DAYS OF WINE & ROSEMARY HOW ‘THE PINK HOUSE’ BECAME A FOREVER HOME FOR THE BON FAMILY Story by SALLY WAMRE | Photography by JESSICA TURNER
S
tacie Bon dreamed of a different place to live, some years back, but her husband, Ivor, was happily planted where they were. “Never moving,” were his words. They reached a compromise: If she found a new home they both liked that was in the budget, they would consider moving. The hunt didn’t take long. Strolls around our neighborhood proved recreational and fruitful with the discovery of a Larchcrest gem. At the time, the 1969 structure was owned by neighbor Rosemary Johnson. Stacie wrote Rosemary a letter in 2014 asking to please contact her if she ever considered selling. To Stacie’s surprise, Rosemary responded. Her husband, Johnny,
30 lakehighlands.advocatemag.com APRIL 2022
had died, and she was considering what to do next. Correspondence continued for about three years, and as time passed, a friendship unfolded between the Bons and Rosemary. “It was really sweet getting to know her,” Stacie says. “Her husband had initially bought the house for her sight-unseen, telling her ‘I found the most amazing house!’ She was so nice, she entertained all our conversations.” Plans were discussed for a sale as soon as Rosemary settled on a new place. However, Rosemary’s offer on a Lakewood home fell through and then she was wait-listed at a retirement center. Ultimately, Rosemary died before things were settled, and Stacie and Ivor purchased the property in 2017 from her son Drew. They began extensive
remodeling in 2019, but not without tribute and homage to Rosemary. “Knowing stories about Rosemary and Johnny make the home m o re p e rso n a l ,” Sta c i e says, pointing out artwork, pieces of driftwood, an umbrella stand and other treasures purchased in Rosemary’s estate sale that are nods to the friend who entrusted her home to them. Stacie and Ivor, the home’s third owners, took their time considering what updates to make, and their attention to detail paid off in making the four-bedroom, three-bath home chic and current, while retaining its original mid-century modern vibe. Among the changes: The split-level stairway was redirected to make the kitchen more visible and accessible — no one hits a head coming downstairs to the kitchen anymore.
