Passion Project

Ric Parrish and Matthew Quinn’s weekend getaway in Greene County, Georgia, is a stylish compound that includes a private lake.

Quinn, seated, and Parrish, enjoy the lakeside firepit with their rescue dog, Izzy.

Quinn and Parrish bought the property on their twentieth anniversary; they affectionately named it “Camp Fiche,” as fiche is Gaelic for twenty. In the dining room, 170 palm-size wooden “fish”—inspired by a similar installation of porcelain fish they encountered during their travels—were handcrafted by an artisan for the chandelier.

A black stain was applied to the hunt cabin’s original brick walls to lend contemporary verve. The wingback chairs from Swoox were a jumping point for the interiors. The gray vessel is from B.D. Jeffries; the woven pillows are from Townhouse; and the throws and white knit pillow are Holland & Sherry.

So that cooking at the lake house is as intuitive as possible, Quinn kept the layout of the kitchen identical to the one at their Atlanta penthouse. The raku backsplash tile from Renaissance Tile & Bath has an iridescent quality that beautifully reflects the light emanating off the lake. The black wooden bowl on the table is from Hudson Grace; the gray stoneware settings are from B.D. Jeffries.

Personal collections imbue the home with a laid-back luxury.

Refrigeration drawers, a wine cooler and bar sink by the front entrance make crafting drinks a cinch for guests who arrive in time for cocktail hour.

The guesthouse features a pair of identical suites; the bedding is Peacock Alley and the throw and gray pillow are from Erika Reade.

A custom brass-lined porthole and oculus evoke a nautical vibe.

Forty-eight-inch-wide vanity sinks are helpful when accommodating visits from extended family. The showers include teak flooring and brushed brass fittings by Brizo.

The master bedroom is enveloped in a custom gray flannel curtain wall, alongside rich textures. All windows feature triple-lined blackout curtains for sleeping in. The painting is by Hal Schwarze and the rug is Moattar.

The master bedroom is enveloped in a custom gray flannel curtain wall, alongside rich textures. All windows feature triple-lined blackout curtains for sleeping in. The painting is by Hal Schwarze and the rug is Moattar.

The property offers complete privacy for its owners and guests. Overlooking the lake, with the sound of the waterfall just beyond, Quinn’s tub for MTI Baths takes “forest bathing” to the next level, he says. Landscaping by Matt Fulton of Willow Oaks Landscapes.

The property offers complete privacy for its owners and guests. Overlooking the lake, with the sound of the waterfall just beyond, Quinn’s tub for MTI Baths takes “forest bathing” to the next level, he says. Landscaping by Matt Fulton of Willow Oaks Landscapes.

As the owners of Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio, Ric Parrish and Matthew Quinn are frequently on the go. Based in Atlanta, the company’s tentacles of influence spread throughout the U.S. and as far afield as Europe and Asia, with the firm’s interiors projects, as well as an assortment of luxury product lines, including a lauded decorative hardware collection. 

While their primary residence, a serene penthouse overlooking Piedmont Park, offers a certain aura of urban tranquility, Parrish had been stealthily searching for a getaway property for six months or so when he proposed the idea to Quinn that a weekend retreat might be the perfect tonic to their hectic schedules. The requirements were clear: As both are avid skeet shooters, Parrish had set out looking for expansive properties with at least 20 acres within a short drive of Atlanta (ideally, less than an hour and a half away). The addition of lake or water access could cinch the deal. 

At the second property they viewed, which would become their new getaway, the allure was so strong that Quinn immediately launched into creating new renderings for the existing rustic hunt cabin. And within just a few hours, his transformative vision for the place was complete: raising roofs, rearranging porches, adding a guest house—all the while giving the getaway an undeniable contemporary vigor. Shortly after, Parrish took the reigns to oversee the interior design; in the meantime, “every wall, wire and pipe on the inside of the house was replaced,” says Quinn. “We knew it would be easier to start from scratch.” 

The two also got to work clearing brush and removing trees to open up the overgrown site and create new vistas to the private, spring-fed lake. The addition of a 30-foot-tall recirculating waterfall looks so authentic that longtime neighbors and first-time guests alike think it’s a natural phenomenon. 

While the visual design of the property certainly wows, Quinn and Parrish note that it’s the feeling guests experience that is most lasting. They readily admit that the lack of cell service and internet can be an initial shock to the system for city folk. “People freak out,” Parrish admits with a laugh. But within a few hours, they find that guests have soon forgotten about their social media feeds, and find themselves participating in one of the property’s many activities: fishing, gathering around the firepit, paddleboarding or wandering the 112-acre site. What makes everyone so at ease? “Nothing is sacred,” says Parrish. “Dogs can come in with mud. It’s not precious.”  

For these creatives and serial entrepreneurs, the need for this place of repose will become even more important later this year, as the two take on even more high-profile projects. Quinn and Parrish are co-owners of the new 45,000-square-foot Nashville Design Collective set to open in Tennessee this fall, and the publication of Quintessential Kitchens and Spaces, the follow-up volume to Quinn’s first book, will debut in September. 

“I have always been able to relax as soon as I see the ocean,” says Quinn, who grew up in Key West, Florida. “This place has a similar effect; it absolutely relaxes me. Even mentally preparing to escape there, I feel my heartbeat start to slow and relax.”

Matthew Quinn and Ric Parrish, Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio, (404) 261-0111; designgalleria.net