Melinda James stripped a Beaumont two-story down to bare walls and rebuilt it around Louisiana river-salvaged pecky cypress. In the living room, a geometric coffered ceiling took months to detail, every beam joint, every panel of naturally voided cypress placed to read as one composition. The same material carries through the kitchen and keeping room as plank ceilings. Chevron hardwood floors in the master suite. Reclaimed timber kitchen island.

The designer wanted European modern with Southern material - the pecky cypress gave her both.