Making History

Outfitted with a built-in window bench and furnishings by Holly Hunt, Kravet and Kelly Wearstler, the formal salon by designers Mark Williams and Niki Papadopoulos of Mark Williams Design offers several distinct conversation zones. The chandelier is by Jonathan Browning Studios.

Textiles, a mix of metals and Saint Laurent marble enhance the posh living space.

In the formal salon, a patterned area rug by Moattar coordinates perfectly with the newly added window cushion fabric by Jim Thompson.

A walnut and brass credenza by Justin Van Breda artfully occupies a window niche. The drapery fabric is by Jim Thompson.

One of many brass accents throughout the formal dining room, a chandelier by Jiun Ho creates soft pools of light on the dining table from Hellman-Chang. The wallcovering is by Porter Teleo.

Separated by the home’s central entry hall, the formal salon and the moody office illustrate the pleasing rhythm of light and dark spaces.

A grasscloth wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries fosters an enveloping feeling in the luxurious home office, which is outfitted with a wall of built-in cabinetry with an integrated custom desk.

Patterned draperies by Harlequin enliven the neutral hues in the family room, where a sectional sofa by Minotti invites long evenings in front of the fireplace. 

A painterly area rug from Moattar anchors a quartet of barrel-back chairs by Wittman in the cozy family room. The brass chandelier is by Christopher Boots. 

A seemingly three-dimensional wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries creates the illusion of depth in a glam bar bedecked with custom marble-topped cabinetry accented with brass hardware.

Illuminated by pendants from The Urban Electric Co., a painted island carries the blue hues into the bright and airy kitchen.

A wall of drapery behind the bed conceals an awkwardly placed window and door in the second-floor guest bedroom. The desk and chair are from Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

A fabric wallcovering underpins the calming environment the designers envisioned for the main floor owner’s suite.

Covered in a neutral fabric that closely coordinates with the ceiling and wallcoverings, a chaise from Gabby Home invites relaxation in the owner’s suite.

A square swimming pool with scalloped corners by Howard Design Studio elevates the lush backyard.

OFFERING BOTH INTIMATE AND GRAND spaces on a more than 1-acre lot in Ansley Park, the sprawling early-1900s shingle-style abode seemed like an ideal home for a cosmopolitan couple who envisioned themselves hosting fundraisers, galas and large social gatherings when it’s not just the two of them.

Although recently updated with a spacious rear addition by architect Linda MacArthur and Ladisic Fine Homes, the design-minded couple asked interior designers Mark Williams and Niki Papadopoulos to make it feel more like them. “We respected the home’s history and made the whole place live in a modern way,” says Williams.

Indeed, the designers laid new hardwood flooring to better match the updated flooring in the addition, sanding and refinishing the original trim to match. Some details weren’t so sacrosanct: Housed in a segmented arch niche, for example, Saint Laurent marble now clads the fireplace, replacing the more ornate wood detailing. “It adds a bit of grandeur,” says Williams.

That was also the idea in the dining room, where the original fireplace’s forest green tile inspired the color of the hand-painted wallcovering, which has gold ink veining—a nod to the Japanese concept of kintsugi, in which broken pottery is repaired with the still-visible element. “I wanted the walls to speak for themselves,” says Papadopoulos, “elegant, graphic and beautiful.” One of many brass accents, a multiglobe brass chandelier enhances the sense of drama.

Fabric-covered walls likewise establish the mood in the cozy first-floor office, fostering an enveloping milieu for a wall of handcrafted wooden shelving with an integrated desk. And a wood veneer wallcovering creates the illusion of depth in a pantry-turned-luxe bar outfitted with brass-framed glass shelving and cabinetry painted in the same blue hue as the island in the adjacent kitchen.

The palette flows into the family area, where a painterly blue-and-white rug anchors a low-slung Italian sectional and contemporary chairs around a fireplace with a contemporary mantel. “It reflects the blues in the pool and green from the landscaping,” says Papadopoulos.

Indeed, the space opens to a large terrace overlooking a square swimming pool with scalloped corners—one of several outdoor living areas by landscape architect John Howard, who selected a simple plant palette punctuated by strategically placed flowering trees that will add color and fragrance. “It’s a study in greens and textures that’s designed to bloom throughout the year,” says Howard.

While requiring an all-hands-on-deck approach, the designers completed the project in time for the homeowner’s graduation celebration. As requested, however, the place works just as well for quiet nights at home. “They and their pets use and enjoy it,” says Williams. “I’m proud of the fact that they’re so comfortable here.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Mark Williams and Niki Papadopoulos, Mark Williams Design, (678) 539-6886; markwilliams-design.com  BUILDER Malone Construction Company, (404) 351-3991; maloneconstruction.com LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Howard Design Studio, (404) 876-7051; howarddesignstudio.com