A Dream House on the Chattahoochee

Clinton Ross Smith's frank observations on Summerour and Westbrook's creation from "Written in Stone". Scroll through these photographs and learn more about this home.

Text: Clinton Ross Smith
Photos: Pieter Estersohn
October 2006
foyer in the Klien Home
It seems as though I have always been a fan of Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, and my visit to the "Ruhlmann: Genius of Art Deco" show at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York in 1994 did nothing to quell my enthusiasm for his work. So, I was fascinated to learn that the French designer's creations also served as designer Barbara Westbrook's inspiration for some of this home's interiors, including the rug in the foyer. In the design trade and to those who study decorative arts, Ruhlmann's Art Deco furniture and interiors are well known. I have never understood why he isn't more of a household name, as his work is stunning and looks just as modern and fresh now as it did when he created it in the 1910s and '20s. To read more about the remarkable designer and see his captivating work, check out www.ruhlmann.info You, too, will certainly been won over.

 

the Keith Summerour-designed living room  
Wow - how dramatic! Curtain walls of windows are usually associated with commercial spaces, so how delightful and unexpected it was to find that architect Keith Summerour had incorporated the element into this home's design. People often talk about blurring the line between indoors and out, but this really sets the standard for others to aspire. What do I love most about it? The fact that it's not 'modern.' One would normally assume to see sleek, contemporary furniture in such a space. But rich textures, comfortable upholstery and colorful artwork make this home warm and inviting. In the magazine, the story says that the designer and architect used their own design vocabulary to create the house - and this room exemplifies why: can you put a label on its style? I can't.
 
summourer designed room
Let's play a word association game. For this area, 'clean' and 'pure' are the two that immediately come to mind. Look at the delicate nature of those sheer curtains, the clear sidetable next to the chaise and those wonderful, stone floors. There really is an art and elegance to simplicity, but it is difficult to pull off. Here, it looks like it was effortless.

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