Practically Perfect

Architect Greg Palmer and interior designer Beth Webb create an oasis of laid-back luxe for a young family of five.

When longtime Atlanta residents Claire and Jason Zintak decided to build a house in Chastain Park, creating a space that was not off-limits to their three children was top of mind. “We wanted a family home where every room is used,” says Claire. Searching for a free-flowing floor plan to accommodate their party of five (not to mention two fluffy Labradoodles), the Zintaks looked to their former neighbor, architect Greg Palmer, principal of Atlanta’s award-winning Harrison Design Associates, for guidance.

“We took a traditional house blueprint and exploded it to fit a more updated lifestyle where there are few doors and openings,” says Palmer of the transitional layout, which links the kitchen and living room at the heart of the house. Bathed in natural light and cool tones of white and pale grey, the space is the Zintaks’ epicenter of family meals, homework and movie nights.

In keeping with the family’s relaxed aesthetic, Atlanta interior designer Beth Webb stocked the three-story, five-bedroom house with furniture and accessories for living, not just for show. “There’s not a formal seat in the living room. They pile up in that room and watch TV as a family,” says Webb, who brought in outdoor fabrics, as well as translucent window treatments to soften the light. The designer also infused the house with a playful mix to appeal to the couple’s sense of eclecticism.

“Although the dining room is more formal than the rest of the house, it’s still organized in an eclectic way so that it relates back to the foyer,” says Webb, who added a pair of patinaed lamps on the sideboard to reference the adjacent entry hall’s antiqued focal mirror. “This house is a major chameleon,” says the designer of the home’s cool versatility.
Texture also plays an important role, from the honeycomb molding in the dining room to a vaulted pyramid breakfast nook. “There aren’t a lot of obstacles to feeling comfortable in this house,” says Palmer. This also holds true in the cypress-paneled library, which Webb warmed up with rich navy tones and strokes of Hermès orange. “We wanted one little cozy room that’s tucked away,” says Claire. “In the cool of winter, it’s the perfect spot to cuddle up in front of the fire.”

ARCHITECTURE Greg Palmer, Harrison Design Associates. 3198 Cains Hills Pl. NW, Atlanta 30305. (404) 365-7760; harrisondesignassociates.com INTERIOR DESIGN Beth Webb, Beth Webb Interiors. 425 Peachtree Hills Ave., Suite 11B-4, Atlanta 30305. (404) 869-6367; bethwebb.com