Schillinger (1868)
Home of Liesl Schillinger
192 High Street, Strasburg, VA
This Victorian home was built in 1868 by James A. Sonner for Margaret Wilson. It has since belonged to Strasburg News publisher, J.B. McInturff, St. Paul Lutheran Church (as its parsonage for 100 years), Bruce and Lois Kratka, and Liz and Jack Schillinger who lived here for a quarter century. Since their deaths in 2022, their daughter Liesl Schillinger has kept the house, renting it out as an Air B&B when she is not in residence. A large porch leads to the front door of the house which has stained glass sidelights that were installed during the time when it was the St. Paul parsonage. Side panels along the outside wainscoting of the staircase were faux painted by Liz to imitate malachite, while the floor was stenciled for the Schillingers by West Virginia artist, Wendy Falk. A parlor to the left of the hall features art works by Russian artists Liz commissioned while living and working in Moscow in 1992 1993. A display of family painted eggs, Ukrainian Easter eggs (pysanky) occupies a shelf of the built-in bookcase on the west wall of the room. A den to the right of the hallway has built-in bookcases in one corner and a door in the east wall enters into a hexagonal addition built in 2003-2004. This room was Liz's art studio, where she made hundreds of oil paintings of Basset Hounds. The studio was inspired by the studio of 19th century Russian painter/portraitist, Ilya Repin. A large dining room behind the parlor was the scene of the Schillingers many gatherings of family and friends for sumptuous meals prepared by Liz and Jack. The huge corner cupboard was found hidden away at the Strasburg Emporium. In the blue and terracotta kitchen beyond, a cozy dining nook with paneled walls was built by Jack, giving the space the feel of a Russian cottage. On the upstairs landing is a trompe l'oeil painting by Liz of Basset Hounds ascending a stair, humorously taken from the painting, "Staircase Group", by Charles Wilson Peale of his two sons. The three large existing bedrooms were divided by the Schillingers, extending the current number to five.