The Next Chapter

In this historic Atlanta home, modern touches such as a clean-lined Wesley Hall sofa and Lucite coffee table from Travis & Company offer a fresh perspective amid millwork dating back to the 1920s. The armchairs are by Mrs. Howard for Sherrill Furniture and the antique mirror is from Parc Monceau. The painting is by Mark Leibert, represented by Sandler Hudson Gallery.

Interior designer Clary Bosbyshell incorporated the homeowner’s favorite color, a soft hydrangea blue, into furnishings like the metal frame chairs by Lawson Fenning. The chaise is Hickory Chair and the rug is Stark Carpet. The artwork is by Nancy Richardson, represented by Voltz Clarke Gallery in New York. Throw, R. Hughes.

“The goal for this renovation was bringing the home into 2018 but also respecting its historical bones and keeping with its grandeur.” – Clary Bosbyshell

A photograph by Erik Madigan Heck, through Jackson Fine Art, holds court in the lacquered reading room.

Paces Builder Group and Charles Heydt renovated the historic residence.

The lady’s parlor doubles as a home office with a Bernhardt desk and slipcover chairs featuring an eye-catching Cowtan & Tout fabric.

The kitchen cabinetry is by Kingdom Woodworks. Gleaming fixtures, such as Waterstone faucets and Emteck hardware, temper the marble accents fabricated by Marmi Natural Stone. Pot, Foxglove Antiques.

A custom banquette is complemented by a Knoll table and chairs.

In the dining room, a high-gloss ceiling complements a chinoiserie wallpaper by Paul Montgomery through Travis & Company. The table and chandelier are David Iatesta through Ainsworth-Noah.

Embracing the couple’s former California lifestyle, the family room takes on a more relaxed ambience.

The husband’s handsomely designed music room features custom built-ins and sumptuous seating. The throw is from R. Hughes.

In the master bedroom, a David Iatesta bed features bedding from Leontine Linens. The drapery fabric is JAB and the trim is Travers. The abstract is by Blayne Macauley at Anne Irwin Fine Art.

Significant renovations to the master bath introduced an arched ceiling and new windows. The towels are D. Porthault through Gramercy Fine Linens.

The benefits of having a skilled design-build team in place are most evident in the rear of the residence. Paces Builder Group executed Heydt’s vision of creating a connection to the outdoors via steel-and-glass doors off the family room as well as a new door in the breakfast nook bay. Landscape architect Alec Michaelides led a complete landscape overhaul to deliver a space fit for entertaining, while Bosbyshell outfitted it with furnishings from Kolo Collection and Frontgate umbrellas. Ensuring the home’s entire renovation went off without a hitch was project supervisor Wayne Mitchell of Paces Builder Group. below The tablescape features dishware by Hudson Grace.

The benefits of having a skilled design-build team in place are most evident in the rear of the residence. Paces Builder Group executed Heydt’s vision of creating a connection to the outdoors via steel-and-glass doors off the family room as well as a new door in the breakfast nook bay. Landscape architect Alec Michaelides led a complete landscape overhaul to deliver a space fit for entertaining, while Bosbyshell outfitted it with furnishings from Kolo Collection and Frontgate umbrellas. Ensuring the home’s entire renovation went off without a hitch was project supervisor Wayne Mitchell of Paces Builder Group. below The tablescape features dishware by Hudson Grace.

Atlantans have long admired this Buckhead home with the turquoise front door. The home has seen many reincarnations since a renovation by Neel Reid circa 1920, two of which have been documented in the pages of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. First published in 2009, and then once again in 2013, Atlanta design firm Margaux Interiors Limited was responsible for the home’s well-outfitted interiors on both occasions.  

When the home’s current owners purchased the historic property, they wanted to work with someone who knew the home’s intricacies inside and out, which meant interior designer Clary Bosbyshell of Margaux Interiors was a natural fit for the project. But before Bosbyshell could guide the California transplants through chintz and chinoiserie options, the home’s layout needed to be addressed.

To help the home live in a more contemporary fashion, architect Charles Heydt finessed the floor plan, opening up the wall between the kitchen and dining room, and then switching the dining room and family room, so that the latter was now open to the kitchen. He also introduced steel-and-glass doors in the new family room, providing a much-needed connection to the backyard. “When this home was first built, they were operating at a time when nobody lived in the back of their homes, which was typically reserved for servants,” says Heydt. “But today’s family lives in the kitchen and appreciates a much more open floor plan.”

The lighter and brighter kitchen is now undoubtedly the hub of the home for the couple and their two young children. Bosbyshell took the lead in the kitchen design, mixing brass and stainless accents and suggesting a bookmatched marble backsplash for a clean yet elegant effect. A custom banquette in the adjoining breakfast nook lends a whimsical touch and is well suited for both family meals and entertaining guests.

As expected, working with a 100-plus-year-old home comes with its set of structural challenges, and contractor Jim DeLany of Paces Builder Group was up to the task. “Classical home renovations require a meticulous eye. It takes a certain level of skill and attention to drawings,” says Heydt in reference to DeLany’s exacting execution and commitment to preserving the home’s historical integrity while also making it functional.

This marriage of past and present was also always top of mind for Bosbyshell. “The goal for this renovation was bringing the home into 2018 but also respecting its historical bones and keeping with its grandeur,” she explains. It’s a concept best exemplified upon first entering the home and stepping into the formal living room. Here, the designer skillfully employed a restrained color palette along with clean-lined furnishings so as not to detract from the room’s exquisite antique shell, the highlight of which is original millwork by Neel Reid.

While the front of the home lives decidedly more formal (perfect for hosting elegant occasions), the back of the home—in a nod to the clients’ former California lifestyle—accommodates more casual living and entertaining. “It was really special to give both the house and the family a new beginning,” says Bosbyshell. “This is one of my favorite historic homes in Atlanta and it was an honor to polish it up once again.”

ARCHITECT Charles Heydt, Pak Heydt & Associates LLC, (404) 231-3195; pakheydt.com INTERIOR DESIGN Clary Bosbyshell, Margaux Interiors Ltd. (404) 600-2174; margauxinteriorslimited.com CONTRACTOR/PROJECT MANAGER Jim DeLany, Paces Builder Group, (404) 352-7700; pacesbuildergroup.com PROJECT SUPERVISOR Wayne Mitchell, Paces Builder Group LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT Alec Michaelides, Land Plus Associates, Ltd., (404) 238-9595; landplusassociates.com