Historic Batavia home adorned like the treasure 'she' is

Beyond the large double doors of the home of Keith and Rebecca Ersfeld is a peaceful sanctuary, a place that is decorated with the eye of an artist who values the treasures of the past, whether simple or magnificent.

“I often refer to this home as a ‘she'," said Rebecca Ersfeld. “She was an Italianate. She still has all of her curves. She dresses up beautifully and looks lovely in candlelight."

Ersfeld treats her 2,800-square-foot beauty with the respect and adoration that the home deserves. She honors its history and treasures the past. That commitment is a part of every nook and cranny.

The home was built in 1869 by Edward S. Smith, Batavia's postmaster who was appointed by Abraham Lincoln in 1861. He served for 25 years and then continued working in a variety of other businesses from grains and produce to manufacturing. He was active in local government, serving as a trustee.

The grand home originally stood as a landmark on Batavia Avenue, looking over the Fox River valley. Frank Smith, the son of Edward Smith, grew up in the home.

In his recollections for the Batavia Historical Society, he wrote, “My mother said that she held me in her arms on the east balcony and watched the smoke and glow from the Chicago Fire burn in the distance."

In 1924, the home was moved from the avenue to its present location on Batavia's northwest side. Since part of the home was built into the hill, the large structure was cut, leaving the kitchen and the formal dining room in the hillside.

Whether it was at the time of the move or over the course of time, certain details on the home were lost. The large porch was removed, wrought iron balconies were taken down and trim over the windows was eliminated.

“I would love to be able to take the home back to the way it was," said Ersfeld.

Like many old house owners, projects occur one step at a time. Often it is the interior that is the first priority. With six children, the Ersfelds had to build their home from within.

When Rebecca Ersfeld tackled the woodwork, she was hoping to restore it to its original splendor.

“I was expecting a very fine hard wood and was surprised to find fir," she said. “Then I noticed that much of the woodwork had been feathered and as much as I wanted to save it, I couldn't."

To achieve the look of a fine grain of wood, painters would take a feather and painstakingly paint the fine lines into the wood to make it appear as if the wood was a more expensive type.

With six kids, the Ersfelds decided they needed more space so an addition was added to the back of the house. It opened up the space, allowing more sun to bathe the interior.

Another major renovation project was the master bedroom. The Ersfelds hired a carpenter to take out the drop ceiling and restore the original ceiling. When Rebecca Ersfeld saw the open beams she really wanted to keep the overhead space open.

“I thought it was beautiful," she said. “All those original beams, but it wasn't practical with heating costs."

However, she did manage to incorporate a window that was now exposed by having the ceiling follow the lines of the attic.

“I didn't tell my husband that I was doing that," she said. “I just told the carpenter to go ahead with my plan and then I just closed the door. When my husband opened the door, he saw what was being done and thought the carpenter had made a mistake."

Some projects in the house just occurred without planning. Her daughter, Nicole, had her bedroom redone because of a loose piece of wallpaper.

“We were in her room and I just decided to pull a piece of the wall paper that had lifted," said Ersfeld. “Underneath it was this beautiful antique rose print. We spent that summer taking postage stamp sized pieces off the wall to reveal this beautiful paper. She was a teenager then and it was something that we were able to do together."

Rebecca Ersfeld is an artist. She creates jewelry. She paints. She fashions new things out of old. She looks at the world with a different eye, seeing beauty in the old, the weathered, and sometimes forgotten. She was into recycling long before it was the fashionable thing to do.

Many of her pieces were featured in the book, “Shabby Chic" by Rachel Ashwell.

“I prefer to call it simply posh," said Ersfeld. “It really is taking vintage items and re-purposing them.

Ersfeld uses white fabrics and white carpeting throughout her home. It's hard to imagine six kids living in a home done mostly in white. Now the home welcomes grandchildren and Rebecca Ersfeld wouldn't have it any other way.

“I cover my furniture in slip covers made from heavy white canvass paint tarps," she said. “They are very durable and I can launder them. Even the white carpets are kid proof. You see the spill and clean it right away."

Ersfeld isn't afraid to bring outside elements into her home. Garden statues and wrought iron vines find a home in the comfortable surroundings. There is a part of a side porch in an upstairs bedroom.

Architectural details are used throughout the home. Large columns accentuate the pocket doors between the living room and the dining room.

Some of the architectural elements are from the exteriors of homes and some from interiors. Some things were rescued from other venues.

“I saw this set piece at a theater in Texas," she said. “I bought it because I liked it and then I put it up in my kitchen."

Just as a set piece enhances the beauty of the stage, this particular piece is a perfect backdrop for the kitchen table.

Ersfeld also incorporates quite a few French pieces into her decor. Many are items she has picked up in her travels.

“I absolutely love Paris and I have many things from there," she added. "I have always loved all things old, the more tired and faded the better, especially textiles and papers."

Vintage lace and curtains are evident throughout the home. Silver and crystal are other decorating elements within the home. The sunlight bounces from one reflective surface to another, bringing a peaceful spirit to the surroundings.

When she isn't home, Rebecca Ersfeld is in her studio at Water Street Studios in Batavia, creating vintage accessories for the home and vintage jewelry. She does mixed media collages. She also paints.

The spiritual aspect of life is very important to the artist. For years, she has been breathing new life into old things and selling them through her former shops, Simply Posh in Geneva and Vintage Living in Glen Ellyn.

Although she still sells items through her website simplyposhdesigns.com, she wants to concentrate on her blog, rebeccaforvintageliving.blogspot.com

On her blog she connects with women around the world who enjoy the vintage living style. She is also busy traveling across the United States, encouraging women to get in touch with mind, body and spirit, through art. She gives presentations on renewing the creative spirit and nurturing the artistic soul. Her future plans include creating a foundation to buy art supplies for women who can't afford them. She wants to help women develop their creativity.

“Creativity is a form of worship," she said. “We are praising God by giving back our gifts."

The spiritual connection is evident in every aspect of Rebecca Ersfeld's life her art, her studio and in the home she fills lovingly with treasures of the past.