Transformation
Home has new beginning
When Lisa Amebeli purchased her rural Champaign ranch, she knew it was going to be a lot of work to get the place in line with the vision she had for the 3-bedroom, 2-bath home with vaulted ceilings and an open floor plan.
“I recruited everybody,” she said from her patio that is decorated with a sea theme. Sea shells and fish décor accented the space.
Denmark’s universe
Science, art and speed
When University of Illinois’ Scott Denmark came to the area, he lived in a familiar place.
“I started out in what is referred to as the faculty ghetto,” he said.
Tara and Jessica “Jessi” Hurless had just finished one of their renovation projects when we visited them in February for the spring edition of At Home in Central Illinois. They share a beautiful Victorian in Mahomet with their dogs, Chaco and Boss, and their cats, Harper, Charlie and Milo.
“We finished up the kitchen,” Tara said.
Tara’s dad gave them 12 boxes of stone tile, which was just enough to cover the kitchen floor.
“We lucked out. We had just three pieces left,” Jessi said.
A block west of historic “millionaires row” — State Street in Monticello — is the North Charter Street home of Maureen “Mo” and Ryan Tracy. This beautiful Victorian Italianate-style home is a classic beauty that was built in the mid- to late 1800s. It’s a very beautiful, one-of-a-kind home that is equally rich in its history.
They met far from home
