A Buckhead Home for a Local Creator is as Fashion-Forward as the Family Who Lives There

The mission to lighten and brighten started in the family room, where designer Courtney Decker kept the palette neutral but added pops of blue that were pulled from the Fran Scher painting that hangs above the fireplace.

In the family room, two large horse paintings by Bonnie Beauchamp-Cooke add a personal touch that calls to the daughters’ love of horses.

The breakfast room offers formal elegance with a Noir dining table and Mr. & Mrs. Howard for Sherrill Furniture dining chairs upholstered in kid-friendly Kravet vinyl.

Rather than rip out the sink in the powder room, Decker skirted it with a Fabricut fabric for a custom feel and added fun wallpaper for personality.

The existing kitchen offers another welcoming gathering place, in which Decker painted cabinetry in a sophisticated Black Fox by Sherwin-Williams and added Visual Comfort & Co. lighting above the island.

A patterned blue-and-white rug from Parviz Rug sets the tone in the sunroom and ties in the contemporary painting by Liz Barber over the mantel. Pillows and poufs are dressed in Cowtan & Tout fabrics.

The lifestyle creator’s office is a respite for her to work and rejuvenate, with custom shelves to display her fashion finds. Hartmann & Forbes shades finish the windows and the sofa is wrapped in Lee Jofa fabric.

A color departure happens in the primary bedroom where vibrant orange draperies and accessories, like the Gramercy bed linens, showcase homeowner Jess Cathell’s favorite color.

The primary bathroom is a peaceful retreat with blue draperies in Villa Nova fabric and a Visual Comfort & Co. light fixture holding court over the freestanding tub.

In this neutral guest bedroom, Decker used the same Manuel Canovas fabric on the duster, headboard, and draperies. She fixed three decoupage paintings above the bed from Get The Gusto.

The kids can escape to the upstairs den that’s dressed in blue and green hues with nooks for reading and a custom sectional in Lisa Fine Textiles fabric meant for lounging. Art by Nashville artist Kayce Hughes lines the wall above the sectional.

The upstairs “hang room” is draped in a darling Schumacher buffalo-check wallcovering.

Enveloped in lavender, the middle daughter’s bedroom showcases sweetly scalloped Matouk Schumacher Collection bed linens, storage benches in Elizabeth Eakins ikat fabric, and striped Quadrille wallpaper.

The pool room is both a respite for kids and adults, and features furniture wrapped in indoor-outdoor fabrics.

The laundry room doubles as a playroom, where the painted floor by Hayden Paints and cabinets by Phoenix Millworks match the home’s cheery personality.

It’s a swoon-worthy home deserving of social media fame, which makes sense when you realize it’s the residence of popular Atlanta fashion creator and lifestyle tastemaker Jess Cathell of J.Cathell, and her husband, Matt. When Cathell was ready to refresh their Buckhead abode, she enlisted designer Courtney Decker of Courtney Giles Interiors to match the home (originally designed and built in 2009 by architect Duane Stone) to her stylish career, while catering to the active lifestyle of her three young girls. “Jess has a solid grasp on what she likes and what works together because of her fashion background and building outfits,” says Decker. “While it’s a different arena from interior design, she understands layering, mixing different textures, and pops of color. That made it easy for me.”

Decker created a youthful, feel-good home bragging happy hues, bold wallpapers, and furniture wrapped in livable fabrics that can withstand the family’s active lifestyle. The designer started by lightening and brightening the family room—where she kept the backdrop neutral but added pops of blues inspired by the room’s contemporary painting. She also swathed ivory couches in kid-friendly fabrics and created mirrored custom built-in cabinets, not only to hide the TV, but with bifold doors to prevent the children from running into it.

The family room’s dashes of blue set the tone for the first floor, including in the nearby sunroom, where animal and ikat print pillows and a patterned rug ground the space. The primary bedroom breaks the color code with orange details—Cathell’s favorite color—and flows into the creator’s office, which Decker transformed into “an oasis and inspirational workspace” by enveloping the formerly white walls in a blue-green color for a cozy feel. Built-ins display Cathell’s books, mementos, and other fashionable baubles.

Rooms upstairs are brimming with sweet details and big personalities, where Decker allowed the girls—ages 8, 9, and 11—to weigh in on the design of their bedrooms. The oldest daughter’s room is a pink dream with a darling bed canopy and glam details like a mirrored nightstand. “It’s sweet, but sophisticated at the same time,” says Decker. The middle daughter’s room features lavender-striped wallpaper, patterned storage ottomans, and a dark purple headboard, while the youngest daughter’s room stands out with its bold floral print wallpaper and soft blush hues.

More joyful details cloak the communal spaces and invite gathering—from a “hang room” for the girls decked out in blue buffalo-check wallpaper and a green sectional for lounging, to another guest bedroom that serves as a restful retreat. The nearby basement TV room is perfectly positioned for sleepovers, fitted with two L-shape sectionals and triangle ottomans that can easily be rearranged. Even the lavender laundry room doubles as an arts-and-crafts hub for the daughters, where Decker anchored the room with light fixtures draped in custom shades and Hayden Paints painted a geometric pattern on the floor. “It’s always fun when a client allows you to display creativity like this,” she says. The result is a perfect dwelling for a digital creative in real life. “The house reflects her personality and fits their family perfectly.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Courtney Decker, Courtney Giles Interiors, (404)-791-3404; courtneygiles.com ARCHITECT Duane Stone, Duane Stone & Associates, Inc., (404) 325-4907