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Inside a Mississippi Farmhouse That Fits a Family of 6
This new-build has soul to spare.
Featuring handcrafted furniture (that porch swing!), storied salvage (a dining table built from church pews), sentimental art (painted by Mom), and family heirlooms (Grandpa's American flag), this new-build has soul to spare.
Exterior
Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say, and for Natalie and Tim Hamm, it inspired a livelihood. The couple, who married as teenagers while Tim was studying at Ole Miss, didn't have a lot of disposable income for interior design pursuits. "We would go to yard sales, find furniture, and fix it up," says Natalie. Tim became so good at rehab that he decided to try his hand at building things from scratch. "People started asking to buy it, and that's when we decided we should start selling it," she says. Today, they manufacture custom wood furniture and swing beds—built by Tim, painted by Natalie—through their company, Hammmade Furniture.
Front Porch
In November of 2014, the resourceful couple began construction on a self-described "primitive farmhouse" for their family of six—sons Luke, 13; Brooks, 11; and Levi, 10; and daughter Skylar, 5—on 70 acres of land outside Oxford, Mississippi. "We'd been designing our dream house since we were first married," says Natalie. After the shell of the house was complete, Tim, with the help of a plumber and an electrician, went to work realizing the couple's vision while working off sketches he drew each day. "We never even had official blueprints," says Natalie. Using salvaged materials wherever possible—rescued from old factories, churches, and dilapidated homes—the couple infused their 3,000-square-foot home with character that belies its age.
Entryway
Much of the Hamms' home is crafted from reclaimed items, starting with the salvaged front door and heart-pine floors extracted from an old industrial building.
Living Room
In the family room, the couple used old paving bricks to give the fireplace a been-around-forever feel. Neutral furnishings—a slip-covered sofa (stashhome.com), a pair of armchairs (jossandmain.com), and a coffee table Tim built with wood from a dilapidated church—allow Natalie's paintings to be the stars. A tractor steering wheel provides the base of this DIY chandelier featuring wire, rope, and beads. When not in use, the television hides behind wood doors. "I don't like for the TV to be the focal point," says Natalie.
Kitchen
A salvaged wood hood, custom-built by Tim, and a Turkish runner add warmth to the mostly white kitchen.
Pantry
When Natalie and Tim married, they started collecting vintage glasses and dishes in lieu of registering for traditional matching china. Now the collectibles are front and center thanks to glass-front cabinets that extend to the ceiling, which, says Natalie, "makes it feel more like an old farmhouse kitchen."
Dining Room
Guests are invited to break bread— specifically, Mississippi-style drop biscuits—around a heart-pine table that Tim built out of church pews. Natalie found the chairs—a mix of old and new from antiques stores and Amazon—and spray-painted them all the same color (Copper Metallic by Rustoleum) for a more cohesive look. The wood chandelier is an eBay score. "We were going to sell it in our Hammmade Furniture booth [at Sugar Magnolia Market in Oxford], but then we decided it would look great here," says Natalie. Natalie's abstract landscapes, featuring jade and emerald green hues, are inspired by her daily 15-minute drive into Oxford.
Master Bedroom
The master bedroom features a charcoal headboard, "inspired by an old door," says Natalie, and draperies made from 4' by 15' drop cloths. The hand-woven blue-gray rug was a thoughtful gift from Tim's mother, who clearly passed down the DIY DNA.
Brooks and Levi's Room
Brooks' and Levi's shared room has mismatched twin beds, state park prints (andersondesigngroupstore.com), and deer antlers found on adventures around the family's property.
Luke's Room
Luke's red-and-blue bedroom is a nod to the nearby University of Mississippi. Hung from a longhorn, the American flag once flew on Luke's great-grandfather's porch.
Skylar's Room
When Natalie's favorite wallpaper was sold out online, she created her own stencils and painted a similar pattern with a custom gold paint in Skylar's room. A stuffed pig from T.J.Maxx is an indoor-friendly substitute for the family's pet pig, Ruby.
Teepee
The DIY tepee, a birthday gift for Skylar, is made from drop cloth, rope, and reclaimed wood.
Studio
Natalie and the kids use the open space, once an attic, to paint, while Tim fulfills furniture orders at the computer. In addition to Natalie's acrylic-on-wood artwork and a kumquat wall mural inspired by summers spent at her grandparents' California orchard, the room is mostly furnished with found items (save for an Ikea pendant and an oversize scarf "throw" from Marshalls). "If people see furniture lying around, they'll call us," says Natalie. The chair, for example, was a roadside find that Natalie deconstructed and re-covered in drop cloth.
Back Porch
The family's favorite hangout offers spectacular views overlooking nearby Wolf Creek. Natalie sanded and refinished the old farm table, which is surrounded by kid-proof metal chairs (worldmarket.com). Rattan-shaded pendant lights add texture overhead, and string lights (lowes.com) up the ambience during family game nights. (Scattergories is a Hamm family favorite.) "We're always working on our home," says Natalie. "It's something we enjoy as a family—like a hobby. Hopefully, our kids see it that way, too."
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