The High Life

The blue and gray skies of Atlanta provided a starting point for the interior’s color palette. The supersized windows are softened with fabric panels in semisheer wool by Larsen.

Tall, elegant branches in the foyer reach up to the high ceilings.

“I brought in some wood pieces to give this huge new space some feeling of history,” says interior designer Lauren DeLoach. “I also like to use a smaller rug over a large one to anchor the furniture for a more intimate look.”

The gallery marble floor is inlaid on the diagonal to suggest a runner. A chest by Niermann Weeks, antique accessories and window treatments soften a tall window.

A curved sofa table by David Iatesta brings softness to the large living room.

Designer Lauren DeLoach in her clients’ living room at the Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta Residences.

“The clients did not want a stuffy dining room and wanted all the chairs to be the same, so the feeling was of equality and comfort,” says DeLoach. “The large table needed an equally large chandelier to match the scale.”

In the sitting room, a striking piece of art by Jenny Nelson echoes the color of the sky. “As a former art consultant, I truly believe that art completes a home and gives rooms unique personality,” says DeLoach.

A pair of playful lanterns tops the island of Calacatta Gold marble, while dark gray cabinets keep clutter out of sight, with glass display space on top.

A chaise provides the ideal spot for respite while overlooking the Atlanta skyline. Maps of Hong Kong from the homeowners’ collection provide visual interest.

The master bedroom, dressed in soothing shades of gray, green and white, boasts clean lines thanks to a striking four-poster upholstered bed by David Iatesta and soft linens from Gramercy Fine Linens & Furnishings.

In a formal living room niche, wood finishes help balance masculine and feminine design elements.

The study, anchored by an artfully filled built-in bookcase, is topped with brass library lamps; a tiger mahogany desk is situated to take advantage of Atlanta skyline views.

Soothing shades of gray, green and white offer a masculine feel in this Atlanta high rise designed by Lauren deLoach

Pattern and texture give a neutral sofa spark, while a built-in bookcase filled with antique books and ceramic pieces adds contrast. Sofa by Cameron Collection in Classic Cloth fabric and ceramics from International Art Properties.

A sleek bathroom maintains the luxury hotel attitude of the Mandarin Oriental. Rug by Moattar, sconces from Circa Lighting and mirror from Restoration Hardware.

An arrangement by Le Jardin Français gives the living room of this Mandarin Oriental Residence natural appeal.

Living in a luxury hotel might seem like a dream come true, but doing away with the genuine comforts of home—things like cherished antiques, favorite works of art and inherited accessories—would prove challenging for even the most seasoned world traveler.

Enter Atlanta interior designer Lauren DeLoach, whose task was to transform a raw residence near the top of the Mandarin Oriental, Atlanta, into a place her well-heeled clients could call home—even for short periods of time.
Although Atlanta is just one stop in her clients’ worldwide lifestyle, DeLoach wanted to make sure that when in residence, they could relax and entertain in gracious comfort befitting the home’s Southern location.

“It was important for the rooms to feel collected and inviting, especially considering the large scale, extremely high ceilings and oversized windows,” says DeLoach. “The building itself is so contemporary that I needed to counter it with layers and doses of Southern flair.” To keep the sleek hotel feel at bay, DeLoach worked with architect Robert Tretsch of Harrison Design to add some classic architectural details, such as crown molding and pediments. Then she sprinkled antiques with wood finishes, textured fabrics, Southern art, warm rugs and softening window treatments throughout. “I had to include a lot of new furniture as well for the grander scale that you can’t always find in antiques,” she adds.

DeLoach certainly took one aspect of high-rise living to heart. “I was absolutely inspired by the blue and gray shades of the Atlanta skyline seen throughout the rooms,” says DeLoach. “I took those soft colors and washed the rooms with them, adding in green tones to ground the spaces as well.” The rooms now feel like extensions of the views—nothing in the decor takes away from those “wow” moments.

Working with clients on the other side of the world who were not available for frequent trips to ADAC and meetings to review every detail could have proved challenging. But DeLoach, who presented her primary design plan by Skype, says the couple put enormous trust in her and were extraordinarily easy to work with. “In the end, they saw my vision come together, but I really listened to and respected their desire for modern, not fussy rooms that combined feminine with more masculine elements,” says the designer.

The result is a real home, one that the owners recognize as theirs alone, in lieu of a luxury hotel suite that could be anywhere in the world. When they wake up with jet lag, they’re surrounded by the comforts of home, with the hotel lifestyle still at the ready. Now that’s a dream come true.

INTERIOR DESIGN Lauren DeLoach, Lauren DeLoach Interiors; laurendeloachinteriors.com