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The large, comfortable rooms are decorated in unique 20th century décor—these are not your grandma’s antiques—with the Frank Sinatra Room being the most requested one. Sinatra's albums line the walls, a red leather settee provides a comfortable place to sit, and other quirky pieces from the crooner's era (like a lava lamp, 1940's phone, and glam Hollywood memorabilia) round out the retro-style space. There’s also the Sammy Davis Jr. Room, the Western-Style Sierra Room, and the Asian-themed Serenity Room; Sammy and Frank can be combined into the Rat Pack Suite for families or larger groups.
The pet-friendly Lane Street Inn is conveniently located near the Celebration grounds, home to the annual national walking horse championships, one of the area's biggest attractions. A night’s stay includes a full country breakfast spread, prepared to order, with Emily’s homemade jams and French toast made from scratch. Rooms from $99; lanestreetinn.com
Lane Street Inn — Shelbyville, Tennessee
This four-room charmer on three acres in downtown Shelbyville oozes historic character with modern amenities (like Wi-Fi, Netflix, and gaming consoles). Owners Eben and Emily Bryant—Tennessee natives with backgrounds in historical preservation—moved back from Northern California in 2007 to purchase the rundown, abandoned mansion. They spent the better part of three years rehabbing the late-1800s, 7,000-square-foot Greek revival into the grand dame it once was, while maintaining the plaster walls, retaining the ceiling height, and keeping as many original touches in tact as possible.The large, comfortable rooms are decorated in unique 20th century décor—these are not your grandma’s antiques—with the Frank Sinatra Room being the most requested one. Sinatra's albums line the walls, a red leather settee provides a comfortable place to sit, and other quirky pieces from the crooner's era (like a lava lamp, 1940's phone, and glam Hollywood memorabilia) round out the retro-style space. There’s also the Sammy Davis Jr. Room, the Western-Style Sierra Room, and the Asian-themed Serenity Room; Sammy and Frank can be combined into the Rat Pack Suite for families or larger groups.
The pet-friendly Lane Street Inn is conveniently located near the Celebration grounds, home to the annual national walking horse championships, one of the area's biggest attractions. A night’s stay includes a full country breakfast spread, prepared to order, with Emily’s homemade jams and French toast made from scratch. Rooms from $99; lanestreetinn.com
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Piece by piece—seven, in total—the Boyds moved the 6,000-square-foot house over onto 15 acres of a 125-acre farm that had been in the family for quite some time. It took a year to get the home ready for removal and another year to piece it all back together. The couple was set on the mansion maintaining its authenticity, so they restored everything to its original state: the trim, the molding, the doors, and more. The only significant change they made to the original structure was the addition of a wraparound porch.
The Boyd family lived there for more than 20 years, and after the children were grown, decided to open their home to others. In 2011, the Manor at Twin Oaks debuted as a six-room bed and breakfast, furnished with a mix of American and European antiques but also contemporary touches like Gilchrist & Soames bath products and plush Monarch robes. The grounds are every bit as remarkable as the home itself, with wild turkey, deer, and other animals regular passersby. Most recently, the Boyds fixed up an old barn on the back of the property and added six new rooms exclusively for weddings, family reunions, and other group events.
Rooms from $125; themanorattwinoaks.com
Photo by JR Photography
The Manor at Twin Oaks — Murfreesboro, Tennessee
Originally built on Main Street in 1886 by a former Civil War soldier for his bride, the Henderson-Eldrod house later was passed around among a handful of families until a group of businessmen purchased it in the 1980s. They wanted to preserve its antiquity, while also making way for new development on the centrally located lot—meaning, the structure had to move. That's when Cindy and Doyle Boyd stepped in to rescue the old home.Piece by piece—seven, in total—the Boyds moved the 6,000-square-foot house over onto 15 acres of a 125-acre farm that had been in the family for quite some time. It took a year to get the home ready for removal and another year to piece it all back together. The couple was set on the mansion maintaining its authenticity, so they restored everything to its original state: the trim, the molding, the doors, and more. The only significant change they made to the original structure was the addition of a wraparound porch.
The Boyd family lived there for more than 20 years, and after the children were grown, decided to open their home to others. In 2011, the Manor at Twin Oaks debuted as a six-room bed and breakfast, furnished with a mix of American and European antiques but also contemporary touches like Gilchrist & Soames bath products and plush Monarch robes. The grounds are every bit as remarkable as the home itself, with wild turkey, deer, and other animals regular passersby. Most recently, the Boyds fixed up an old barn on the back of the property and added six new rooms exclusively for weddings, family reunions, and other group events.
Rooms from $125; themanorattwinoaks.com
Photo by JR Photography
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Built in 1848, the former farmhouse originally was a single-family residence, before becoming the Memphis College of Art in 1929 until the school moved to its current campus in Overton Park in 1959. The house sat vacant for more than 50 years as property of the city of Memphis—until 2011, that is, when the city issued a national call for ideas as to how to effectively restore and reuse it. Enter: José Velasquez, who along with wife Jennifer, saw a “fantastic opportunity to do something good for the city, bring back a historic gem, and fulfill a dream x93 the two had long had of owning a B&B. They partnered with another couple, Memphis natives Kathy Buckman and J.W. Gibson, who shared this vision of renewing something as important as the home, which cosmetically needed a whole lot of work: There were no bathrooms, plumbing, or electricity. The floors, walls, and trim also needed attention. For 10 months, the team worked tirelessly on the restoration effort, and the result was this stunner of an inn, which debuted in May.
Of the James Lee House's five suites, three were named after the families who lived there before and two for the Velazquezes' family members. Those looking for grandeur will want to book the presidential-style Lee Suite with its opulent bathroom, outfitted with a steam shower, soaking tub, glass chandelier, and marble floors. A stay at the inn includes a full cooked-to-order breakfast, including eggs, bacon, granola, fruit, and more. Rooms from $245; jamesleehouse.com
The James Lee House — Memphis, Tennessee
For the urban traveler, this brand new lodging option in the heart of Memphis' Victorian Village is located a stone’s throw from iconic Beale Street (and across the street from Mollie Fontaine Lounge, a fun speakeasy-style with great bar bites and a creative cocktail menu). While the inn boasts all modern amenities—complimentary Wi-Fi, flat-screen televisions, climate control, and more—it’s the extensive history behind how the James Lee House came to be that’s the most impressive part of all.Built in 1848, the former farmhouse originally was a single-family residence, before becoming the Memphis College of Art in 1929 until the school moved to its current campus in Overton Park in 1959. The house sat vacant for more than 50 years as property of the city of Memphis—until 2011, that is, when the city issued a national call for ideas as to how to effectively restore and reuse it. Enter: José Velasquez, who along with wife Jennifer, saw a “fantastic opportunity to do something good for the city, bring back a historic gem, and fulfill a dream x93 the two had long had of owning a B&B. They partnered with another couple, Memphis natives Kathy Buckman and J.W. Gibson, who shared this vision of renewing something as important as the home, which cosmetically needed a whole lot of work: There were no bathrooms, plumbing, or electricity. The floors, walls, and trim also needed attention. For 10 months, the team worked tirelessly on the restoration effort, and the result was this stunner of an inn, which debuted in May.
Of the James Lee House's five suites, three were named after the families who lived there before and two for the Velazquezes' family members. Those looking for grandeur will want to book the presidential-style Lee Suite with its opulent bathroom, outfitted with a steam shower, soaking tub, glass chandelier, and marble floors. A stay at the inn includes a full cooked-to-order breakfast, including eggs, bacon, granola, fruit, and more. Rooms from $245; jamesleehouse.com