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| The Katrina Build |  | | Watch a multimedia video of the Katrina Cottage build in Pass Christian, Mississippi. |  Play the video |
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| Restoring Pride, One Katrina Cottage at a Time |
| With a few generous partners, Cottage Living built a Lowe's Katrina cottage for the Swanier family and allowed them to keep their roots firmly planted in Pass Christian, Mississippi, soil. |
| By Rex Perry |
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| photography: Robbie Caponetto |
Chris holds a photograph of an overgrown lot near downtown Pass Christian where his family's new home now stands. For the Swanier family, this Katrina Cottage gets them out of a FEMA trailer and back into a place of pride.
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Hurricane Katrina didn't wash away Chris and Tina Swanier's family home in Pass Christian, Mississippi; it inflicted a slow wound—floating the house, almost intact, into the middle of the street. "We got back into town three days after the storm," says Chris. "I had time to grab a few muddy photos before watching them bring our house to the ground."
photography: Robbie Caponetto
A flood of emotions overcome Chris as he hugs his father minutes after receiving the keys to his new home. |
photography: Rex Perry
Aaron, 4, does his part to keep his new home free of debris during construction. |
Now, two years after Katrina's landfall, Chris and Tina proudly show off their newly constructed Lowe's Katrina Cottage to family and friends who've gathered to see them get the keys. Between sharing hugs, shedding tears, and giving personal tours, the Swaniers pick up stray cups and wipe down the kitchen countertop, cherishing the home that rose from an overgrown lot. During construction, the family often made the 1/4-mile walk from their FEMA trailer to dote on the cottage destined to be their own. "Aaron would wake me up in the morning saying, 'Come on, Mama, let's go home,' " says Tina of her 4-year-old son. And, long after volunteers would leave for the day, Aaron and his sister, Alicia, 10, would grab brooms and sweep away sawdust.
photography: Robbie Caponetto
For the master bedroom, Tina chose a warm brown, and our own Anne Turner Carroll suggested a range of darker brown finishes paired with crisp white fabrics to complete the room's sophisticated look. Tina says, "The colors in our bedroom are so soothing, and
at this point, IÕm ready to sleep well." |
photography: Robbie Caponetto
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photography: Robbie Caponetto
A wall-size photo album of framed prints documents the Swaniers' journey in building a new home and new memories. |
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