All That Sparkles
Suzanne Kasler deftly injects glamour into a peaceful palette for the interiors of a Buckhead Georgian owned by a pair of design aficionados
Putting down roots was the idea when a young couple with three small children bought a redbrick Georgian house on a wooded lot in Buckhead. “We want this to be the house we grow old in, so we decided to really go for it, and make it exactly what we wanted,” the wife explains: “a peaceful oasis.”
To help them strike the right chord, the two brought in Suzanne Kasler, a celebrated interior designer, author of three gorgeous design tomes and product designer of a number of eponymous collections. “The house is timeless, but they wanted to make it more fresh and modern inside,” Kasler explains.
In the soaring front foyer, she swapped out the original wooden railing in favor of a ribbonlike iron one with a more contemporary character. And a new three-tiered crystal chandelier reflects light softly off of the metallic paint on the domed ceiling.
Kasler is quick to credit her clients, specifically the husband, for the design of the chandelier. He also appreciated the spherical brass ceiling fixture, from R Hughes, over a quartet of chairs in the wood-paneled library, which, after much deliberation, the owners decided to stain in an even darker hue. “It went from this traditional library to a chic, cozy space,” Kasler says.
The dark paneling juxtaposes the light metallic wall covering in the formal dining room, which is located directly across the corridor. Although its pattern leans in a traditional direction, modern furnishings, including a stunning rock crystal chandelier, make it feel fresh and modern. “It’s the sparkle in the room,” Kasler explains.
Indeed, there’s a little glam in every room. A glass chandelier illuminates the new custom banquette that Kasler designed for the great room—a bright space with vertical shiplap paneling. Rather than starting from scratch, the designer had the original cabinetry painted in a more up-to-date hue, and she incorporated white marble countertops alongside the existing blue glass backsplash. “It’s a classic house, but it feels edited and fresh,” Kasler says.
Blue takes on a more prominent role in the master suite, the walls of which have been covered with enveloping linen. A silk-and-wool rug is one of many textiles in the space, including sumptuous bedding and a velvet-covered bench at the foot of the bed. “When you start working with all these textures, they blend together very beautifully,” Kasler explains.
The owners, whose love of design has translated into classic interiors, are overjoyed to be starting a new chapter in such a polished abode. “There’s not one thing we would change,” the wife says. “Everything is in its place. When I walk through my house, I feel happiness, joy and peace.”
INTERIOR DESIGN Suzanne Kasler, Suzanne Kasler Interiors, (404) 355-1035; suzannekasler.com architect William H. Harrison, Harrison Design, (404) 365-7760; harrisondesign.com LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Land Plus Associates, (404) 238-9595; landplusassociates.com