Delight in Design
At the recent Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Christmas House, rooms created by the area’s top designers served as a harbinger of where local design in headed in 2013. The outlook is fresh and fearless.
Living Room // Beth Webb, Beth Webb Interiors
With its lime-washed paneled walls, the living room was designed to accentuate the home’s cozy-yet-stylish sensibility. The result: a classically comfortable room with a contemporary verve. Beth Webb’s fresh take on the formal space features four plush chairs surrounding an elliptical table that serves as both a library table and dining table for intimate dinner parties. “This arrangement creates conversation unlike any other,” Webb observes. Artwork throughout the room also serves as a conversation-starter, in addition to adhering to one of the Webb’s primary design principles. “No room is complete without art; it’s like jewelry for a little black dress,” she says.
TABLE R Hughes CHAIRS Parc Monceau LIGHT FIXTURE Downtown through R Hughes RUG Kyle Bunting through R Hughes CONVEX MIRROR Parc Monceau DEMILUNE SKIRT FABRIC Coleman Taylor through R Hughes “flora” LAMPS Edgar-Reeves BAR CONSOLE AND SCULPTURAL MIRROR Jean de Merry through R Hughes BRASS LAMPS ON BAR Parc Monceau PONY BENCH Milo & Sedak through R Hughes INTAGLIOS A. Tyner Antiques LOTUS ARRANGEMENT, CANDLESTICKS AND ANDIRONS Parc Monceau wall finish by Roma
Foyer // Vivian Bencich and Kelly Heyer, Square Feet Studio
To create a sense of calm upon entry into the home, Vivian Bencich and Kelly Heyer selected a subdued color for the walls, while choosing to cover the elegantly barreled ceiling in a darker grasscloth. “With the warm glow of ceiling above and the warmth of wood flooring below, the space just hugs you a bit,” says Bencich. To maximize the room’s diminutive footprint, the duo tucked a high-back settee into a paneled niche and designed a pair of narrow oak consoles that boast an airy quality and give the space the perception of additional depth. An abstract piece by artist Elizabeth Stockton and botanical paintings by Susan Hable add to the foyer’s earthy charm.
SETTEE Bobo Intriguing Objects through Bungalow Classic PILLOWS AND MOHAIR THROW Bungalow Classic CHANDELIERS Ochre through R Hughes CONSOLE Designed by Square Feet Studio; fabricated by Skylar Morgan Furniture + Design WIRE BASKETS The Mercantile LAMP Bungalow Classic OIL PAINTING ON CANVAS Elizabeth Stockton through The Mercantile BONTANICAL PAINTING ON PAPER Susan Hable through Bungalow Classic GRASSCLOTH ON CEILING Phillip Jeffries through Grizzel & Mann
Dining Room // Jim Howard, James Michael Howard Inc.
Jim Howard’s moody dining room is a departure from the standard. “The dining experience is not always just about the food or people; it’s made more interesting and memorable by the environment. In this room, that environment was stimulated by the powerful artwork,” he says. Graphic black-on-white art flanking every wall gives the illusion of dining in a gallery. He sets the rest of the scene with a custom angular dining table made of goat skin, a nod to Jean-Michel Frank—the influential 1930s designer with a penchant for clean-lined furnishings made of luxury materials. Other Howard originals in the space include leather klismos-style dining chairs and platinum leaf consoles, both of which adhere to his steadfast design rule. “You must pick and choose very carefully the things you want to stand out in a room and let everything else calmly recede around it,” he says.
DINING TABLE James Michael Howard Inc. DINING CHAIRS AND QUINCY CONSOLES Mr. & Mrs. Howard for Sherrill Furniture CHANDELIER Paul Ferrante through Ainsworth-Noah & Associates CURTAIN FABRIC Romo through Travis & Co. SHADE FABRIC Robert Allen SHADE TRIM Pindler & Pindler RUG Noor collection from Stark Carpets ARTWORK Available through Mrs. Howard LAMPS Parc Monceau GRASSCLOTH ON WALL PANELS Phillip Jeffries through Grizzel & Mann
Gentleman’s Study // Tammy Connor, Tammy Connor Interior Design
At first glance, this masterfully decorated study might recall something from a sophisticated southern country house from days gone by. But, in fact, the room draws its inspiration from a modern, well-traveled gentleman who Tammy Connor envisioned when she first started designing the space. “It’s filled with items collected on his life’s journey thus far,” explains Connor of the room’s diverse mix of vintage finds, which includes horn bottle stoppers, crystal inkwells and silver bowls. Larger antiques include an English tufted leather chair and a towering Neoclassical walnut mirror, which helped reflect light within the dark space. To give the study a contemporary verve, Connor chose a high-gloss finish for the olive-colored walls and selected a clean-lined desk with chrome trappings. She continues her “updated traditional” aesthetic in the bathroom by juxaposing antique accessories—complete with history and patina—next to gleaming new fixtures and finishes.
DESK Parc Monceau DESK CHAIR AND HIDE BENCH R Hughes MIRROR Robuck & Co. ANTIQUES LIGHT FIXTURE AND DESK LAMP Parc Monceau TUFTED CHAIR English Accents ARTWORK Edgar-Reeves CANE CHAIR Available through Tammy Connor Interior Design FLOOR LAMP Edgar-Reeves WINDOW TREATMENTS Coleman Taylor Textiles through R Hughes CURTAIN HARDWARE Iron Studio OUSHAK RUGS Keivan Woven Arts MIRRORS, PRINTS AND CANDLESTICKS IN BATHROOM Ainsworth-Noah & Associates WASHSTANDS Porcher Cabinet Designed by L Kae Interiors; fabricated by Bell Cabinetry ALL OTHER BATHROOM ACCESSORIES Waterworks
Library // Laura Walker, Verde Home by Laura Walker
Despite the room’s petite proportions, Laura Walker went for high drama in the library. “I always think you need to create some impact in a space this size; you shouldn’t put small furniture in a small space, it’s going to look even smaller,” she explains. To that end, Walker mixes and matches large-scale furnishings in varying textures and styles, including a pair of vintage chairs reupholstered in Vietnamese silk and sculptural ottomans with walnut bases. Even bookcase walls were given a textural paint treatment, reminiscent of grasscloth, which creates movement. Other highlights include an antique Italian desk, papier-mâché floor lamps and a custom Verde Home rug that anchors the room’s cozy color scheme.
SOFA AND OTTOMANS American Leather through Verde Home by Laura Walker VINTAGE ARM CHAIRS AND FLOOR LAMPS Verde Home RUG Laura Walker Collection at Verde Home ANTIQUE DESK AND CANDLESTICKS available through Verde Home DESIGN CHAIR upholstered by Cisco Brothers for Verde Home ARTWORK available through Astolfi Art SCULPTURE, DESK LAMP AND ALL OTHER ACCESSORIES available through Verde Home
Kitchen // Lyndsy Woods, L Kae Interiors
This open and airy kitchen designed by Lyndsy Woods echoes all the elements of a charming English farmhouse. Expansive poplar beams—originally from a 19th-century Vermont farmhouse—add visual interest, while the custom hood introduces another natural texture. It’s fabricated from cold rolled steel and finished with a custom acid wash. Windsor-style chairs offer a comfortable place to dine on the honed Calacutta marble countertops by Levantina. Woods worked with Bell Cabinetry for the cabinetry design, which features a simple beaded inset. She added a fresh spin to the rural aesthetic by introducing a pair of overscale lamps on the countertop. “The beams were such a focal point that I felt like dropping pendants would be too distracting for the room. The lamps soften everything and make the kitchen feel more like a livable living space,” Woods says.
COUNTERTOPS AND BLACKSPLASH Calacutta Gold Marble, fabricated by Levantina CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry POPLAR BEAMS American Timber Company HOOD Raw Urth BARTSTOOLS Englishman’s Fine Furnishings LAMPS B.D. Jeffries FAUCETRY Rohl through European Sink Atlanta RUG Myers Carpet
Mudroom // James Farmer with Maggie Griffin, James Farmer Designs
James Farmer proves that even a home’s hidden spaces need a dose of high style. “We spend a lot of time in mudrooms, whether it’s because we’re passing through with groceries or airing out dirty clothes. You’re usually not in there to do something fun, so you might as well make it pretty,” he says. Farmer began the design of the space with an imaginative journey through the treasure troves of familial attics and English country homes. Classic blue-and-white relics mix with other traditional items like an Oushak rug, mahogany buffet and red-and-white check curtains. The bamboo rod adds an outdoorsy touch, as does the pot of rosemary and a bucolic collection of artwork that pays tribute to Farmer’s childhood spent on a working ranch. Even the open storage area features hunting gear belonging to the designer’s family and friends.
ARTWORK Available through Madison Gallery CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry ALL OTHER FURNISHINGS AND ACCESSORIES Available through James Farmer Designs
Breakfast Room // Gretchen Edwards, Gilstrap Edwards Interior Design
A balancing act was in play behind the winning look of this light-filled breakfast room. Although Gretchen Edwards wanted to infuse the rectangular space with a sophisticated elegance, she was careful to not let it become stuffy and formal. She accomplished this with an abstract curtain fabric and a unique take on slipcovers for the French dining chairs. “I wanted to do something different than just the typical pull-over slipcover, so I thought extra skinny ties would give the chairs a feminine feel and allow the beautiful wood to still be shown,” Edwards says. Recognizing that one of her favorite details—the brass inlay on the Madeline Stuart table—was exuding a formal air, Edwards set the table with more casual linen placemats. A mix of delicate dinnerware and eclectic accessories round out this nook’s refined, yet relaxed, aesthetic.
DINING TABLE Madeline Stuart Collection through Jerry Pair & Associates CURTAIN FABRIC Jim Thompson SLIPCOVERS Fabric by Jim Thompson; fabricated by Cox Design Consultants CHANDELIER Dennis & Leen through Jerry Pair RUG Sullivan Fine Rugs TABLETOP CHINA, CRYSTAL AND ACCESSORIES Travadavi
Family Room // Liz Williams, Liz Williams Interiors
The family room epitomizes the essence of livable luxury. Liz Williams’ sunny splashes of citron and teal hues—against a backdrop of neutrals—makes for a fresh and inviting color palette. Plush seating in rich textures also plays up the comfort factor, but it’s in the room’s smallest details that the space really shines. “Whether it’s the pillow flanges or the tape trim around the sofa, little details were paramount in making this room truly unique,” Williams says. Even the beaded wood trim on the curtains elevates the striped fabric from simple to striking.
SOFA Upholstered in Lee Jofa’s “Nara” fabric, available through Liz Williams Interiors ESPRESSO BLANCHARD CHAIRS Upholstered in Lee Jofa’s “Nirvana Shadow” fabric with brown welt cord, available through Holland & Company LOUNGE CHAIRS Upholstered in Lee Jofa’s “Channels” fabric, available through Liz Williams Interiors SETTEE, COFFEE TABLE, SIDE TABLES AND ITALIAN BALL ON STAND Holland & Company SISAL RUG Underfoot Designs PERSIAN RUG Sullivan Fine Rugs VINTAGE SCONCES AND FIREPLACE SCREEN Parc Monceau LAMPS Edgar-Reeves ARTWORK Gary Bodner, represented by Anne Irwin Fine Art WINDOW TREATMENTS Lee Jofa’s “Sand Strie” fabric with custom wood drop trim.
Master Bedroom // Amy Morris, Amy D. Morris Interiors
A towering velvet-tufted bed bedecked with lavish linens leaves no question as to the focal point in this master bedroom by Amy Morris. The grandeur of this piece is offset via the room’s cool and calming color scheme; a soft blue on the ceiling casts an ethereal glow over the entire space. To fill the room’s large volume, Morris selected pieces such as a walnut desk and commode to place on either side of the bed. A leather settee anchors an informal sitting area at the foot of the bed. “These pieces allowed me to add some layering and depth to the design. It also gave me a chance to flank the bed with something unexpected,” Morris says. The dream-like aesthetic continues in the master bathroom, where a luxurious French bateau-style soaking tub and adornments like a silk window shade and a fluffy sheepskin bench radiate a quiet calmness.
BED AND BEDDING Amy D. Morris Interiors SETTEE Michael S. Smith Inc. through Ainsworth-Noah & Associates BOW PILLOWS Horsley Kaufman FORTUNY PILLOWS The Stalls LEATHER CHAIRS Jerry Pair ENGLISH CHAIR Dessin Fournir through Grizzel & Mann SISAL RUG Amy D. Morris Interiors OUSHAK RUG Moattar, Ltd. CURTAIN FABRIC Classic Cloth CURTAIN HARDWARE Iron Studio CHANDELIER Ainsworth-Noah DRINKS TABLE Smith Grubbs & Associates TABLE LAMPS AND FLOOR LAMP Circa Lighting
Upstairs Den // Chris Holt, Holt Interiors
Usually known for his quiet color schemes, Chris Holt decided to take a bolder approach in the upstairs den. Glossy caramel-colored walls envelope an intimate sitting area composed of chic furnishings, including teak wingback chairs, a custom designed sofa and a sumptuously wrapped mohair slipper chair—all resting upon a graphic rug. “I love the geometric print underfoot,” explains Holt. “It keeps the space from becoming too traditional by giving it a fresh, current edge.” Holt’s bravura comes through in is his effortless mix of luxury and affordability: brass vases from Target and simple artwork created from Instagram photos blend seamlessly with side tables from Jerry Pair & Associates and a glimmering chandelier from Urban Electric Company.
SOFA AND SLIPPER CHAIR Holt Interiors CURTAIN FABRIC Jim Thompson TEAK CHAIRS Restoration Hardware (cushions reupholstered by Holt Interiors) OTTOMAN Bungalow Classic RUG Myers Carpet SIDE TABLES Gregorius Pineo through Jerry Pair & Associates LIGHT FIXTURE Urban Electric Company CUSTOM IRON DESK Holt Interiors DESK CHAIR Jerry Pair ARTWORK OVER DESK John Folsom, represented by Pryor Fine Art LAMPS Circa Lighting
Boy’s Bedroom // Barbara Heath, The Mercantile
Color takes center stage in the boy’s bedroom designed by Barbara Heath. “I started with this incredible teal and then choose a lighter chartreuse color to play off of it,” she says. Heath masterfully weaved these colors throughout the space from floor to ceiling—literally. From a striated wool rug to sky-high drapery, there’s no shortage of colorful prints in-between. The bed features Jim Thompson’s luminous “Pod” fabric on the duvet, while the bedside bench is upholstered in yet another of the brand’s unique fabrics. “I really tried to showcase the fabrics and the color play that Jim Thompson is so famous for,” Heath notes. A painting by Elizabeth Stockton, created especially for this space, captures the room’s vibrant vision.
IRON BED Ainsworth-Noah & Associates CUSTOM BENCH FABRIC by Jim Thompson; fabricated by Bjork Antikt & Studio SOFA AND WING CHAIR Lillian August COFFEE TABLE Barry Dixon for Arteriors Home WINDOW TREATMENTS Fabric by Jim Thompson; fabricated by Cumming Drapery Workroom RUGS Designer Carpets VINTAGE MAP AND GLOBES Bjork Studio VINTAGE LOCKERS The Nicholson Gallery FLOOR LAMP Chip & Company BEDSIDE LAMPS The Mercantile OIL PAINTING Elizabeth Stockton.
Nursery // Michel Boyd, SmithBoyd Interiors
Not even a child’s nursery is excluded from Michel Boyd’s realm of fabulousness. “I chose these particular colors because neon was so big in fashion last season, and fashion eventually trickles down to trends in interiors,” he explains. Boyd peppers the room with vibrant chartreuse—from the custom velvet daybed to the eye-catching drapery treatment. The curtains’ cornice boards feature a horizontal version of striped fabric, helping the eye move around this jewel-box of a room. A neutral grasscloth grounds the energetic color palette and plethora of prints. Boyd was able to purchase the last three yards—in the country—of Kelly Wearstler’s “Water Striped” fabric for the custom floor pillow. Other highlights include an antique horse, acrylic crib, stately orange mirror and a luxurious fox fur throw. “I wanted the space to be so packed with style,” says Boyd, “that you didn’t know what to look at first.” Indeed, this room is fit for a prince or princess.
CUSTOM DAYBED SmithBoyd Interiors SIDE TABLE, CABINET AND CHAIR Bradley Hughes HIDE PILLOW Kyle Bunting through R Hughes ACRYLIC CRIB Bobby Berk Home CUSTOM FLOOR PILLOW SmithBoyd Interiors FLOOR LAMP Circa Lighting RUG Moattar, Ltd. ARTWORK Available through Webb-Marstellar ANTIQUE HORSE Available through SmithBoyd Interiors BASKET The Mercantile MIRROR Holland & Company CURTAIN FABRIC Designer Textiles GRASSCLOTH ON WALLS Phillip Jeffries through Grizzel & Mann