Rosewood Cottage
A conversation with Cameron and Ellie Marlow, who lovingly rehabilitated a 1926 Tudor Revival with features such as herringbone and basketweave brick, mock half-timbering, and stucco.
Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Cameron Marlow and I work in Pharmaceutical Manufacturing. My wife Ellie and our dog Oscar moved to Southern Pines, NC four years ago for Ellie's love of horses.
How did you find your house?
When we were looking for a property we really liked Weymouth and its older homes. I had mentioned several times that I liked it when driving by. Initially we had crossed the house off the list with all of the work it required, but after a horse property fell through I said “let's look at that house again.” We then committed to the project.
Why did you want to rehabilitate a historic home versus buying new?
My wife and I are drawn to antique furniture and really appreciate older architecture. This home has been here for 100 years, it'll be here for a 100 more.
What is the history behind your home?
It was built in 1926 by engineer Louis Lachine for Mr. and Mrs. Robert H. Rose who named the home Rosewood.
What challenges did you face when rehabilitating your home?
Where to begin! But we had an amazing designer that we couldn't say no to. With the right contractor we did amazing things to this home and he is well known in Weymouth for saving these homes. We rehabilitated the entire home, keeping it original while adding a few modern amenities.
Are there any features you had to replicate? What features did you have to update?
The major renovations were the kitchen and guest bathroom. We sourced a majority of our light fixtures from antiques stores and auctions. Two of our fixtures came from American Pickers. We did some repair work to the 100 year old slate roof and we updated all the rain gutters and spouts. We also changed out the terra cotta plumbing.
Describe your favorite part of your home.
I have to say that our favorite part of the house is the outdoor space, like our front terrace off of the kitchen. We enjoy it almost year round. Even on the hottest days it is always ten degrees cooler under the terrace. The area was originally a car port/ garage and has since been converted to our front terrace and kitchen.
What is one piece of advice you would give someone wanting to rehabilitate a historic property?
Know your contractor! Also, realize your budget and then double it. Rehabilitating a house is not a reality TV show.
*some responses have been edited for clarity
