THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506020275
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 07 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
SOURCE: BY STEVE STONE
STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Long : 164 lines
AFTER JUST one night, it's easy to understand what it is about bed and breakfasts that draws a loyal and apparently growing clientele away from traditional hotels and motels.
These are places to experience, not just sleep in. And there is a thrill to discovery: Every establishment - and, in most cases, every room in each B&B - is unique.
The White Doe Inn at 319 Sir Walter Raleigh St. in Manteo is both new and old. And it is a work in progress, thanks to owners Bebe and Bob Woody.
Every room is distinctive, with deep, richly colored choices of wallcovering setting the stage.
For instance, the Virginia Dare Bedchamber features a decor of reds and greens than compliments rather than contrasts. Mahogany is the dominant wood and its deep tones fit well with the design. Surrounding artwork provides a pleasant accent.
You literally hop into the queen-sized bed - don't forget your elevation when you get up in the morning. But the view from on high is wonderful, thanks to the west-facing windows that allow the room to be bathed in soft morning light.
Like all the rooms, it has a comfy fireplace that blends technology with beauty. No need to stack the wood or worry about a back draft; it's gas fed.
But the mantle, with its gold trim and accents, joins the flickering flames to provide warmth and coziness.
The bath is as large as the first college dormitory room I shared with another freshman.
And it's purple, you got that. But the room is designed to have none of the shock that the color might imply. It is embracing, not jarring.
Here, too, it is evident that the owners have managed to blend modern appointments into a traditional style.
The oversized floor and wet area tiles are artful with an Italian flair, and the sink and jacuzzi are outfitted with large brass fixtures that help the transition from traditional to modern.
Pleasures range from the grand, such as exploring the rooms' treasures, to the most simple: exceptional service.
When was the last time you stayed in a place where someone had folded back the corners on the lead piece of Charmin so your first experience of the morning wasn't a frustrating struggle with a dispenser?
The welcoming scent of breakfast snakes up the stairway and guides you to the dining room, where you are greeted by a waiting bowl of fruit so fresh the banana slices show no hint of brown.
Also ready to quell any belly growls are fresh banana nut bread and other breakfast cakes with three kinds of preserves and softened butter a knife-stroke away.
Pitchers of fresh orange juice, iced water and two brands of Green Mountain coffee - one a decaf - are ready to pour, while tea lovers find a choice of six flavors with hot water and a bowl of honey.
The main plate this morning was southern-style pancakes with bacon and a bowl of grits with strawberry slices.
The pancakes were light and delightful, not the heavy fluffy type. They had crisp edges and hot, soft centers that welcomed syrup but did not surrender their taste to the maple.
A plea for seconds was met joyfully.
Soon, with the addition of a deck outside the dining area's double glass doors, guests will be able to take their morning meal outside, forsaking the chance to study the intricate details of the huge dining room chandelier for the flowers in the gardens.
It's easy to understand why some folks shy away from B&Bs. The lifestyle is not generally for the socially challenged or chronically shy.
While good hosts will do their best to ascertain a guest's needs - and provide solitude for those who seek it - a B&B practically demands social interaction, both with hosts and the other guests.
Perhaps that is why so many people never even try to go anywhere other than a hotel or motel: Amid the masses, you can truly be alone. Or at least pick and choose when you'll interact with others.
This morning there was but one other guest with whom to share breakfast. There was an initial uneasiness of how to act and what to say. But Bebe's frequent visits, easy smile and casual, fun attitude help assure that ice is broken and conversation - real, not feigned - ensues.
Departing is made all the harder on a sunny May morning by the scent of the flowers as you walk along the white picket fence that surrounds the property. As the White Doe's brochure puts it, it's a place ``where you can stop the world, even if you can't get off.''
Too many folks may translate B&B as Backwards and Boring, but this place is neither. But it does have the benefits of history and calm.
The building, which is listed on the national register of historic landmarks, was built in 1896 and started as a 1 1/2-story frame home. Original owners Rosa and Theodore Meekins added on as they prospered. By 1910, the home was complete and had taken on the style of a Queen Anne Victorian.
It was lived in but largely unchanged for some 80 years until Bob and Bebe came along. The couple, who met while working for the National Park Service where they put in 62 years between them, decided that with their retirement they would buy the home and remake it into a bed and breakfast.
Any guest is welcome to view the photo album that documents what followed.
In 1994, after months of planning, the work started in earnest. The back of the house was opened and a new addition built to double the floor space.
Using crawl spaces around fireplaces, the contractor was able to install new wiring and plumbing.
``The difficulty comes in finding people who truly do love to restore something,'' Bebe said. ``It requires a great deal of patience, time and workmanship. Most contractors today are interested only in new construction.''
Many in the Outer Banks have helped make the home what it is now. Joan Henson of Outer Banks Textiles assisted in picking the wallcoverings, for instance.
``She shared my vision, and it was wonderful working with her,'' Bebe said.
And more than once Bebe threatened to hold carpenter Billy Swindell of Renaissance Construction captive because of his painstaking work.
They have left ample, delightful hints of where old and new merge, such as a stair banister that vanishes into the floor at the merger point and bookcases built into crevices where once the roof angled down.
The house has a distinctive three-story turret, which is all the more remarkable for its rounded windows. They have been given a protective barrier of plexiglass because the curved glass is so difficult to find these days.
While the contractor worked, Bebe was translating her dreams to reality as she and her husband scoured far and wide for the furnishings and antiques that now fill the place.
``Richmond became a very common route,'' Bebe said. ``And when we visited Bob's family in Atlanta, we just took our little trailer with us.''
One of their prized finds in the Peach State was a beautiful wood fireplace mantle that they have installed but not yet refinished in a sitting room. Even absent a new finish, its detailed woodwork makes it a beauty to behold.
Sometimes, construction plans changed to fit what was found. For instance, an upstairs bathroom features a short but wide stained-glass window that Bebe discovered.
From the first room she thought about two years ago - the library where she envisioned the rouge red walls it now has - to new ideas she's getting now, everything is coming out as she hoped.
``I sometimes walk through and I am just in awe of the house, because it's exactly what I envisioned,'' Bebe said. ``As with most projects, it's always a lot more than you anticipated.''
And it's doubtful that it will ever be finally finished. Whether it's adding just one more piece or redecorating an area, the Woodys will likely always be doing something new and different.
For instance, while there are still two bedrooms to finish upstairs, Bebe is already eying a spot in the sitting room for an antique baby grand piano.
``One that works, so people can play it if they like,'' she said. ``And we could use it for wedding receptions.''
Overall, ``it's been a lot of hard work, but it's a labor of love,'' Bebe said. ``And now we're having a good time because we're meeting a lot of nice people, good people.'' MEMO: A LIST OF B&Bs/ Page 26
[For a related story, see page 6 of the CAROLINA COAST for this date.]
ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by
DREW C. WILSON
Angela Abrams, 27, of Manteo,
and Nicholas Dagger, 7, of
Butler, Tenn., head out for
a morning of crabbing in
front of the Roanoke Inn
in Manteo. Among the
amenities the inn offers
guests are dip nets for
crabbing on the
city's waterfront.
KEYWORDS: BED AND BREAKFASTS by CNB