A tour of the Brumder Mansion

Finding the Brumder Bed and Breakfast isn’t necessarily a discovery. The beautiful yet unsung mansion, located at 3046 W. Wisconsin Ave., has been profiled before on the cover of Milwaukee Home and Fine Living, gets high ratings online and has a steady clientele.

Most of that clientele are return customers or word-of-mouth guests. Many parents visiting Marquette students stay here; honeymooners gravitate toward the turn-of-the-century charm; Harley riders and baseball fans find it conveniently close; and occasionally, those seeking paranormal activity stop in.

While the place looks true to its 1910 origins, it was often a surprise on my short tour to see a plasma monitor, bottled water and bathroom fixtures that looked showroom new. Each room has it’s own story and feel, and the owners tell me that often someone books one room but then sees another and begs to switch.

It’s intriguing to see such a place in a neighborhood in flux.

I think my favorite room was the bathroom on the third floor with the Kohler Artist Editions toilet and sink. There was so much room and privacy up there, I could understand how someone might spend the entire weekend inside. As for that lower-level ballroom space, Tom Carr has future plans to host musicians and other events there. He’s partial to Irish music and jazz and would like to eventually host a few events a month.