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From the open floor plan to the covered outdoor patio off the back of the house, Robert and Marion Murphy are enjoying everything about their new home.

I feel like I am on vacation every time I walk in the door,” Robert said, with Marion agreeing.

The couple moved into their Twin Creeks home in May, making this the couple’s first Christmas in the house, and St. Nick is in for a treat.

A white-flocked Christmas tree stands in the corner of the breakfast nook and opulent decorations — mostly in turquois and silver — are used throughout the home.

Before making the move to their new home, Robert and Marion were living in the Turning Leaf subdivision, which is located off Lee Road, in a large Georgian home with a sizeable 2.5 acres to match.

The couple said they had been thinking about downsizing at some point, but after an opportunity presented itself the time came sooner than later.

The couple agreed they loved their former home, but Robert said he had grown weary of all the maintenance, which is why they had been considering a home and yard that required less work.

“The best thing about this house,” Robert said, “is my to-do list has been shortened.”

The sooner-than-later move for the couple was prompted after Robert was made aware that someone was interested in buying the Turning Leaf home.

And when an offer was made and accepted, the search for a new home began.

The couple looked at several properties around Vicksburg, both trying to determine what area would fit their needs best.

They decided on the newly developed Twin Creeks subdivision, which is also off Lee Road.

Robert describes the area as a “quaint neighborhood with sidewalks and little traffic.”

With the sale of their previous home, time was of the essence, so the couple had to act fast.

There were three homes already under construction in Twin Creeks, and for the couple to meet their deadline move out date, they decided it best to choose one of them.

Long-range plans, Robert said, were to buy one of the homes in Twin Creeks and in a few years build a forever home.

The Murphys son, Kyle, is at Mississippi State University studying architecture and plans were that once he graduated, he could design his parents’ home.

However, for now and possibly forever, the couple said they are really enjoying their new home and might reconsider the idea of another move.

“We really liked the French Chateau Design and floor plan of the house we chose,” Marion said.

Because it was in the early stages of construction, the couple was able to choose almost everything for the home, from flooring, to countertops to paint colors.

Marion loves decorating, she said, so having the opportunity to design was fun.

However, when it came to moving out of the old house, things were not quite as exciting.

There was a 60-day timeline for the Murphys to move out of their Turning Leaf home, and downsizing would also mean letting go of some of the things they had collected through the years.

Marion said she still had every one of her daughter’s dolls and all of her son’s Hot Wheels collection.

“There were some things that just did not make the cut,” Robert laughed.

When it came to the interior spaces, Marion did a fabulous job, but because Robert loves to cook, he said he was excited to have a hand in designing both the indoor kitchen and outdoor kitchen.

However, he was smart to keep his wife’s taste in mind, and it is most evident with the turquoise kitchen sink he selected.

“The kitchen was built around the sink. Marion’s favorite color is turquoise, and when the lady at Southern Pipe handed me the brochure with this sink on it, I pointed to it and said that’s the one I want,” Robert said.

The sink is complemented with white cabinets, and the walls of the home are painted soft shades of gray. With the profusion of light, which emanates from the all the windows, the turquoise was the perfect choice.

Marion said although the square footage of the new home might be less than their previous one, there is still plenty of space for her art collection, the large inviting furniture pieces she has added and the baby grand piano.

“When we walked through the house for the first time, I had to measure and make sure the piano would fit,” Marion said.

If not, it would have been a no-go since she and both of the children, Kristan, 26, and Kyle, 21, play.

“When our kids come home, we enjoy playing the piano and visiting together,” Marion said.

In addition to the shared living spaces, there are four bedrooms — two upstairs and two down — and four full bathrooms.

The largest living space is the open concept family room and kitchen.

There is also a formal dining room, and in addition to the fireplace in the main living space, there is an outdoor wood-burning fireplace.

The ceiling in the outdoor living space is made from pine, and Robert boasted that he installed it himself.

Readying the home for the holidays, Marion chose to decorate with her favorite color accented with silver.

She said she had started using the non-traditional Christmas color about five years ago, but still had the traditional red and green in her attic.

“In case I ever change my mind,” she said.

About Terri Cowart Frazier

Terri Frazier was born in Cleveland. Shortly afterward, the family moved to Vicksburg. She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine, which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association. She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.”

Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations.

Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago, she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press. But for most of her life, she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom.

Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church. She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club. She is married to Dr. Walter Frazier.

“From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people, a hometown newspaper is vital to a community. I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support, I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg. When asked what I like most about my job, my answer is always ‘the people.’

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