When the Thomas family set their sights on the old Laurietta plantation in Fayette, Mississippi, they didn’t buy it for the house. Built in the 1820s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the house had seen better days.
For years, it had been left to fend for itself, deteriorating into a shadow of its once splendid past.
The Thomas family embraced the challenge head-on, committing to a meticulous restoration. This undertaking required a crane to hoist the 2,770-square-foot house onto supportive beams.
It remained there for over a year as crucial repairs were made to its foundation, and new layers of insulation, plumbing, and electrical systems were meticulously installed.
According to Country Living, “Each wallboard was removed and numbered, only to be carefully reinstalled after updating the electrical wiring.
Peeling back the layers of the past revealed artistic gems, such as marbleized baseboards and imitation bird’s-eye maple panels, which a specialist painstakingly restored to their former glory.”
Inside, an old journal from the 1800s painted a vivid picture of the original interiors, inspiring the Thomases to recreate as faithfully as possible the timeless white and wood theme.
They took great care with the heart pine floors, sanding them gently so that age-old scars and burn marks remained visible. “These imperfections tell the story,” shares Tere Thomas. “Laurietta was never intended to be a grand mansion.”
Through their hard work, the Thomases turned Laurietta from a crumbling relic into a warm, welcoming home—a haven where their extended family can gather for weekends and holidays. I
t once functioned as little more than a haunt for buzzards, but now it is a testament to the family’s dedication and respect for history.
Yet, the transformation that unfolded was nothing short of remarkable. Spanning over three years, the renovation breathed new life into this historical treasure, turning it into a charming abode once more. Just take a moment to admire it now…
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