A homestead reborn
November 12,2006
TIMMI TOLER
DAILY NEWS STAFF

It’s called The White House because one day, they hope it will look just like the White House — but on a smaller scale.

Norman Taylor II and Robert Zorzi hope that in a couple of years their newly opened home accessories store, located on N.C. 24 about two miles from Swansboro, will be an exact replica of the nation’s home of homes.

“We found plans on the Internet,” said Zorzi. “Eventually it will look like the White House, just smaller. Since that is part of the future plan, we decided to go ahead and name it that now.”

The change is among many they have in mind for the house and the 22 acres surrounding it. In addition to an interesting array of home accessories, The White House also offers an eclectic mix of gifts, artwork and furniture.

Although it’s Zorzi and Taylor’s first venture here in North Carolina — they own two home accessories stores in Florida — the duo is no stranger to the area.

Before it became The White House, it was the Taylor family home built by Taylor’s father, Norman Taylor Sr., more than 50 years ago. The property has been in the family for more than a century. Taylor’s mother, Pansy, said the property once belonged to her great-grandmother.

Taylor II was born and raised in the Swansboro area. He moved away in the early ’90s and became a registered nurse, then joined the Navy as an officer and served for six years.

He met Zorzi while stationed in Florida, where Zorzi, a real estate agent, had lived for more than 20 years. The two had similar ideas in home furnishings and business and decided to combine the two.

“I’ve wanted to do something like this ever since I was a teenager,” said Taylor regarding their latest endeavor here in Onslow County. They acquired the land in increments starting in 2003. By 2005, with land purchases complete, they began construction on The White House.

“I wanted to keep the family homestead alive and not let it go by the wayside,” said Taylor. But what his father built 50 years ago, Taylor had to change to make his dream come true — and that meant tearing down places where a lot of memories were made.

“I had to completely redo the inside. Dad and I did it together with very little help from others,” said Taylor. “It was emotional. You see the same stuff all your life and it’s hard to let go of it.”

The White House, now at about 2,250 square feet, has four principal rooms downstairs devoted to a wide variety of furnishings and unique decorative items. A fully functional kitchen also displays items for the home while the room itself is still the spot for Taylor family gatherings. “The family still gets together here and cooks,” said Taylor whose parents and siblings live in the area.

Two rooms upstairs showcase some of the furniture, wall art and lamps the store offers customers.

“We try to keep every customer in mind … if a little guy or girl comes in and wants to buy their teacher a present, we have something here. If someone else prefers higher end items, we have that as well,” said Taylor.

But it’s the accessories outside the house that people might not be expecting.

There’s a pin full of chickens and roosters and behind the fence lining the property is where the goats live.

Of course, these accessories aren’t for sale.

The goats came to live at The White House to help clear the land. “They’re very social animals. We started with six and now we have a baby,” said Zorzi. “Fella” is just a few months old. “They’ve really opened up the area. They love to eat poison ivy.”

And the chickens?

“Well, we just really like chickens,” he said, with a chuckle.

Taylor and Zorzi said making The White House look like The White House is not the end of their plans. They hope eventually the area will be an entire village of interesting shops and restaurants.

“It’s a small part of a much bigger picture,” said Zorzi. “We do not want to be ‘in the box’ when it comes to our business. We want people to come here and see beautiful stuff and maybe get some ideas, get some inspiration. They can get out of their own world for a while.”

Taylor said he hopes to create a feeling he experienced on a special shopping trip during his childhood.

“Years ago, there was a place in Hampstead called the Christmas Tree House. I went in there with my grandmother when I was about 12 or 13. It was this two-story home and it was filled with beautiful things and decorations — angels, Santas, twinkling lights — and it even smelled like fresh-baked cookies,” said Taylor.

“I don’t know how to describe what it felt like walking in that place but it started this flicker inside of me. I knew then that if I ever got the chance, I wanted to do something like that — create a place just to get away.”

The White House is located at 2246 Freedom Way (Hwy.24).

We hope you enjoyed reading this article and hope that you will remember us when buying or selling real estate in Onslow County. Our speciality is new homes in Hubert and Swansboro but we can assist you with all your real estate needs. We invite you to visit our main website www.kingsbridgerealty.com

.