Housewalks for the holidays

Christmas housewalks offer a chance to see the many different ways people celebrate and decorate for the holidays.

Gold-framed Christmas cards from the White House hang in Amy and Brian McPartlin's Mount Prospect home, part of memorabilia from his days working in the Clinton administrations.

Photographs of Africans and small world globes decoupaged by children support causes at Keely and Mick Solimene's home in Barrington.

And in Naperville, members of the garden club make decorations for four homes.

Holiday housewalks also are planned in Elgin, Geneva, Itasca, Lake Zurich, Libertyville, Oak Park and Plainfield.

The McPartlins, whose home is one of six open Nov. 30 to benefit the Mount Prospect Historical Society, painted their walls with rich shades inspired by the slate floor in the entry, including dark blue and greens.

Large color photos and posters from their White House days include a shot of Brian with Pope John Paul II.

Smaller items such as eggs from the traditional Easter egg roll and a sample of the Clinton White House china are in an antique cabinet in the living room.

The blue-gray kitchen, which was remodeled by a previous owner, is decorated with photos of the couple's three boys.

And in the family room, an Americana tree stands in front of a wall of family photos.

One of the treasures in this room is a book celebrating the end of World War I that Amy's grandparents gave her.

Amy handles purchasing for District 57, and Brian is executive director of the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

The homes are all along Lonnquist Boulevard, and visitors can walk from one to another with the way marked by luminarias.

The Solimenes' home is one of five in the Barrington, Inverness and Palatine area open to benefit Holy Family Academy in Inverness.

The walk will be Nov. 29 and 30. The English Country Dream Home in the Honquest store in Barrington also is included.

Gail Kueker of Finishing Touches Studio in Barrington helped Keely decorate with large photos of Africans taken by Al Buschauer of Barrington.

His photos also have been made into postcards that will hang on the tree, as will globes created by children at the school.

Keely and Mick, who works in investment banking, have six children, including two daughters adopted from Vietnam. They also are supporting a U.N. foundation project called "Nothing But Nets" that provides mosquito netting to fight malaria in Africa.

When their family expanded, the Solimenes needed a larger informal eating area, so they pushed the kitchen into the family room.

That led to the remodeled kitchen, complete with the brick fireplace in the dining area, Keely said. A new family room with vaulted ceiling and windows on three sides also was added.

The Cup of Cheer Housewalk features four Naperville houses open Dec. 7, including one in the Breckenridge subdivision with a French country kitchen and a swimming pool.

While the decorations by members of the Naperville Garden Club are the highlight, visitors also enjoy the homes whose regular decor is noteworthy.

Red toile is one of the wallpapers here, and black-and-white toile is used in the master suite of a home in Hobson Meadows.

The other two homes are in downtown Naperville and English Rows, a new townhouse community.

Here are holiday house tours around the suburbs

Some of these might sell out before the day of the event.

Most tours include luncheons or boutiques. Often you do not need a ticket to shop.

Nov. 29-30

What: Five homes in the Barrington, Palatine and Inverness areas

Sponsor: Holy Family Catholic Academy, Inverness

When: 5 to 9 p.m. Nov. 29 and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 30

Where: Holy Family Academy, 2515 Palatine Road, Inverness

Tickets: $30, $25 for senior citizens before Nov. 26; $5 more the day of the event, and refreshments will not be included.

Information: (847) 907-3452.

Etc.: Kelly and Mick Solimene will host a free gallery of African images in honor of the U.N. Foundation's Nothing But Nets Campaign from 6 to 9 p.m. Nov. 30 at 456 W. Sunset Road, Barrington. Call (847) 341-9800.

Nov. 30

What: Six Mount Prospect homes

Organization: Mount Prospect Historical Society

When: 3:30 to 9 p.m. Nov. 30

Where: Byron Court and Lonnquist Boulevard. This is just east of Elmhurst Road (Route 83) and north of Golf Road (Route 58).

Tickets: $20 in advance; $22 day of the event.

Information: (847) 392-9006.

• What: Six River Forest homes

Organization: Oak Park/River Forest Infant Welfare Holiday Housewalk

When: 6 to 10 p.m. Nov. 30

Where: Lewis Hall, Dominican University, 7900 W. Division St., River Forest

Tickets: $35 before Nov. 26; $40 day of event

Information: (708) 848-0528 or visit www.infantwelfareoakpark.org.

Dec. 1

What: Six vintage homes in Northeast Elgin

Organization: North East Neighborhood Association of Elgin

When: Noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 1

Where: Sherman Hospital, 934 Center St., Elgin

Tickets: $12, $10 for seniors and children under 12; $15 for anyone day of the event

Information: (847) 931-0239 or www.homesfortheholiday.org

Dec. 2

What: Six homes in Plainfield

Organization: Village Preservation Association

When: Noon to 5 p.m. Dec. 2

Where: Coach house (Warming house) at rear of 14931 S. Bartlett Ave., Plainfield, north of Lockport Street (U.S. Route 30). Take Bartlett south from Main Street (Route 126).

Tickets: $12 in advance; $15 day of the event.

Information: vphousewalk@yahoo.com or (815) 609-5729

Dec. 5

What: Five Libertyville homes

Organization: St. Joseph Women's Guild

When: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 5

Where: St. Joseph Parish, 121 E. Maple St., Libertyville

Tickets: $20 in advance; $25 the day of the event.

Information: (847) 362-2073.

Dec. 6

What: Five homes in Lake Zurich area

Organization: St. Francis de Sales PTA

When: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m. Dec. 6

Where: 135 S. Buesching Road, Lake Zurich

Tickets: $30, $25 for seniors; $5 more day of event.

Information: (847) 726-4786

Dec 7

What: Four Naperville homes

Organization: Naperville Garden Club Cup of Cheer

Where: Harold and Eva White Activities Center, North Central College, northwest corner of Benton and Loomis in Naperville

Tickets: $30; $50 for preview tickets (Dec. 6).

Information: www.napervillegardenclub.org or (630) 820-3838

• What: Five Itasca homes

Organization: Pet Rescue, Inc.

When: 4 to 9 p.m. Dec. 7

Where: Medina Woods Club, 1283 St. Andrew Court, Itasca. This is not far south of Irving Park Road off Rohlwing Road.

Tickets: $20 in advance; $25 at the door.

Information: (630) 440 4667

Dec. 7-8

What: Five Geneva homes -- four historic

When: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Dec. 7 and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 8

Where: In advance, downtown shops or Chamber of Commerce, 8 S. Third St.; day of event, Congregational Church, 327 Hamilton St. before 6 p.m. Friday or noon Saturday.

Tickets: $28 in advance; $30 day of the event.

Information: (630) 232-6060.

-- Deborah Donovan