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| Tsambiko Capperis (left) and his Manchester neighbor next door. |
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| Kitchen Before |
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| Kitchen Before |
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| Kitchen After |
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| Kitchen After |
The house, which was built in 1880, had been abandoned for 20 years when he bought it in 1999 from the city through Manchester Citizens Corp. A stylist at a Sewickley salon, he worked on the house in his spare time for a year before he could move in. One of the keys to the project was finding woodworker Carl Kennedy of Coraopolis. Mr. Kennedy created much of the house's woodwork, including crown molding and trim for the cherry cabinets in the kitchen.
The native of Hopewell, Beaver County, said he was going for an Old World look, kind of a Mission-meets-Art Nouveau. One piece that set the tone was a Belgian copper and bronze fireplace hood that Mr. Capperis found at Architectural Emporium in Canonsburg. Made in 1905, the hood is now a focal point over an emerald green stove that he got at a bargain price because of its unusual color. A convenient pot-filler faucet over the stove means not having to carry pots of water from the sink, which is a piece of art itself. Hand-hammered in Mexico, it turned up while he was searching the Web. The copper faucets came from Splash.
The room's main focal point is the original fireplace, which Mr. Capperis modified a bit, using brick from the house. He raised the opening from floor level and added an arch on top for visual interest. Surrounding walls are painted a warm yellow common in Craftsman bungalows, and the lighted cabinets and open shelves are filled with pottery made by -- who else? -- Mr. Capperis.
His artistry continues on a back patio and goldfish pond made from old pavers and a small formal garden filled with more than 150 varieties of roses, each neatly labeled with metal tags. All is visible from the kitchen thanks to French doors and a large window he installed over the sink.
Mr. Capperis' row house and the one next door were featured last August on the Manchester House & Garden Tour. As winner of the Renovation Inspiration Contest, he will receive pairs of tickets to house tours throughout the city. The other part of the prize, a RenPlan consultation with a design professional through the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, is not quite as useful to an amateur designer as talented as this one. How many artists want a second opinion?
This artist appreciates the warm reviews his kitchen gets from friends and neighbors. "I wanted it to be inviting, warm and welcoming. Old World can be so cold. Now everybody gathers here. This house is huge but no one wants to leave the kitchen. I guess I've done my job."
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