Hands On

For three decades, designer Kathy Guyton has perfected the interiors of homes, assembling the right colors and fabrics, furniture and lighting to perfectly please her clients. Her work has been featured in regional and national magazines, drawing accolades from far and near.

Still, she admits, it all eventually became too familiar. There was, more and more, a sameness to her projects. “I got a little tired of how many shades of blue are out there and invariably going back to the first shade of blue I showed [a client].”

Specifically, Guyton grew frustrated by homes with wasted space, those with little thought given to furniture placement. She sought the freedom to design from the inside out. So Guyton downsized her design business, which had offices in Sea Island and Atlanta, to start a new venture. Teaming up with her son, who has building experience, and her nephew—an architect—she created Guyton Design Homes, a company that focuses on new housing as well as remodeling both primary and second homes.

“My primary goal in design was for houses to work for people the way they lived,” Guyton says. “I think the three of us have an amazing amount to give to someone who wants to build a house.”

Currently, the company has two $1.795-million homes for sale on Arden Road, two remodel projects in Cashiers, North Carolina, and a custom home going up in the Peachtree Battle area. Granted, the pace of their new construction is slower than when the company launched; the first six houses were sold before they were out of the ground.

“We're just trying to be careful in this economy,” Guyton says, adding that they're thinking of building smaller spec homes in the much-sought-after Morris Brandon Elementary School district. The company's concept is much like that of another designer; Edward Holifield has taken the same tack with his business, Edward Holifield by Design. He, too, believes clients working with a firm that can provide the design, construction and interiors can reap financial benefits. His projects cover a wide range of budgets, from $10,000 for a simple bathroom redo to $300,000 for a complete home remodel.

“Anytime you can minimize the number of hands in the fire, versus hands in your pocket, it's advantageous,” Holifield says. “I often think I undersell myself because I am cutting several people out of the process, but I'm not charging what three people would charge.”

As more and more clients opt to improve their residences instead of selling in the current market, Guyton's company—which has five full-time employees—is also doing more remodeling work. Its remodeling budgets have ranged from $100,000 to $300,000, although some projects, such as outdoor entertaining spaces, can be less.

“We work from the inside out to make a house that flows, a house that lives. There's room for furniture,” she says. “Then we wrap an exterior on it that's really attractive, well-scaled and fits the lot. We don't start with ‘what should this house look like from the outside?' What I've been able to do is take away the wasted space, which is thrilling because it's bugged me all my life,” Guyton explains. “We design functioning, livable, energized homes. Every room has activity.”

DESIGN DETAILS
Kathy Guyton, Gutyon Design Homes, LLC.
200 Bennett St. NW, Atlanta 30309
(404) 352-0200; guytondesignhomes.com

Edward Holifield, Edward Holifield by Design
951 North Ave. NE, Atlanta 30306
(404) 668-3850; edwardholifieldbydesign.com