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Houzz Tour: Old World Style Gets an Airy Update
Get Design Inspiration From an Atlanta Home's Layers of Beautiful Detail
Stories about amazing renovations tend to rank high on my thrill meter like a box office action flick. Combine an amazing renovation with a heartfelt story and it becomes a tearjerker and my latest ideabook. In the lovely neighborhood of Peachtree Park lived a well-loved bishop. In his passing, his neighbor purchased the home and embarked upon a remodel. I think it would be better described as a tribute to the bishop's life.
With its new Gothic ceilings, windows and architectural details came Atlanta-based interior designer Sherry Hart to contribute the finishing touches to a masterpiece. Hart gives us details on the home's floor plan, the inspiration behind the design, and offers tips on creating a home with a sense of continuity and preservation of history.
With its new Gothic ceilings, windows and architectural details came Atlanta-based interior designer Sherry Hart to contribute the finishing touches to a masterpiece. Hart gives us details on the home's floor plan, the inspiration behind the design, and offers tips on creating a home with a sense of continuity and preservation of history.
EW: The living room is quite modest given the overall size of the home. Was this done to preserve the integrity of the house?
SH: Yes, the living room maintained its original proportions with its focus on the exquisite fireplace and mantel. Furniture is centered around a candlelit iron chandelier by Visual Comfort. Aside from its intimacy, one of my favorite things about this room is the view into the neighboring sunroom.
SH: Yes, the living room maintained its original proportions with its focus on the exquisite fireplace and mantel. Furniture is centered around a candlelit iron chandelier by Visual Comfort. Aside from its intimacy, one of my favorite things about this room is the view into the neighboring sunroom.
EW: This sunroom has to be the epitome of Southern comfort. The windows give the feeling of being outdoors, yet the furnishings and decor have the same refinement as the rest of the house.
SH: The windows are custom made and occupy three of the four walls. What makes this space feel like an indoor space is the use of artwork, lighting, drapery and furniture. If you want to maintain the consistency of the home even in a sunroom, furnish the sunroom same way you would another interior room.
SH: The windows are custom made and occupy three of the four walls. What makes this space feel like an indoor space is the use of artwork, lighting, drapery and furniture. If you want to maintain the consistency of the home even in a sunroom, furnish the sunroom same way you would another interior room.
EW: I'm really enjoying the flow of this home and how light and airy it feels. Though it has ecclesiastical details, it isn't dark or heavy, as cathedrals usually are.
SH: Orginially, there was a lot of dark wood in this room. We started by painting the walls and beams a lighter color and then had their dark wood shield-back chairs painted cream. Last, we gave the dining room an updated look by introducing a contemporary painting by Webb-Marsteller and mixed seating options. Instead of another set of shield-back chairs, we replaced the chairs with a restored antique sofa.
SH: Orginially, there was a lot of dark wood in this room. We started by painting the walls and beams a lighter color and then had their dark wood shield-back chairs painted cream. Last, we gave the dining room an updated look by introducing a contemporary painting by Webb-Marsteller and mixed seating options. Instead of another set of shield-back chairs, we replaced the chairs with a restored antique sofa.
The entry hallway provides a view into the dining room. It's also the passage to a guest room on the first floor.
EW: Though you occasionally work a little color into your designs, I love what you do in a neutral space. I find the layers of pattern and texture a delight.
SH: I do enjoy designing neutral spaces and agree that layers and layers definitely complete a space. We covered the walls in grasscloth while we kept the bed very tailored. The headboard, pillows, bedding, and drapery are all custom. The nightstands were purchased from now-defunct Storehouse Furniture, while the piece at the foot of the bed is the owners' vintage sewing bench. A mix of old and new gives a space an approachable, lived-in look.
SH: I do enjoy designing neutral spaces and agree that layers and layers definitely complete a space. We covered the walls in grasscloth while we kept the bed very tailored. The headboard, pillows, bedding, and drapery are all custom. The nightstands were purchased from now-defunct Storehouse Furniture, while the piece at the foot of the bed is the owners' vintage sewing bench. A mix of old and new gives a space an approachable, lived-in look.
The beginning of the home's addition starts here in the family room. Hart found inspiration in a magazine and sourced old barn wood from Highlands, N.C. to create a stunning fireplace feature.
EW: This warm kitchen and its attention to detail blend perfectly with the rest of the house. I assumed it had been here for years.
SH: Custom cabinetry and a custom lead-coated copper hood play a huge role in the making this kitchen feel well established. Did you notice that the tile doesn't stop at the backsplash, but extends to the ceiling? Small, but noticeable details like these make a great impact on any space.
SH: Custom cabinetry and a custom lead-coated copper hood play a huge role in the making this kitchen feel well established. Did you notice that the tile doesn't stop at the backsplash, but extends to the ceiling? Small, but noticeable details like these make a great impact on any space.
EW: The oval windows, molding and trim bring a castle to mind. Even though I can't see it in this photograph, I bet the ceiling soars.
SH: A bedroom in a castle is exactly what I had in mind when designing this room. As beautiful as it is, it was not easy getting to this point. The headboard had to be made to fit between the two windows and imitate its contour. The nightstands also were custom made so we'd have the perfect pieces to hug the bed. You cannot see the tops, but the tables were adorned with the most beautiful antique mirrors.
SH: A bedroom in a castle is exactly what I had in mind when designing this room. As beautiful as it is, it was not easy getting to this point. The headboard had to be made to fit between the two windows and imitate its contour. The nightstands also were custom made so we'd have the perfect pieces to hug the bed. You cannot see the tops, but the tables were adorned with the most beautiful antique mirrors.
A French door draped in heavy linen leads to a balcony in this master bedroom among the treetops.
Opposite the bed is a cozy little seating area. In the background, a closet lies behind barn doors. The wood fireplace surround was faux finished to match the mantel. It also hides the television. In the foreground, a pair of vintage French side chairs received a complete makeover and now boast crisp painted frames and flax linen upholstery with nailhead trim.
EW: I'm taken by surprise with the steel shower door, then again I feel like it takes the place of the iron chandeliers that we've seen in previous rooms. It's boxy form — as opposed to the curves seen elsewhere — reads modern. I like it.
SH: The shower enclosure is a custom metal structure designed by Brion Fitzpatrick. The door glass and glazing was done by Smyrna Glass. A highly customize piece like this demands the craftsmanship of skilled artisans. It, along with the argyle-inspired tilework, and heavenly soaking tub makes for a truly unique bath that won't be encountered anywhere else.
SH: The shower enclosure is a custom metal structure designed by Brion Fitzpatrick. The door glass and glazing was done by Smyrna Glass. A highly customize piece like this demands the craftsmanship of skilled artisans. It, along with the argyle-inspired tilework, and heavenly soaking tub makes for a truly unique bath that won't be encountered anywhere else.
EW: Of course this renovation comes with an amazing bonus room. I would love to have this space as my home office.
SH:The bonus room serves as a hangout spot for the current owners' four children. The exisiting sofas, from the original living room, were recovered in a lush dark gray chennille and the rug was removed from the old bedrooms and gained a new home here. The room is above the garage and provide the girls a bit of an escape from the rest of the house.
Next: Browse more home design photos
SH:The bonus room serves as a hangout spot for the current owners' four children. The exisiting sofas, from the original living room, were recovered in a lush dark gray chennille and the rug was removed from the old bedrooms and gained a new home here. The room is above the garage and provide the girls a bit of an escape from the rest of the house.
Next: Browse more home design photos
Sherry Hart: Cathedral references are a common thread throughout the home, starting here in the entry. In the upper left corner you can see the start of a groined ceiling. The arched window with its wooden doors and strapped hinges gives this vignette an Old-World feel which is also a dominant theme in the home.