The Art of Aesthetics

In the cozy den just off the entry foyer, the challenge was “to create multiple seating areas without overcrowding the space,” says longtime friend Eleanor Roper, who helped Debbie and Brad Weitz execute their less-is-more vision in their recently renovated home.

A collector in every sense of the word, Debbie has mastered the art of display in the den bookcase with her eclectic, character-rich personal collections.

Debbie’s collection of pewter and vellum books mix marvelously.

The Weitzes added antique beams and a stone fireplace to the formal living room in a recent renovation. The mantel features one-of-a-kind Asian pottery Debbie has on display at B.D. Jeffries, but it is not for sale. Olive jar, pillows and throw from B.D. Jeffries.

Because the house sits back from the street, and privacy was not a concern, the Weitzes opted to keep the windows bare, for a more European feel.

The entry foyer and hallway strike a lustrous, elegant note.

In the entry foyer, a carved French chair—one of Debbie’s first purchases when she moved into the house more than 30 years ago—comingles with an African jar and oil on canvas.

The breakfast room was the only spot where the Weitzes left the original pine floors, so they opted for color in the form of the dark-gray window trim instead. Chairs, pillows, African hats and jar through B. D. Jeffries.

After a busy day on the showroom floor surrounded by plenty of pattern and color, the Weitzes’ main wish was to come home to “something serene,” says Debbie of the master bedroom. Pillows, jars and throws, through B. D. Jeffries.

A recent renovation removed a wall between the dining and living rooms; the resulting archway reveals an intimate space where large-scale pieces make the room feel bigger than it is.

The Spanish buffet was a find Debbie couldn’t leave on B.D. Jeffries’ showroom floor.

The light-filled living room reveals Debbie’s brilliant balance of restrained and rustic for a look that’s as contemporary as it is relaxed.

A rustic-chic focal point in the living room includes an antique trestle table, an iron stand and candelabra from Townhouse by Robert Brown and pottery from B.D. Jeffries.

It’s not just antiques but also pieces that conjure the effects of age that Debbie loves to collect the most, which is evident both inside and outside the sunroom.

It’s not just antiques but also pieces that conjure the effects of age that Debbie loves to collect the most, which is evident both inside and outside the sunroom.

Ask Debbie and Brad Weitz where they spend most of their time, and the answer is swift: at B.D. Jeffries, the Buckhead home furnishings and accessories boutique beloved for its richly textured, natural finds and eclectic assortment of antiques, gifts, ceramics and works of art. This year marks 25 years that “the store,” as the couple refers to it, has been Atlanta’s go-to shopping source for interior designers and the design-loving public alike.

As any shop owner knows, the beauty (and peril) of the job includes the ability to amass piece after piece—on buying trips, at furniture markets, at antiques shows—not because there is a need or the space for a certain item but simply because he or she adores it and doesn’t want anyone else to snap it up.

While the Weitzes literally have a store and a warehouse full of these finds, when it came to outfitting their own recently renovated Buckhead home, Debbie was very clear about the pieces she wanted to incorporate and the direction she wanted to go in, enlisting interior stylist and longtime friend Eleanor Roper to execute her vision.

“Debbie has such an eye and penchant for the unusual,” says Roper, “and you can see that come through in the complexity and the layering of the curated approach we took to the house.”

Roper’s main design objective: to combine Debbie’s classic but clean, restrained but relaxed aesthetic with the coziness and warmth of their charming 1930s English Tudor country abode. “The style of the house, the age of the house, and the materials used—it feels like an English landscape to me,” says Roper of the exterior, “and when you walk in the door, the design is this big surprise.”

Weathered, beat up, patinaed, rough-hewn, rarefied: These are all words Debbie uses to describe an aesthetic she’s made uniquely her own, one that embraces natural imperfections for a distinct contemporary-meets-rustic vibe. Selecting pieces with age, or pieces that conjure the effects of age, was top priority.

The Spanish buffet in the dining room (one of the few times Debbie has reserved a piece for herself directly “off the floor”) and the carved Italian chair in the foyer (one of her first purchases after moving into the home more than 30 years ago)—these are pieces that convey her collected, timeworn narrative. And when it came to making a statement, no walls or surfaces were off-limits for Debbie’s character-rich collections, which include African masks, pottery and shields; pewter jars; and antique vellum books.

“Debbie has such a global connection to things,” says Roper, “and where there are a lot of other designers who might be persuaded to [opt for] something more new and trendy, we stuck with the complexity and the depth of older pieces. I feel like you could be anywhere in the world in that house.”

The resulting, confident mix is displayed against a subtle backdrop of muted tones, from the soft-gray finish on the floors to the darker greige painted on the doors, bookcases and breakfast room window trim. It’s this soft but layered palette, says Roper, that has “opened up the house and allowed the rooms to breathe and flow interchangeably.” And the materials added during the renovation—a stone fireplace in the living room, as well as antique, rough-hewn beams, play up this tactile effect.

“The design,” says Roper, “is kind of like a beautiful marriage, with bits and pieces collected through the years on display.” A beautiful match, indeed.

INTERIOR DESIGN Eleanor Roper; Brad and Debbie Weitz, B.D. Jeffries (404) 231-3004; bdjeffries.com