Bold Colors Happily Mix with Pretty Patterns in a Designer’s Personal Tuxedo Park Abode

A new custom storm door was added to the 1930s Buckhead home to allow for more natural light in the foyer, as well as giving the family’s two beloved labs, Gus and Annie, a spot to watch over the front yard. The holiday greenery is by M. Delia Designs for Lucy’s Market.

A new custom storm door was added to the 1930s Buckhead home to allow for more natural light in the foyer, as well as giving the family’s two beloved labs, Gus and Annie, a spot to watch over the front yard. The holiday greenery is by M. Delia Designs for Lucy’s Market.

Schumacher’s Le Grand Tour wallpaper in the foyer, installed by Byron B. Blake of HomEdit, establishes the home’s unique aesthetic while the marble checkerboard floor hints at its historic past. A grand garland by M. Delia Designs for Lucy’s Market signals the holidays are here.

Inspired by the color of the original glass light fixture in the adjacent foyer, designer Whitney Durham wrapped the dining room in a deep plum. Celerie Kemble’s Tortoise Shell wallpaper further dials up the drama.

The entryway to Durham’s home office takes on a decidedly softer, more feminine feel with chinoiserie-inspired wallpaper and coral drapery, also installed by HomEdit. The wicker urn is from Mainly Baskets Home.

While the marble is a new feature, as is the La Cornue range, Durham kept the existing cabinetry, replacing only the fronts and painting them to match the trim.

In the kitchen, Durham decided against adding upper cabinetry on either side of the sink, instead opting to display beloved oil paintings for a cozier effect. The pheasant is a playful nod to her husband’s past hunting trips.

A monochromatic backdrop in the breakfast room lets a custom light pendant shine. Underneath, a Bunny Williams Home table holds court. Durham found the Windsor chairs at a flea market and gave them new life with high-gloss black paint and custom cushions featuring Schumacher’s Kinabalu Velvet.

Durham’s skill for melding styles is on full display in the family room, which is anchored by a vibrant Sally King Benedict painting. Her vision for the space also dictated bold blue paneling with grasscloth insets.

reviously housing the television, shelving was added on the right side of the family room wall for a symmetrical look.

In a hallway bar, a pink onyx counter from Walker Zanger provides a sturdy surface for mixing drinks, while Johnson Hartig’s Jokhang Tiger fabric for Schumacher adds intrigue to the nook’s upholstered walls.

Miles Redd’s fanciful mylar wallcovering resembling antique glass dresses up the hallway’s ceiling. Twinkling in view is a Christmas tree adorned with vintage ornaments passed down from family.

Durham enlisted friend and artist Elaine Burge to paint the living room’s red stripe border, a subtle detail that leaves a large impact.

A range of classic patterns—plaid, stripe, and floral—effortlessly mix in the primary bedroom due to their varying scale, notes Durham. The mantel was designed by architect Norman Askins as part of the addition in the 1990s.

A geometric wallpaper in the older son’s bedroom offers a modern counterpoint to the room’s more traditional elements, including a rug once belonging to Durham’s great-great-grandmother.

The primary suite features his-and-her bathrooms that were made over with simple cosmetic updates including new lighting, hardware, and in Durham’s bath, painting the window sashes a light pink.

Designer Whitney Durham’s penchant for historic dwellings led her and husband Nathan to a grand 1930s home nestled on over 3 private acres in Buckhead’s Tuxedo Park. While their previous cottage was big on charm, it lacked the space for their two growing boys and two energetic labs.

“The cherry on top was this house had undergone a renovation by Norman Askins in the 1990s,” says Durham, noting her appreciation for the revered Atlanta architect. Askins’ significant yet mindful transformation included the addition of a family room, larger kitchen, primary bedroom, and central hallway to better align with the needs of modern living, while still preserving original details such as intricate millwork, multiple fireplaces, and even a dumbwaiter.

It was a promising canvas for Durham’s unique vision for the home: Instead of letting the formal architecture dictate a similar type of interior decoration, she juxtaposed it with her fearless and elegant sense of style. It’s a risk that pays off, evident immediately upon entering the home’s foyer, which Durham enveloped in an eye-catching Schumacher wallpaper she’d been eager to use. “It looks like a gallery wall of traditionally framed oil paintings,” she says, “but as you look more closely, they’re all a little quirky and playful; some of the portraits even have bunny ears and skull faces.” To complement its whimsy, the original millwork and paneling was updated with a deep teal paint color.

“When thinking of how to add some youthful personality into the home, I was drawn to a colorful palette of high-gloss jewel tones that we ended up using throughout,” recalls Durham. “We painted the entire house from top to bottom—a fresh coat of paint goes such a long way.”

And while a richly saturated purple dining room, golden hallway, dusty pink living room—to name a few—sounds chaotic in theory, the symphony of colors never once feels overwhelming, a credit to Durham’s keen planning. Each of the home’s rooms flow seamlessly into the next, thanks to vibrant hues echoing in adjacent spaces through rugs, accessories, and artwork; ultimately weaving a carefully crafted color story that feels both fresh and luxe.

With the rooms’ backdrops complete, Durham was equally intentional with the next layers—antiques and family heirlooms mixing comfortably with more modern flourishes. In the kitchen, for example, Lucite barstools hold court near traditional oil paintings. Similarly, custom lampshades painted by contemporary artist Sally King Benedict adorn lamps resting on the foyer’s antique chest. “Layering a mix of styles feels organic and creates a sense of warmth, which is something I’m always trying to cultivate through design,” says Durham.

It’s a sentiment encapsulated even more so during cozy winter holidays, when fresh wreaths and garlands and whimsical bows add an extra layer of magic. “Getting to put my own stamp on this little slice of Atlanta history is really special,” says Durham. “I hope people can feel the joy we poured into this home.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Whitney Durham, Whitney Durham Interiors, (678) 231-9129; whitneydurhaminteriors.com PREVIOUS RENOVATION ARCHITECT Norman Askins, Norman Davenport Askins, Architects. (404) 233-0395; normanaskins.com