The Judge Eugene Blease House
You don’t have to value antiques or history to fall head over heels in love with the Judge Eugene Blease House. It’s easy to become attached— quickly. Every room is designed to be appreciated and enjoyed. Lovingly transformed to museum-like fashion, luxurious rooms stir imaginations, forging connections between people and art. Each room is finely detailed, polished and sophisticated, much like its owners William “Bill” and Mary Ann Cross.
The home looks and feels like the Crosses’ richly filled life stories. It’s a home of antiquity and perhaps one that unites people with shared values. It’s a history lesson of Newberry, 1925—the year in which the Crosses believe the home was built.
“I think the hardest thing is—what do you do with a house like this?” asks Bill. “This home is a classic. The quality of the architecture is just incredible. It’s wonderful southern living. You can entertain on this huge porch and in every room, you couldn’t be more comfortable. It’s designed the way the house should be.”
The Colonial Revival home has a warm and welcoming layout. The walls in the center hallway cheerfully appear in full glory with the magic of eighteenth-century imperial Prussian Blue. Woodlawn Gold, Elephant Breath—a taupe color popular among both the French and English—and Wedgewood Green showcase the living room, library, and dining room. “I love coming over and just sitting here. It’s so quiet and peaceful,” says Mary Ann.
Listed as a district house and home to former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Judge Eugene Blease, the Crosses saved the house by buying it and then investing in it.
“We started renovation of this house primarily to save it and secondly, to protect our interest. We have a lot of property in the neighborhood—including Oak Grove, our home next door—and we’re proud of our neighborhood,” says Mary Ann.
Bringing the Judge Eugene Blease House to its current state was an arduous and expensive undertaking, but the couple turned their devotion to preservation into a successful destiny. Their loyalty—to each other, their neighborhood, and history—runs deep. The self-professed decorators seem to thrive in endeavors that some might otherwise dismiss. Not Bill and Mary Ann Cross. The Crosses are energetic and spirited. Bill is a retired systems manager for NASA. Mary Ann had several professions before retiring, including selling antiques and South Carolina real estate.
The couple says antiques have always been part of their lives, but it wasn’t until they met that their mutual passion for antiques and history turned into a spiritual journey. At a Charlotte, North Carolina airport, the couple met for the first time in 1997. Bill flew in from Maryland, hoping to buy the home of his dreams, and Mary Ann was his (somewhat reluctant) agent. “We had talked by phone about different properties, but that didn’t go well. So, another agent was to meet Mr. Cross at the airport but could not. Well, I didn’t want to go, but I knew I had a professional obligation to help this man find a home. Well, things changed quickly. I knew he was mine the moment he came off the plane,” admits Mary Ann. Bill says he figured Mary Ann was something “pretty special.” Before long, the two became inseparable. Spirited conversations of Benjamin Franklin chairs and Chinese Chippendales versus Chinoiseries, keep their relationship dynamic and endearing.
The Crosses have a talent for understanding both technical and aesthetic sides of their projects, which are many. Their shared respect for history—and knowledge of antiques—is evidenced in conversation and visual display.
A ceramic-tiled, covered porch opens to views of a center hallway, coffered ceilings and crown molding. Designed and decorated by the couple, each piece of furniture is skillfully placed in proper portion and size, including subtle and dramatic light fixtures.
The jewel of the house is a Swarovski crystal chandelier. “I was a little bit worried that it was too big for the dining room, but there’s a formula that you use for determining the size and it was right at the edge of it,” says Bill. “I love my dining room,” says Mary Ann. “I can sit here and enjoy – it’s just so nice. The soft green walls and fabrics pair well together.”
Attractive paintings create thought provoking atmospheres, and the den—Bill’s favorite room—is an inviting room to read a good book and drink your morning—and afternoon and evening—coffee. A seating area against the sunroom wall offers grand views of shade trees.
The home features 2,700 square feet of antiques and quality reproductions. “Everything that we put in the house, it has to fit into a period of, I would say, no later than about 1830, and the look of it is mostly concentrated in the 1750 period,” says Bill.
The upscale kitchen has granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. Five fireplaces are pleasing to the eye. Bill says they added a high efficiency HVAC system to give the house the kind of heating it deserves. Original architectural details abound and rugs anchor rooms to wooden floors.
Since its renovation, the space is lovely and inviting, and it has more than enough charm to find yourself feeling right at home. The Crosses love the final product. “We couldn’t be more pleased,” says Bill.
(In case you’re wondering, Mary Ann did indeed sell Bill the house of his dreams. Oak Grove. Listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, many people believe Oak Grove was designed by famous South Carolina architect Robert Mills. The Crosses consider this newer renovation—the Judge Eugene Blease House—another home with historical merit.)
Proud of the West End Historic District and pleased with their contributions to the restoration and preservation of two homes that might otherwise have fallen in near ruin, the Crosses continue to improve Newberry’s environment and overall well-being. That in itself is a gift.
Photographs by Ted B. Williams.
