A Soft, Soothing Palette and Exquisite Architectural Details Bring a Buckhead Tudor Revival to Life

Jessica Bradley Interiors and Frank G Neely Design Associates put a present-day spin on a traditionally inspired home

A soft, soothing palette puts a present-day spin on this traditionally inspired home full of exquisite details.

While imagining their forever family home, a couple found themselves drawn to a Tudor Revival residence in Buckhead. They reached out to the homeā€™s architect, Frank Neely, to design an equally grand home on their plot of land just outside of Atlanta, but with a caveat: to make it light, bright, and approachable.

Ā ā€œTraditional Tudor Revival houses tend to have a dark and heavy nature to them, however, these clients wanted a strong connection to the outdoors, so amid the classic elements we incorporated lots of windows and just a general sense of openness,ā€ explains Todd Pullen, who alongside Christian Reed served as associate architects of the project before Neelyā€™s passing last year.

Ā The homeā€™s great room best exemplifies this marriage of styles. Spanning nearly 36 feet, a series of steel window doors floods the room with natural light while grand trusses gracing the vaulted ceiling add a sense of history. Custom doors with charming Tudor arches flanking the fireplace have a similar effect. Itā€™s the woodworkā€™s lighter finishā€”a careful choice by the team of architects and interior designer Jessica Bradleyā€”though that keeps the look fresh.

ā€œBefore we even tackled the interior furnishings, we really started off with the finishes of the house,ā€ recalls Bradley. ā€œOne of the biggest decisions was deciding on the stain of the wood so that the house, even with its grand architectural details, feels cozy rather than formal.ā€

The clientā€™s desire for a more relaxed, family-centric home had them questioning their need for a traditional dining room. ā€œI was up for the challenge of convincing them that it didnā€™t need to be an intimidating space used just twice a year,ā€ says Bradley. A round table ensures conversations flow easily while leather chairs and an elegant fireplace offer a warm library-like aesthetic. Pocket doors add the final intimate touch to a room thatā€™s become one of the most prized.

Ā During warmer months, entertaining shifts to the homeā€™s expansive backyard. The pool house was designed as far more than just a place to dry off. Itā€™s a convivial sanctuary complete with an outdoor kitchen and multiple gathering spaces. Pullen and Reed, now principals of their own eponymous architectural firm, took advantage of its open-air setting, allowing the slate roof to be seen through the rafters.

Ā ā€œItā€™s subtle but impactful,ā€ notes Reed. ā€œWe excel and pride ourselves on attention to detail, which was really important to Frank as well. Thatā€™s the fun of a home like this; everywhere you look thereā€™s some special detail or vignette to discover.ā€

INTERIOR DESIGN Jessica Bradley, Jessica Bradley Interiors, (404) 846-3220; jessicabradleyinteriors.com ARCHITECT Frank Neely, Frank G Neely Design Associates, (404) 817-0807 ASSOCIATE ARCHITECTS Todd Pullen and Christian Reed, Pullen & Reed LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Chris Holden, Land Plus Associates, (404) 238-9595; landplusassociates.com BUILDER Randy Hardy