ELB Farm, named after Dyrk Keyser’s grandfather, Edward Lawrence Bishop, has been in his family for over a century. The Jasper County acreage is an idyllic setting for growing cotton and raising cattle. Moss, Mississippi, is Dyrk’s hometown, and his wife Beth grew up ten miles south of the farm in nearby Laurel. Over the last three and a half decades together, their careers and lives have taken them all over the country, claiming such places as Florida, Hawaii, Nashville, and New York City as home. In 1993, the couple acquired 100 acres of the family property with aspirations of creating a space to call their own. The couple planned to build a home to settle permanently until a surprise job offer landed them in Indianapolis. Through the turn of events, the couple reimagined their dream into a classic cottage that has since become a respite and refuge for holidays and retreats.
In 2019, the couple began the construction project led by contractor Mike Harrington, and Beth immediately called Sarah Moffett Hinton of Laurel Design Co. to lead the creative process. Years before, Sarah’s mother was a coworker of Beth’s mother at a local hospital, and a friend also strongly recommended her. Sarah originally hails from Jones County but moved to the Nashville area for college, then continued there to launch her career in design. After working as a design representative for Sherwin-Williams, a lead designer for a private lighting firm, and a high-end tile salesperson, Sarah was appointed as a design assistant for such clients as Miley Cyrus and Kellie Pickler. Though Nashville was a fantastic place for her to thrive in high-end design, life was far from affordable. “I firmly believe that Mississippi is full of talented people, but if we all take our talents elsewhere, we aren’t doing our little state any favors,” Sarah states. Since moving back home in 2017, Sarah established her own business, Laurel Design Co., quickly gaining substantial clientele, which led to her working as a design assistant for HGTV’s “Home Town.”
Impressed by Sarah’s portfolio and talents, Beth and Dyrk consulted with the designer to modify their initial plans and drawings, and Sarah was included throughout the entire construction process. With Sarah’s creative help, they carved out the driveway, fenced in the yard, and built the home under old oak trees that once provided shade for the cattle. The Keysers’ project was halted on Easter Sunday of 2020 when a deadly tornado devastated much of the community and surrounding areas. Blessed with only superficial damage to the structure’s exterior, the project came to fruition in July, and Sarah began filling the home with style and personality. The result was a delightful white wood-clad cottage with pops of blue accents and loads of character and charm. “The family’s wish list evolved through the process of design and construction, but for the most part, they wanted to create a home that felt as if it belonged in the pasture and had been there forever,” Sarah notes. Beth and Dyrk visualized a small cottage filled with personality that also included large outdoor living spaces that could host family and friends. “We love to entertain when home, so the patio and porch allow us to have crowds without feeling cramped,” Beth adds. The back screened porch features a lounge area with a massive brick fireplace, dining area, cigar bar, and wet bar, all serving to create a space ideal for simple living and exceptional entertaining.
For the interior spaces, the designer focused on finishes that felt intentional and collected. “Design is truly a layered, domino effect,” the designer adds. “Every little decision affects the next, and putting that puzzle together is so much fun for me!” In the kitchen, a patterned tile backsplash generates a bold statement, as do the fantastic wall coverings, custom drapery, and beautiful upholstery, all chosen specifically for each of the spaces in the home. Sarah even designed an upholstered headboard monogrammed with the family’s crest, enhancing the energy reflective of the couple’s personality and style. The Keysers leverage every inch of the space when they are home. “The heart of the cottage is the porch, and the soul of our home is the kitchen,” Beth notes.
Before moving home, the homeowners lived in a tiny New York City apartment, but they had acquired several treasured pieces over the last decades to be repurposed into the cottage. “Most of the furnishings and artwork were from homes past, but they all fit the new design well,” Sarah states. “We didn’t purchase too much, but I did help them decide what pieces to install in inspired ways.” She adds that her vast knowledge of colors and creative background help inject character into the home. Reclaimed wood, bright neutral tones, and aged bricks create a classic backdrop, and the blue accent hue from the exterior is carried through the spaces to create a cohesive home. Also, Sarah’s past in the lighting design field instilled her love and admiration for beautiful fixtures that are scaled appropriately and can make a statement when needed. “Some fixtures are only to accentuate the space, while others are the main event,” she notes. Each of the sconces, pendants, and lamps were specifically chosen and installed with the ideal temperature bulb to highlight the wall colors and artwork nearby. After 34 years of marriage, the two have amassed a fantastic curation of paintings, bringing color and conversation to each room. Within the collection is one piece symbolic of each home the two have shared.
The Keysers initially intended to build a larger house on the 30-acre lake on the property and still plan to do so when they officially return home from Indiana for good. Instead, rebuilding barns and constructing a boat house became a priority, as did completing a custom wood “barndominium,” which features an additional 1,200 square feet of living quarters to host extended family and friends. The cottage remains their beloved retreat as they continue to come home and entertain. “All of our favorite features are captured in a small space,” Beth smiles. Though the cottage may be small, the ability to return home is extraordinary.
