Sensational Style

Innovation reigned supreme at the 2014 Home for the Holidays Showhouse, where bold, statement-making designs culminated in a showstopping abode that reflects the visions of Atlanta’s forward-thinking designers.

 

BETH WEBB, Beth Webb Interiors

Black-lacquer walls and a masterfully detailed tracery ceiling motif provided a dazzling backdrop in the dining room that allowed for sculptural splashes of cream, taupe, brass and goldleaf to positively pop. “The design really began with the angular console and serpent lamp,” notes Webb of these seductively chic objects, both of which were recent debuts from the newly launched Areté Collection by Bradley Clifford and George Sellers. Webb selected the graphic works of art from Robert Brown’s Townhouse and Bungalow Classic (source of the graphic piece by Susan Hable Smith)–while the undulating cecropia-leaf centerpiece by floral designer Robert Long echoed their striking effects. Cleverly introduced layers, including an array of hides placed above a flat-weave Turkish rug from Moattar, contributed to the stylish sense of intrigue.

Dining Room DRAPERY Holland & Sherry At R Hughes DRAPERY AND TABLE SKIRT TRIM Samuel And Sons At Ainsworth-Noah CHANDELIER Apparatus At Atelier FACETTE CONSOLE Areté Collection GILDED AND EBONIZED CONSOLE Parc Monceau KLISMOS DINING CHAIRS Mrs. Howard FLUTED MCGUIRE FLASK LAMP Townhouse By Robert Brown CREAM HIDE RUGS Bungalow Classic And Max And Co. FLAT-WEAVE RUG Moattar SUSAN HABLE SMITH ARTWORK Bungalow Classic OTHER ARTWORK Townhouse By Robert Brown

 

SUSAN FERRIER, Mcalpine Booth & Ferrier Interiors

“I really wanted to keep [the living room] pretty, happy and light,” says Ferrier, who admits she was actively designing against the prevailing fashion of dark and moody rooms. Never one to neglect scale, she employed elongated and elevated pieces (from the floor lamps to the Ochre chandelier) for a sense of majesty. Flanking a wall of soft drapery was the room’s showstopper: a floor-to-ceiling mirrored screen that added luminosity while enhancing the room’s soaring architecture. Similarly, the space’s reflective and metallic fabrics appeared particularly beautiful in candlelight. “I tried to keep it very elemental with metals and stone,” says Ferrier, who specifically selected unique decor–a vintage telescope, a pair of binoculars on a stand, rock crystals, a bronze sculpture of a hand–to up the intrigue. Warm, pure gold was used as a color, rather than tone, resulting in a serene look alongside the room’s wooly grays and softly curved upholstery.

Living Room CHANDELIER Ochre at R Hughes MIRRORED SCREEN Bobby McAlpine READING LAMPS Parc Monceau SOFA Susan Ferrier for Circa: Catbird Collection HIGH-BACK SKIRTED CHAIR Lee Industries DRAPERY Holland & Sherry at R Hughes DRINK TABLE McLain Wiesand at Ainsworth-Noah NESTING COCKTAIL TABLES David Iatesta at Ainsworth-Noah FLOOR LAMPS A. Tyner Antiques TELESCOPE Parc Monceau HIDE DESK Holland & Company/MacRae ANTIQUE THRONE CHAIR FABRIC Coleman Taylor

 

AMY D. MORRIS, Amy Morris Interiors

Always keen to embrace a fresh style, Morris fashioned an inviting family room using Jim Thompson textiles as her guide. After turning the drapery fabric for the French doors on the reverse, she selected a saturated navy mohair for the custom tuxedo sofa, which, along with a pair of armchairs flanking the fireplace, formed a convivial seating group. “I imagined a family congregating here,” the designer explains. “It’s so important, even in big houses, to have small spaces to gather, so you don’t lose the sense of daily routine.” Though hearty in scale, her choice for lighting nevertheless conveyed a light footprint, the lantern’s gilded iron bands mirroring the room’s leggy selections, including an unusually shaped coffee table from R Hughes.  Anchoring the space–and its wide doorway–were two towering red chinoiserie cabinets from Joseph Konrad, which also served as a frame for Beth Webb’s black-and-white dining room across the way.

Sitting Room FABRIC ON NAVY MOHAIR TUXEDO SOFA AND WING CHAIRS Jim Thompson WOOD SCONCES A. Tyner Antiques MIRROR Foxglove Antiques GOLD LEAF LANTERN Brandt Hall at Dessin Fournir COFFEE TABLE Ochre at R Hughes HEXAGONAL TABLE Nierman Weeks at Grizzell & Mann RUG Moattar DRAPERY Jim Thompson PILLOWS AND THROW Holland & Sherry at R Hughes

 

NIKI PAPADOPOULOS & MARK WILLIAMS, Mark Williams Design Associates

Truly the heart of this home, the kitchen was likewise a heartfelt collaboration among three expert Atlanta firms: Harrison Design Associates, Bell Custom Cabinetry and Mark Williams Design Associates–who combined varied design notions to achieve the most attractive and efficient kitchen possible. The architectural foundation was the preeminent force of inspiration, its open layout necessitating a simple approach that blended beautifully with surrounding rooms. To soften the utilitarian features, the refrigerator and freezer were concealed in polished mahogany, giving them the appearance of an oversize armoire, while custom panels dressed up cabinet doors and an ample pantry ingeniously concealed clutter as well as appliances such as warming drawers and a built-in microwave. “It has the tailored and nonfussy sensibility our firm is known for,” explains Papadopoulos, who worked with Williams in the adjacent breakfast room to select a mahogany dining table from Baker for perfect balance, while an Ochre chandelier stole the show from above.

Kitchen PENDANTS Remains Lighting at Jim Thompson SCONCES Norwell Lighting COUNTER STOOLS Bjork Studio with Jim Thompson Fabric ROMAN SHADES Jim Thompson and Yoma Textiles PLUMBING Rohl COUNTERTOPS Levantina FABRICATION Atlanta Kitchen APPLIANCES Sub-Zero Wolf HOOD Andrew T. Crawford Ironworks

Breakfast Room BANQUETTE Bjork Studio with Jim Thompson Fabric DINING TABLE Barbara Barry at Baker Furniture DINING CHAIRS Thomas Pheasant at Baker Furniture CHANDELIER Ochre at R Hughes RUG Moattar Ltd.

 

LIZ WILLIAMS, Liz Williams Interiors

Taking a handsome and slightly formal approach to the home’s entry halls and stairwell, Liz Williams chose a classic Lee Jofa fabric–Folie Chinoise–as her launching point, allowing the traditional pattern to offset more contemporary artwork (note Carrie Penley’s dramatic horse painting and Brian Carter’s bold abstracts) that, along with antique furnishings and rugs, established an overall transitional vibe. Williams ingeniously combined several of these old rugs into one makeshift runner, underscoring the room’s multitasking nature. “This house is open and ideal for entertaining, and with an entry so considerable in size, the space must be utilized,” explains the designer, who outfitted its vast proportions with stylish but functional furnishings: The entry hallway accommodated extra seating via a 19th-century Italian settee, while a writing desk presided over a sunny alcove upstairs.

Entry and Stair Halls left DESK Parc Monceau NAILHEAD CHAIR Holland & Company ABSTRACT INK DRAWINGS Brian Carter at Holland & Company NESTING DISHES C’est Moi LAMP Erika Reade below MIRROR Holland & Company FRINGE PILLOWS Lee Jofa SETTEE AND THREE-DRAWER STAND Parc Monceau right WALNUT HALL BENCH Parc Monceau HORSE PAINTING Carrie Penley RUGS Sullivan Fine Rugs BOLSTER FABRIC Michael S. Smith at Ainsworth-Noah

 

MICHEL BOYD, SmithBoyd Interiors

Michel Boyd’s take on the black-and-white palette was as artful as it was fashion-forward. Modern artwork, bold silhouettes and precise tailoring created a master bedroom that was equal parts stimulating and intimate. “I believe that a bedroom should not just be soothing, but sexy, too,” the designer asserts. Textural touches punctuated a mélange of must-sees, moving from the moody upstairs gallery hall to the statement-making master bedroom, bath and sitting room: a custom ruched bed, a brass desk, color-blocked draperies, an octopus chest and a Brutalist wall sculpture, as well as deft layering of classic yet graphic patterns. The geometric Osborne & Little wallpaper was a showstopper, and complemented the handsome Harrison Design Associates–selected hardware on the doors. “The piece above the mantel is my favorite,” Boyd says of the Cubist figure from Pryor Gallery, which crowned a fireplace in the sitting area filled with 200 black books.

Master Bedroom BED SmithBoyd Interiors DESK Jim Thompson BEDSIDE CHEST Bradley CHANDELIER AND BEDSIDE LAMPS Circa Lighting RUG SmithBoyd for Verde Home SIDE CHAIRS Jim Thompson CONSOLE Jerry Pair ART ABOVE CONSOLE Webb Marsteller OTTOMAN SmithBoyd Interiors

Master Sitting Room SOFA Ernest Gaspard CHANDELIER Circa Lighting RUG SmithBoyd for Verde Home FLOOR LAMP Circa Lighting CONSOLE TABLE Baker Furniture COFFEE TABLE R Hughes DRAPERY Jim Thompson WALL COVERING Osborne & Little at Ainsworth-Noah ART Pryor Gallery and Martin Nash

Upstairs Gallery CHEST AND SCULPTURE Martin Nash CHAIR Ernest Gaspard ART Anne Irwin Fine Art

Master Bathroom left COUNTERTOPS Levantina RUG SmithBoyd for Verde Home SCONCES Circa Lighting MIRRORS Holland and Company below WALLCOVERING Christian Lacroix at Ainsworth-Noah right DRAPERY Travis & Company BLACK STUMP TABLE Bradley SMALL TABLE Southern Design Source CHANDELIER Avrett at R Hughes MARBLE AND TILE Renaissance Tile & Bath PLUMBING Rohl TUB MTI

 

MARGARET KIRKLAND, Margaret Kirkland Interiors

This upstairs guest retreat was a sight for sore eyes, thanks to Kirkland’s penchant for sumptuous fabrics and ornate details. Glossy walls in a deep Farrow & Ball blue, paired with modern paintings, added punch to this otherwise traditional room. The palette itself was determined by the Brunschwig & Fils fabric, Bellary, which combined blue, green and turquoise. This color scheme was extended to the angel canopy, window valances and bed skirt, and the result was nothing short of jaw-dropping. “We wanted to create an inviting and charming retreat that really made people feel like guests of honor when visiting the house,” says Kirkland, who believes in “the power of pretty”–hence little luxuries such as a dressing table set with flowers, perfume, truffles and an array of books. 

Guest Retreat EBONIZED TABLE, PAINTED MIRROR, CHEST, BEDSIDE LAMPS AND BEDSIDE TABLES Parc Monceau CHANDELIER AND LAMP SHADES Edgar-Reeves DUVET COVER, SHAMS & COVERLET Leontine Linens BEDSKIRT Drapery Threads DRAPERY Brunschwig & Fils HEADBOARD Holland & Company WATERCOLOR PAINTINGS Kathleen Benson FARROW & BALL PAINT Lee Jofa

 

TAMI RAMSAY & KRISTA NYE SCHWARTZ, Cloth & Kind
For this home’s far-removed bonus room and vestibule, Athens-based Tami Ramsay and Ann Arbor-based Krista Nye Schwartz fashioned a space that was inky, soulful and awash in moody luxury. “Since it was essentially the last room in the house, we wanted it to be a destination,” says Ramsay, who approached the design with a story in mind. “We loved the idea of treating it as a speakeasy, off the beaten track and accessed through the vestibule.” Their intimate entertaining space was enveloped in Sydney Harbour Paint Company’s Jaguar, then stocked with well-set conversation groups and a slew of fabrics, most of them from Zak + Fox. “We’re textile fanatics,” says Schwartz. “This room was our dream come true, since we got to pile them on.” Trims from Fringe Market, accents from Peter Fasano and a daybed covered in an Ellisha Alexina stripe completed the look with pizzazz.

Bonus Room and Vestibule SEA URCHIN CHANDELIER Coup D’Etat RUG Merida WOOD CONSOLE TABLE Holland & Company STONE TOP TABLE AND PETRIFIED WOOD TABLE Bradley OUSHAK RUNNER Moattar BUTTERFLY WING CHAIR, LEATHER CHAIR, BAR STOOLS AND GRAPHIC CHAIRS Cloth & Kind Vintage Collection right NEPTUNE CHANDELIER Julian Chichester at Holland & Company RUBBER-TOP WORK TABLE Bungalow Classic ART Ashley Woodson Bailey RUG Eliko Antique & Decorative Rugs

 

CARTER KAY, Carter Kay Interiors

Tucked away and located at the termination point of a long upstairs hallway, Carter Kay and Nancy Hooff’s guest retreat delivered an instant vacation. The designers adopted a patchwork-like fabric as the impetus for the design, its elegant layers of linen, silk, leather and metallic details draped from copper rods, unifying the room’s bank of windows. To echo its earthy color palette, the duo was quick to bring the outdoors in via antler details, hoof-legged furniture and even a hornet’s nest gathered during a walk in Highlands, North Carolina. “It’s a melting pot of a room,” says Kay, who mixed an 18th-century French vitrine, a dramatic custom headboard and midcentury lamps with contemporary accents–such as the mirrored console-cum-desk paired with a hair-on-hide bench. It’s easy to imagine curling up in this room on a rainy Saturday, reading and snoozing the hours away.

Guest Retreat HEADBOARD FABRIC Travers at Ainsworth-Noah CHANDELIER AND LAMPS Parc Monceau DRAPERY Bosco by Sahco at Donghia RUG Eve & Staron BODENSEE CONSOLE Ironies at Jerry Pair SABOT OTTOMAN Formations at Jerry Pair SUN WALL SCULPTURE/MASK Emaus at Parc Monceau LINENS, SHAMS AND COVERLET Peacock Alley

 

BARBARA HEATH, The Mercantile

Noting the multitude of bedrooms in this generous house, The Mercantile proprietress Barbara Heath and her all-female design team took an ultra-fresh approach upstairs, creating a “ladies’ lounge” that illustrated how to repurpose an accounted-for space according to entirely new activities. In this case, the homeowner might steal away for part of the day to “write thank-you notes, read a book or perhaps peruse favorite issues of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles,” Heath explains. Though small, the room was packed with soft seating, making it an ideal space for a group of girlfriends to gather, enjoying martinis and manicures well into the evening. Prim and plush, the palette of pink, white, gray and crystal exuded glamour with everything from Murano glass lamps to sheepskin-topped Lucite stools, merging classical and whimsical concepts. A silvery Jim Thompson wallpaper in the bath was simply the icing on this pretty little cake.

Ladies’ Lounge CHANDELIER Circa Lighting CHAIRS, CONSOLE, STOOLS, ETAGERE, OTTOMAN, MIRROR, SIDE TABLE AND ACCESSORIES The Mercantile DRAPERY AND PILLOWS Jim Thompson PAINTING Toby Penney FAUX FUR THROW Peacock Alley

 

DANIELLE ROLLINS & BILL INGRAM, Bill Ingram Architect / Rollins Ingram

Atlanta tastemaker Danielle Rollins and Birmingham and Atlanta architect Bill Ingram hit the ground running with one of the first ventures of their newly formed partnership. “We wanted it to feel like a Southern gentleman’s room,” Rollins says. “I imagined someone who is very knowledgeable about antiques … he has a collector’s eye, and also a connection to a Southern colonial past.” Using cocooning shades of brown, orange and forest green, with a russet red and gold-rubbed shagreen wallpaper adorning Harrison Design Associates’ beamed ceiling, the pair created a stately study where the art took center stage. Every piece–from the botanicals to the oversize abstract canvas–was created by the same artist, Virginia-based John Matthew Moore. A well-stocked bar, plenty of Ralph Lauren tartans, warm-wood antiques and leather-adorned tables kept the effect dignified and genteel.

Study TALL CASE CLOCK, VELVET OTTOMAN, TIGER PILLOWS AND MAHOGANY AND BRASS CANE HOLDER Parc Monceau SOFA, CLUB CHAIRS, TUFTED CHAIR, RUG AND BRASS AND LEATHER END TABLES AND ACCESSORIES Ralph Lauren MIRROR AND BOUILLOTTE LAMP William Word Fine Antiques LEAF STUDIES AND ABSTRACT PAINTING John Matthew Moore

 

DEBBIE WEITZ, ELEANOR ROPER AND KENT DROTOR, B.D. Jeffries

Bedecked in primitive elements, the first-floor bar, vestibule and powder room by B.D. Jeffries reflected the same rustic yet luxe aesthetic that’s proved so popular at the Buckhead mainstay. “I wanted to go with understated elegance, clean lines, and objects of scale and intention in this sacred place,” says shop co-owner Debbie Weitz. The warm woods chosen by Harrison Design Associates helped drive the neutral gray-green of the walls, while a bell-shaped, mirrored-glass ceiling fixture was influenced by the room’s understated hardware. Earthy and genteel accents included horn bar stools from Argentina, loads of  William Yeoward crystal, a Roman shade in a graphic Zak + Fox pattern and antique bar stools picked up at a Paris flea market. A teak root table in the hallway commanded attention while drawing the eye to a serene landscape painting, with mossy accents to complement.

Bar, Vestibule & Powder Room LIGHTING, FURNITURE, ANTIQUES, ACCESSORIES AND WILLIAM YEOWARD GLASSWARE, B.D. Jeffries CABINETRY Bell Kitchen & Bath Studios PLUMBING Rohl COUNTERTOPS Levantina

 

LANCE JACKSON AND DAVID ECTON, Parker Kennedy Living

Atlanta’s mild climate naturally lends itself to elegant verandas, which is just what Lance Jackson and David Ecton of Parker Kennedy Living had in mind when they applied their signature Palm Beach flair to the home’s covered veranda. Reaching for blue-and-white porcelains, classic wicker and custom faux-bamboo seating, the pair crafted a fabulously understated palette that opposed their typical aesthetic. “We stayed away from the super-bold jolts of color,” Jackson explains. The effect was indeed pleasing in its subtlety, while multiple seating groups–from club chairs by the fire to keep warm on cool nights to a spacious dining area ideal for overflow during cocktail parties or a summer evening meal–made the space entertaining-friendly. The mantel, anchored by a white-lacquered chinoiserie mirror, would remain a focal point throughout every season.

Veranda SOFA Parker Kennedy Living WOVEN CLUB ARM CHAIRS Parker Kennedy Living VINTAGE COCKTAIL TABLE Parker Kennedy Living SIDE TABLES Currey & Co. CHANDELIER Currey & Co. MIRROR Parker Kennedy Living DINING TABLE Parker Kennedy Living

 

BRIAN PATRICK FLYNN, Flynnside Out

Defining the term “unexpected,” Brian Patrick Flynn’s four interconnected spaces offered an alluring snapshot of his current design perspective–gradually skewing more transitional in recent seasons. The always spunky Renaissance man took an ultra-memorable approach with his first Atlanta showhouse, committed to creating moments of pause en route to the other showhouse rooms. In the hall, a collection of paintings from  Mark Boomershine and Marietta’s dk Gallery mingled with an array of  vintage works culled from Bjork Studio and “innocent yet edgy” portraits by photographer Sarah Dorio. The laundry combined a textural greige grasscloth with hardworking soapstone, modern conveniences and an enormous iron orb fixture from Currey & Company, while the powder room walls were upholstered in Duralee’s winsome Tilton Fenwick peacock print.

Hallway, Powder, Laundry and Mudroom left FABRIC Tilton Fenwick at Duralee PLUMBING Rohl right ART Mark Boomershine, Jenny Andrews Anderson, Bjork Studio, dk Gallery below RUG Moattar CABINETRY Bell Kitchen & Bath Studios opposite CHANDELIER Currey & Company RUG Eliko Antique & Decorative Rugs WALLPAPER Thibaut at Duralee APPLIANCES Guy T. Gunter