Winter’s Embrace

Seasonal traditions reign supreme in a family’s new home

Consider a snowfall the natural jewelry on a home’s seasonal attire. In this new Atlanta residence, winter’s touch sets an inviting scene for dinner parties and holiday traditions, such as adding artificial snow to the tree by hand. “The home itself feels so open and warm and welcoming,” says interior designer Lynne T. Rankin. “They always have roaring fireplaces and delicious food cooking in the kitchen.”

Architect D. Stanley Dixon’s design for the 6,600-square-foot English manse drew inspiration from Boxwood, Buckhead’s beloved Philip Shutze-designed estate, with which the homeowners have a connection. The use of stucco and stone gives the five-bedroom, five-and-a-half-bath residence on 2 acres the feeling that it’s existed for years, Rankin says. Antiques blend with tailored furnishings and a couple of high-stakes purchases. “It’s a fun collection of things that they’ve picked up over the years. They also wanted to add in some newer, fresher pieces,” she says. “They wanted it to be timeless and livable, but also feel fresh and young.”

The homeowners spotted the marble surround and mantel in London, sent photos to Dixon and Rankin, and then shipped it in pieces to Atlanta. Their splurge became the cornerstone of their future living room. A trumeau mirror found closer to home, in Alabama, proved a worthy match above the marble. A palette of bluish gray and creams wrapped the family in an airy and
approachable embrace.

In the often-used dining room, Rankin softened the space with gray-blue curtains that draw across the bay window and a Phillip Jeffries grasscloth in the same tone. The other walls are light paneled or painted. Another one of the homeowner’s international purchases, a dining room chandelier they found in Florence, Italy, joined the window as the room’s focal points.

Rankin and the homeowner, who have known each other since high school, made cross-country selections and other big decisions in the feeling of a true partnership, which also included Dixon and landscape designer Carson McElheney. “It’s been such a lovely experience,” Rankin says. “It was a really wonderful collaboration.”