SUMMER PLEASURES

VICTORIAN page 71

CASUAL FURNISHINGS
GREAT SELECTION OF THE FINEST OUTDOOR &
INDOOR CASUAL FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES

Winston
Tropitone
Lloyd/Flanders
Boutique
Pawleys Island

Woodard
Homecrest
Moon Valley Rustic
Windsor Designs
Lyon-Shaw

Lane/Venture
Whitaker
I.M. David
Virginia House
Braxton-Culler

Blacksmith Shop
Telescope
Bar Stools
Cushions/Umbrellas
Outdoor Lighting

THE D E TR O

Key West Sling...Reg. $2,067...NOW $1,449 (umbrella extra)

S72

Moon Valley Lawn Swing $269

6465 Dixie Hwy. • Clarkston, MI 48346
(810) 625-3322 • FAX (810) 625-6868

Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed., Fri. 9:30-5:30; Thurs. 9:30-8; Sat. 9:30-4:30; Sun. 1-4

Upstairs, the Queen Victoria
guest room is pastel and pretty
with flowered wallpaper accent-
ed by lace curtains and velvet
draping. It has an inviting full-
sized Jenny Lind bed with a fluffy
comforter.
For the more masculine taste,
the Prince Albert guest room has
the feel of an English country
manor. It is furnished with a
queen-sized iron bed, armoire and
other antiques.
The Newbolds first started
thinking about opening a bed and
breakfast about eight years ago
and watched for suitable proper-
ties to come on the market.
"We wanted a bigger house,
something more interesting than
our three-bedroom ranch in
Northville. Since we were soon
to become empty-nesters, we
couldn't justify more space just
for ourselves," said Bill.
The couple had stayed at many
bed and breakfasts and had a re-
alistic idea of what it would take
to run one properly. To prepare
for the business venture, they took
a course at Schoolcraft College
called "How to Start a Bed and
Breakfast." It was taught by Bar-
bara McGrew, who owns and op-
erates the Hibbard Tavern in
Milford.

The Victorian Rose is locat-
ed at 815 Sleeth Road, Com-
merce Township, MI 48382;
phone: (810) 360-8221. (Com-
merce Road becomes Sleeth
west of Bogie Lake Road.) Dou-
ble occupancy rate is $65 per
night and includes a full break-
fast.
Copies of the Michigan Bed
& Breakfast Directory are avail-
able for $3 by writing B & B Di-
rectory, P.O. Box 428,
Saugatuck, MI 49453 or call-
ing 1-800-832-6657.

They connected with the
Michigan Travel Bureau and the
Lake to Lake Bed & Breakfast of
Michigan Association to get their
home approved and listed in bed-
and-breakfast directories.
With only two guest moms, the
Victorian Rose is classified as a
"home stay," rather than a "bed-
and-breakfast inn," which must
have 4 to 15 rooms.
To Bill, the house is reminis-
cent of his boyhood home of the
same vintage on Long Island in
New York. He inherited many of
its furnishings and brought a trail-
er load back to Michigan that in-
cluded an oak table, bedroom
sets, lamps, sconces and other ac-
cessories.
The real prize among the stash
was the secretary-desk that now
graces the parlor. When going
through the drawers, Shirley
found $600 hidden in a secret
compartment.
Shirley combed antique shops
to supplement the family heir-
looms and found more rose-pat-
terned china pieces, picture
frames and lamps. She furnished
the porch with wicker from the
Saline Antique Market.
The bed and breakfast has been
the setting for wedding showers
and receptions, poetry readings
and tea parties. Perhaps the most
delightful special function held at
the Victorian Rose was a birthday
party for an 8-year-old girl.
She and her guests wore their
best party dresses and brought
their favorite doll or teddy bear to
the tea party. The young ladies ex-
plored the nooks and crannies of
the house on a treasure hunt and
made Victorian-era crafts. They,
of course, displayed their best par-
ty manners while sipping tea and
sampling little sandwiches and
cakes.
The Victorian Rose is about 15
minutes from Kensington Metro