Published 5:26 pm Sunday, June 2, 2024 By Sally Green default default default default default Photos by David Rorick The home of Melanie Campbell Bowman sits on a beautifully landscaped lot, shaded by mature trees and lined with brick pathways. Wide steps lead to a spacious landing and stately front door. It is a home filled with treasures from the generations of family before her, as well as a collection of more contemporary Mississippi art that Melanie has thoughtfully procured.
Melanie has lived in the home for 15 years. Husband Billy Bowman joined her 12 years ago and the couple splits their time between homes. She says the house appealed to her because it reminded her of her childhood home in Brookhaven.
“We used to call it the Big House,” she said, of her childhood home. “It was much bigger than this, but it had so many windows, it had the same feel. So, when I saw this house, I said, ‘It’s just like the Big House!’” Large windows flank the front, back and sides of the house, letting in natural light that filters through leafy trees.
Tall ceilings give the home a grand ambiance. Hardwood floors are covered with beautiful vintage rugs, and generational antiques blend seamlessly with modern touches. The foyer features large oil portraits of her grandfather, Hugh V.
Walls; her father, Jewell H. Campbell; her mother, Valerie Wall Campbell; and herself, all painted by renowned portrait painter Karl Wolfe. According to Melanie, Wolfe thought the painting of her .
