PASSION AND ATTENTION TO DETAIL TURNED THIS HOUSE INTO A HOME

After years of dreaming, homeowners John and Shannon Lawhead have turned their fantasy into reality. Located in Provenance subdivision in Shreveport, their stunning two-story, 3,200-square-foot home boasts a unique and enchanting combination of show-room-worthy beauty and warmth. This space, built by Wesley Thomas Inc., is for both visual appreciation and living life as a family.

Wesley and Jennifer Thomas, owners of Wesley Thomas Inc., are a dynamo team who thoroughly enjoy not only the crafting of houses, but helping people turn them into a custom home.

“What makes this particular house unique is the homeowner’s passion and attention to detail,” Jennifer said. Her personal favorite part of this charming house is the master bathroom. “Who wouldn’t love this master bath?” Jennifer raved. “We love everything about it – from the limestone shower, to the quartz countertops, to the vaulted ceiling, to the cabinetry design and color, to the shower window.”

John and Shannon first drove by the Provenance community over 15 years ago when they were newly married and dreaming big. After 12 years in their starter house, they decided it was time for a change. “I’ll never forget my realtor, Cheryl Driskell, introducing me to Wesley and Jennifer Thomas,” Shannon said. “It was the beginning of a wonderful partnership.”

The Lawheads purchased the house in October 2014. Thomas had already started the construction as a spec, but the Lawheads bought it in time to make the rest of the choices. They moved in on Feb. 14, 2015. “Our first night was such a great memory for us, because although we were exhausted from moving, we had a wonderful steak/wine basket that our builder delivered to us,” Shannon said. “We grilled/cooked for the first time in our home and enjoyed our time together on Valentine’s Day.”

The Lawheads turned this house into a home in no time with the help of multiple local vendors, such as Superior Stone Works for the countertops, Henson’s for flooring and tile, River Cities Lighting, Tommy’s Hardware, Barrett Appliance, Texas Wood Mill Cabinets, Custom-Bilt, LCR the Plumbing Warehouse, Lagniappe Lawnscapes and Briggs & Company for the furniture.

The Lawheads especially love the unique exterior of stucco, brick and wood, the coastal beach-style construction with Bermuda shutters and the upstairs, outdoor balcony.

“The arched entryway helped me envision our family sitting there and enjoying the park it overlooked,” Shannon said. “Once we made the final decision, Wesley and Jennifer made building our house such a fun time. Although we built it as our forever home, we joke about wanting to build more houses with Wesley because it was such a great experience!” John and Shannon were able to add individual touches to the house that struck a special chord with their family. During the construction, they came over late one night with Sharpies and “blessed” their home by writing scriptures and blessings on the concrete slab before the floors were installed. “We took pictures of what we wrote, so we can always remember what kind of ‘foundation’ our home is built on,” Shannon said.

During the building process, Jennifer Thomas helped Shannon with the interior design. “She and I worked so well together,” Jennifer said. “Shannon came with a lot of her own ideas and spent a lot of time researching trends and finding pictures. Shannon and I both love gray, so we used a lot of gray materials with a lighter paint pallet.”

Accent colors in the living room include shades of blue and yellow, with plenty of cozy lamp lighting, throw pillows and pale gray curtains with white trim.

“My favorite element of our home is the open floor plan of the kitchen, dining room and living room,” Shannon said. “Although it does have some separation with the brick arch between them, the open design makes it a perfect spot for entertaining. We love having gatherings for any occasion, whether it’s a themed birthday party, friends over to watch a football game or family holiday get-togethers.”

The kitchen, which features quartz countertops, a walnut wood-topped island, a limestone backsplash, GE appliances and Delta fixtures, is airy, modern and efficient. Because the Lawheads enjoy cooking and often spend quality time cooking together, the open floor plan is ideal for multi-tasking and still being together – the parents cooking, the kids doing homework. Or, when the girls want to cook the meal themselves, John and Shannon can sit and supervise from the spacious kitchen island. They can then enjoy those meals at the long table with leatherback chairs in the spacious dining room, nestled under a gorgeous curved chandelier.

Another extraordinary area is the instrument nook, tucked away in the corner of the living room, where both of Shannon and John’s daughters regularly practice their violin and viola.

Shannon describes her style of decorating as transitional, which is evident throughout the home. “We enjoy the mixture of traditional and contemporary pieces,” Shannon said. “Jamey Briggs from Briggs and Co. designed the layout of the living area and helped me create my perfect look.”

The overall theme of the home is timeless, mixing both contemporary and classic pieces such as the straightlined, open-backed daybed in the living room with the classic, traditionally curved couch on the opposite side of the room.

The artwork also helps provide a classic, comfortable aura to the home. Shannon chose to feature paintings by Erinn Buteau and watercolor prints by Emily Welch, both of whom are her daughters’ art teachers. She also included artwork from her children, whimsical paintings of their house by Three Sisters Gallery and spotlighted pieces by local photographer Aiden McFarland, a close family friend.

John’s favorite feature of the house is a little less expected. “Besides the outdoor kitchen, oddly enough, my favorite element is the large attic space and bonus area upstairs,” John said. “I love that I can access the attic from the stairs on either end of the house. It’s also so much more convenient to have a full stairway instead of a ladder going into the attic, especially when putting a Christmas tree up there! I like that we can finish that space upstairs and turn it into whatever kind of bonus room we’d like one day.”

The Lawheads wanted more than a prestigious display – they wanted a true home to raise their family. “Our entire focus when building this home was that it would be the perfect place to raise our children,” Shannon said. “We couldn’t have made a better choice! We’ve become such close friends with all our neighbors. It has truly become a second family with a sense of community much more than I could have ever imagined.”

The Lawheads eagerly anticipate many more years in their dream home. “We have made wonderful cherished memories here, and I look forward to our future memories together,” Shannon said.