Family Matters

In the dining room, Susan Bozeman selected a Gracie wallpaper for its silver, lavender and pink tones; it creates an ethereal backdrop for a mix of dining chairs from Edward Ferrell and Hickory White. To “bring down” the room’s formal elements, the designer grounded the space with a sisal rug and sheer curtains.

A glorified cottage in a sense, the house offers enough space for the couple to live comfortably, but room for their grandchildren to play. Landscape architecture by Carson McElheney.

“Like so many people, the homeowners love their antiques, but we wanted them to feel fresher.” —Susan Bozeman

A glorified cottage in a sense, the house offers enough space for the couple to live comfortably, but room for their grandchildren to play. Landscape architecture by Carson McElheney.

Known for using textured fabrics, Bozeman selected a range of textiles for the living room, including cowhide for the pair of bergères, which gives a non-traditional twist. A painting by artist Carol Bodiford, purchased from Anne Irwin Fine Art, hangs above the fireplace.

The kitchen frequently plays host to family dinners. In lieu of an island, the homeowners opted for a large, custom-designed kitchen table where family members also help prepare meals. A modern counterpoint to the traditional furniture is the range backsplash, which was designed with dark stone and brass inlay tile from Renaissance Tile & Bath. The cabinetry is Morgan Creek Cabinetry Company.

The homeowners spend their mornings drinking coffee in the casual, comfortable keeping room. Both the custom-designed chairs and the upholstered sliding barn doors, which lead to the laundry room, were fabricated by M. Southern Design Concepts. In the center of it all is a Saladino ottoman.

Bozeman chose the wife’s favorite color, blue, for the walls and painted cabinetry in the butler’s pantry, which doubles as space for storage and as a bar for entertaining. A glazed chintz by Lee Jofa was made into a roman shade.

When the weather allows, the couple enjoys dining outdoors; the table and chairs are from Kolo Collection. Landscape architect Carson McElheney designed the home’s lush grounds, which included both manicured and free-form plantings.

When the weather allows, the couple enjoys dining outdoors; the table and chairs are from Kolo Collection. Landscape architect Carson McElheney designed the home’s lush grounds, which included both manicured and free-form plantings.

THIS BALANCE BETWEEN CASUAL FEELING AND POLISHED LOOKING EXTENDS TO THE HOME’s FURNISHINGS.

A pair of vintage lamps from Parc Monceau sit atop bedside tables by Hickory Chair. The couple’s bed was a selection from the first house Bozeman designed for them, but the designer had it painted to echo this room’s airy atmosphere. A Niermann Weeks chandelier is the crowning touch.

The husband has his own area of the master bath, including a vanity stained in a greige-colored finish. The custom mirror, fabricated by Brooks & Black Fine Framing, hangs in front of the window.

Because the bathtub is the first thing one sees when entering the master bathroom, Bozeman decided to soften the effect and create privacy by installing sheers on a drapery rod that runs around the entire perimeter of the tub.

Because the master bedroom is located on the ground floor, the upstairs bedrooms, including this one, are used by both overnight guests and the couple’s grandchildren. By using soft, neutral colors and installing one wide upholstered headboard behind the twin beds, Bozeman created a space that caters to both young and old alike.

Essentially an extension of the library, the porch, where the homeowners love to spend time, features retractable screens that extend down, allowing them to use the space much of the year.

Essentially an extension of the library, the porch, where the homeowners love to spend time, features retractable screens that extend down, allowing them to use the space much of the year.

For one Buckhead couple, home base has changed addresses a few times over the past 20 years. There was the house they built to accommodate their young and growing family, and later, the townhouse they downsized to upon becoming empty nesters. Realizing they missed having a yard where their grandchildren could play, they recently embarked on building a new homestead, one designed to appeal to each generation, especially their children and grandchildren who live close by and visit often. 

“A tailored cottage” is how architect Greg Busch describes the house, which is located off of Peachtree Battle Avenue. Granting his clients’ wish for a moderately sized, less-formal residence, Busch conceived a comfortable house with rooms that are, in the architect’s words, “as large as they need to be.” When it came to the home’s interiors, the couple did as they have for their previous residences and engaged the help of designer Susan Bozeman, who has worked for the homeowners for more than two decades. But rather than go wholly traditional as she did on their first project together, this time Bozeman took a more up-to-date approach, one which respected the couple’s existing collection of traditional furniture and antiques. “Like so many people, the homeowners love their antiques, but we wanted them to feel fresher,” explains Bozeman, who did just that by introducing transitional-style pieces and contemporary art to the mix and imbuing rooms with a sense of lightness.  

Foregoing bright colors for soft, tranquil tones, the designer tailored a color palette of neutral shades with blue accents to the wife, explaining, “She is blond and fair, and one of her favorite colors is blue, so a lighter color palette fits into her realm more than vivid colors.” Cumbersome curtains were also shunned, with lightweight fabrics, such as sheers, chosen to soften windows without detracting from the view outdoors. Even the home’s finishes display a light touch, like the painted shiplap used throughout the house, which strikes a dressed-down note and keeps the interiors from skewing too formal.

This balance between casual feeling and polished looking extends to the home’s furnishings, which range from Gracie wallpaper and French antiques to sisal rugs and cowhide. While this mix is equally sophisticated and easygoing, it’s the latter quality that is really at the heart of this home’s design. Immensely livable to its empty-nest owners, the house has proven likewise to the rest of the family as well.

INTERIOR DESIGN Susan Bozeman, Susan B. Bozeman Designs, Inc. (404) 237-7745; sbbdesigns.com ARCHITECTURE Greg Busch Architects. (404) 252-8073; gregbusch.com LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE Carson McElheney, Carson McElheney Landscape Architecture & Design. (404) 467-1690; carsonmcelheney.com