HOME WITH A VIEW: The Campbells enjoy outdoor space as much as inside their home

Published 8:59 pm Tuesday, August 7, 2018

By Terri Cowart Frazier

1 of 8

(Courtland Wells/The Vicksburg Post)

Living just a golf ball’s throw away from the Vicksburg Country Club clubhouse, Paul and Cindy Campbell might claim their most valuable means of transportation is a golf cart. The couple’s home overlooks the VCC golf course, which makes it easy to access food, entertainment and fellowship.

“We love being able to hop in our golf cart and ride to the clubhouse to socialize with friends or enjoy dinner at The Anthony,” Cindy said.

“We never have to even get the car out of the garage, and we basically have access to a pool, tennis courts and a golf course,” she said.

Paul built the home in 1998 after developing the Acadia Ridge subdivision, which is where the house is located.

Cindy describes the home as having a country French style, which is evident by the mix of stone and stucco in the home’s entryway. To the left of the entry is the formal dining. For special occasions, Cindy said she uses the Haviland Limoges china Paul inherited from his maternal grandmother.

Other family pieces in the home the couple has inherited from family members include a beautiful Victorian bedroom suite that is in the guest bedroom. It formerly belonged to Paul’s paternal grandparents. In a corner cabinet in the kitchen, Cindy displays milk glasses she inherited from her maternal grandmother and a Blue Willow platter given to her by her mother.

Cindy also transformed a couple of vintage lamps that belonged to Paul’s maternal grandmother into candleholders. They are situated on the mantle above the fireplace in the main living area of the home that boasts cathedral ceilings accented by cypress beams.

And similar to the main living space, there are floor to ceiling windows in the couple’s sunroom.

“This gives us a surround view of our back patio as well as the golf course and clubhouse,” Cindy said.

The primary appeal of living with the VCC golf course in her back yard, Cindy said, was the view.

“With the gently rolling greens, clusters of mature trees, as well as an occasional wildlife sighting, there are no view restrictions the way our house sits, just beautiful open landscape,” she said.

Cindy is an avid gardener, and in 2015 the couple added an outdoor living space with plenty of garden areas for Cindy to get her hands dirty.

“This is definitely our favorite part of the house,” Cindy said.

“We own and work together at Campbell Development Corp., which is a commercial real estate office, and we also own and manage a few other businesses and very often days can be stressful. So, coming home and relaxing on the patio makes the stress disappear,” Cindy said.

The outdoor living area has three levels, which allows the couple to enjoy their view from every angle.

“The way it is designed gives us privacy for special occasions, but also allows accommodations for larger gatherings,” she said.

The tiered walls were constructed using Old Chicago brick.

“It’s very unique having a few light blue bricks scattered in each wall,” Cindy said.

A gas fire pit was also built using the same Old Chicago brick. To enhance the blue in the brick, the couple used a shimmering blue fire glass.

Cindy said she thinks this makes the perfect centerpiece for the backyard garden.

The outdoor kitchen is anchored to the home by a covered arbor and a wooden trellis allows for privacy without obstructing the views. Stainless steel appliances were also installed.

Another one of Cindy’s favorite backyard features is the fountain.

“Paul and I shopped and found the perfect glazed urn and with some extensive research we made the fountain together. The water feature gives off that soothing, relaxing sound as the water will fall and gently flow through the stone and river rock,” she said.

Cindy has since added additional plants over the past two years.

“I wanted the color from my flowers to accent not only our view from within our home, but I wanted others to enjoy the color from the golf course,” she said.

Asked if any golf balls had ever made it through a window, Paul laughed and said “no,” but pointed to a spot on the eve of the house where one came very close.

The couple said there have been a number of “interesting” incidents they have witnessed living so close to the VCC, but mums the word.

“Paul said ‘What happens at the club stays at the club!’” Cindy said.

The only thing either were willing to admit to, was before The Anthony opened, and the VCC did not have access to a restaurant, one of their neighbors drove their golf cart over to the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Indiana Avenue for a bucket of tenders.

“We were starving,” Cindy said.

As with most homeowners, location is usually the most desirable quality in a home and this is the case for the Paul and Cindy.

“I have always heard location is everything and it truly is. We are in the city close to all the amenities, yet when you turn into the subdivision you feel a sense of seclusion,” 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.’

More by Terri Cowart