A new beginning in an old home

Athough the Farrell house is a big highlight, attendees won't want to miss the three other homes on the self-guided tour. The other residences showcased include two contemporary homes, one complete with a ballroom, and a classical home. These will also be decorated by the designers who are staging the Farrell house. There will be entertainment at each of the homes, including ballroom dancers, the Journey Community Church band, Camas and Washougal high school choirs, and performers from VEGA and Virtuosity Dance Studio. Volunteers from Soroptimist International of Camas-Washougal will serve as docents. They will tell visitors about the unique aspects of each home. Tour tickets are $20 each and will include a program book with maps to the each of the homes, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 4 and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5. These can be purchased online at www.downtowncamas.com, or from the Camas Hotel (405 N.E. Fourth Ave.), Camas Antiques (305 N.E. Fourth Ave.), Runyan's Jewelers (327 N.E. Fourth Ave.) and The Uncommon Gift (407 N.E. Fourth Ave.). Proceeds from the tour will benefit the DCA and Soroptimist International of Camas-Washougal. Heidi Curley was walking by the Farrell house during the Camas Days Parade in July and was instantly smitten. "I like to say that the house found me," she said. "It was the last thing I was looking for at the time." Curley and her three girls, ages 15, 12 and 7, were still reeling from a family tragedy two months before. "But when I saw that house, I knew I wanted it," she said. "I called the Realtor and bought it two days later." The Farrell house, located on Northeast Ione Street in Camas, will be one of the featured residences in the second annual Holiday Home Tour, the proceeds from which benefits the Downtown Camas Association. Camas Hotel owner Karen Hall is the co-chairperson of the tour. Curley met her at a Camas First Friday event, and casually mentioned she'd recently purchased the home. "She asked me to be a part of the Holiday Home Tour, and I agreed because I want people to see it and to tell me their stories," Curley said. The Farrell house, a Greek Revival architectural style, was built between 1913 and 1915 by well-known architect John H. Roffler, brother to Rose Farrell. Rose was the former owner of Farrell & Eddy Department Store at Northeast Fourth Avenue and Cedar Street, which is now Camas Antiques. The house remained in the Farrell family until it was purchased by the Curleys. It is currently undergoing renovation, and plans include blending traditional and contemporary furnishings, with a splash of bright interior colors to reflect the personalities of Curley's daughters, Jessica, Emily and Grace. Interior designers have each taken on a room to stage for this year's tour, expressing their own design styles. The tour will take place the first weekend of December. Curley is looking forward to welcoming the public to her new home. "We are going to have a Christmas tree in the foyer, and I just want to embrace the experience," she said. "I really want this home to be a part of the community." Julie Nolta of Julie Nolta Design, who is also the design consultant for the current remodel, will design the living room with modern oranges, whites and silvers. The dining room will be decorated by Carma Zarosinski of Carma For Design with a table set for a holiday party. Paula Kotchik of PMK Interiors will bring touches of Paris to a bedroom, which will be painted in Tiffany box blue. The master bedroom features antiques by JoAnn Taylor of Camas Antiques. "I just love it," Curley said. "People have wanted to come and see the home, now they can see it decorated for the holidays." Hall is hoping people come out to the Holiday Home Tour and enjoy themselves. Last year, 350 people bought tickets for the self-guided tour. This year, she is hoping to sell 400. "The homes are open all day so people can take their time and visit each one, take a break and come to downtown Camas to shop or eat lunch. It's a really nice way to showcase the area and great way to spend time with family."

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