Stacie Grissom and Sean Wilson have recently purchased an old abandoned school from 1914 in Franklin, Indiana, with the intention of turning it into their forever home. The couple, along with their two children, Arlo and Margot, decided to move back to Indiana from New York City to be closer to family and provide a better environment for their children. Upon purchasing the property, the family began the extensive renovation process to transform the old school into their dream home. They had to strip the building down to its original bones, including putting on a new roof, strengthening the foundations, replacing windows, installing insulation, interior framing, and building a kitchen all by themselves.
Despite facing challenges such as slow supplies due to the pandemic and the renovation taking seven times longer than initially expected, the family persevered and successfully transformed the old school into a 4,000-square-foot home with four bedrooms and two bathrooms. While most of the house has been renovated with new materials, the family also preserved some of the original elements, such as refinishing one of the classroom’s pine wood floors and using second-hand items from old schools to decorate the home. They also incorporated elements that nod to the building’s original purpose, such as purchasing dining chairs from an old school in Slovenia. Grissom mentioned that they have many projects they still want to do to further celebrate the school’s history and story within their home.
The renovation process has been documented on the family’s social media account @schoolhousehomestead, where they have gained over 882,000 Instagram followers. Grissom expressed excitement about the upcoming move-in day and future holidays spent in their new home, where she hopes to showcase the beauty of Indiana to family and friends. While the renovation may be nearing completion, Grissom sees it as just the beginning of their journey with the schoolhouse homestead. She shared that they have many more projects planned and are eager to continue adding details to the home that celebrate its unique history and character. The family’s dedication to preserving the school’s heritage and creating a comfortable and beautiful space for their family to grow in shines through in their renovation efforts, and they are eager to share the results with the world.
