Sense of Place
Designer Susan Bozeman and architect Norman D. Askins craft a charming farmhouse escape in the heart of Buckhead




Nestled on a sprawling 3-acre property with towering oak trees and an ambling, cobblestone-bordered gravel driveway, this gracious 5,800-square-foot family home has all the charisma of a rural escape. So much so that, upon arrival, youβd never guess it was located in the heart of North Buckhead.Β
Designed by architect Norman D. Askins and interior designer Susan Bozeman for a couple and their young daughter, the home itself exudes farmhouse charm, featuring a stone-and-wood facade, multiple outdoor living areas and, of course, a gracious front porch.Β
βThereβs nothing more welcoming in the world than a house with a porch out front,β says Askins. βThis project was really based on a Southern precedent for a farmhouse.βΒ
Inside, beamed ceilings, wide-board white oak floors and stone fireplaces echo the relaxed charm of the exterior. And though thereβs a mix of living spacesβincluding a large open kitchen and dining space, a formal dining room, a more traditional living room and library, and a contemporary downstairs media roomβAskins and Bozeman worked closely to ensure nothing felt too cavernous.Β
To ensure that the home felt connected to the surrounding property, Askins worked with landscape architect Jonathan Bussell to plan the motor gates, driveway, and pool. Taking advantage of the privacy offered by the propertyβs size, Askins incorporated large windows throughout to offer views of the surrounding gardens, which were overhauled and redesigned in 2020 by landscape designer Carson McElheney. βWe changed the landscape by adding trees, large specimen boxwoods and heirloom camellias, and we created cutting gardens that include annuals, perennials and herbs,β says McElheney.Β
To create a sense of unity, Bozeman anchored the home with a soothing color palette of smoky gray-blue, taupe and white, mixing in both transitional and antique furnishings to add a sense of history. βThe color palette is very soothing,β says the designer. βA softer palette with a lot of texture is my aesthetic, and it really does make it calm, comfortable and timeless.βΒ
Spaces like the family room and side porchβwhere the family spends time year-roundβwere purposefully designed for gathering. βWhether having a few friends over or hosting a large event, this house can accommodate everyone and feel appropriate,β says Bozeman. βAlthough some spaces are large, we ensured that every space has a variety of seating so that it can be as comfortable for two as for 20. Itβs refined, but relaxed.β
INTERIOR DESIGN Susan Bozeman,Β Susan B. Bozeman Designs, Inc., (404) 237-7745; susanbozemandesigns.com ARCHITECT Norman D. Askins, Norman Davenport Askins, Architect,Β (404) 233-6565; normanaskins.com BUILDER Wes Buchanan, Bonner Buchanan Custom Homes, (770) 423-0249; bonnerbuchanan.com LANDSCAPE DESIGNER Carson McElheney, Carson McElheney Landscape Architecture & Design,Β (404) 467-1690; carsonmcelheney.com LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Jonathan Bussell, Jonathan Bussell Landscape Architect, (404) 805-1817; jonathanbussell.comΒ