It doesn’t take long to realize that Warren and Anna Jane Krebs are the kind of people you’d like to have as friends. Their energy, interest and genuine enthusiasm shine through not only when they talk about their new TIMBERPEG® brand home, but also when they tell the story of how they came to the decision to build their second home “off island.”

“We were very pleased with how helpful and informative the Timberpeg® people were,” says AJ.

The Krebses had their first encounter with post and beam construction while teaching at the Westtown School in Pennsylvania. Warren and Anna Jane met on the job, married in the mid-1960s, and moved into an old Pennsylvania farmhouse complete with wide beams and “the works,” as Anna Jane (AJ) explains it. The couple eventually moved to a house on campus, yet found they missed the charm of an older home.

Warren, an accomplished artist, also exhibited at the school where he taught, but summer visits to Nantucket convinced the couple that the island was the ideal setting for the gallery they’d always wanted to own.

They found a historic post and beam home built in 1793 that featured six working fireplaces and a massive central chimney. The home’s in-town location made it an ideal setting for an in-home gallery and the perfect place for Warren to paint, display and sell his work. After spending two summers on the island, the Krebses moved to Nantucket year-round in 1977. AJ continued to teach English, and Warren devoted his energies to the gallery and to his new position as Artistic Director of the Nantucket Theatre. As AJ explains it, “We were both busy and very involved in the community.”

During their time on Nantucket, though, AJ’s mother became ill and needed the attention of her children in order to remain in her Maryland home. And thus began seven years of back-and-forth travel and the time to dream, design and plan their Timberpeg® post and beam home.

AJ and Warren found the time to take in a Timberpeg® open home in nearby Virginia and fell in love with the look and feel. “We were pleased with how helpful and informative the Timberpeg® people were and how gracious the owner of the home was,” says AJ. From that moment on, they started the meticulous planning that Timberpeg® designer Jim Driesch calls “amazing.”

Vince Scamporino, the Timberpeg East Regional Manager who worked with the Krebses, confirms this. “They were engaged in every aspect of the project. They kept a giant, three-ring binder in which they’d put all their ideas. They were so involved in the process, it made my job a pleasure.”

Vince goes on to explain that Warren tried putting together some designs (“They’re both very visual people”), but it took designer Jim Driesch to put the Krebses’ ideas into the Timberpeg® framework.

Driesch also appreciated the Krebsesí attention to detail. ìWhen we met, they showed up with a binder full of ideas and features, wants and needs. They were so prepared, they made our job easier,î he says. ìThey wrote pages of notes about what they wanted in each room and included 20 to 25 pages of idea photos. I did an interview with them, they gave me their book and I tried to incorporate it all into their design. They provided all the clues,î he adds.

The Krebses’ now-famous three-ring binder is evidence of the time and deep thought that went into planning their Timberpeg® home. “We had the time,” says AJ, “to read up in books and magazines. While spending time with Mom, we were able to go to home shows and actual Timberpeg® homes and get lots of wonderful ideas.”

They were even able to begin some home decorating purchases with their soon-to-be-built Timberpeg® in mind. “We have amazingly similar tastes. We seldom disagree on anything,” explains AJ. “We pick the same fabric, even the same designs. We were able to collect furniture independently as a result and put it in storage.”

How did they know all their new purchases would fit in their yet-to-be-built Timberpeg® home? “We measured pretty accurately,” says Warren. “Sometimes down to the last fraction of an inch!”

When the Krebses realized they wanted to build a Timberpeg® post and beam home, they also realized it would be “off island.” “We considered remodeling our home in Nantucket,” says AJ, “but in the end we realized we were missing trees and mountains, and longing for a landscape.”

“We didn’t have a single problem. The whole experience was wonderful. ”

And so the year 2000 found Warren and AJ in search of the perfect piece of property. They found it in Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley. They came to love the area on visits to their daughter, Laurie, at Mt. Holyoke College. Early in 2000, local real estate agent Ellen Stutsman showed the Krebses five acres surrounded by woods, just 10 minutes from Northampton. They agreed it was “perfect.”

The land the Krebses purchased also came with a contractor – Doug Kohl of Kohl Construction. It turned out that Doug had some experience with timber frame building, and also had a builder working with him who was experienced with the construction of a Timberpeg® home. In the end, the couple’s confidence in Doug’s ability to build their Timberpeg® home was buoyed by the recommendation of a friend on Nantucket who, totally unaware that the Krebses had already “inherited” Doug’s talents, suggested the Krebses use Kohl Construction for their project.

Jim Driesch explains that the design the couple wanted had “French country cottage appeal, but didn’t go to extremes. They wanted to get away from the traditional seaside architecture of Nantucket. They did something that’s not traditional, but has a strong New England flavor.”

“The unique exterior look is Warren’s design,” says Driesch. “It’s nice to do something different, and the Timberpeg® system makes it easy to accommodate different tastes.”

Inside, the Krebses’ home is a warm and imaginative reflection of their personalities. White walls showcase Warren’s paintings, and soft, comfortable fabrics and colors make for a very inviting space.

“I know people today like to paint with bold colors, but we prefer the cream walls. The only splash of color is in the wallpaper in the bathrooms,” says AJ, “and, of course, Warren’s paintings. We actually earmarked many of Warren’s paintings for the new home.”

Over the mantel in the living area is a particularly beautiful work Warren calls “Winter Berries.” Splashes of crimson against the sweep of a soaring white wall provide a dramatic focal point for the room.

Many of the home’s decorative features reflect the couple’s calm sense of place and their Nantucket and Pennsylvania living experiences. In the master bedroom, a cozy patchwork quilt adorns a classic four-poster bed. The loft area has become a studio for both Warren and AJ, providing an extraordinary light-filled space for their work. Warren continues with his painting there, but points out that AJ is an artist and craftsperson as well. AJ, whose specialty is knitting and knitting design, also does much of her craft work in the studio.

Possibly the biggest challenge the couple faced was determining the location for the massive black kitchen stove. AJ points out that it’s “an Elmira from Canada, a state-of-the-art piece masquerading as an antique.” They struggled to place the stove in the brick area in the kitchen until builder Doug Kohl suggested moving the wall behind the stove out by three feet. It was the perfect solution.

The Krebses have just finished their first winter in their new home. “It was wonderful,” says AJ. She and Warren go on to talk about their experiences with Timberpeg®.

“Vince Scamporino was a wonderful liaison; we just loved him and his sense of humor. We can’t say enough about how helpful everyone at Timberpeg® was. We had friends who were building at the same time we were and talked about the problems they were having all the time. We didn’t have a single problem. The whole experience was wonderful.”

AJ and Warren’s sentiments are echoed by the many folks at Timberpeg® who worked with them.

“The Krebses are the sweetest people in the world,” says Vince. “They’re incredible advocates for Timberpeg® and more than happy to share their experiences.”

Jim Driesch agrees. “In my 30 years with Timberpeg®, the Krebses stand out as exceptional people. They were very clear about what they wanted, but weren’t ever opposed to suggestions and better ideas. They were a real pleasure to work with.”

At press time, TimberpegÆ learned of the sudden passing of Warren Krebs. We wish to express our sympathy to the Krebs family for their loss and to dedicate this issue to the memory of Warren Krebs.