Rustic & Refined

An inspiration board showcases style elements found throughout the house that were selected by designer Beth Webb. Photo by David Christensen

The master suite features a divine sitting room. Striped rug, Sullivan Fine Rugs. Round side table, A. Tyner Antiques. Verellen chaise, cashmere throw, lamps, dresser and accessories, all available through Bungalow Classic. Map, Parc Monceau.

The master suite includes two distinct sleeping and lounge areas. Lamps, bedside chests, bench, bedding, library shelves, custom bed, porter’s chair and decorative pillow, all available through Bungalow Classic. Rug, Keivan Woven Arts. Mattress, Mattress Firm. Fan, Aria Ventilatori, available through Grizzel & Mann.

The upper landing is anchored by two Verellen chairs. Rug, Keivan Woven Arts. Photography by Kathleen Walker, available through Hagedorn Foundation Gallery. Chairs, pillows, lamp, table, library shelves and accessories, available through Bungalow Classic. Other accessories, available through A. Tyner Antiques and Foxglove Antiques & Galleries.

Bell Custom Cabinetry designed the cabinets in the bar area. Large rug, Sullivan Fine Rugs. Small rug, Keivan Woven Arts. Carved deer heads, A. Tyner Antiques. Sconces, tray and wood planter, Bungalow Classic.

The master bedroom’s stylish walk-in closet, designed by Closets and More, features an array of custom built-ins. Rug, Keivan Woven Arts. Clothing, Sid Mashburn. Accesories, Bungalow Classic and A. Tyner Antiques. Map, Parc Monceau.

When the dining area needs to accomodate a larger group, a third table can be added in the middle to create one long space for eating. The Araucaria araucana tree is native to Brazil.

The main living room is connected to both the dining area and the kitchen. Custom-designed Verellen sofa, chairs, tables and pillows, Bungalow Classic. Rug, Sullivan Fine Rugs. Swan, Linda Horsley Antiques.

The kitchen cabinets, by Michael Bell of Bell Custom Cabinetry, are a fusion of American and European sensibilities. Knotty pine walls and a pecan wood island were both treated with a lime wash by San Marco Paint USA. Antiqued limestone countertops, Atlanta Kitchen Inc. Thermador appliances, Guy T. Gunter & Associates. Brizo faucet, available through PDI. Vintage sconce, barstools and accessories, Bungalow Classic. Rug, Keivan Woven Arts. Other accessories, A. Tyner Antiques.

Perched in the forest like a treehouse, the porch overooks a lake. The swivel club chairs are covered in a waterproof fabric. All furnishings, Bungalow Classic. Staghorn ferns available through Garden at White Provision.

The study is a flexible space that allows for work or play. The sofa and wingback desk chair are by Verellen and both are available through Bungalow Classic. Horse painting by Kate Javens. Art over sofa by Duncan Johnson. Both artists represented by Marcia Wood Gallery. Rug, Sullivan Fine Rugs. Kuba cloth on desk and other accessories, A. Tyner Antiques.

The terrace-level bar features whimsical accessories, including a toy ferris wheel and trophies. A stained finish from San Marco Paint USA was applied to the custom cabinets by Bell Custom Cabinetry.

Framed vintage swimsuits from A. Tyner Antiques overlook the custom ping-pong table. Onlookers can watch a game while seated on the Verellen barstools. Table and chairs available through Bungalow Classic.

The camp-style bath in the bunk room can accomodate the chaos and cacophony that follows a day spent outdoors hiking, biking, skeet shooting or fly fishing. The touch-latch doors of the two stalls on the right conceal showers, while the stall on the left contains the water closet. Locker room-esque storage was built by Bell Custom Cabinetry. Tile available through Traditions in Tile. Faucets, PDI. Towels, Gramercy Home.

The bunk room is always at the ready to accommodate weekenders and their friends. Art by Duncan Johnson, represented by Marcia Wood Gallery. Beds, desk, lamp, stool and bedding, all available through Bungalow Classic. Mattresses from Mattress Firm.

The finishes on the painted bedside tables and rough-hewn bench are in perfect juxtaposition with the more refined textures of the iron bed and crisp linens. Soft, sophisticated color was added to the room by mixing in plush throw pillows, a soft coverlet and a Madeline Weinrib rug. All furnishings, Bungalow Classic. Artwork by Doug Trump, represented by Emily Amy Gallery.

Iron horse sculptures affectionately watch over slumbering guests. Furniture, bedding and lighting available through Bungalow Classic. Sculptures are from I.D. Lab. Rug, Sullivan Fine Rugs.

Designer Beth Webb on the grounds of Foxhall Resort & Sporting Club.

For many of us, the notion of living in rural Georgia might seem at odds with a cosmopolitan lifestyle. But thanks to designer Beth Webb, country life just got more sophisticated and, well, a little worldly too. Inspired by the work of Belgian and Danish designers, Webb has banished from her showhouse the stereotypical country decor—heart pine, antique quilts and a smattering of Americana—choosing instead to decorate the home with furnishings and finishes that are both rustic and refined. It’s a look that Webb refers to as “rustique chic.”

Balancing this European refinement with a desire to create a warm, comfortable environment, Webb eschewed bright colors in favor of a neutral palette of cream and honey tones, a departure from the usual grays prevalent in Belgian design. It’s this neutral canvas that, according to Webb, allows the home’s “interesting objects and textures to come into sharp focus.” Nubby linens and soft velvets, used to stylish effect on furniture from Atlanta’s own Bungalow Classic, add yet another layer of comfort to the house. Webb’s “it’s all about the texture” design mantra is most apparent in her liberal use of rough-cut woods throughout the home’s kitchen.

“When you enter the house, you walk from the entryway right into the kitchen,” she explains. “I wanted the kitchen to ‘fade away,’ so it would integrate with the family room and dining area.” This meant giving the space an array of rustic flourishes similar to those found in the rest of the house. The result is a kitchen that is just as suitable in Douglas County as, say, the Belgian countryside.

Of course, a house in the country simply begs for visits from family and friends, so Webb created ample space to indulge in some Southern hospitality. Boasting views of the property’s lake, the dining area features two corner banquettes, each surrounding an ebonized wooden slab table. Overnight guests can take their pick of sleeping quarters that include a bedroom with bunk beds and a bathroom with—what else?—a bunk shower. (It’s like one of those “summer camp-style” communal showers but with more luxuriously appointed stalls.) And should the mood for a midnight game of table tennis strike, there is even a high-style ping-pong table, custom designed by Bungalow.

Despite her sophisticated tweaking of the country house look, Webb never lost sight of the fact the house is, after all, located on wooded property set among a sporting enthusiast’s paradise. The absence of window treatments allows unobstructed views to the outdoors while the home’s neutral color scheme and natural materials further blur the boundaries between inside and out. The house may exude a European sensibility, but its Georgia roots remain firmly planted. As Webb notes, “It’s hard to have an original idea anymore.”

Perhaps that’s true, but based on the results seen here, it’s certainly not impossible.

 The Secrets of Style

WEEKEND READING: Cote Sud, Spanish AD, the newest issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, and catching up on my favorite blogs: Remodelista, What Katie Ate and Smith on Style. I can’t wait for Emily Giffin’s new book, Where We Belong!
WEARING: Malene Birger, The Row, J Brand jeans from darling Ann Mashburn’s eponymous shop
COCKTAIL: Kettle One Martini, please—ice cold, very dirty
CHINA: Astier de Villatte “Bac” dinner plates
PLAYLIST: Madeliene Peyroux, Nina Simone, Sarah Jarosz, Beibel Gilberto
ESSENTIALS FOR A WELL-STOCKED GUEST ROOM: Duxiana mattress, fresh flowers, Molton Brown toiletries, bedside water carafe and exquisite down pillows, particularly the “Princess Alexis” by Down Town Down
LINENS: C&C Milano bed linens, Holland & Sherry cashmere blanket
TOWELS: Brahms Mount linen towels
WHEELS: My snappy Mini Cooper convertible
AL FRESCO DINING: Anis for a “pink wine” lunch and Villa San Michele Fiesole in Italy
SUNDAY BRUNCH: Holman & Finch’s burger and Miller Union’s fried okra and homemade ice cream sandwiches
BEING ACTIVE: Exercise is as much for the mind as the body! Matt Hurst’s killer classes at the Training Zone—no pain, no gain!