High Impact

The living room is a study in sophisticated eclecticism, where neutral walls balance out a mix of patterns and gilt touches. The Verona sofa by Ebanista is covered in Villis Strie-Pearl from Schumacher with pillows by Travis and Company and Max and Company. A pair of painted French bergere chairs upholstered in an animal print date back to 1860.

A custom inlay door by Calhoun Design & Metalwork, high-gloss fluted paneling and marble floors fashion a dramatic entry, complete with identical arrangements of gilt consoles topped with Mandalay period teak wood temple dancers, 19th-century walnut mirrors and chairs covered in a gold velvet stripe by J. Nelson.

In the master bedroom vanity area, a subtle built-in is filled with the homeowner’s collection of silver and objets d’art, including a carved bust of the Goddess of Mercy from Burma at center.

A jewel-toned palette prevails in the master bedroom, where plum velvet Schumacher drapery is complemented by a warm lemon-yellow on a Louis XVI chaise lounge.

A West African sculpture is perched at the prow of the ship-shaped master. A painted French Empire chair covered in Jim Thompson sits behind a writing table.

A textural painting by Olena Zvyagintseva from Tew Galleries offers a soft foil to the opulence of the marble console topped with a pair of French girandoles.

Taking a cue from the owners’ flair for the dramatic, Webb introduced a dark kitchen to counterbalance the neutral palette of the adjoining living room. New additions included under-lit cabinetry, a polished stone backsplash and a jewelry-like silver faucet from Michael S. Smith’s For Town collection by Kallista.

A neutral palette creates a calming effect in the guest suite. Summer Hill La Donna bedding from Ainsworth-Noah is punched up with a Madison chair from Baker Knapp & Tubbs in striped fabric. A carved Dogon door from Mali hangs over the bed.

In the master bathroom, a set of wooden Burmese monks and a pair of bronze elephants found at PierceMartin accentuate the natural stone tiles.

A custom silver fireplace by Calhoun Design & Metalworks gleams on the crescent-shaped outdoor terrace.

Ebonized cabinetry by Morgan Creek Cabinet Co. and dark upholstery, from plush velvet to corduroy, give the study a tucked away feel with a glimpse of the city below.

“More is a more” is the maxim Beth Webb employs to describe the two-bedroom high-rise she designed for a peripatetic couple looking to downsize. “We created a glamorous pied-à-terre,” says the designer, who culled the homeowners’ former Tuxedo Park residence for contents to outfit the Sovereign condominium in Buckhead. Between an eclectic art collection and formal furnishings—from an Ida Kohlmeyer painting and ancient African statues to Neoclassical antiques and velvet-clad seating—”the overarching challenge was making it all work together,” says Webb.

Situated on a unit and a half within the luxury tower, the terrace-lined townhouse embodies the couple’s flair for the dramatic. “We wanted to dial up everything a notch,” says Webb of the year-long revamp that included statement-making customizations. “Every bit of this house is dramatic; there’s nothing that’s not,” she admits. In the foyer, worthy of a cinematic grand entrance, the designer layered with abandon, installing high-gloss fluted walls, marble slab flooring and a custom inlay door with bookend vignettes of the owners’ treasured gilt furnishings. In another bold stroke, Webb suggested ebonizing the kitchen, instantly elevating the room to moody proportions, while allowing the space to seemingly disappear from the adjoining living room in the condo’s open floor plan. “We took an ordinary kitchen—added a jewelry-like Kallista faucet, made a statement in stone backsplash, changed the lighting—and made it into something much more sophisticated,” says the designer.

Webb, who began working with the owners on their former home, was also relied upon for her art expertise. “It doesn’t feel like home until the art is hung,” waxes the former private arts dealer. “And this house is all about the art.” She honored the collection by allowing it to take the design lead. Lit and mounted on every wall, and displayed in every recess, careful planning was taken to accommodate each of the treasures collected from more than 35 years of globetrotting.

In the master bedroom vanity, custom high-gloss cabinetry was designed to house the homeowner’s antique sterling silver collection gathered from European markets. Another highlight of the three-dimensional travel log is a set of four wood Burmese monks. “They had the amazing monks originally in the sunroom atop a piano and they were always a favorite of mine. I knew exactly where they should go—I said they’re going to take a bath,” playful says Webb, who lined the stone master soaking tub with the four antiques figures.

To temper the lovely melange of pattern, texture and century-spanning pieces, Webb introduced white walls to accommodate the exclamation points of strong color and print. Case in point: Crystal, wood and gilt finishes commingle with animal print, velvet and leather upholstery in the natural light–filled living room bathed in Benjamin Moore’s White Dove. Rich jewel tones, such as the plum curtained master bedroom windows, complement the stylistic mix and fortify the formal vibe. To further modify the mix, Webb reinforced spatial breathing room instead of filling the spacious townhouse to the brim. “My directive was to give everything enough air to see and appreciate it,” she says of the all-important edit. “The couple was so shocked when they got it all in. Everything they love is here.”

Always one to correlate interiors to accessorizing, Webb theorizes that “art in a home is like putting on a bracelet with your little black dress.” To that end, this glamorous high-rise is a like a gem-studded charm bracelet revealing the owners’ passions and travels.