Gilded Age

Aided by an army of skilled craftsmen, Pak Heydt & Associates and Bunny Williams Interior Design revitalize a grand Federalist home in Buckhead’s posh Tuxedo Park neighborhood

DESPITE ITS LACKLUSTER interior finishes, a stately Federal-style manse in Tuxedo Park captured the heart of a young mother known for her fabulous soirees. Years later, after her children had their own families, she commissioned architect Charles Heydt of Pak Heydt & Associates and interior designer Elizabeth Lawrence, partner at Bunny Williams Interior Design, to reimagine it for a new era. β€œIt was time to give her dream house a new lease on life with a higher level of finish and customization,” says Lawrence.

To better showcase the hilltop home, landscape architect Richard Anderson eliminated a prominent mound that obscured the front porch when viewed from the street. Boxwoods and other simple plantings add color and soften
the front facade. β€œThe goal was for this house to look like it’s been here forever,” he explains.

Flanking the swimming pool, a newly created pool house and complementary cabana in the home’s original style enhances the effect. β€œThey balance the overall facade,” says Heydt.Β 

The interior transformation is equally well-considered. For example, the walls are covered in shimmery Venetian plaster applied by skilled artisans in a weeks-long process. The same care went into the hand-stenciled patterns on the hardwood flooring in the grand foyer. Clad in reflective gold leaf, a groin vault ceiling likewise elevates a passageway that also serves as a luxe bar. β€œIn many respects it’s a new house within the envelope of an old home,” says Heydt. β€œThis kind of project requires a special client who is passionate about the details.”

The project’s extended timeline also gave Lawrence time to hunt for the sort of rarified objects a house of this caliber merited, combing through antiques shops and European flea markets. Displayed atop identical marble columns, a pair of white and blue terracotta vases acquired on one such excursion perfectly accents the dining room’s apple green walls. β€œWe don’t find things like that often and I knew they had to have an important place,” explains Lawrence.

The designer also commissioned key pieces such as the handmade metal chandelier with a leafy motif in the breakfast areaβ€”a fitting companion to a Gracie wallcovering with hand-painted branches. And a team of craftsmen contributed to the intricate hand-carved four-poster bed in the primary bedroom. β€œShe wanted a very feminine space, and it’s kind of a princess bed,” says Lawrence, pointing to the embroidered headboard and tasseled valance.

According to Lawrence, the result is a dream come true for the owner, who enjoys hosting both formal dinner parties and low-key visits with her grandchildren in a gracious and interesting home that’s finally perfect for both. β€œThis house is formal but comfortable; grand but not overwhelming,” says Lawrence. β€œExactly what she wanted.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Elizabeth Lawrence, Bunny Williams Interior Design, (212) 207-4040; bunnywilliams.com ARCHITECT Charles Heydt, Pak Heydt & Associates, LLC, (404) 231-3195; pakheydt.com Landscape design Richard Anderson, Richard Anderson Landscape Architect, (404) 791-9100; richardandersonla.com