Worldly Elegance

Vickie Adamson’s home combines exotic influences with modern touches for an escape from reality.

You probably wouldn’t expect to see African, Egyptian and Chinese influences under one roof. Nor would you typically pair leopard print with class and sophistication. Yet at Vickie Adamson’s house, all of these things come together to create an elegant, relaxing home.

The 4,500-square-foot house sits on the edge of a sparkling lake, making it feel more like a tropical resort than a home in the Great Plains. Large windows in nearly every room look out on the water, giving it an airy feeling despite the interior’s dark tones and eclectic decor. “We mixed everything together, but it works nicely,” says interior decorator Nancy Wiechman.

If you were lucky enough to visit Adamson’s house, you would enter through arched alderwood double doors—a look the owner first saw in Wilson Estates during a year-long search for a place to build. Natural arches are an ongoing theme throughout the house, rounding off the top of nearly every window and door. Adamson insisted the contractor, Brad Bachman, add the arches and tinted glass for the windows.

Chinese-red slate tiles lead into the living room, a large room with walls painted Davenport tan, a color that seems to change with the light. To the right of the entryway is a table holding three identical red orchids. A chandelier with leopard-print lampshades hangs above it. Resting against the wall is a hand-painted red and black sofa table from India. Chairs covered in red fabric with golden elephant print sit next to the table’s sides. You come to notice such African animals in the smallest details as you stroll through the house.

In the main area of the living room are two leopard-print chairs, one with a pillow that sports images of Egyptian cats and a Sphinx. “I was into leopard before leopard was cool,” says Adamson. Lush green plants are scattered throughout the room, adding to the tropical feel. A plush sage and khaki couch sits next to the chair, beside a black coffee table with a red jungle cat figurine. Beneath a Chinese painting on one wall is the Carrington beige fireplace with Chinese slate tile. A double-sided chaise lounge sits next to three large windows that look out on the lake and a large deck. With such a view, there’s no need for a television in the room.

Walk into the adjoining room and onto the wooden floor, and you immediately notice the kitchen’s stained alderwood cabinets and island. A spoon holder next to the stove reads, “Friends are best with fava beans and a nice glass of chianti.” An apple topiary sits on the island, and three chairs with leopard-print cushions provide stylish seating. Above the nearby dining area’s fireplace is a solid wooden mantel resting on corbels, relics taken from the Vickers’ mansion and restored by local craftmaster Jimmy Lyton. On the rugged mantel rest two hand-sewn, stuffed yellow pears on stands next to an Impressionistic painting of a pear tree. Drapes customized by the interior decorator hang from a bamboo pole over a sliding glass door next to the dining area’s tables and chairs.

The dining area leads to the great room, a cozy area with two dark sage couches and an overstuffed cayenne-colored chair. The centerpiece is a large armoire made with hand-carved doors. On top of it sits an old birdcage and more plants. A bowl of dried fruit on the coffee table and framed prints of a camel and a tiger add more character to the room. Large windows provide another breathtaking view of the lake.

On the other side of the main floor is Adamson’s office, a large room with prints of work by Mexican artist Frida Kahlo on one wall, a telescope next to the desk and a low black table in the middle of the room accompanied by four chartreuse cushions. In the room’s corner is a chair made from black and white cowhide that Adamson brought from Texas. A bookshelf holds titles such as China: A History in Art, The People of Kau and Classical Greece. The world traveler has spent time in Italy and Greece, though never China. Her appreciation for these far-flung lands is apparent in every room.

Adamson’s bedroom is across the hall. The California king-sized bed in the middle of the room has a rust-colored bedspread and a bamboo and woven cane headboard and frame. The African animal theme shows up again with golden elephants on a tissue box, and another Kahlo self-portrait on a chest. The tropical ceiling fan, a model called the Islander, has blades shaped like palm leaves, which adds to the house’s exotic aura.
Then, there’s the master bathroom. The focal point is an oval bathtub that rests beside a large window looking out on the lake—the ideal spot for an evening of relaxation. Next to it is a monkey figurine and a black-background wallpaper with elephant prints. Twin sinks and mirrors are surrounded by tile that blends perfectly into the shower at the other end of the room. At the back of the room is a walk-in closet that would make any die-hard shopper envious.

If you leave the bathroom, go back through the bedroom and down the stairs, the basement opens up into a large area designed for entertaining. A bar on one side of the room includes plenty of martini glasses and a black refrigerator. Behind the bar is one of Adamson’s most prized belongings—a door from Costa Rica carved with a Mayan Indian. At the other end of the room is Adamson’s theater area, where a bright-red L-shaped sectional rests in front of a large, flat-screen television. Pulp Fiction, Pocahontas and Independence Day move posters hang on the walls along with film reels. A director’s slate sits on top of the entertainment center, and surround-sound speakers are wired into the ceiling to complete the room.

Go through the back door and into the backyard, and you can sit on one of three large rocks that surround a fire pit made for nice summer nights. At the edge of the backyard is a dock and Adamson’s 21-foot pontoon, which she rarely has time for because of her hectic work schedule. Fortunately, any time spent at her beautiful home is like a vacation to an exotic land.