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Patria: 'Unique blend of European and Rappahannock details'
The late Dr. Werner Krebser and his wife Fran built Patria after traveling in Europe, especially Switzerland, and putting together favorite parts of the homes they had seen. This collaboration has produced a lovely abode, completed in 1999, sitting high on a knoll, and giving the visitor a unique (for Rappahannock County) air. Its vista appears abruptly, when the narrow, leafy country lane opens up to show the stream, bridge, and then the beige stucco walls and wooden flower boxes of the home."Patria" means fatherland, and Dr. Krebser chose that name to show his love for country and family, as well as to embody forever the work of his own hands that had gone into its making.
Patria’s front entry with a hand-carved double door adorned with old scroll ironwork opens into a massive foyer with a 20-foot ceiling. Oriental rugs, framed tapestries, and European antiques accent the massive space creating a warm, inviting hint of what is to come in this interesting and fascinating house.
A country kitchen off to the right is a combination of comfort, elegance and functionality. Granite counter tops, ceiling beams, and cherry cabinets compliment the wood edelweiss carvings that grace the corner moldings. The octagon shaped den area features bookcases with carved shields depicting Dr. Krebser’s family roots, a carved ceiling medallion, and a stone fireplace. The full wall of windows allows one to enjoy the mountain and pastoral vistas of the farm. A separate dining area showcases hand carved cherry furniture made by Peter Kramer of Washington.
The dining room and living room areas are separated by a pair of Gothic shaped, leaded glass doors from a European cathedral. These doors have been fitted to slide into the walls to open up the two rooms when needed. The huge and ornately carved furniture depicts scenes of musicians in what appears to be a tavern. The breakfront is over 10-feet tall and the top glass section is held up by four individual carved figurines of the characters depicted in the carvings.
The living room also holds another 12-foot leaded glass book case created by Peter Kramer.
In the study directly across from the living room is another piece of furniture from the 1800s. This 10-foot high check has eight narrow drawers and a bookcase above, while the seat opens to more storage below. A matching desk carries the same carved designs as the chest.
The visitors on tour this year will be able to visit the finished apartment attached to the house, which was where the couple lived as the rest of the house was being constructed.
Downstairs the basement opens into a large party room decorated with antique hand-made farm implements and furniture from Fran’s family, as well as art from many Rappahannock artists. As one exits through the French doors to a patio off the lower side of the house a beautiful high stone wall with a trickling water fountain frames the view to the east. The wall and fountain are another of Dr Krebser’s personal touches. Twelve feet tall at its highest point, and over 20 feet long, the wall was built while Dr Krebser was on radiation and chemotherapy for prostate cancer. Every stone was found on the property, and moved to the wall site by the doctor and his wife.
It was Dr.Krebser’s hope that, hundreds of years from now, people investigating the wall will discover the empty beer cans he left in it. The wall, he said “will be a tribute to true grit and Miller Lite!”
More Krebser stone walls on each side of a curved patio grace the back of the house and open to spectacular views both east and west over rolling pastures to the Blue Ridge. An arbor screens one side of the patio with a flowering hibiscus giving shade to an outdoor dining area. This home successfully combines a unique blend of European and Rappahannock details.
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