Page 124 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2018

One-hundred-year-old Cypress wood and wildlife trophies make the home look like a lodge.
HOME roar
not letting any more taxidermy in the house.”
“Decorating with taxidermy is difficult,” she responded. “We now have enough and too much is too much.”
The house is made of 150-year-old cypress logs that were hand selected. The sturdy construction uses methods of another era when nails were scarce or non existent. Real cypress trees support the roof and wall logs are dove tailed. Outside construction includes chinking between the logs. Cypress was chosen because it’s naturally bug repellent.
The interior cypress was left natural with one exception: the overhead beams and trusses are stained dark to make them stand out against the lighter wood.
Other types of wood also play a
role in the main living area. There’s a custom-made hickory chandelier over the dining table, the root ball of a teak tree serves as a coffee table, and two halves of a black cherry tree are used as mantles over the fireplaces.
Dark brown cabinets and a customized range hood along with stainless steel Monogram appliances, brown granite countertops, and copper sink and pendant lights contribute to the attractiveness and functionality of the kitchen. The homeowner says the stone and wrought iron help break up all the wood in the TV area near the kitchen.
There are also other areas of the house where wood does not reign supreme. The basement den has a
124 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • May 2018
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