When the Thomas family purchased the historic Laurietta plantation in Fayette, Mississippi, the house that came with it was far from a selling point. Built in the 1820s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it had fallen into severe disrepair after years of neglect.
But after an intense three-year renovation, the transformation is astounding.
The renovation of this circa 1825 Mississippi home was no small feat. Determined to restore it properly, the Thomases brought in a crane to lift the 2,770-square-foot house onto supports, where it remained for over a year while they repaired the foundation and installed new insulation, plumbing, and electrical systems.
According to *Country Living*, “Each wallboard was removed and numbered, then reinstalled after updating the wiring. Scraping away decades of paint revealed original artistic details, including marbleized baseboards and faux bird’s-eye maple panels, which a restoration painter meticulously revived.”
An old journal from the 1800s provided descriptions of the original interiors, which guided the recreation of a white and wood palette. The heart pine floors were lightly sanded to retain the scars and burn marks that tell the story of the home’s long history. “Those imperfections are part of the story,” says Tere Thomas. “Besides, Laurietta’s not a grand house.”
The couple transformed Laurietta from a crumbling relic into a welcoming retreat, a place where their extended family can gather for weekends and holidays. What was once a dilapidated buzzard’s nest has become a cherished family roost.