Tour the James Family Home

By Southern Living

We partnered up with Operation FINALLY HOME, JCPenney, Goodall Homes, and interior designer Melissa Sisk of ShopGirl to give a deserving veteran and his family the surprise of a lifetime. Here, meet the team, get a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the project, and tour the James family's new home. 

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The Volunteers

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Operation FINALLY HOME, along with Goodall Homes, spent five months building U.S. Army Sergeant First Class (Ret.) Joseph James and his family a brand new, mortgage-free home. With the dedication only a day away, designer Melissa Sisk of ShopGirl and Tim Shubzda, Director of Philanthropy and Military Initiatives at JCPenney fire up the volunteers for the final push. 

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Furnishing the Home

Photo: Jean Allsop

Southern Living and JCPenney had 24 hours to furnish the James family's home for it's long-awaited reveal.

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Planning & Designing

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Melissa loved every minute of the time she spent planning, designing, and installing the James family's new home and wanted to give them something that they will love. 

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A New Community

Photo: Jean Allsopp

The town of Hendersonville, TN gathered in front of the James family's new home to witness the dedication. 

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The Dedication

Photo: Jean Allsopp

The dedication was the James family's official welcome to their new home. 

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Cutting the Ribbon

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Jospeh, with the help of his family, cut the ribbon to their new home. 

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A New Home

Photo: Jean Allsopp

The James family is all smiles before walking into their home for the first time. 

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The Living Room

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Melissa wanted to create a comfortable environment for the family. From game night to watching TV, the living room is a space that will be central to the lives of the James family. 

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The Fireplace

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Throughout the building process, one of the things that Jarin was most excited about was the fireplace. She was looking forward to finally having a place to hang their Christmas stockings. 

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The Kitchen

Photo: Jean Allsopp

The cabinets are just a bit lower than typical in order to make them more usable for Joseph. 

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The Table Setting

Photo: Jean Allsopp

The blue and green table setting provides a pop of color. 

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The Dining Room

Photo: Jean Allsopp

The dining room is open to the kitchen and living room, making it easy for the whole family to always be together. 

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The Master Retreat

Photo: Jean Allsopp

Joseph and Jarin asked that their new master retreat be restful, romantic, and relaxing. Melissa choose a soothing blue-gray wall color and an upholstered bed that serves as a focal point of the room. 

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The Master Bath

Photo: Jean Allsopp

The spa-like bath features a large, roll-in shower. 

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