A Young Georgian Couple Revives a Century-Old Farmhouse for the Next Generation

To pay homage to the past while personalizing the space as their own, they dismantled the house bit by bit before reconstructing it, integrating the initial materials.

"I have always been aware that we wanted to do something with this place," states Jess McNeill, who is the sixth-generation resident of the property. Americus, Georgia The farmhouse, acquired by his forebears in 1853. "When MeriBeth and I tied the knot, we understood it was our ultimate destination, yet we were equally aware that due to its advanced age—nearly two centuries—it would demand substantial effort to restore."

Rebuilding The Family Place

Long before the couple felt prepared to undertake renovations, they serendipitously met architect Jim Strickland from Historical Concepts and discussed their aspirations for the ancestral home. “It’s an image I’ll always keep,” remarks MeriBeth. “Right then and there he drew a sketch on a cocktail napkin and mentioned, ‘To ensure six additional generations can call this place home, we must reconstruct it. Retain the essence of the house while building a contemporary rendition.’” In 2016, shortly following the birth of their eldest child, the McNeill family resolved it was finally time to restore the farmhouse. “After getting in touch with Jim—who already had blueprints drafted—we began dismantling the structure piece by piece within thirty days,” recounts Jess.

The team went to great lengths to save everything they could—even down to the fireplace mantels , studs, and floor joists. 'Almost every piece of wood and brick that we removed was reused,' explains MeriBeth. 'Pretty much everything that doesn’t have paint on it comes from the original building.'

Even though the original flooring couldn’t be saved, their experience with the structure’s history as a dance venue in the 1920s allowed them to utilize hand-planed heart pine sourced from the walls and ceilings for new flooring across the whole space. “As we dismantled the old home,” explains Jess, “we peeled away multiple layers of plaster and wallpaper until we reached the framework, revealing that the entire interior had been enveloped in exquisite wood planks harvested directly from the property. It felt like unearthing an authentic family heirloom.”

When reconstructing the space, they collaborated with Strickland to reveal the original features that defined the house during its peak architectural period, including large windows and lofty 12-foot ceilings, which then served as their guide. The property had seen numerous alterations through the decades—such as dropped ceilings and reduced window sizes—to fit new systems like central heating and cooling—but restoring the residence to its “historic glory” was essential, according to Jess.

"According to family lore, for every child born in the house, they planted an oak tree," remarks MeriBeth about the property’s ancient oaks.

Most of the reconstruction replicates the precise measurements of the initial structure, featuring an additional wing built onto each side. According to MeriBeth, “Our intention was for these additions to appear as though they were done at a much later date.” This approach ensures the building maintains an authentic aged aesthetic. single-level house They converted the children’s bedrooms and bathrooms into spaces within what used to be the attic, adding dormer windows at the rear for better natural lighting. Thanks to the sloping terrain, they managed to incorporate a basement into the design without altering the façade. “We wanted it to appear as though it was just a single-story house from the street,” she explains.

Doubling the View

To maintain the essence of the traditional design, the pair kept the separate areas (such as the entrance hall, office, and dining area) at the front intact. However, they adopted a contemporary open-plan layout for the rear section, featuring an interconnected family room. breakfast nook , along with the kitchen. Despite feeling modern, these spaces also exude a sense of history: The flooring consists of reclaimed fireplace bricks, and the dining table was created using the historic columns from the original front porch. Jess shares, “Although we couldn’t keep those columns structurally, thinking about all the discussions held on that porch over more than 150 years led me to say, ‘I want this new space to include elements of our past.’” He continues, noting, “We intentionally kept some of the old white paint near the base of the table.”

To enhance versatility, the porch at the rear was divided into two areas—a screened porch And a bright, sun-drenched eating space encased in windows. "Windows were essential to me because I wanted us to be able to see the landscape from all areas of our home," explains MeriBeth, noting she tallied up an impressive total of 56 windows throughout the property. "Each room has at least one window offering views over the corn and peanut fields." They also opted for a vibrant splash of color across the ceiling in the breakfast nook to enhance the sense of being both inside and out. Benjamin Moore’s Restorative Aloe (1562) .

Celebrating Family History

As one enters almost every space within the house, echoes of its history can be found; reused timber from the 1800s serves as unpainted molding, and old fireplace mantles have been reinstated where they originally stood. Similarly, tributes to this family’s heritage are scattered around. The corridor linking the newly constructed sections to the restored central part acts much like a historical vault. “Here stands the wooden bench where I used to sit during my childhood services,” remarks MeriBeth, pointing towards an opposite end adorned with another familiar church seat belonging to Jess.

A gallery wall includes a framed document detailing the loan used for purchasing the property; newspaper articles; along with photographs, such as an early image of the farmhouse and a circa 1905 monochrome picture capturing a family gathering at the site. Among these images in shades of brown, there are also two newer photos depicting four generations of the McNeill clan. In one photograph, Jess can be seen as a young child sitting atop a tractor alongside his father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. The other shot captures their oldest boy as an infant placed on the very same farming machine, encircled by relatives—a cycle of tradition continuing through time.

Finding the Just-Right White

Drawing inspiration from the Montage Palmetto Bluff riverside retreat in South Carolina, homeowner MeriBeth McNeill chose a bespoke external paint shade reminiscent of Benjamin Moore's Easter Lily (OC-126) "I opted against pure white because of the dirt from our peanut fields," she explains.

Utilizing Vintage Items to Create Fresh Environments

The McNeills maintained the authenticity of the home’s parlor when designing a cozy study tailored to their preferences by employing the original fireplace bricks and mantlepiece, along with incorporating the space’s over-100-year-old couch and side table among the decor.

Focusing on the Diligent Work Areas

Linen White (OC-146) and Sandstone (OC-11) by Benjamin Moore alternate along the walls and trim across the primary areas, whereas Mopboard Black (CW-680) introduces a contrasting feel to the spacious kitchen island.

Staying faithful to tradition butler's pantry This diligent area handles everything, featuring countertops crafted from the building's recycled timber (perfect for plating dishes) and plenty of storage space for dry provisions and heirloom chinaware.

Creating a Storied Suite

Continuing with recycled materials in the main bedroom, where reclaimed deadhead cypress that was salvaged was used Apalachicola Bay The timber is undoubtedly more than a millennium old. Due to its immense weight, they were unable to transport it, causing it to plunge to the seafloor at the base of the bay," explains Jess. MeriBeth adorned this space with gathered and aged discoveries, painting the walls accordingly. Farrow & Ball’s Card Room Green (No. 79) For a serene, nature-infused ambiance.

In the main bathroom, they chose a subtler splash of color with Farrow & Ball’s Grey Blue (No. 91) for the walls coupled with Benjamin Moore’s Dune White (CC-70) on the ceiling.

To stay updated with more Southern Living news, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter!

Read the initial article on Southern Living .