. As responsible parents, the Nevels want their children to appreciate the rich heritage of their 73-year-old house but - bottom line - it is their home and as private as it is special. The 8,000-square-foot historic residence is atypical of Schaumburg's housing stock and the undisputed centerpiece of its upscale neighborhood. Unlike the ranches, ramblers, split-levels and other late-20th century dwellings that have sprung up throughout the village in the last four decades, the Nevels' house is a blend of classic architecture. Some of its elements are reminiscent of Thomas Jefferson's Monticello; others seem borrowed from Tara of "Gone With the Wind" fame. Neighbors call it the Kern-Schmidt mansion, a reflection of two previous owners. The Nevels call it home. Because they saw its potential as their ideal family home, the couple bought the derelict 8,000-square-foot house for $401,000 at a 1999 real estate auction. At the time, they lived in a 2,600-square foot house in Buffalo Grove and planned to buy or build on the North Shore. Those plans changed abruptly when, two weeks prior to the auction, Laura Nevel walked into the aging beauty for the first time and immediately fell prey to its spell. Her background in art and interior design provided her with the vision to draft a restoration/repair/decoration program that would revitalize the dilapidated structure and turn it into her family's dream home. Vacant for seven years and neglected long before that, the house was - to put it politely - a dump. None of its five bathrooms had a working toilet. Fire, damage, neglect and deterioration had reduced the kitchen walls to their studs. Thirty-three decrepit exit doors, 91 leaky windows and 80 no-longer-functioning radiators added up to a nightmare. Center of dispute Just south of Woodfield Shopping Center, its 1-acre lot provides ample space for informal outdoor sports and gardening. However, the exterior of the house presented a problem over which the Nevels and Schaumburg officials have locked horns for more than three years. The Nevels say a member of Schaumburg's planning department and independent environmental experts recommend vinyl siding be used to refurbish the house's lead-painted facade. The village issued a permit for the work, but later rescinded the order saying the use of the vinyl material was not compatible with the original materials and violated conditions of the town's ordinance granting the house landmark status. Fearing that the historically significant house would be demolished by a developer who owned the property for a short time, the village invoked its home rule powers and designated it a local landmark in 1997. While the house was described as historically significant, the Nevels contend they were not advised of its local landmark status until the village stopped the siding installation. (See the related story on the history of the house.) The siding issue has been in court - at the local, state and federal levels - ever since. A motion is pending in Cook County Court to force the Nevels to remove the vinyl siding that covers 85 percent of the house, says Christopher Huff, Schaumburg's director of planning. Village officials continue to say the rumpus is not about the siding, but having its laws upheld. A decorative interior Local landmark status makes it difficult, though not impossible, to destroy a historic structure and governs some matters concerning its exterior. However, the local law has no bearing on the interior. And that's where Marty and Laura Nevel have concentrated their efforts, creating a comfortable environment for their family of five (the Nevels have a younger third child). The home also is an appropriate backdrop for their many collections, which range from antique pianos to walking canes and men's starched shirt collars. Oversized mullioned doors of beveled glass make entering the house from its south portico seem like walking through a prism. A duplicate set of doors on the north side, coupled with chalk white walls and highly polished wood floors give the space a bright, sun-washed quality. The entry leads to a huge salon that spans the width of the house. The Nevels' call the space their music room. One of its focal points is a Steinway DuoArt piano in a Louis XV art-style case. Marty Nevel owns four more grand pianos - all in various stages of restoration. Twenty-five years ago, a friend played his Regina console music box for Marty who instantly "fell in love with the music" and has been hooked ever since. Neither he nor Laura play a musical instrument, though their older daughter has begun taking piano lessons. The light-filled room also holds a 1925 J.P. Seeburg Piano Nickelodeon with the sound of seven different musical instruments. Marty Nevel also collects the antique light bulbs that illuminate that machine and a 1915 Gabels Automatic Entertainer - the prototype for today's jukebox. At the other end of the room, couturier Coco Chanel's personal mannequin stands guard at the handsome fireplace, which, like the room's moldings, interior doors and glass knobs are original to the house. Marty bought the dress form (dated 1921 and signed by Chanel) for Laura at a Sotheby's auction. The room's four ceiling fans are operated by a low-voltage electronic system that Marty designed for the music room, which doubles as a dining room when the Nevels entertain family and friends. "Its proximity to the kitchen is certainly a plus, " says Laura, ushering a guest into the colorful, strictly contemporary (and slightly edgy) kitchen she designed. Deep purple wood cabinets with a high-gloss finish (imported from England) line both walls. Extensive counter space blends concrete, stainless steel and a laminate surface. A center island work space includes several refrigerated cubbies, which make it easy for the Nevel children to help themselves to snacks without opening the large built-in refrigerator/freezer. Antiques haven The Nevels' penchant for antiques resurfaces in a gleaming chrome and glass candy jar rack dating back to 1890, which includes 24 brightly filled canisters of goodies. The first floor's west wing includes the original library, which the Nevels painted yellow after its original mahogany paneled walls began crumbling. There's also a separate sun-room with more massive windows and a stone floor. The double staircase that leads from the music room to the second floor has a railing supported by 86 hand-carved metal balusters thought to have been installed in the '50s when the house was occupied by Otis Schmidt of Schmidt Iron Works. Marty revitalized the spindles with a nickel-plated finish when he restored the then-dilapidated balustrade. A cartouche on the wall above the staircase was also brought to life with a matching coat of silver. The second floor is devoted to five bedrooms, which include a circular walk-in closet. In another innovative move, the Nevels updated the huge master bath with 22 windows, which had been built over what was once a sun deck. To solve the privacy issue without resorting to window treatments, Marty devised another low-voltage electronic system that, when switched on, makes the windows opaque. A vintage claw foot bathtub adds retro charm, while a matched pair of shapeless stainless steel Phillipe Starck sinks bring the space into the 21st century. Basement space contains a large playroom for the children, Marty's office (he's an independent senior citizens estate planner) and Laura's well-appointed laundry room. Four years into their adventure, the Nevels are thrilled with being the responsible stewards of a historically significant old house. They've settled comfortably into the community where Marty is vice president of the Schaumburg Township Historical Society and a member of Schaumburg Township District 54's school board advisory committee. Laura is involved with the PTA at her children's school. Would they do it again? Go through the painful, expensive process of breathing life back into a dying dowager of a house? And withstand an on-going fracas with local government? "In a heart beat, " says Marty Nevel. Laura agrees, saying "This is our home. We love it and we're in it for the long haul.