Whether hosting grand parties or grandchildren, this English-inspired abode by Harrison Design with elegant interiors by Huff-Dewberry makes the most of any occasion.
Written by Jeanne Lyons Davis Photographed by Erica George Dines
Touches of blue and orange, favorites of the homeowners, pop from the Christopher Norman pillows on the Travis & Company upholstered sofa. Matching wooden-framed Kravet chairs covered in Vervain fabric complement the Mr. and Mrs. Howard for Sherrill Furniture skirted blue chair. Art by Carol Bodiford from Anne Irwin Fine Art hides a flat-screen TV.
Architecture firm Harrison Design and residential builder McGarrity-Garcia constructed a six-bedroom abode that favors a Lutyens-style country house commonly built in England during the late 19th century, complete with varying chimney details and brick and limestone elements.
While some would consider placing such a feminine wallpaper by Arena Design in a powder room, Heather Dewberry said that the homeowner wanted to be surrounded by things she loved every day. The waxed brick floor with wooden crossbanding by McGarrity-Garcia adds warmth to the breakfast nook.
The homeowners relax in the library most evenings. The matching Baker club chairs sit across from the Holland & Company desk in the walnut-covered room. A painting by Amy Sullivan, represented by Huff-Harrington Fine Art Gallery, hangs above the mantel.
“The homeowner loves a good Cosmopolitan, so she wanted a pretty place to craft the cocktail,” Dewberry shares about the antique buffet turned bar.
A grand dining table from Ainsworth-Noah seats 12 and pairs well with Louis J. Solomon chairs covered in an Old World Weavers fabric. A French-style antique settee adds alternative seating for cocktail parties, while the modern work by Alicia Armstrong from Gregg Irby Gallery brings a contemporary touch to the otherwise formal space.
The main floor powder room boasts antique mirrors and a silver stria-technique glaze on the side walls, adding subtle glamour while opening up the room.
The kitchen, co-designed by Cynthia Ziegler, mixes formal touches, like the beautiful Niermann Weeks chandelier, with warm elements, like a Moulthrop bowl crafted from a walnut tree on the property. Various metals mingle throughout the space, like the eye-catching metallic finish on the Hickory Chair counter stools, the aged-copper hood and the polished-nickel plumbing.
Residential builder McGarrity-Garcia crafted a showstopping entry by incorporating a circular parquet design on the oak floors in the rounded landing.
A custom tufted headboard by Huff-Dewberry sets the stage for the cool and tranquil bedroom, where Elizabeth Hamilton curtains and a Kravet-covered bench from Oly Studio rein in the blues. Bedside botanical prints from Peridot and lamps from Bungalow Classic keep with the room’s coastal cues.
The homeowner, an avid sewer, wanted a laundry room that doubled as a craft space and a butler’s pantry for catering services during parties, as it’s right off the kitchen. Chairs covered in Kravet orange pleather, blue cabinetry, and faux-bois tiles on the floor create a sunny disposition throughout the multifaceted space.
Grandchildren frequent the spacious bunk room, which was a fun and unexpected addition to the second floor, mirroring the blue and orange hues that anchor the home. Each pillow is monogrammed with a child’s name.
Water elements were a crucial component for the outdoor space, so fountains were added to the pool for both sound and visual appeal.
Ample seating by Kolo Collection provides a place to enjoy views of the lush property.
Off the main floor living room, seamless electronically-powered screen panels were installed so the homeowners could enjoy the great outdoors sans the mosquitoes.
Landscape Architect Alex Smith kept with the home’s English roots with traditional boxwood hedges and climbing roses.
A functioning potting shed near the swimming pool, complete with running water and loads of seasonal storage, was created for the homeowners, who are active gardeners, by Harrison Design and McGarrity-Garcia.
A functioning potting shed near the swimming pool, complete with running water and loads of seasonal storage, was created for the homeowners, who are active gardeners, by Harrison Design and McGarrity-Garcia.
The exterior of the shed goes above and beyond its title, blending seamlessly with the architecture of the main house thanks to its red brick, slate roof and light-filled windows that overlook the garden.
When Heather Dewberry of interior design firm Huff-Dewberry met her clients in 2013, she knew she was in for a treat. “The homeowner was spunky, vivacious and possessed a real verve for life,” Dewberry says. “From the beginning, she knew what she wanted, and the home reflects her cheerful personality and style.”
The house looks and feels more like an English estate than a traditional Buckhead residence. Mirroring a Lutyens-style country house—based on the designs of 19th-century British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens—co-designers Steven Markey and Rick Hatch of Harrison Design curated its Surrey-style façade with wood moulded bricks, limestone and slate. In matching the design principles of the famed Englishman, Markey and Hatch made sure the house was equal parts function and style.
“The layouts of both the interior and spacious lawn were intended for both two to 200 people,” says Hatch of the homeowners’ varied entertaining needs. “The courtyard garage system keeps catering trucks out of sight, while the lawn could easily host grandchildren at play or large outdoor dinner parties for hundreds of people.”
Connectivity with the outdoors was a huge priority for the homeowners, so Huff-Dewberry, Harrison Design and builders McGarrity-Garcia fused the two spaces with large leaded windows, allowing the custom details throughout the extensive interior to shine.
While spacious (the house boasts more than 6,000 square feet), the floor plan feels open and approachable. “When standing in the middle of the hall, you see straight out the three sides of the home,” notes Hatch. But even with its many nooks and crannies, attention to detail never falters.
Dewberry and the homeowners loved the parquet-style floors at The Frick Collection in New York City, so McGarrity-Garcia incorporated a special circular oak parquet design in the entry. Another unique component of the main floor is a card room, which boasts a custom table and herringbone-patterned brick floors. Similar brick details continue in the Arena Design wallpaper–covered breakfast nook, where oak crossbanding is incorporated into the square-patterned floor to add warmth to the dainty quarters.
Floor-to-ceiling cypress bookshelves Dewberry designed with Block & Chisel line the library, evoking the feel of an old English study. Block & Chisel also designed the master bathroom cabinetry—complete with custom star pane details on the doors—as well as in the kitchen, which was co-designed by Cynthia Ziegler.
The light-drenched, vaulted living room is filled with a mix of traditional and contemporary furnishings and seamlessly connects with the expansive outdoor entertaining patio and lush lawn, landscaped by Alex Smith Garden Design, thanks to retractable doors and a hidden screen system. Water features were important to the homeowners, so fountains in the pool were relaxing additions.
Yet regardless of the expansive property, which also boasts a functional potting shed, youthful bunk room and multifaceted craft room, the detailed home feels more like a genial summer cottage than a formal castle.
“The home maintains a playful-meets-traditional style,” Dewberry says. “[Whether the homeowners are] entertaining or not, grace and approachable elegance fill every inch of the space.”
