Home Town: Saving Jena's Childhood Home

When Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf coast in 2005, the impact was felt in Laurel, Mississippi as well in coastal communities. This house, seen here after Ben and Erin's renovation was completed, was in one of the Laurel neighborhoods that was hit hardest. Many of the homes were destroyed, and many simply abandoned because of extensive damage. Here's the special story of one that was lovingly brought back from the brink.

This house had belonged to the father of Ben and Erin's client, Jena Yeager. Jena's father had been in the process of restoring the home when he passed away. Subsequently, the house — like many of the ones in the neighborhood — suffered damage during Hurricane Katrina. Following the hurricane, the roof has been replaced to help protect the structure, but the home has been unoccupied for years and is badly deteriorated with extensive water damage, wood rot and other issues. The Home Town episode featuring this home is appropriately titled "Can This House Be Saved?"

Among the massive changes that Erin and Ben implemented to transform the home's exterior, the original front porch — which had evidently been enclosed by prior owners — gets opened up to reveal the original classic profile. A back porch, which had been closed off as well, gets a similar facelift. With Erin and Ben's expertise and inspiration, the home gets an entirely new look, but one that's contextual and in keeping with its history.

At the rear of the house, a previously enclosed back porch is opened up as well, making for an ideal spot for enjoying the backyard.

The original hardwood flooring was stripped and refinished, retaining the wood's pure, unstained appearance — a light wood tone in keeping with the Scandinavian style that Jena admires.

"So when I was digging into understanding your style," Erin told Jena, "I really wanted to lean into that minimalist, Scandinavian style ... white and wood, and then the huge doorways, the millwork, the transoms —those things give it the historic value."

The living room opens onto the home's other newly upgraded spaces including the master bedroom and a new art studio.

This room adjacent to the living room — most likely the formal dining room in the home's original floorplan — now provides additional casual living space.

Jena envisioned turning the former dining room into an entertainment space — a "record room" with space for audio equipment, record collection and comfortable, informal furnishings.

Ben custom built the low-profile bench style console with caned front that serves as a speaker enclosure. Ben used reclaimed mahogany lumber from the house to build the console as well as all-mounted shelf unit for LP record storage.

Prior to the renovation, the "blue room", as Jena called it, was in need of some freshening up. But it did come with some appealing original features such like coffered ceilings and wood flooring in good condition.

The home's original front door is painted in dark green, a shade derived from the living room's French doors, seen her at left. That particular shade is now carried throughout as a highlight in the fresh white-and-green color palette and provides a visual tie to the home as Jena remembers it.

The existing built-in shelving was expanded and visually upgraded with a new face frame. "All of my books as a little girl were on these shelves," said Jena, "and seeing them refinished and actually looking good reminds me of my dad pulling books off the shelf to read to me every night before bed."

Erin staged the studio with a work desk, easel and some of Jena's original paintings.

Along with the enlarged trio of windows, an additional large window was added (at left) to bring even more natural light into the studio space.

The rear of the space gets opened up with new windows and back door, providing lots of natural light, and the space gets enlarged and completely reconfigured.

The new kitchen also features all new appliances, light-stained butcher block countertops, a new tile backsplash in charcoal gray, and a kitchen island with bar seating and large enough to serve as an informal dinner table.

The master bedroom has potential as a grand space with high ceilings, picture-rail trim and hardwood floors.

The master sute is visually transformed with refinished hardwood floors, white walls and a new master bath. The armoire is one that belonged to Jena's father, now painted in the shade of green that matches the French doors and front entry.

Other enhancements in the master bedroom include an upgrade to the fireplace that retains the original tile surround, and new window treatments featuring retractable shades and floor-length sheers.

The tiny bathroom and adjacent hallway are opened up and combined to create a new and enlarged master bath.

A statement piece in the new master bath is the massive standalone tub.

"The Yeager House was a huge transformation," said Ben. "Maybe one of the biggest we've done."

The front exterior retains the original front door, now painted in contrasting green, and the original 1905 window, cleaned up and freshly painted.

The restored back porch gets new decking as well as new white columns and railing.

"The two-tone color palette is, I think, what makes this house feel so unique compared to other historic houses," said Erin.

"It's wonderful," says Jena of her now fully restored family home. "This is everything my dad would have dreamed of — and more — when he was fixing it up."

Erin and Ben work out some of the details before getting town to work.

Demo day gets underway in the space that will become the "record room."

Erin and Ben work on removal of the original mahogany paneling in the front room.

Erin and Ben work together on opening up the front room to re-create the original front porch. The original outer columns, still intact, are retained as part of the home's new front profile.