Southern Sanctuary

Stanton’s design scheme for the showhouse.

Natural materials and neutral colors, ever the inspiration for designer Jimmy Stanton, are more than apparent in the terrace-level rec room, where earthenware jars fill an iron shelving unit and an old factory gear, crafted into a chandelier, is suspended from the ceiling. A reclaimed wood coffee table and natural linen slipcovers add softness.

Earthy ceramics abound in the main-level living space, where a classic leather sofa gets updated in a streamlined shape.

A casual dining space on the terrace level.

The serene and symmetrical kitchen was influenced by one Stanton had seen in a Belgian castle. Richly finished shelves are filled with some of the designer’s favorite collections of antique and new pewter, and a concrete fox statuary keeps watch over the scheme—a clever nod to this new resort’s moniker. On the reclaimed-wood table, vintage amber-toned demijohns add substance without weight while a mixed-media work by Pezhman Deljou brings the outdoors in, albeit in an unexpected way.

The petite powder room brings elements of Stanton’s favorite vacation locales into one space; a round driftwood mirror mixes with industrial factory lights-turned-sconces and even more of his favorite pewter.

The moody dining nook, open to the living area, is a quaint place to gather for meals.

Earthy ceramics abound in the main-level living space, where a classic leather sofa gets updated in a streamlined shape.

The master on main is inviting in its simplicity. Above the bed, an antique-look pendant casts a soft glow and—in combination with framed Greco-Roman scenes—harkens to a bygone era. Still, sleek gray gourd lamps and chocolate brown trellis-patterned pillows give the room a contemporary spin, while a pinched Paris concrete bowl serves as a conversation piece.

The master on main is inviting in its simplicity. Above the bed, an antique-look pendant casts a soft glow and—in combination with framed Greco-Roman scenes—harkens to a bygone era. Still, sleek gray gourd lamps and chocolate brown trellis-patterned pillows give the room a contemporary spin, while a pinched Paris concrete bowl serves as a conversation piece.

The upstairs hallway has high impact thanks to large-format equine photography by Ray Hartl as well as a curious hoof bench from Noir and a piecemeal ikat runner assembled from FLOR tiles. Just around the corner, the upstairs lounge has a hint of Southern gothic, its intricate iron chandelier and quirky sheep head (found by Stanton’s partner, Patrick, on eBay) contributing character, while woven vine stools, a modern Chippendale sofa and leather club chairs provide seating.

An inviting seating nook on the main-level porch that utilizes Lee Industries’ virtually indestructible collection of slipcovered outdoor furniture can more than stand up to the elements, notes the designer. The sofa, covered in a velvet-like Sunbrella fabric, is accented by brightly colored outdoor pillows and hand-cast concrete books, all of which are available through Stanton Home Furnishings.

The kitchen is undeniably chic but far from pretentious, created with a hint of Shaker influence in collaboration with Bell Custom Cabinetry. Awash in a light khaki gray, the room’s open shelves provide display space for diverse collections of pottery, glassware and Ball mason jars. Industrial pendant lights, aluminum stools and framed botanicals keep the look relaxed while a slate gray countertop—actually Cambria quartz—adds a little gleam. Jenn-Air appliances available through Guy T. Gunter & Associates.

Upstairs, the office has the feel of an 18th-century laboratory. Beakers, test tubes and flasks have become ingenious vessels for wild flowers cut on the grounds, and antique European factory illustrations, affixed to the wall with bronze clip hooks, stimulate the mind’s eye during work or studies.

Upstairs, the office has the feel of an 18th-century laboratory. Beakers, test tubes and flasks have become ingenious vessels for wild flowers cut on the grounds, and antique European factory illustrations, affixed to the wall with bronze clip hooks, stimulate the mind’s eye during work or studies.

The dark gray of the guest bedroom is tempered by light surfaces elsewhere: camel-colored burlap curtains, a braided jute rug, pale accent tables and a birch bark lamp.

A vignette in an upstairs guest bedroom has loads of rustic style.

The charming boys’ bedroom is a fun mix of high and low: namely, an indigo chevron rug from IKEA and dark green wool blankets from the Army Navy Store join hide-covered poofs and modern classic Wishbone Chairs that provide extra seating.

In the midst of the brand-spanking-new Foxhall development, the showhouse created by Stanton Home Furnishings is well at ease. From the moment you step through the front door, there’s an immediate sense of comfort, one often acquired over time. But the brilliance of Jimmy Stanton is that he instills that feeling from the get-go. Though the paint is barely dry on this impressive new residence, the interiors are warm and welcoming, giving the impression that someone’s been at home here for years.

His signature “collected” look—achieved with a mix of antiques and found pieces—is at once relaxed and elegant, comfortable and affordable. “I’d describe it as updated traditional without being stuffy,” says Stanton of the project. “We do everything from modern to traditional, but this was all about those people in the middle, those who have antiques and want to use them but want an updated look, as well. I’ve been to so many places—Blackberry Farm, the Old Edwards Inn, Rosemary Beach. There are things that I loved in all of them, and thought they could be used here. So I’ve taken pieces and snippets, translating them into one thing.”

Looking to those great getaways for a certain sense of style, Stanton used a vast assortment of natural elements throughout the house. On the main level, rich hardwoods underscore the spaces while, in the four upstairs bedrooms as well as the terrace-level family/rec room, there’s wall-to-wall seagrass. Linen wraps many of the upholstered pieces while tables indoors and out are topped with the likes of zinc and even old railroad car flooring. Even materials that aren’t natural appear to be, like the tile in a guest room that looks like brown linen and the herringbone-patterned ceramic floor in the upstairs lounge that looks like wood.

While the wide range of natural materials is readily apparent, what brings them together into one cohesive whole is much more subtle. “One of our signature things is taking one paint color and enveloping the whole room in it—the walls, the doors, the ceiling, everything,” Stanton explains. “It’s so comfortable; it pleases the eye and changes the entire feel of the room. And we’ve done the whole house that way. There’s lots of different paint colors but the palette gradually moves from tone to tone. We used a single khaki-gray color in all the hallways and the main living spaces and then specific rooms evolve into other neutral shades—like an all-chocolate room and an all-gray room. The upstairs lounge , which we did in a brown-green—almost an army green—is my favorite room in the house.”

Illuminating the entire residence is lighting that’s brilliant in every way; Stanton hand-picked, and often custom-created, the perfect fixture for each place. From pendants made from vintage cream cans in the kitchen to search lights-turned-sconces in a boy’s bedroom, his choices are just as fun as they are functional. In fact, a reflection of the house as a whole.

The Secrets of Style

WEEKEND READING: Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Elle Decor, Veranda, Country Living, House & Home and House Beautiful magazines
WEARING: Worn-in boat shoes
COCKTAILS: Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka with lemonade
CHINA: Ralph Lauren
PLAYLIST: Andrew Bird, Band Of Horses and Iron & Wine
ESSENTIALS FOR A WELL-STOCKED GUEST ROOM: Magazines, TV, bottled water, towels and dark chocolate
LINENS: Libeco Belgian linens
TOWELS: Thomas O’Brien for Target
WHEELS: BMW Al fresco
DINING: On Six Feet Under’s rooftop (on the Westside) and at Gaby’s By The Lake at The Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Reynolds Plantation
SUNDAY BRUNCH: Farm 255 in Athens, Georgia Being
ACTIVE: Crossfit at Fitness Battalion
TECH GIZMO: iPad
ARTISTS: Pezhman Deljou, Todd Murphy, John Folsom, James McLaughlin Way, Ulises Toache and Pam Moxley
“IT” BAG: Filson Oil Finish Tote from Sid Masburn
ON THE WALLS: Mirrors, original artwork and found items
NO-FAIL FINISHING TOUCH TO ROOM: Utility Euro pillows and fire-scented candles
GROWING IN THE GARDEN: Dahlias
COLOR PHILOSOPHY: Neutrals with pops of color
COLLECTING: Black-and-white transferware and pewter