Country Charm

With an idyllic backdrop including winding pathways, a pool and flowering arbors just outside its door, the master bedroom feels more like a resort-like retreat.

The front facade feels both time-worn and fresh.

The office pays homage to the property’s roots as a horse farm.

Located on 10 acres of land just outside the city, this home’s charming facade and gardens create a warm welcome.

An industrial chandelier made by artist/ designer Jeff Jones is a direct counterpoint to the vintage French door and Oriental rug gracing the foyer. Orange mohair on the French bench provides a pop of color.

The master bedroom exudes European luxury with its interesting mix of periods, colors and styles. Improvisation—in the form of a custom tapestry headboard and a pair of antique linens sewn together to make a coverlet—is further evidence of the creative energy and joie de vivre that pervades the house.

The master bedroom exudes European luxury with its interesting mix of periods, colors and styles. Improvisation—in the form of a custom tapestry headboard and a pair of antique linens sewn together to make a coverlet—is further evidence of the creative energy and joie de vivre that pervades the house.

The master bedroom overlooks an idyllic backdrop that includes a pool as well as cultivated mix of climbing and potted plants.

Bright blue modern chairs and a bold painting by Jeff Jones electrify the living room, which overlooks the rear terrace and pool through two sets of French doors. A linen sofa anchors one end of the room, while paintings by Helen Durant preside over the mantel at the opposite end. A massive mirror reflects the room’s eclectic mix.

In keeping with Jones’s philosophy that nothing be too precious, the homeowner’s diverse art collection takes center stage even in the home’s most comfortable spaces.

Even the pool deck was treated to a grand entrance; accessed via a pair of French d0ors that spill out on to a pergola-covered terrace, a flowering arbor provides the final passage.

Strolling the property with rescue Louie.

Climbing ivy, potted succulents and blooming foxgloves—the property boasts multiple areas for meandering, admiring and gathering.

The property’s stables, which are not currently in use.

A flowering arbor leads from the pool deck to the living room; the garden design is by Tim Stoddard.

Atlanta is renowned for its close-knit design community, but few projects have been as prolific as that of designer Jeff Jones, garden designer Tim Stoddard and the owners of a horse farm outside the city. For more than 20 years Jones and Stoddard have been curating, cultivating and creating a 10-acre property for the proprietors of Traditions in Tile and Stone. “As much as the house and grounds have evolved, so too has our friendship, and it has been a true
collaboration,” says Jones.

Traditions in Tile and Stone was founded in 1936 and remains a leading supplier throughout the Southeast. “When looking for a house near Atlanta, we fell in love with this land and all of its possibilities,” says the owner. However, the 1970s ranch-style house required an extensive renovation to turn it into the charming French country house it is today. “Whenever we had a vision, Jeff and Tim made it happen,” says the homeowner.

Custom millwork and stonework throughout the house exude timeless grace while artfully crafted landscaping softly envelops and frames the home. The marriage of old and new architectural elements continues inside, where vintage French windows with original shutters and an antique French courtyard door establish an inviting aesthetic.

The interiors are eclectic and highly personal. “The owners and I share a similar belief that houses should be pretty, interesting and fun—but nothing should be too precious, and there should always be surprises,” says Jones. When shopping for a master bedroom headboard, Jones and the owner happened upon a French tapestry artist. Inspired by the paintings, they decided to embrace improvisation and European joie de vivre by hanging a custom tapestry as the headboard.

Pops of color charge the living spaces in unexpected ways. From a pair of vibrant yellow chairs in the bedroom to the rousing blue modern chairs in the living room, the furnishings engage the eye and the imagination. “Jeff is a true artist in all that he does, and he makes the process such fun,” notes the owner.

Although there are no longer horses on the property, the gardens have flourished.  Stoddard has created multiple areas around the property for gathering and meandering. Arbors, trellises and intriguing architectural details define the outdoor living spaces. Native species as well as a few formal elements create the same unexpected but artistic tone found inside the house. “Tim’s love of gardens is evident, and he always surprises me,” says the owner.

This 20-year journey might have begun as a design and landscape project, but it has evolved into a captivating secret garden of artistic expression and lifelong friendship.

INTERIOR DESIGN Jeff Jones, Jeff Jones Design; jeffjonesdesign.com. Garden Design Tim Stoddard Builder TR Custom Works, 1363 Mountain Lake Drive, Auburn, GA; (770) 867-9115; trcustomworks.com