Cliff Aerie
More than 20 years ago, newly married Steve and Tresa Schmautz were asked to housesit an elegant home on Cliff Drive in Spokane. While there, the couple enjoyed exploring the nooks and crannies of the sprawling, 12,000-square-foot historic home, and they were captivated by its breathtaking 360-degree view of the city.
Two years ago they moved back in to the house, this time as the owners.
The house known as Cliff Aerie, was built in 1941 for U.S. Sen. Clarence Dill and his wife, Mabel Dickson Dill. Rumor has it that President Franklin Delano Roosevelt visited during World War II.
Perched on the crest of a steep basalt cliff overlooking Spokane, the Mediterranean-style home stands out among the Tudor and Colonial houses that line Cliff Drive.
The couple gutted the entire house – six bedrooms, seven baths and two kitchens – and lived in the basement for six months during the renovation.
Now, the beautiful double front doors open to a spacious entryway. The Schmautzes incorporated warm colors such as gold, soft green and vintage yellow to make a perfect backdrop for the large central staircase.
A black leather sofa and chairs that belonged to Sen. Dill sit on a mezzanine on the first level. Because the Dills hosted many musical galas, a small room off the mezzanine served as the musicians’ room.
Steve and Tresa Schmautz have four grown children and two grandchildren, so they converted the musicians’ room into a nursery. A porthole window adds natural light, and built-in bookshelves now hold baby essentials.
Tresa Schmautz had the kitchen completely redone, adding a generous center island topped with soapstone and new Shaker-style cupboards. A narrow butler’s pantry serves as a wet bar and leads to the dining room.
“We were really excited about the dining room because we’d heard that the floor rotated,” said Schmautz. They found traces of some kind of mechanical device but are left to speculate as to how it actually worked.
An art deco light fixture, originally from the Fox Theater downtown, hangs over the dining room table.
“It’s going back to the theater this spring,” Schmautz said.
Most of the rooms in the home are round, and this poses a unique decorating challenge.
“It’s kind of hard to fit furnishings in a round house,” Schmautz said.
While renovating the home, the couple discovered a surprise – a circular powder room – behind the main-floor coat closet. The powder room has been lovingly restored, and Mrs. Dill’s green velvet chaise has a place of honor in it.
Tucked away under the staircase is another surprise. Schmautz had a cozy playroom designed and painted with bright sunflowers, pink poppies and cheerful daisies.
The nook overflows with her grandchildren’s toys.
A stairway to the fourth floor leads to the unique observation tower. The tower room offers a bird’s-eye view of Spokane and the surrounding area. The Schmautzes plan to turn this area into a rooftop garden next spring and use the tower as their garden room.
In one of the lower levels, a former owner converted the original mother-in-law area to a professional kitchen and ran a catering company.
This second kitchen already has come in handy. The couple recently hosted the weddings of two daughters, adding another story to a house already filled with history.