Destination Home

After two decades of building their careers, Kelly Wolf-Anthony and Justin Anthony turn their energies toward a personal project, fashioning a home that is an extension of their identity in the hospitality sphere

Kelly Wolf-anthony and Justin Anthony might just be one of the hardest-working, most hospitable couples in Atlanta. Kelly is an accomplished designer whose Atlanta-based firm, Wolf Design Group, has worked predominantly outside of Georgia, and even internationally, for the past 20 years. And as Atlanta’s prevailing traditional aesthetic begins to shift, her signature style is finally calling her closer to home, with current projects including a new home for Spanx founder Sara Blakely.Β 

Her husband, Justin, is a former South African soccer star and the restaurateur behind such concepts as 10 Degrees South, Yebo Beach Haus, Cape Dutch and Biltong Bar (which he’s currently expanding into Buckhead).

β€œWe can’t get away very often because of the restaurants,” Justin explains. So when the pair sold their lake house and beach house, they began focusing on creating a destination in Atlanta. β€œWe wanted to entertain, swim, have that fun lifestyleβ€”without having to set out on a journey to do it,” he says.

When they bought a new houseβ€”a former 1940s hunting lodgeβ€”on the fringes of Chastain Park last year, it was with the aim of creating a welcoming destination. They spent six months with acclaimed builder Michael Ladisic, and the modern trailblazer pushed the Anthony’s to re-engineer the residence to fit their needs.Β 

β€œWhen it comes to your own home, you look at it differently. You look at dollars, and you look at time,” Kelly explains. β€œ[Ladisic] is not just a contractor, he’s a visionary; he has an aesthetic. He pushed us, and we ended up with something we loved.” 

For example, a wall between the kitchen and porch was transformed with floor-to-ceiling, wall-to-wall, bifold steel doors. β€œIt makes a massive difference in natural light,” Kelly says. In the foyer, Ladisic adapted the staircase in a low-tech way to give it the appearance of curving. Closing off a double door to the study allowed room for an enormous Todd Murphy piece the couple had in storage for years. β€œIt fits to the inch. It was basically perfect,” Kelly adds.

Beyond its stunning collections of art, the home’s interiors reflect the global influences and monochromatic color palette that have become Kelly’s signature. Influences range from high fashion to African safaris; tactile but casual fabrics and a neutral palette that’s β€œorganic, earthy and modern,” she says. For the master bath, closet and kitchen, Ladisic and Kelly enlisted Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio’s Matthew Quinn to transform these spaces from drab to fabulous.Β 

The completion of their personal project means this highly hospitable couple can finally host their friends and associatesβ€”such as Atlanta Food & Wine Festival VIPsβ€”indoors or out. β€œWe have a small wine cellar, home theater, pool cabana and jacuzzi, bocce court, fire pit and grill area with both a Big Green Egg and braai, which is a South African grill,” Justin details. β€œIt feels like a resort, somewhere between our two favorite places: Napa Valley and Old Edwards Inn.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Kelly Wolf-Anthony, Wolf Design Group, (404) 261-7778; wolfdesigngroup.com BUILDER Michael Ladisic, Ladisic Fine Homes, (404) 495-0708; ladisicfinehomes.com