Tri-Kappa Tour of Homes

Biennial home tour to feature
eight stops in Madison, Ind.

Howards’ recently renovated home
to be featured on tour

By Sydney G. Wilson
Contributing Writer

(October 2018) – The home of Greg and Shirley Howard in Madison, Ind., holds a distinctive place on the corner of Broadway and Second streets. Its single story, ranch-style structure stands out from the traditional Federal homes that line the block.
The Howards previously lived in La Grange, Ky., but said they always had a love for Madison. Four years ago, they moved to Madison permanently after spending several years dividing their time between La Grange and Madison.
“We actually lived about a block down the road from this house,” Greg Howard said.
The Howard home will be among several sites open to the public for the biennial Tri-Kappa Tour of Homes, planned for Oct. 5-7.
The Tri-Kappa Tour of Homes has taken place every other year since 1951. It is a fundraising event for Madison’s chapter of Tri-Kappa women’s sorority, whose national mission is to promote scholarships, culture and charity. All of the money raised from the Tour of Homes will be used to provide scholarships for local high school seniors and to support charities in the Madison area.
This year’s tour will feature eight homes. “Most of the homes on the tour are private homes that are not normally open to the public,” said Nadja Boone, Tour of Homes Co-Chair.
The Howard home is one of four homes located on West Second Street that are featured on the tour.

Photo provided Greg and Shirley Howard’s home is among several stops on this year’s Tri-Kappa Tour of Homes, to be held in early October.

Dr. William Shuck built the Howards’ residence in 1934-1935. A home that was built in the 1800s previously occupied this space, but the Shuck family tore down that house upon building. The Howards have photos of both homes and their blueprints displayed on their walls as a reminder of the history present within that location.
The Howards purchased their home in October 2017 and officially moved in March 2018 once their extensive renovations were complete.
“We love history and doing everything that we can to preserve it,” Shirley Howard said. “We tried to keep things as close to the original as possible.”
The Howards took out all of the carpeting in the home and removed the wallpaper. The original wood floors were uncovered beneath the carpet, so the majority of the house features the home’s original flooring.
Many of the homes on the Tri-Kappa tour contain historical elements, such as the claw foot tub and servant’s bell in Todd and Mary Beth Boone’s home at 320 Central Ave., and a coal shoot featured in B.J. and Angela Elles’ home at 117 W. Third St.
“Each of the homes has their own unique characteristics,” Boone said. The oldest home on the tour was built in 1816, with the newest home being the Howards’.
In addition to keeping history intact, the Howards also remodeled their kitchen extensively and opened up a wall leading to the back of the house. They also painted and sought ways to brighten up the home.
“It was very dark and formal when we bought the home,” Shirley said. “There was a lot of dim lighting and very heavy window drapes. We tried to include lighter colors and do what we could to let the light in.”

Photo by Sydney G. Wilson Greg and Shirley Howard say they are eager to show off their newly renovated home at the October tour.

The home’s central location in downtown Madison was especially appealing to the Howards. “It was spacious enough for our family. We wanted to have space to host Christmas and other holidays,” Shirley said.
Boone describes the Howard home as a “showstopper” on the tour. “We’re really excited about having this home on the tour,” she said, noting the house’s blend of old and new as particularly interesting.
The Howard home features many classic elements but also draws on some popular, modern-day trends like shiplap. Shirley said she finds style inspiration from Miss Mustard Seed, a home stylist and blogger who focuses on antiques, as well as Joanna Gaines and the rustic-contemporary blend of styles featured on the show “Fixer Upper.”
The Howards say they have a favorite space in the house that highlights each of their interests and personalities. Greg’s favorite room is his office space, which has a view of the Ohio River and the south end of Broadway Street. The room is striking with original chestnut wall paneling and features a nautical them that reflects Greg’s time spent in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Shirley’s haven in the home is her art room, which is a bright, airy space near the front of the home. “We turned the formal dining room into my art room,” she said. She said she is looking forward to being able to spend time in there more this fall and getting back to her artwork.

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