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HANNAH'S GARDEN INN
In 1999, the historic Corbet-Aspray House on Spokane, Washington’s South
Hill was pending sale to Deaconess Hospital. When the sale fell through at the
last minute, Shawn Nichols and Ann Marie Byrd swooped in and purchased the 7,500
square-foot c. 1908 mansion, saving it from certain demolition. Over a ten month
period, they restored the house to its former magnificence with some personal
touches along the way, and obtained recognition by the Washington Heritage Register
and the National Historic Register. Later that year, they opened the doors as
Hannah’s Garden Inn, now an award winning Bed & Breakfast Inn, Event
and Premiere Garden Wedding Facility.
The major project was to rebuild the veranda on the back of the house to create
an enclosed portico below and enlarge the garden level. Shawn and Ann Marie completely
gutted the kitchen and installed modern amenities. The Cutter Room (the formal
living room) was stripped of its many layers of wall covering, and the period
lighting was restored, along with the beautiful green tiled fireplace. The Formal
Parlor had seven layers of paint that dated back to 1930 covering all of the
beautiful tiger oak surfaces, and had to be completely stripped away. Shawn likes
to say that it would have been cheaper to wallpaper with twenty-dollar bills!
On the second floor, Shawn and Ann Marie added another bathroom and completely
restored and redecorated each of the five bedrooms with its own individual style.
The third floor attic space was completely finished. A floor was laid, floor
covering installed, and the space decorated with a club feel including masculine
colors and sports-themed artwork. The space became the “Club Room”,
a great spot to hold a board meeting or to stow a groom, anxiously awaiting his
wedding vows. In addition, a rooftop air conditioner was installed to keep the
second and third floors cool.
In the garden, the grounds were completely restored and improved to include
a gorgeous basalt rock double waterfall, multiple levels of lawn to create different
wedding ceremony venues, and innumerable plants and flowers to give it an antique,
blooming garden feel. Trees were strategically removed and more were planted
to create a privacy screen from the concrete jungle that surrounds the property,
and to create natural shade for their fabulous outdoor events.
Needless to say, Hannah's Garden Inn has become a destination most charming,
as well as a home away from home for many clients and guests. Future improvements
scheduled for the end of October, 2005 will change the way the Inn is accessed
by the public. Weddings will be more elegant, corporate parties more grand, lunch
- an experience to be had by all. But most importantly, Shawn and Ann Marie have
preserved a beautiful piece of Spokane’s history, and made it a destination
for all of us to enjoy.
CONTACT:
For more information or reservations call (509) 747-6235 or log on to: www.hanahsgardeninn.com
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