Fresh Footprint
The 2021 Serenbe Designer Showhouse makes a decidedly modern statement that pays homage to the scenic natural surrounds
Inside Out
Front Patio
Mister + Mrs Sharp with Universal Furniture
With lush greenery as the scenic backdrop for the Serenbe showhouse’s two-level patio, designers Patrick and Meghan Sharp, in partnership with Universal Furniture, selected a chic black and white palette that’s also congruent with the living and dining areas that open onto it. “We didn’t want to combat nature with a strong color point of view,” says Patrick. Just outside the dining room, a quartet of white upholstered chairs surrounds a cane coffee table, creating a convivial spot for drinks and after-dinner rendezvous. Located steps away and defined by sculptural topiaries, curvaceous woven chairs juxtapose the crisp white tablecloth, which is decorated with a mix of refined and organic elements, such as woven place mats and bamboo cutlery. An ornate candelabra creates a stylish and long-lasting replacement for a typical floral arrangement. “It’s surrounded by trees and has beautiful views, so it’s a really nice space to have a meal,” says Patrick. “In this home, there are multiple ways to enjoy the outdoors.”
DINING TABLE, CHAIRS, UPHOLSTERED FURNISHINGS and TABLES Universal Furniture DISHES, SERVING BOWL and PLANTERS Napa Home & Garden CANDELABRA and VASE Hudson Grace CASHMERE THROWS Banana Republic ZIMBA PRINT PILLOWS Schumacher LANTERNS Holmegaard
Natural High
Design-Build
Serenbe Planning + Design, South Haven Builders, Floralis Garden Design
Moved by the forested surrounding and natural topography, architect Steve Dray designed a decidedly modern home clad with dark stucco and cedar treated with a durable, sustainable finish known as shou sugi ban. “The house is not overbearing, and I think it relates to everybody’s sensibilities, whether you like traditional or modern,” he says. Nearly every space in the multilevel abode, which was built by South Haven Builders, offers treetop views, and many have a direct connection with the landscape, for example, the covered multilevel terrace outside the living and dining areas. While protected from the elements, “It feels like you’re outside and not sheltered too much,” says Dray, pointing to its nearly 15-foot ceiling. Creating a pleasing juxtaposition to the modern architecture, landscape architect Lucinda Bray used boulders dug up during construction to create a rustic retaining wall alongside a meandering white Hartstone path and a linear rusted-steel water feature. “I love the way the clean lines blend into this natural, organic
landscape,” she says. “It’s a special house.”
WINDOWS Windsor Windows & Doors WATER FEATURE DESIGN Floralis Garden Design LANDSCAPE INSTALLATION AND IRRIGATION Coggin, Inc. FRONT WALKWAY Hartstone Tile PLANTERS Trust Stone Planter
State of the Art
Entry & Great Room
Jeffrey Bruce Baker Designs
Faced with a lack of walls for the spacious, light-filled open living room, interior designer Jeffrey Bruce Baker decided against a traditional layout, instead creating a sort of sculpture garden filled with head-turning furnishings and vibrant artwork. “It’s like creating a painting,” he says. Resembling mosaics created from flower petals, oil paintings by Guy Robinson cover two walls in the front entrance, referencing the lush exterior in a whimsical way. The colorful hues flow into the seating area, which includes a low-slung gray quilted sofa with red threading and a purplish-red chaise lounge with dark red pillows. “They’re contrasting in odd ways, and I think people enjoy that,” says Baker, describing the look as “sophisticated chaos.” Mismatched cocktail tables, including one that resembles a smooth pebble, contribute to the gallerylike milieu. “It’s more playful than a big coffee table,” he says. “This is a space that makes you smile.”
WINDOWS Windsor Windows & Doors FLOORING Authentic Reclaimed HAND-KNOTTED RUG Keivan Woven Arts SOFA and LEATHER CHAIR Elevati Designs RED CHAISE Ligne Roset SIDE TABLES and SUEDE STOOL Made Goods ARTWORK Guy Robinson and Aimée Farnet Siegel through Spalding Nix Fine Art
Singular Expression
Kitchen, Scullery, Breakfast Room, Stair Hall & Powder Room
Intuitive Dwellings
A reflection of the home’s modern architecture, the open kitchen, breakfast room, scullery and light-filled stair hall by Lorraine Enwright feature a dynamic interplay between form and materiality. “We used finishes in a way that highlights the three-dimensional geometric composition,” says Enwright, who was also the lead specifications designer for the showhouse. In perfect dialogue with the sculptural floating stairs, the kitchen is outfitted with quarter-sawn oak cabinetry that frames a veiny marble backsplash with inlaid brass detailing. The rich material palette characterizes both the black scullery and the kitchen’s island, which is composed of steel, wood and a cantilevered stone top illuminated by wavy handblown glass pendants suspended from varying heights. “They accentuate that asymmetry and playfulness,” explains Enwright. Brass barstools with quilted turquoise velvet seats reference the abstract paintings in the stair hall and breakfast area, where the oak flooring runs up the corner walls—an intimate backdrop for a marble-topped oval table and chairs. “All the forms come together to create an experience that speaks to people’s hearts,” says Enwright. “It’s been tremendous to see people’s reactions.”
Kitchen CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design COUNTERTOPS and BACKSPLASH UMI Stone fabricated by Atlanta Kitchen, Inc. APPLIANCES Signature Kitchen Suite FLOORING Authentic Reclaimed LIGHTING Circa Lighting, Argentino SCULPTURES Signature Contemporary Craft Gallery Dining Room WALLS Authentic Reclaimed TABLE Showroom 58 CHAIRS Century Chairs through Mathews Furniture + Design DRAPERY and CHAIRS’ VELVET Romo WHITE FABRIC ON CHAIRS Perennials ARTWORK Ginger Oglesby through dk Gallery Scullery CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design BACKSPLASH MSI COUNTERTOPS UMI Stone APPLIANCES Signature Kitchen Suite Powder Room VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design SINK Native Trails COUNTERTOPS Caesarstone LIGHTING Circa Lighting FAUCETRY Gessi through Ferguson
Cozy Touch
Bedroom & Bathroom 4
Kit Castaldo Design
A tactile grasscloth wallcovering with an onyx backdrop creates an enveloping feeling in an upper-level guest bedroom with nearly floor-to-ceiling corner windows that frame verdant treetop views. “Texture makes it feel very warm and really elevates the design,” says designer Kit Castaldo. Rust-colored draperies inspired by the showhouse’s fall debut energize the space, which is furnished with a gray velvet headboard and a shapely bronze side table atop a sumptuous alpaca shag rug. Artwork adds to the narrative. An ethereal fine art photograph of a young girl wearing feathers hangs from a window frame, and smaller pieces likewise elevate the bathroom, where vertical sconces flank a round metal-framed mirror. “It’s very inviting,” says Castaldo. “This is a special room where people can go and really feel like they’re getting away.”
Bedroom FLOORING Authentic Reclaimed WINDOWS Windsor Windows & Doors WALLPAPER Innovations BRONZE SIDE TABLE Jim Thompson BEDDING Peacock Alley DRAPERY FABRIC Romo STONE POT The Nicholson Gallery ARTWORK Tokie Rome-Taylor and Kerry Hays through Spalding Nix Fine Art Bath VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design COUNTERTOPS Caesarstone FAUCETRY Gessi through Ferguson
Full Bloom
Primary Bathroom & Covered Terrace
Balance Design
A fine art photograph of a bright pink peony pops against the porcelain slab-covered wall over the deep soaker tub in the primary bath, which features a large window that frames a breathtaking view of the lush exterior with direct access to a covered terrace. “We pulled the outside in and vice versa, so there’s a seamless flow between the spaces,” says designer Jennifer Carter, who collaborated with Stephanie Andrews on the design. Indeed, accented with colorful vintage Turkish wool rugs, the light concretelike Hartstone flooring flows outside where a large Buddha underneath an antique brass mirror occupies a dark stucco niche. “It became a Zen-like garden oasis,” says Carter.
Bath VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design TUB and SINKS Hydro Systems FLOOR TILE MSI FAUCETRY Gessi through Ferguson PORCELAIN SLABS Cosentino fabricated by Atlanta Kitchen, Inc. WINDOWS Windsor Windows & Doors VINTAGE RUNNER and RUG Turkish Carpets ARTWORK Adrienne Anbinder, Jen Boaz Covered Terrace FLOORING Hartstone Tile WHITE OUTDOOR FURNITURE and ROUND WALL MIRROR CB2 JUTE RUG Safavieh GOLD, TEAL AND GRAY STONE STOOLS Made Goods
Zen Sensation
Primary Bedroom & Laundry Room
Beth Kooby Design
Imagining clients who were sophisticated world travelers, Beth Kooby created a soothing primary bedroom suite filled with art and souvenirs. The accent pillows’ colorful floral fabric, for example, was inspired by the annual cherry blossom festivals in Japan—a subtle nod to the shou sugi ban treatment used on the home’s exterior. And paying homage to traditional Japanese paper lanterns, a large spherical linen pendant makes a statement while illuminating the sparkly mica-flecked wallcovering on the ceiling. “I wanted it to feel like you were sleeping under the stars,” she says. And the wool and silk sheer draperies carry on her dream-like allure. Lavenderlike wall hues—Silver Bells by Benjamin Moore—flow into the nearby laundry room, playing off an artistic large-scale mural fittingly evocative of bubbles. “It’s captivating and exciting,” says Kooby, “a serene and luxurious retreat away from the rest of the house.”
Bedroom RUG Holland & Sherry BEDDING Peacock Alley THROW PILLOWS Jiun Ho SWIVEL CHAIR R Hughes CERAMIC WALL TABLETS Gregor Turk SMOKED GLASS VASE Dixon Rye Laundry Room FLOORING MSI CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design COUNTERTOPS Caesarstone APPLIANCES LG ARTWORK Through Holly Irwin Fine Art WALLPAPER Area Environments through Jim Thompson Fabrics
Full Circle
Bedroom & Bathroom
Susan Currie Design
Inspired by the seasonal foliage just outside, Susan Currie conjured up a spirited design for her second-floor bedroom suite. The custom duvet features colorful appliqué velvet circles that “references fall colors in a vibrant way,” says Currie. The circles are echoed in a pair of custom-designed mirrors that flank the linear wood and brass four-poster bed, establishing a pleasing rhythm of shapes that define the space. Meanwhile, a wool and banana silk rug with a cut pile pattern and lacquered vellum side tables introduce variations in texture. The mix “creates a harmonious, interesting room,” explains Currie. Accented by a pair of gemstone-shaped black metal mirrors, a bold jewel-tone blue striae wallcovering by Phillip Jeffries does the same for the en suite bathroom while perfectly coordinating with the bedroom design. “Adding color adds a sense of joy,” says Currie. “This is a great space for anyone to retreat and enjoy themselves.”
Bedroom BED and DRINK TABLE Century Furniture BEDDING Peacock Alley BEDSIDE TABLE Julian Chichester TABLE LAMPS, SCULPTURE and VASES Kravet CHANDELIER Circa Lighting SWIVEL CHAIR Lee Jofa DRESSER Stock & Trade DRAPERY The Shade Store Bath VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design COUNTERTOPS Caesarstone FLOOR TILE MSI WALLCOVERING Phillip Jeffries MIRROR Mirror Image Home
Lush Living
Bedroom & Bathroom
Atelier Davis
Enchanted by the forested surroundings, designer Jessica Davis selected a natural palette for the upstairs guest bedroom suite, incorporating verdant hues that bring the outside in. “I wanted this space to feel like a cocoon up in a tree,” she says. Indeed, textural window coverings juxtapose the bedroom’s deep sage green walls while framing picturesque views of the lush foliage just outside. Adding to the cozy nestlike milieu, a wingback headboard upholstered in a delightful floral print enlivens the white linen bedding, which is punctuated by a rust accent pillow—a nod to autumn. The palette also characterizes the bathroom, which is outfitted with copper-toned penny floor tile and a wallcovering with a sage green geometric pattern accented with a round metal mirror and custom cabinet hardware from Davis’ Nest Studio Deco series. “The shapes play well together,” she says. “This suite feels quiet and luxurious.”
Bedroom HEADBOARD Pop Shop Upholstery HEADBOARD FABRIC Utopia Goods and Stout Textiles BEDDING Peacock Alley OAK DRESSER Doorman PENDANT and FLOOR LAMPS Circa Lighting TABLE LAMP Humanhome SIDE TABLES OKA RUG Rush House CHAIR Dowel OBELISK and CANDLESTICKS Brite Bodies PILLOW Yarn Collective DRAPERY FABRIC Kravet Bath VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design COUNTERTOPS Caesarstone FLOORING MSI WALLPAPER Mitchell Black SCONCES Marz Designs MIRROR Shades of Light CABINET HARDWARE Nest Studio
Bright Idea
Mudroom
Red Door Design Studio
While some might see the lower-level hallway and mudroom as simply utilitarian spaces, Abbi Williams felt they should have the same sense of panache one might find in a front foyer. “It’s that welcoming moment,” she says, “something a little more precious for the homeowners.” Playing off the subtle blue tones throughout the house, bold turquoise walls create a dynamic backdrop for the oak flooring and contemporary gray mudroom cabinetry. “When there’s no natural light, you have to create your own energy,” she explains. At the bottom of the stairs, low nubby wool-covered stools with walnut stretchers surround a round table with a steel base and a walnut top. “I wanted to round the corner off, soften some of the hard edges,” she says. A burled bleached walnut mirror adds a subtle visual texture, while walnut hooks in the mudroom likewise add interest, playing off the flat-front gray cabinetry and brass hardware. “The design evolves and grows in a cohesive way,” she says. “I love the finished product.”
CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design FLOORING Authentic Reclaimed TABLE and LAMP B.D. Jeffries MIRROR, WOOD SPHERES and MARBLE LINK Kings Fine Art & Decor STOOLS and MARBLE BOWL Hawthorne House TRAVERTINE SCULPTURE 14th Street Modern & Vintage Home VINTAGE BIKE Pro Bike Repair
High Contrast
Loft
Mister + Mrs Sharp
To create an inviting space in what is essentially a thoroughfare, designers Patrick and Meghan Sharp covered the upstairs loft’s walls in a black-and-white wallcovering with a geometric pattern accented by a single dark stripe across the wall and ceiling. “It’s high impact,” says Patrick. The same pattern adorns throw pillows in a newly added window bench flanked by built-in bookcases, creating a cozy spot to curl up with a novel. Steps away, a pair of mismatched stools—one stone, the other ceramic—easily pulls up to a round table with a metal half-circle base and a walnut top. “All the geometric shapes are working together,” he says, pointing to the metallic disc-shaped wall sconces. A cut floral arrangement and a natural woven rug make the space warm and approachable despite the contrasting palette. “This could be a throwaway space that is forgotten about,” says Patrick. “We came up with something special that will attract people to spend time there.”
WINDOWS Windsor Windows & Doors FLOORING Authentic Reclaimed TABLE and STOOLS R Hughes WALLCOVERING and PILLOWS Schumacher RUG Patterson Flynn ART LIGHTS Circa Lighting WALL SCONCES Apparatus
Underground Club
Lower Level Lounge
Archie Bolden
With no client direction per se, Tara Dennis designed the lower lounge and powder room to suit her personal style, painting the walls and ceiling in a dark hue that’s “dark, moody, intimate and very sexy,” she says. “It’s like going into the depths of the home.” Underneath the room’s only two clerestory windows, a vintage serpentine sofa re-covered in a deep olive green velvet and an enveloping accent chair create a convivial seating area atop a black area rug. “The curves bring a lot of softness to the space,” she explains. Steps away, a dark handwoven rug defines a black-stained wooden bar table and metal stools with plush teal velvet seats. And an abstract painting by Stephen Shon pops against the dark walls while playing off the lines in the angular marble-topped console table beneath it. “This space is very welcoming,” says Dennis. “I love that people seem to be comfortable there and really enjoy it.”
COFFEE TABLE and BAR TABLE Bradley LOUNGE CHAIR and FLOOR LAMP Habachy Designs + Atelier CONSOLE Crate & Barrel TABLE LAMP Article ARTWORK Stephen Shon PLANTER Pottery Barn PAINT Urbane Bronze by Sherwin-Williams RUGS Jaipur Living, Armadillo