Set in a wooded area that opens to marshland and a bay, this 5,600-square-foot, two-story residence was designed to strongly connect with its setting and to appear as though it has been part of the property for many years, with several generations of architecture added. The main house is built off an open wall of masonry that looks much older, and a modern, glass-and-steel wing extends from the home’s southern (?) end. The design combines the familiar farmhouse style with a more modern presence in the rear, where entire sides of the house appear to have been replaced with glass.
A reverence for the environment—particularly the many majestic live oaks on the property—was a priority for the owner. Almost every tree was preserved, and exterior views are framed by the towering trees. In the rear, the patio surrounds the trunk of one live oak, and screened and open porches blend indoors and outdoors. A rusticated tabby stucco was applied to the home’s seemingly older portions, including the chimneys, and horizontal, five-inch clapboard siding gives the exterior a modern, linear effect.
The interior palette is streamlined, achieving a clean and comfortable mien. Organic materials balance glass and steel. Overall, the home has a quiet presence, allowing the natural elements of the lush setting to take center stage.
The owners of this English Manor-style residence wanted a large home that would graciously accommodate their children and grandchildren for extended visits, with a centralized primary living area to suit the couple regardless of guests. Another goal in the design of the home was to frame views of the landscape, including a golf course on one side of the property and a picturesque stream and meadow on the other. The plan is oriented with a long central spine running vertically so the front façade belies the residence’s actual 9,000 sf size.
A porte cochère obscures immediate views of the residence, which is set amid 3.6 acres at the end of a long, scenic drive. Visitors arrive in an enclosed motor court, evoking the estates of 19th and early 20th-century rural England. Though only two stories, tall gables, which have vents at the attic level, accentuate the height and stature of the residence and the exterior of weathered granite, tumbled brick, and black slate imparts a storied bearing.
The architecture incorporates many of the hallmarks of Sir Edwin Luytens’ neo-classical architecture, including a symmetrical front façade, double-height great room, and numerous bay windows and barrel-vaulted vestibules. A spacious, central living room offers ample space for separate activity zones and large gatherings and connects directly to a vaulted loggia and courtyard. Guest bedrooms extend behind and above the main quarters, with a fifth bedroom in a guest tower above a garage.
In 2018, Chicago-native Chef Chuck Woods decided to relocate to Atlanta with his partner and Mixologist, Barb Vickers. They were eager to incorporate classic southern favorites alongside their northern culinary prowess into their new endeavor.
The name Falling Rabbit gave inspiration for a whimsical, elevated dining experience that pulls references from “Through the Looking Glass”. Deep wood tones, vibrant blues, brass accents, and a variation of textures come together to create a different world within, the kind of place where one could linger for hours and feel at home. The incorporation of artwork was a design driver from the start, ensuring every piece was thoughtfully curated for the space where it lives. The art and all the other details in this project correlate directly to the overarching theme – every decision was made with that in mind.
The two-story structure weaves in vignettes of natural light, rich textures, and color, all while providing playful moments in design for patrons to discover and enjoy. Colorful glazing wrapped in picture frames hidden amongst art on a gallery wall offers visitors the ability to experience the energy and artwork of the kitchen beyond. Exposing the original stone walls adjacent to smoothly finished custom walnut and brass screens provides a playful juxtaposition of old and new finishes, and custom-designed furniture adds a lush touch of comfort and ambiance.
Nestled inside Falls Park, The Grand Bohemian Lodge offers direct access to Reedy River, while paying homage to the spirit of Greenville and the indigenous people that once lived there. The design team was inspired by time-honored reputation of national park architecture, romanticized in the era of Roosevelt and The New Deal. The design celebrates natural materials, including cedar, other hard woods, and locally sourced stone. Geodes and jade-colored accents add pops of color to the rustic, yet sophisticated interior. Guests are immersed in the history of the area, as paintings and sculptures depicting everyday Native American life are placed throughout the property. Similarly, a wall feature of stone arrowheads is found near the event space. To provide site lines to the falls and towering trees, many guestrooms were placed below the lobby level to provide instant access, while others feature terraces to provide an indoor-outdoor connection. The Grand Bohemian Lodge truly re-imagines a luxury experience and helps visitors and residents re-connect with the region’s history and natural wonders.
Designed as an urban edge and gateway into the West Village, Camden Buckhead is the follow-up project to the flourishing Camden Paces in Atlanta’s premiere Buckhead neighborhood. The community’s 366 units offer gracious floorplans, concierge-level services, exceptional amenities, and luxury finishes with the potential for city street, wooded, and skyline views.
Camden Buckhead’s two buildings front Roswell Road and form the village’s northern edge. The structures include eight- and nine-story post-tensioned concrete frames and a new entry road between the buildings that leads to structured parking below street level. The architectural style of the community is timeless, striking, and elegant, but at the same time, it offers a convivial, relaxing atmosphere in an urban environment. The team leaned towards a more contemporary design concept that is modern and streamlined compared to the traditional design of Camden Paces. White brick was used to break up the massing and make the buildings pop, the same red brick from phase one ties the two developments together, and recessed brick courses provide strategic accents in select areas. A ‘squared halo’ tower element at the main corner of each building anchors the Roswell Road façade and emphasizes the upper two levels’ exclusive townhome units with private terraces.
Along with a prime location, the wildly successful Camden Buckhead offers state-of-the-art amenities in each of its two buildings, including resort-style swimming pools, fitness centers, lounge areas, co-working, gaming, a pet spa, grilling stations, and tranquil outdoor courtyards.
Located on the corner of Atlanta’s busiest intersection is a highly coveted Persian eatery. Once inside, guests are greeted by a Persian-inspired design with subtle details and references. Inspiration was drawn from whirling dervishes, Persian calligraphy, and old-world architecture. Traditional colors of red and Persian blue are used throughout to imbue the history of the cuisine. Hand-applied plaster wall finish gives the space an authentic old-world sensibility. A large, swirling chandelier made of bronze metal chain is featured in the entry, creating playful dances of light and shadow on the wall that mimic the movement of whirling dervishes.
The design challenge for this project was to enclose an existing 3,000-square-foot exterior terrace to create an indoor/ outdoor extension of the luxury hotel’s existing restaurant as part of this iconic Atlanta hotel’s multimillion-dollar renovation. The desire was for the space to be used year-round with operable windows and doors to fully open during nice weather. The result is a unique, romantic conservatory space with an arched glass-and-steel enclosure, including operable sliding windows surrounding the perimeter to effectively blur the lines of an indoor/outdoor experience. The new space includes a whimsical oval bar with an artistic up lit tree anchoring the back bar. Lounge and dining seating is cleverly scattered throughout the tree cover.
The design was inspired by the hotel’s legacy of luxury, the opulence of Buckhead and Atlanta’s moniker of being a city in a forest. The Garden Room’s design marries a modern, maximalist approach, with a lush greenhouse of whimsical plants and artforms, such as two poodles made of moss, an antique wooden horse, and a glass DJ booth for late-night soirées. Everything about The Garden Room is fantastical including the abundance of florals, decorative fringe on settees, lanterns in the trees and striking colors. The result is an over-the-top experience that provides a must-see destination for locals and travelers alike.
Carpenter’s Shelter and The Bloom at Braddock transformed the former shelter, which was previously housed in a two-story, 17,000-square-foot building (SF), into a new, 163,000-square-foot building that now supports both organizations’ missions under the same roof. Carpenter’s Shelter, a nonprofit organization that provides support and accommodations to people who are experiencing homelessness, welcomed the addition of The Bloom at Braddock, which encompasses 97 affordable-income housing apartments. As part of The Bloom, ten furnished micro units located throughout levels 3 to 7 of the building serve as permanent supportive housing for former Carpenter’s Shelter residents transitioning out of homelessness. By design, the building can serve more people’s needs, and fosters hope, relationships, and a resource network for those aiming to progress from homelessness into permanent housing within one building.
The building achieves the maximum FAR that the site allows, utilizing additional bonus density for affordable income housing, achieving the Braddock Neighborhood’s planning goals of densifying the neighborhood. The leading design concepts for this project were to integrate the lengthy building into the surrounding neighborhood by separating the massing into two distinct but complementary design aesthetics that relate to the Potomac Yard neighborhood to the north and the Braddock Metro Neighborhood to the south while also creating a gateway element at the primary corner, which reaches out over the community room terrace at the third level, celebrating the project’s mission of public outreach.
