At Home on the Lake

A custom-built property is a family home with stunning views of Lafayette Lake.

Written by Leslie Criss | Photographed by Joe Worthem

In their 18 years of marriage, April and Tony Pumphrey have built three houses, so when they began building the third house in 2021, the couple just took it in stride. They both had a good idea of what they wanted, but first they played the waiting game until the property on which they wanted to build became available.

“This land out here, about 1,250 acres, belonged to Dr. E.V. Bramlett,” Tony said. “After his death, it passed to his wife, Lucie O. Bramlett, who conveyed portions of the property to each of her five children. Son Steve Bramlett sold his acreage in 1996 to Danny Tutor. Jim Pryor eventually purchased where this house sits. I kept asking if he was going to sell. Finally, we bought it in 2021.”

The two-story home is situated near the end of a tree-lined county road leading to the oldest lake in the county. The Pumphrey backyard is separated by Lafayette Lake only by an attractive black aluminum fence.

With four acres secured, the couple spent time brainstorming ideas of what they wanted in their new home.

“We had bought one house plan,” Tony said. “But April decided it was not what she wanted. Architectural designer Timothy Garner drew our house plans.”

Andrew Rhoden built the Pumphrey house, starting in July 2021, and finished in October 2022.

“A lot of our ideas for the house were things we’d talked about,” Tony said. “We also spent time looking at several houses in Oxford we liked. And we just sort of married all the things we liked in those houses.”

Building multiple homes together, the couple learned the art of compromise. He wanted a wraparound porch, she did not.

“But he has a great grilling porch,” she said. “And we also have a back porch with a fireplace. But out front, we just have a very small porch.”

She likes rooms painted dark colors, but her husband prefers light colors.

“He sold me on the lighter colors,” she said. “I have one room, my mom’s when she visits, that is painted a dark blue, and Tony’s office walls are painted Kendall Charcoal, including the plantation shutters in the windows. He wanted it totally gray.”

The 4,667-square-foot, open plan house has 4 bedrooms, 4 ½ baths, an office, dining room and several seating areas, including one just off the kitchen that boasts a remarkable view of the 48-acre lake surrounded by woods. There are some neighbors, but their homes cannot be seen from the Pumphreys’ traditional farmhouse home.

The windows in the sitting room, with its 22-foot ceilings, take up most of one wall.

“I did not plan to hang anything in these windows,” April said. “But I had to reconsider and have drapes made because of the sun.”

One of April’s favorite spots in the house is the large laundry room with Van Deusen Blue cabinets, a pantry and a filtered water receptacle built into the wall. Though they often have the run of the house, Bella and Beckham, the family’s Australian Labradoodles, also have space here. Their crates fit perfectly in the laundry room.

In a hallway off the laundry room is another of the couple’s favorite spaces — a butler’s pantry which houses additional cabinets and shelves, the couple’s preferred coffee-making machines (he prefers his Miele coffee maker; she likes her Keurig), a wine fridge and an ice maker.

In addition to the blue guest bedroom, the master bedroom, with its 18-foot ceiling, is also downstairs with yet another breathtaking view. Each has an exceptionally large walk-in closet with a built-in chest of drawers. The master bath has a freestanding tub and a shower that’s 11 feet long by 6 feet wide.

Upstairs are two bedrooms, two baths and a media room for the Pumphreys’ children, 13-year-old Mason and 11-year-old Molly.

The home’s interior was decorated by April.

“Tony and I pretty much like the same things,” she said. “Actually, our house is kind of plain.”

The white walls of the house provide a clean background for family photographs on canvas and portraits of Mason and Molly done by Oxford artist Cheryl Mossberg. The large windows provide a perfect frame for the natural art outside.

The Pumphreys hail from Hernando but have lived in Oxford for 10 years. They are pleased with their family home. Three might be the charm for some, but not necessarily for the Pumphreys.

“At some point we will build a house in town,” Tony said. “For us, I think we just enjoy the thrill of building.”