JULY | AUGUST 2019 155Three weeks later, in the middle of a cold
February morning, Susan settled into the
500-square-foot cabin with only a bag of cloth-
ing and her horses which were housed in the
storage-shed-turned-barn. Moving no furnish-
ings from her golf course condo, Susan had
commissioned Natalie and Tim Hamm of Ham-
mMade Furniture of Oxford to create a simple
collection of handcrafted furniture. Susan had
been close to the young couple since they were
teenagers in her church and watched them ma-
ture, marry, and build their thriving business. A
simple bed rested on one side of the open living
area while a handcrafted swing bed was used for
a sofa on the other. The furniture is eclectic and
rustic, fitting Susan’s needs and personality per-
fectly. A 70-year-old refrigerator and a 1960s gas
stove are at home in the kitchen.
After a single night in the home in the woods
surrounded by deer, turkey, and coyotes, Susan
knew she would never leave the quaint little
cabin. “My original plans of building a sweet
Southern cottage went right out the window,”
she laughs. “This renovated cabin was home!”
Sometimes life throws out big surprises. A
year later, Susan met and married Billy Petty,
who equally enjoyed the country-cabin experi-
ence. “Fortunately, he just happened to be handy
with a circular saw and a nail gun,” she adds. The
couple began their adventure, refurbishing the
quaint interior of the cabin and adding a bed-
room, bathroom, and family room. Closed up for
more than 35 years, the old fireplace now warms
the home and invites friends and family to gath-
er around it. Centered in the middle of the kitch-
en and open on both sides, it features a mantel
with corbels Susan painted and distressed. Dis-
covering items for their house is half of the fun
for the couple. Many old pieces were found while
antiquing throughout Mississippi and Louisi-
ana flea markets. The kitchen cabinets are made
from old furniture pieces or constructed to com-
plement the antique ones. A pantry is built with
simple lumber and old screen doors. One of their
favorite creations is a 12-foot farm table Billy
made to host gatherings for their blended fam-
ily. Together the couple has three children and
four grandchildren. The table fits perfectly in the
800-square-foot family room addition the cou-
ple built to resemble an old barn. Distressed cor-
rugated tin panels were installed on the 22-foot
vaulted ceiling, and hand-stained pine boards in
various shades join to make unique walls. Huge
barn windows and a series of 17 glass doors sur-
round the room for an incredible view of the
great outdoors.