Imagine being so enamored of your Blenko glass collection that you build a house to accommodate it.
That's exactly what Kim Schoenadel did. The CEO of KSA, a commercial interior design firm, used her design skills to make her collection of glassware mesh with her river house in James City County.
Blenko glass is named after William Blenko, who opened a handblown glass factory in Milton, W.Va., in 1921. The company's artisans continue to produce pieces today.
Schoenadel admires the vivid colors, the uniqueness of each piece, and the valuable signature items designed by prominent artists through the years. Schoenadel's favorite is a yellow 1960s decanter designed by artisan Wayne Husted.
Schoenadel's collection is nearly 100 pieces strong, mostly found on eBay. Her very first purchase, however, was pure serendipity. "I walked into a store that was going out of business. They were selling pieces for $15 each. I asked them, ‘Do you know what you have here?' "
Schoenadel walked out with four pieces, the start of a collection that is now displayed in her family room and in two built-in display cases under the stairs.
