Designer Mitchell Turnbough’s childhood home in Long Beach, Miss., was flattened by Hurricane Katrina. The Wall Street Journal showcases its transformation ten years later.
Without sacrificing style, the new home is designed to be storm-resistant. The grounds were raised 20 feet above sea level, and the exterior walls were built with dry-stack mortarless block, typically used in basements and industrial buildings. To give the durable and utilitarian material, hauled from Canada on six semi-trucks, an elegant touch, Turnbough hired a local worker with a sandblaster to give the blocks a finish similar to sandstone.
Half of the home’s 5,000 square feet is reserved for a wraparound porch, which has plenty of seating areas, a dining area, and a hammock to lounge outside.
“I’ve followed Mitchell’s career closely and appreciate everything he’s designed,” Jocelyn Turnbough, Mr. Turnbough’s mother and the home’s permanent resident, told The Wall Street Journal. “I knew he understood me and would design a home that I liked.”
