WP and Leanna Bone Create a Space that is Not Only Beautiful but Practical for their Lifestyle
When you enter the driveway of WP & Leanna Bone’s house located at the end of a quaint cul-de-sac it becomes abundantly clear that you are entering a residence like no other. And while their home rests not far from other neighbor’s, the grand oak, walnut and hickory trees help create a private oasis that the Bone’s relish in everyday.
Originally built in 1979, the home has gone through several facelifts over the years. “We had the perfect location and just thought, ‘why build?’ We just decided to add the things we wanted to make it fit our lifestyle.”
After all their children were grown, the first renovation began in 1995. Additions included a gunite swimming pool with extensive landscaping and waterfall, pool house and living area expansion. “That was fun. In fact, they were finishing the landscaping around the pool the day before WP and I got married. It was imperative that they finish because we exchanged vows by the pool.”
The first renovation was the vision of WP. It wasn’t until 2004, when he and Leanna began thinking about doing a second renovation that they decided to hire a professional architect to help create the space they were looking for. They wanted to concentrate on the front part of the home, bring in natural light and open up the living space. The Bone’s went to architect Mike Manous with Manous Design in Wilson County, for his professional services. “Mike knew we wanted a lot of natural light, stone, wood and to bring the outdoors in and from there he just used his imagination to bring our vision to fruition.” Manous added a porch, pond, a new roof and facade to help finish off the park like setting the Bone’s were aiming for.
The outdoors is an important part of the Bone’s life as noted in a painting of a waterfall hanging prominently on the natural crab orchard fieldstone fireplace. The waterfall rendered in the painting is that of WP’s childhood stomping ground in the Southern part of the Cherokee National Forrest just below the Smoky Mountains. “He had the Tellico River on one side of his cabin and the Sycamore Creek on the other.” Leanna said with a laugh. WP adds, “I grew up in the outdoors. So, we wanted to live in a space that had the greenery and running water outside. The ponds and waterfalls by the pool and all the trees make me think of earlier times.”
According to the Bone’s, the style of their home is up for debate. “I think it’s a contemporary design inside a traditional home while WP says it’s a contemporary/country style. To make it easy, we just call it eclectic.”
The second renovation was definitely the most time consuming. “We literally took the roof off. There was dust everywhere. We would clean up all the dust at night, go to bed, wake up and the dust would be back in the morning.” Because it was such an intense project it took a long time to complete. But astonishingly enough, they would do it again. “The light that adding the windows and raising the roof brought in makes such a difference. I’d do it in a second.”
It took a while for the Bone’s to think about taking on another household project. In 2007, Leanna tackled perhaps the most important part of a home; the kitchen. “The kitchen didn’t fit in with the rest of the house. It didn’t have the stone and wood we love. Since we spend so much time in here I wanted to bring it current with the rest of the house.” With natural stone counters and hickory cabinets it’s clear that goal was met.
You might think after 15 years of marriage, 3 renovations and countless trips to the paint store, the Bone’s would be finished with renovating but, indeed they’re not. “However, we may wait awhile to tackle another project.”
Both longtime residents of Wilson County, WP and Leanna Bone say it’s the County’s people and rich history that makes Lebanon the perfect place to call home. “When we go on vacation we always wind up saying why go on vacation? We have the perfect getaway right here at home. And the people, you couldn’t ask for better people. We love it here.”
