Mountain Town Renovation Series | Part 1 of 3 Tuesdays in Thomas

Most of you know that 2025 was a big year in the Evans household. We decided to renovate and add on to our teeny tiny starter home we bought back in 2020. And I’m so excited to finally share this new series I’m calling: Tuesdays in Thomas: Home Reno Addition!

Get it? Like Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, which I absolutely loved watching every Sunday night as a kid. I was fully convinced I was going to grow up and become an architect… until I realized how much math that actually required. 😂

But the love for home renovation? That never left.

Growing Up Dreaming of Floor Plans

I have always loved home renovation. When I was little, my parents did a pretty major renovation on our family home. I remember watching the transformation unfold and being completely obsessed with it.

I would sit with graph paper and draw out floor plans for imaginary houses. My mom would let me grab little Matchbox cars from the dollar store, and I would pretend the tiny people lived in the homes I designed.

I loved imagining how spaces could function better. How they could feel warmer. How they could host people.

I didn’t know it then, but I’ve always been a visionary. And that plays a huge role in this small-town home renovation story.

Why We Bought Our Home in Thomas, WV

In 2020, Thomas and I bought our first home, a small house on 3 acres in Thomas, West Virginia.

People think it’s funny. Thomas from Thomas. We love it.

We both went to Tucker County High School. We met there. We grew up here. And neither of us ever felt called to move far away. This little house (the one I always pointed out when visiting his grandparents) became ours in what I can only describe as a God thing.

Friends we knew were moving. We were broke college kids planning a wedding. And somehow, through their generosity and God’s timing, we bought this house in 2020.

I actually shared a little “house series” back then (which I’ll link here for fun because wow… we were babies).

When Life Shifted Our Plans

In 2024, after Thomas’s mom passed away, everything shifted.

Before she got really sick, we had actually talked about adding onto our home so she could move in with us. We wanted to make sure she was taken care of.

That never came to be, and losing her changed so much about how we thought about home. Suddenly, this wasn’t just a starter house. It was where we wanted to build our life!

The House We Almost Bought Instead

In December 2024, we threw a complete wrench into our own plans.

We toured another house. We ran the numbers. We seriously considered moving. Most importantly we prayed. Because we knew if we wanted to grow our family, we needed more space. 

So the question became: Do we move to a bigger house? Or do we renovate and add on to the one we love? Ultimately, we felt like the Lord was still calling us here.

To this land, this little corner, this community. So we decided to stay. And that’s when the real planning began.

Designing Our Mountain Home Addition

When I say we went through revisions… I mean several, several revisions.

I would literally wake up in the middle of the night and start sketching floor plans. Reconfiguring rooms. Browsing Pinterest for home addition ideas. Searching “small home renovation inspiration.” Saving every DIY renovation idea I could find.

Thomas is the realist. I’m the visionary.

He has a hard time picturing something before it’s built. I can see it clearly before it even exists.

And now he laughs and says, “I can’t believe you thought of all of this.” I basically became our architect. (Minus the math degree.)

Why We’re Renovating Instead of Moving

So why add on instead of starting fresh somewhere else? Because this house holds our story. We prioritized: 

• More space for when we grow our family
• More function in everyday living
• More room to host friends and family
• A home that reflects who we are becoming

And honestly?

Because I love DIY projects. I love renovation. I love watching something small transform into something beautiful and functional. For me, the home renovation isn’t just about square footage.

It’s about intentionally laying down roots to build our legacy.

What’s Next in the Tuesdays in Thomas Series?

This is just Part 1: The Why + The Vision.

In the next posts, I’ll be sharing:

• Before photos of our tiny starter home
• The finalized floor plans
• Renovation progress updates
• What we learned (the hard way)
• Budget realities of a home addition in West Virginia
• And all the fun DIY + hosting dreams I’ve been planning

If you love: Small town living, home renovation stories, mountain town life, DIY projects, faith-led decisions, or just watching transformation unfold…you’re going to love this series. Welcome back to Tuesdays in Thomas!

About Zoe Evans Photography

Zoe Evans is a West Virginia wedding and brand photographer serving couples and small business owners who value connection, intentionality, and timeless imagery. Whether she’s documenting a luxury estate wedding or creating strategic brand photos for growing entrepreneurs, Zoe approaches every session with heart, vision, and attention to detail.

Her work blends natural emotion with thoughtful storytelling — creating photographs that not only look beautiful, but feel meaningful for years to come.

If you’re planning a wedding or ready to elevate your business with intentional brand photography, I would love to connect! Contact me here.

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