Meet the McLaughlins

By Michaela Bankston
Photos by Lacey Barnwell

Paul and Shelley McLaughlin have known each other their entire lives but did not truly connect until 2009. Shelley had just moved back to the area, and in an effort to connect with people here, she reached out to Paul after seeing he had plans to go out in Birmingham. The two ended up riding together, but he insisted it was not a date.

“So we went out that night, and we’ve been together ever since on the ‘It’s not a date,’ date,” Shelley said.

Fast forward to 2012, the couple married and bought a house across the bridge. Once they began having children, the couple knew they wanted to move to Moody, Paul’s alma mater, before JP, now 12, and Lilah, now 10, began school.

After a Facebook post about needing to find a home quickly as theirs was under contract, the McLaughlins went to see a home, put a contract on it and “have been making it our own over the past almost nine years,” Shelley said.

There is some irony in that statement considering the couple also admitted they have quite different tastes in home style.

“He likes modern contemporary, and I just like anything that looks clean,” Shelley said.

While the couple sought middle ground, Shelley also found a silver lining in Paul traveling a week or two out of the month for work.

“Especially when we first moved in, he would travel, and he would come back, and something was painted,” Shelley said.

Over time Paul has grown used to the packages showing up at their door or new fixtures appearing in the house. Still, Shelley makes an effort to pick out some items he would like, and they agree on larger pieces.

Throughout the house, there are touches of modern elements and pops of color that give the house some personality without cluttering the place. That compromise gives everyone something to love about their home.

Face of the Home

When the McLaughlins moved in, their house was red brick. They painted it white, giving the house a total refresh with the contrast of the darker roof.

Entryway

These stately doors were picked out by the McLaughlins and provide a distinguished entry to the rest of their home.

Dining Room

The dining room is tucked off from the rest of the more open downstairs. That and its darker walls give it a more elegant feel.

Kitchen

The dual-sided kitchen has many cabinets and plenty of counter space while maintaining plenty of room in between to move around.

Breakfast Nook

The kitchen opens up to the breakfast nook, where the family gathers to eat dinner when they are not out at the kids’ events.

Living Room

Between baseball, basketball, competitive cheer, softball and pageants, the McLaughlins spend a lot of time out of the house. When they are home, Shelley appreciates time spent together in the living room.

Master Bedroom

The wall of windows with sheer white curtains allow plenty of light in during the day, but the otherwise darker-toned bedroom imparts a serene place to rest at night.

Master Bathroom

The master bath features both a walk-in shower and freestanding tub. On the other side, the double vanity is connected by an extra storage cabinet with a mirrored front that is perfect for Shelley to do Lilah’s hair.

Guest Bedroom

Most of the furniture in the guest bedroom came from Shelley’s dad’s house or other family members, giving the antiques a personal touch.

The guest bedroom doubles as Shelley’s crafting space, where she embroiders and sublimates shirts and hats for her kids and their teams.

JP’s Room

JP’s room exemplifies two of his favorite things, Pokémon and baseball. However, his choice feature is the LED lights that wrap the perimeter.

JP is an avid baseball player and fan, and the family enjoys going to Atlanta Braves games. Two years ago, they went for his 10th birthday and acquired this base used during the game.

Lilah’s Room

This fashionable space centers around an ornate bedframe. The additions of pastel pink and personalized touches round out Lilah’s favorite room in the house.

In her free time, Lilah likes to create makeup tutorials for YouTube. This vanity stores all her skincare, and the neon sign above completes the arrangement.

Theater Room

If other people are over, they are often in front of the large projector screen. Whether the kids’ friends watching movies or everyone watching Auburn football, the popcorn machine keeps them from having to leave the room for snacks.