Mason-Kirby home adds French flavor to 27th homes tour

With its nature-themed exterior and its French-inspired interior, Elaine Kirby and Crystal Mason's home at 2095 Justice Lane is perfect for enjoying time with company. It's that exact concept that the owners were going for when they had the house built three years ago.

"It really captures the spirit of celebrating life with family and friends," Kirby said.

That is also why they accepted the invitation to include their home on this year's Homes for the Holidays tour on Dec. 2-3.

Kirby and Mason chose the theme, "Holidays at the Bordeaux Home" to project the ambience their house is decorated to create for everyone who visits them during the holiday season.

"Really, that's what it's all about, opening up the home," Kirby said.

Mason said the home gets its name from the French city of Bordeaux, which is referred to by many as the world's wine capital. The French theme can be seen throughout the home. The home's great room exudes a French ambiance with its crystal chandelier, rich fabrics and handcrafted mantle with marble inlay.

Kirby said 10 differently-decorated trees and greenery-laden mantles add to the holiday feel throughout the home.

The home's exterior is equally impressive. Kirby said the exterior was designed to "blend with nature."

"It certainly is a nature theme," Kirby said. "There are features such as natural rocks and earth tones."

Tying the interior and exterior together are the home's expansive windows. Kirby said the number of windows throughout the home integrates the inside with the outdoor setting.

"You can see the outdoors from any spot in the house," Kirby said.

A unique aspect of the Bordeaux Home is the technology that goes along with the French-inspired interior. Mason said that four miles of wiring are contained within the home's "rack room" and everything in the home -- lighting, sound system, phones, locks, etc. -- can be controlled by a computer.

"I think what's interesting about the home is the combination of an amazing ambiance with the high-tech profile," Kirby said.

New to the Homes for the Holidays tour this year is the Scottish Rite Temple, 110 S. Main St., which has been the home of the Scottish Rite Masons of Southeast Kansas for more than 100 years. The building houses an outstanding stage and auditorium. An Austin Brothers pipe organ, valued at nearly two million dollars, was built into the auditorium in 1924. The stage houses more than 100 backdrops, measuring 30 by 50 feet each. These were hand-painted in 1901 and repainted in 1924 by noted artist, Thomas G. Moses. The backdrops combine to create different scenes that will change periodically over the weekend. A special visit by Santa is scheduled for Sunday afternoon.

A couple of other venues for the holiday weekend are the Old Congregational Church, 502 S. National Ave., and the Fort Scott National Historic Site. Holiday music will be presented throughout the Homes for the Holidays tour weekend at the church, and a Christmas Ball will be presented at the fort from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2.

As it does every year, the Stocking Stuffer, with its antique and gift booths, barbecue lunch stand, and bake sale table, will take place during the Homes for the Holidays tour weekend at Arnold Arena on the Fort Scott Community College campus, 2108 S. Horton St. During the Stocking Stuffer the recently published book, "Historic Reflections of Bourbon County," will be available for sale. Local historians Fred Campbell Jr. and Don Miller have compiled more than 500 previously unpublished photographs that illustrate the county's history from 1842 until the current time.

Note that the hours of The Stocking Stuffer differ from those of the tour --

9 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Saturday and noon until 4 p.m. on Sunday. Admission to the Stocking Stuffer is free.

Tickets for the 27th annual Homes for the Holidays tour are currently available at Country Cupboard, 12 N. Main St.; at Ruddick's Furniture, 117 S. National Ave.; at City State Bank, 1012 U.S. Highway 69; and at the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, 231 E. Wall St.

Tickets will also be available during the tour at any of the tour stops. The ticket price is $8 per person. The homes will be open from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the weekend.

A special Moonlight and Mistletoe tour, the limited Friday evening tour on Dec. 1, features the 1879 Victorian home of Janet and Dave Irvin at 124 N. Eddy, in addition to the three Homes for the Holidays tour homes. An extensive appetizer buffet and a glass of bubbly beverage await each guest at the Irvin home. This tour is limited to 100 guests, and the ticket price is $20. This ticket can be used as admission to Homes for the Holidays events on Saturday and Sunday.