The Luxury of Color
At the Ritz-Carlton residences, Atlanta, Buckhead, designer Bob Brown imparts elegance with a rich palette.
Taking a cue from its dramatic views, Bob Brown treated the interiors of this condominium in the same way. The sweeping vistas from the 20th ο¬oor of The Ritz-Carlton Residences, Atlanta, Buckheadβof downtown, Stone Mountain and beyondβare nothing short of breathtaking. But Brownβs deft hand with the design of this sky-high retreat is all that and more.
Upon entering the foyer, youβre met by a rich purple hueβwhich doesnβt read as purple at all but, instead, a striking neutral. “The color purple felt rich and inviting at the same time,” says Brown. “It just felt good.”
Itβs the way in which he used the color, however, thatβs both bold and brilliant. The jewel tone ο¬ows from the entry into the main living area, covering not only the walls but the trim and ceilings, too. Yes, the approach makes a strong fashion statement. But it also allows various ceiling heights to blend quietly into the background and read as one.
Brown’s signature style is evident throughout the residence, perhaps nowhere more so than in the living/dining area. “I tried to get away from βthis side is the living room and that side is the dining room.’ Had I done that, you could have dinner for 12, but room for only four people to sit down! That just doesn’t make senseβand people don’t live like that, really.”
His solution? To position a dining table between two conversation groups. “You can certainly have a formal dinner or set up a buffet,” he points out. “And I used ο¬exible seating pieces that can be moved around. There are a couple of chairs, for instance, that can easily come in and out.”
The color palette for the main living area, says Brown, started out as purple and green with a touch of camel. “Originally we didn’t have the orange as part of the plan, but when we were out shopping we felt like we needed to punch it up a little bit. So we just kept going with those jewel tones.”
In the master suite, however, color takes a dramatic turn. “I don’t like bedrooms to have a lot of stimulating color. I think they should be sanctuaries,” the designer says. “I can’t tell you the last time that I used wallpaperβespecially a toileβbut this just felt right. We were trying to mix old and new, traditional and not-so-traditional. And I loved the bronzey color.”
And when the sumptuous color scheme isn’t grabbing your attention, the masterful space planning is. Brown started with two adjacent bedrooms and baths, exploding them into one grand master suite. From the square footage, he carved out a sleeping spot and sitting room as well as his-and-hers closets and baths. The resulting retreat is one you’d be hard-pressed to ever want to leave.
Indeed, this condominium is the embodiment of puttin’ on the ritz.