Rising Star

It’s easy to mistake the new Star Metals Residences (starmetalsresidences.com), the 410-key apartment community on the Westside, for a chic hotel. That’s by design, says Square Feet Studio (squarefeetstudio.com) interior designer Carolyn Balfour. “The goal was to make it feel more like a hospitality environment versus a typical multifamily [building],” she says. The team started working on the project in 2017, helping shape the amenity offerings, which include Prevail Coffee, a rooftop pool and grilling area, state-of-the-art fitness center, dog run and more. While some apartment common areas were once left virtually unused, the team aimed to change that by “making it a little more luxurious and comfortable,” says Balfour. Many of the firm’s multifamily clients are looking to “activate the spaces, putting emphasis on them to be welcoming, homey and more like an extension of the apartment.” The team paid homage to the building’s former life as a metal scrapyard by incorporating a mix of metals (copper, brass, nickel and stainless steel), touches of vibrant Klein blue throughout and a showstopping custom piece by Whitespace artist Sonya Yong James. The resort-style pool deck features custom RH cabana banquettes and lush live plants by Site Solutions. “The goal was to foster community, especially at a time when so many people are moving to Atlanta,” says Balfour.