![“[The process of restoring this house] taught me patience,” says Michael Leach. “I furnished it one rug, one chair, one picture at a time and it all flowed together. I learned who I am now, and I like it. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! Who would’ve thought I sailed across the world to come home to Laurinburg.”
Photos courtesy of Stephanie Walcott](https://www.laurinburgexchange.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/129258571_web1_Tudor.jpg "129258571_web1_Tudor")
“[The process of restoring this house] taught me patience,” says Michael Leach. “I furnished it one rug, one chair, one picture at a time and it all flowed together. I learned who I am now, and I like it. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! Who would’ve thought I sailed across the world to come home to Laurinburg.”
Photos courtesy of Stephanie Walcott
Michael Leach contacted contacted interior designer Nyla Chamberlain out of Fairmont for help and inspiration with the inside design.
The Grand Tudor Khari is located at 612 S. Main Street in Laurinburg. It has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and many special features throughout its 4,100 square feet. It is available to rent on the Airbnb and VRBO sites.
The exterior from 2016.
An old photograph of the historic building.
LAURINBURG — Scotland County has a new lodging option in an old space.
The Grand Tudor Khari, built in 1926 by the veterinarian Dr. Jordan, has been updated and restored to its former glory. Previously known as the President’s house (because the presidents of St. Andrew’s University used to live there), it is now available as a short-term vacation rental. The story of how this came to be is as interesting as the house.
Michael Leach, the current owner, is a navy veteran who traveled the world. When he retired in 2010 after 22 years, he returned home to New York disabled and with PTSD. NY was no longer a good fit for him.
“I had traveled the world,” Leach said. “I had coffee on a terrace in Greece, I saw the sunrise in Africa, but in NY, not much had changed since I left right after high school. I was so depressed there.”
Contributing to this depression, he said, “…was the fact that I had no identity outside of the Navy. I was a Navy Chief for so long, I didn’t know what else I was. I worked with the Veteran’s Administration (VA) to manage my PTSD and depression. The VA encouraged me to leave NY and find somewhere I could be at peace.”
As he got stronger mentally, Leach decided that a change of scenery would do him good. His father lives in Maxton, so he decided to spend some time getting reacquainted with him. He used Maxton as his home base as he traveled the country looking for that special place he could call home. “I looked all over. Atlanta is too fake. Ohio is a cornfield. I would never have believed what I was looking for was in Laurinburg all along.”
“I came to Laurinburg that day for a cup of McDonald’s coffee,” Leach continued. “As I was heading down Main Street, I noticed the for sale sign swinging in the front yard. I pulled in the driveway and immediately wanted the house. It was ruined, but it was calling to me, ‘I was beautiful at one time and I can be again.’ Like me, that house was broken. We needed each other. We could fix each other.” He was also drawn to the house because its imposing brick façade and brick fence soothed his PTSD and made him feel safe.
That was in 2016. He bought the house and spent the next few years sleeping on an air mattress. He began clean up and restoration of the outside because it was obvious what needed to be done. The inside was another story.
“I couldn’t furnish it because I didn’t know what I liked and who I was,” Leach said. “I didn’t know yet what its purpose was.” At that time, the idea for a short-term vacation rental had not even crossed his mind.
A few years went by, and he decided to tackle the inside. He had decided that doing short-term rentals was something he was interested in. He contacted interior designer Nyla Chamberlain out of Fairmont for help and inspiration. All Leach knew was, “Everything had to be beautiful to make up for all my sadness.”
Chamberlain inspired him to use his world travels as animus for the décor, so there is something to appeal to most everyone. British colonial style is evident in the floral patterns on many of the chairs, West Indies accents like a vintage colorful parrot lamp and hand carved teak furniture are scattered throughout. Vibrant oriental rugs adorn the polished wood floors while unique art deco chandeliers add light and ambience.
Leach says that Chamberlain taught him about fabrics and to find quality pieces that are durable yet beautiful. She encouraged him to find furnishings that also had artistic merit. She helped him get started and this left a template of sorts for him to follow as he completed each room.
In the end, as Leach restored the house, he restored himself. “The tudor was my tutor,” he laughs. “She taught me patience. I furnished it one rug, one chair, one picture at a time and it all flowed together. I learned who I am now, and I like it. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! Who would’ve thought I sailed across the world to come home to Laurinburg.”
The Grand Tudor Khari is located at 612 S. Main Street in Laurinburg. It has 5 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms and many special features throughout its 4,100 square feet. It is available to rent on the Airbnb and VRBO sites.