Southern Iowa Living Spring 2022 | Page 8

“ This house is like Centerville : it exudes a simple nobility of spirit , which we found in the people here . “ I ’ ve always wanted to belong . I want to stay in Centerville , and I want to be friends with my neighbors … We didn ’ t come here to lord over anybody . If we say we ’ re at Bradley Hall , it ’ s with an invite .”
- Gerhard Spillmann
the Bradley ’ s were inspired by the architecture in the Japanese Pavilion at the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St . Louis , Missouri .
“ The front facade resembles a pagoda , and the roof looks like a Japanese temple ,” Shiroma said . “ You can see a heavy Japanese influence throughout the home .”
Spillmann and Shiroma have begun restoring the home to its original state with the 1908 architect specs coupled with years of restoration and architectural experience . The specs describe everything about the home , like specific paint colors and wood type . The home ’ s interior features high-quality materials , including Honduran mahogany , and a specific , coded design for the wooden floors in each doorway .
“ The house was actually very well maintained throughout the years , which is a huge plus ,” Spillman said . “ Not much has been changed since it was built .”
The couple has grand plans for the yard , including a rose garden , greenhouse , Japanese garden , koi pond , tea house , an enclosed area for a lounge area and a torii , a traditional Japanese gate most commonly found at the entrance of or within a Shinto shrine .
“ Any time I ’ ve ever built a project , I ’ ve dreamt about it beforehand ,” Spillmann said . “ The house tells me what it wants to be .”
Both Spillmann and Shiroma hope the home will be a special gathering place for everyone in the community . They plan to live on the second floor while the first floor will be used as a business to host weddings , meetings , holiday parties and other community events .
Shiroma has rebranded the home as Drake Hall and is using his communication and advertising expertise to market the home on Instragram (@ drakehallcenterville ), Facebook ( Drake Hall Centerville ) and other media platforms ( YouTube and Patreon ) to solicit antique , and eventually , monetary donations for the project .
Shiroma and Spillmann hope the home will be a draw for Centerville , and visitors are always welcome . They plan to unveil the newly-revived home within five years .
“ This house is like Centerville : it exudes a simple nobility of spirit , which we found in the people here ,” Spillman said . “ I ’ ve always wanted to belong . I want to stay in Centerville , and I want to be friends with my neighbors … We didn ’ t come here to lord over anybody . If we say we ’ re at Bradley Hall , it ’ s with an invite .”
Spillmann and Shiroma know it takes a village ( and money ) to restore an old home . The couple plans to source the project locally , from professional movers and electricians to woodworkers and contractors . They are also accepting donations like old books and other items , which they continue to request and share on their social media platforms .
As a seasoned architect , Spillmann would also like to share his expertise with any person or entity willing to learn . And Shiroma hopes to bring the Los Angeles Pottery Show to the midwest .
“ We ’ re not only investing in the house , we ’ re investing in our community ,” Spillmann said .
And moving to Centerville has quickly become the best investment for their future .
“ The house lured us to Centerville , but it ’ s the people that kept us here to make this a home ,” Spillmann said . “ This is our forever home .”
8 Southern Iowa Living