The Farmhouse Project
Historic elements from Charleston and her sister cities, the Gathered Hens have spent years collecting “for such a time as this.”
Amber and her husband Micah bought her family home, located in Ridgeville South Carolina, with the notion of redesigning it into a modern Southern plantation. The Lowcountry style home was built in 1990 and is set on the family’s horse farm, where Amber fondly remembers learning to ride. At a young age she was taught the appreciation of farming, family land, and roots.
“The land is quite low, but the soil was perfect for growing rice.” - Amber Hoover Bennett
The original Hoover homestead was part of a 500-acre track that her great grandparent’s owned and farmed. Harvesting cotton, corn, rice, and soybean were their way of life. The beautiful home that once held eight fireplaces, wide halls, and gleaming hardwood floors burned in a tragic fire, taking with it majestic live oak trees. That home was the inspiration for the farm project. Like a vision waits for its appointed time, ten years ago Amber and Micah planted twenty live oaks on the property.
Designing a new/old house came completely natural to the couple, who believe there are benefits to using repurposed materials. The wood moldings, side lights, cabinets, old bricks, and mantle were all salvaged from old plantations, homes and estates in the Lowcountry.
The daughter of a Charleston tour guide, Amber insists that a sustainable way of thinking and the love for history and architecture can be found in her genes.
