A decade ago, Aubrey Corley and his now-wife Charlotte lived in neighboring areas of Madison but were introduced 400 miles away at the Music City Bowl in Nashville while cheering on their Mississippi State Bulldogs. As the two became a couple, they quickly recognized their need and desire to relocate to Starkville after continually traveling back and forth for games and events. The pair initially purchased a condo in Starkville but found that without a yard, they had to leave their beloved dogs in Madison with a sitter. They began their search for a more permanent home.
In 2018, they purchased a lot on the main street in the Adelaide community, a golf-cart-friendly neighborhood located in the south part of town across from the Starkville Country Club. The pair was planning for Charlotte’s retirement after 34 years with the State of Mississippi as a financial regulator and as Banking Commissioner under Governor Phil Bryant. Drawn to the neighborhood early on, they met and discussed the community’s concept with developer Saunders Ramsey. The homes are all designed with front porches adding to the uniqueness and overall friendliness of the neighborhood. “The development features a blend of Creole, Acadian, and French Colonial, which reminds me of south Mississippi,” notes Charlotte, a Gulfport native. “It is designed to look and feel like it has evolved over the last century.”
To establish their creative team, the Corleys pursued the leading builders and designers of custom homes in the area. Mike Thompson of Thompson Placemaking in Brandon designed the original plan for the Corleys’ home. A friend recommended interior designer Anna Allen, and Charlotte recognized her from a Mississippi Magazine feature. Mike worked meticulously with Anna and Charlotte as they moved walls, windows, and doors to ensure the furniture placement and flow that Charlotte envisioned. Builder Mac Long was called in because of his reputation of excellence in custom projects and superior management skills. “Mac was incredibly involved and informative in gaining the custom look we wanted,” Anna notes, “We spent a lot of time on the front end designing, which gave the best possible product.”
The French Colonial home was designed with an open concept and fabulous outdoor living spaces, including a screened-in side porch featuring a large outdoor fireplace. Anna created a grand entrance with a soft blue front door complementing the impressive shutters across the façade. “The big columns and Southern-style architecture catch your eye, and the color scheme is fresh and inviting,” Anna notes. “It is truly a happy home!”
The designer and client worked together on the interior spaces to showcase the homeowner’s style. The color scheme makes its way from the front porch into the rest of the home, continuing the welcoming vibe. Charlotte wanted hues reminiscent of the Gulf Coast and compliment her collection of McCarty pottery. She also wanted to incorporate her mother’s beautiful antiques into a fresh new space. “We wanted the home to feel collected, not at all new,” Anna notes.
Along with the McCarty and rich wood furnishings, Charlotte and Aubrey brought two lifetimes of meaningful artwork and accessories that established a cozy and curated feel. In the living areas, Anna chose fresh fabrics for window coverings and pillows to incorporate the sea salt hue of the walls and beautifully showcase the collectibles displayed in the shelving surrounding the fireplace. The built-ins are designed to feature a pair of window seats, a sentimental element that Charlotte wanted to replicate from her childhood. The team worked with Muddy Water Cabinet Company to achieve the beautifully designed millwork on the fireplace and bookcases.
Even though the living room and kitchen are open concept, the house has rooms that proudly stand on their own, such as the study and wet bar. “Each area has something special about it that calls for a moment to pause and take in the design details and awe at the unique features,” Anna notes. Creative particulars such as acrylic switch plates with gold toggle switches add a fresh and imaginative feel. Gold mesh inserts in the cabinetry backed with glass add texture and interest. “The more time spent adding details and having conversations over an area, the more custom and detailed it becomes to create the very best finished product,” says the designer.
While the interiors are just as majestic as the exterior, Charlotte was adamant that the home be dog-friendly. Tommie the Weimaraner and Collie/Terrier Jake live in perfect harmony with their humans. Thoughtful planning extended from durable performance fabrics inside to functional outdoor areas. The beautiful landscape was designed and installed by SGK Landscapes in Starkville. The team developed a design for a small side yard area primarily for the dogs by using artificial turf on top of a robust drainage system for clean-up. “No matter the weather, the dogs never come in with muddy feet!” laughs Charlotte. SGK also designed the outdoor kitchen and pergola.
Though each interior space is regularly utilized, the couple’s favorite feature of the home is the expansive outdoor living space. The deep front porches and ceiling fans are a welcoming respite in the warm seasons, and the pair spend countless hours with neighbors and watching the neighborhood children play ball in the green space out front. Adelaide is designed for all the side porches to face the same way, which gives each home more privacy. The Corley’s porch faces east to avoid the afternoon sun. Weather and activities often dictate where the couple finds themselves. “Fall and winter sports are enjoyed on the back porch with neighbors and a roaring fire,” Charlotte smiles. “Spring and summer, the front porch is the place to be!”
Though neither Charlotte nor Aubrey had lived in a small-town atmosphere before, they have now quickly adjusted to the warm and inviting area. Along with three other couples, the pair has joined the Starkville community even more by starting the Two Brothers restaurant as a side venture. They have found themselves easily involved in the nearby country club and their church’s extracurricular activities. “We’ve not only adjusted to a small town but now couldn’t see ourselves living anywhere else,” she states. “I guess we were small-town people all along!”
The house is uniquely personal to the couple. The two moved into the home in May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. Blessed with beautiful weather during the following months, the couple was able to meet their neighbors simply from their front porches. This quaint neighborhood atmosphere is reminiscent of Charlotte’s childhood when families and children spent more time outdoors. “Little did we know, God was working his plan via Nashville to bring Aubrey and me home to Starkville to live in our own beautiful beach house!” Charlotte smiles. “We are truly blessed.”
