Brad and Alys Smith personally fund a much-needed renovation of the Marshall President’s House.
By Amanda Larch
HQ 122 | SUMMER 2023
Breathing new life into a 100-year-old home is no easy task, and no one was more up for the challenge than Marshall University First Lady Alys Smith.
The Marshall University President’s House overlooking Ritter Park was in need of some renovations when Brad and Alys Smith arrived in Huntington.
“Our goal was to renovate it and lift it up to where it should be, not so much for us, but for future generations of presidents, staff, students and the people,” Alys says. “After all, this house really belongs to the people of this community.”
A few years ago, the university renovated parts of the house, including the kitchen and master bath, but the bulk of the work focused on fixing plumbing and electrical infrastructure issues — things you don’t see. When the Smiths arrived last year, the pair asked university officials to go through the house and make a wish list of additional changes and upgrades to the aging structure. The Smiths then reached into their own wallets to fund the work. The entire project was funded by the couple’s Wing 2 Wing Foundation.
“When we got here, we were well aware that the house needed some work,” Alys says. “We wanted to make it very clear that all the work done to the house would be covered by a donation to Marshall University. We didn’t want there to be any question about using taxpayer dollars to renovate this house or to beautify it.”
For starters, the home needed new shutters, and vocational training students from a local high school used 3D printers to manufacture them. The outside columns were repainted, and Alys spruced up the front porch, swapping white rocking chairs for cozier furniture and adding pops of color for each season. For summer, she’s chosen yellow, with lemon decorations accenting the space.
“The exterior of the house just looked a little tired,” Alys recalls. “The house is so stately and beautiful, and we felt it should be a proper reflection of the university for those who drive by or attend events at the home. We really warmed up the front porch with a cozy seating space and some new accents. People comment all the time about the beautiful accent colors.”
Speaking of warming up, one of the Smiths’ major goals with their renovations was to lighten the home’s interior, though not by painting. Alys replaced most of the chandeliers, creating more consistency in the lighting throughout the home, and brought in light-colored furnishings and rugs to contrast the home’s dark paneling. The result is a space that is much more warm and inviting.
To add a personal touch to the furnishings, the Smiths brought furniture from their home in California, which they plan to leave with the house when they’re gone. With the help of Elizabeth Yeager, interior designer and owner of Yeager Design & Interiors in Teays Valley, Alys developed a vision for the home’s interior design that would both honor the history of the house and upgrade its decor.
“Elizabeth is so talented,” Alys says. “We walked through the house and made a list of the things we thought would look great in each room. Many of the furnishings that were here remained, but some of them were put in storage, sold or reused for other purposes at Marshall because they didn’t fit our vision for the house.”
The third floor of the home was completely reimagined. The space was originally used as a ballroom, but over the years it had gradually become storage space. Today, the space practically exudes comfort and entices guests to unwind. It is where Brad loves to play his guitar and where the couple spends time together watching their favorite television shows. The third floor also includes a full gym and a renovated bathroom with a steam shower, which lends a spa-like atmosphere to the space. It’s no wonder the top floor is the couple’s favorite place to hang out.
The garage was another part of the property in need of serious updating. It hadn’t been touched in years and had significant water damage and infestations. As a result, the entire garage space was gutted and reconfigured with new walls, windows, floors, furnishings and more. Today it’s a modern and comfortable apartment with a spacious bedroom, kitchen and living room. It even has its own washer and dryer.
One of the key features of the Smiths’ renovation is the couple’s closet, which Alys describes as “the pièce de résistance.” She hired a professional team from HOMEGirl WV to help organize the space. At one point the closet had served as a sewing room, but the team found ways to convert it into a spacious walk-in closet. Brad and Alys did not want to keep parts of their wardrobe in separate closets throughout the house, so they consolidated everything in a truly stunning and innovative closet space.
“They made my closet like a boutique. I really appreciate a closet that not only is beautiful, but also works for me,” Alys says. “It was really helpful to work with a professional organizer to figure out the best ways to store our stuff so that it’s easy for us to find and easy for us to use.”
One final renovation the Smiths completed was in the office. Originally accommodating a single desk and bookshelf, it now has two companion desks: an executive desk for Brad and a writing desk for Alys, who is an attorney.
“Home offices are usually only large enough for one desk. What’s more, this office was used solely by the president in the past,” Alys explains. “But times have changed, and I work in here all the time. Sometimes we are both working in here. It’s such a unique room, with a great view of Ritter Park.”
Adding glitz and glamour to the guest rooms, kitchen and sunroom was the final step. Many meaningful details from the couple now add to the charm and personality of the home, including family photos, artwork — some of which was sourced from Alys’s hometown of Akron, Ohio — and Alys’s china, a unique pattern that’s now beautifully displayed in the dining room.
“It was interesting combining our things with some old items and some new items,” Alys says. “I’ve never had an opportunity really to showcase my china, but it looks like it was meant for this house.”
Being able to renovate and rejuvenate the home is a point of pride for the couple. Because they love to host events and entertain guests, they wanted the home to feel upscale yet comfortable, Alys says.
“It just makes us proud to be the keepers of the house for however long we’re here,” she says. “The layout of this house needs to be celebrated. Our prime goal was making this house shine like the jewel that it is.”
