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>The first time I saw Brian Patrick Flynn of Decor Demon, I thought, “I don’t know who he is, but he’s important.” 99.9% of the time I am way too intimidated to speak to people like that, but luckily Brian spoke to ME (I was holding “The Beacham Series,” which he recognized… yea!). It seemed I was the last person in Atlanta to not know of him. You may have seen him in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles 10 Under 40 feature this month in which he talks about being completely self-taught. We got to know each other when I went to shoot something for him to use in one of his editorial design projects for HGTV. Yes, he produces, writes and styles shelter magazine content, photography and video…for HGTV! People around the world dream of that job and he actually has it, plus the network handpicked him to write posts for their blog, Design Happens and he hosts a web series on hgtv.com called “Fast Fixes” which he describes as “higher-end DIY”. He also let it slip out during our shoot that he’s been the home and garden producer for Movie and a Makeover on TBS as well as the show’s on-air design talent for 7 years. Yeah, he’s actually on TV! Brian doesn’t really talk about it and doesn’t think it’s a big deal…at all. As if that weren’t enough, in his free time he takes on his own design clients, writes and produces DIY articles for houzz and writes Decor Demon; every single magazine-quality image was created from scratch specifically for the site with Brian art directing and prop styling every shot himself. Are you kidding me? I’m so jealous of his job and his swanky retro modern home he decorated himself with almost all custom or vintage pieces! I think he’s amazing, and was thrilled to work on this blog post with him. I asked the questions and took the pictures. He answered the questions and told me which shots we needed to bring the answers to life. We had so much fun getting ready for this together, even running to Yogurt Tap for White Chocolate and Graham Cracker frozen yogurt topped with multi-colored gummy bears. I hope you enjoy getting to know my new friend as much as I have.

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1. Why do you call yourself a decorator even though you design almost everything from scratch?
Denial, I think—and possibly the harsh ramifications of the American legal system. I’m self-taught and lack the ASID or NCIDQ stuff.  Technically, I’m a decorator.
2.  If you could work as a designer/decorator in any other city, what would it be?
Kinda-sorta L.A.; I’m on an inspiration-high each time I’m zipping around the Hollywood Hills, but I don’t necessarily wanna LIVE in Los Angeles. The midcentury modern homes there are SICK; my dream would be to work on 1950’s and 1960’s Hollywood homes full-time but still actually live in Atlanta. I love it here. Atlanta and I are meant to be together. We’re like Spencer and Heidi, Carrie Bradshaw and Manolo Blahnik, or perhaps, Naomi and Wynonna.

3. Pet peeves and cliches that drive you crazy…or not?

Frames
As far as pet peeves go: sticks in a vase shoved in a corner, themes in kids’ rooms, “art” bought at big box retail stores, swag window treatments, leather rolled-arm club chairs in manspaces…I could keep going but then people who like this stuff would hate me on the Interwebs and pull that let’s-leave-scathing-comments-on-blogs-about-this-dude-and-totally-ruin-his-day nonsense. No thanks! Now, as much as I wanna be over the empty-frames-grouped-and-hung-on-a-wall-thing, I kinda still like it. In fact, I did it above my media room sofa using spraypaint in violet, plum and bronze tones.
4. If you were forced to hire a designer to do your personal home, who would you use and why?
floor - lighter
Phoebe Howard. Everything Phoebe uses is timeless, classic and made from the finest materials and/or craftsmanship. She’s also uber-refined whereas I paint red-orange zig-zags on wood floors and upholster walls with royal purple velvet; it would be a complete escape from my borderline-living-on-the-edge routine, plus I’d learn a great deal about restraint…in a good way.

5. What are you working on right now?
Pick up your camera, meet me in Inman Park at 3:15pm and I will show you. I’m just about to start a floor-to-ceiling redesign on an industrial-chic loft.
Dining room_DARKER
My client, Meghann, is a publicist. Her existing interiors make me wanna punch a squirrel. It’s all starter stuff with colors that just do NOT work with the space. We’re toning it down, BIG TIME.
paint colors
We’ve decided on a handful of greys and plums. I always pick up $5 testers from Sherwin-Williams, then paint all potential choices in groups on walls in different areas of the space to see how they play with the supplied light. Our winning color? “Mystical Mauve” but since anything referred to as mauve is scary as hell, I will simply refer to the color by its product number. Once the space is finished, I’ll confess—kinda like when you serve someone tiny chicken empenadas at a cocktail party, then once they rave about the taste, you admit they were actually reindeer or polar bear.
Wallpaper
Although I’d have opted for fabric on the dining room walls, budget called for low price-point wallcovering; we stuck with a modern floral from Graham & Brown which we ordered online. It showed up only three days later.
fabric
Meghann wants feminine, but more Wilhelmina Slater from Ugly Betty than Holly Hobby or tea party-poodle-skirt-girlie. We’re using modern and vintage lines, then mixing in some femme tones like the pink/grey geometric from Duralee and a budget-saving black/white zig-zag we found at Forsyth Fabrics for about $10 per yard.
lamp
I kinda despise new things unless I can design them from scratch; I prefer vintage whenever possible. Since I’m creating a custom bed, we’re
forced to save as much as possible in regards to all other purchases. We scored this lamp from Highland Row Antiques for a cool thirty bucks. Once the room is put together, we’ll top it with a new lampshade. I’m thinking it’ll be hot pink, then we’ll spraypaint the bottom of lamp the same hue.
Pillows w blur
All of the living room furniture we’ll be using was picked up at flea markets. In fact, the sofa, side chairs, bedside tables, dining chairs and table base all came to less than $500; however, we’ll be splurging on upholstery and refinishing. The furniture is in production right now but my seamstress already knocked out the pillows. From the hot pink linen to the rich, plum velvet, these are the tones that will flow throughout the entire space.
6. First thought that comes into your head when you hear the following words.
Ceiling Fans
Facepunch
Art from Pier 1
Communism
White
Navy blue
Fake Flowers
Jail time
Frosted Glass
2002
Subway Tile
Vertical
Gold
Yes

Light blue and chocolate brown
Snore
Knick-knacks
Cat Lady
Wall decals
Freshmen

6. What does your own home look like?

Bedside Table better
Sofa better

Come over with your camera and see for yourself but don’t get too excited, all we can do is shoot tight, detail shots. Ain’t no way I’m gonna blow my chances with a national glossy shelter pub. They’d be all like “Awe, hellz nawe. You can’t be up in here if your crib’s already been published, dawg.” and I’d be all like “Y’all need to step off and chill, dawgs. The twitters and the blogosphere is where it’s at, ain’t y’all heard? Y’all better recognize”. You get the point. It’s a mashup of 1960’s and 1970’s set inside a 1955 midcentury modern ranch. Tons of texture through fabrics like silk-linen, velvet, boucle, Belgian linen and also through my grasscloth-covered walls. I’ve got pretty much all vintage pieces in grey tones accented with black, violet and tons of bronze and metallics. While it’s masculine, it’s also kinda elegant.

7. The last thing you bought for your own home?

Leather Door (1)
Door Detail

Leather upholstered doors with bronze nailheads. Well, they were the existing doors, I sent them out to be upholstered. I bet you’ve never had someone tell you that before, huh?
8. Mood boards or sketches?
also good
tray
Trays. I fill trays with fabric, tile, flooring and finish options first, then once that’s solidified, I move on to space plans and sketches.

9. If you had 10 minutes to do a “Supermarket Sweep” of Home Depot, what would you get and why?
50 gallons of porch and floor paint, 3 HVLP paint sprayers, 5 cases of white gloss spray paint, 2000 linear feet of 1X8 MDF trim, stainless double door refrigerators, noiseless stainless dishwasher, 2000-sf of decking planks, exterior landscape up-lights, 2 tons of pea gravel, oil-rubbed bronze door hardware, 25 sheets of 4X8 beadboard and the most expensive pressure washer they stock. Yes, I have thought of this situation before. Many times.
10. If you won the lottery what would you do?
Purchase small homes in the following places, then spend two years living in and fully re-doing each one: cabin in the North Georgia Mountains, townhouse in Chicago, cottage somewhere on a lake, loft in downtown Denver and a two-story house somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
11. Fill in the blank.  If I never saw the color ___ again I could die a happy man.
Beige. There is no other choice. I loathe beige.
12. If you were stranded on a desert island (this is my favorite game) and could only bring one of the following, what would it be? [blanket, pillow, book, kitchen utensil, swimsuit, pair of shoes, T-shirt]
Blanket. I could use it wisely as shelter, fold it nicely as a pillow, wrap it around my head and play dress-up, wear it like a cool island sarong or stake it in the ground with a branch, then let it blow in the breeze as a get-me-the-@$#%-off-this-island flag. Well, as long as the blanket isn’t beige, that is.

Love. Him. – bb



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A huge thank you to the overwhelmingly talented Kate Abney of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.  She wrote about my Art Opening at Artist Trifecta that is happening Thursday July 29 from 7-9 on the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Blog.  Wow!  Thank you Kate!
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Thank you again Kate!

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This is the first page of the most recent “Beacham Series.”

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Does that house look familiar? Guess what? It’s back on the market, and it could be yours! This is literally the deal of the century. If I could buy it, believe me, whatever it took, I would!!

Any guesses why it should look familiar?

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Holly Street from Things that Inspire did a guest post on The Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Blog called Twenty Beautiful Homes, Take Two, and this house was on the list.

Fall 2009

It was also the cover of our Fall 2009 Issue of “The Beacham Series.”

Basically, it’s one of may favorite homes OF ALL TIME. It is listed with Beacham & Company agents Neno Schildgen and Linda Williams.

Click Here to see the listing.

Built circa 1900
Renovated by Neel Reid in 1920
Interior Design by Margaret Bosbyshell (amazing!)
6 Bedrooms
6 Full, 1 Half Bath
Carriage House above 3-car garage

Front for evite

This was the picture we used on the invitation of the magazine release party when it was on the cover. (To read about our most recent release party click here.) I love how the monochromatic feel makes the door pop even more.

Foyer-FMLS
New Foyer

Here’s some shots inside the rotunda. Can you see the inlaid star in the foyer? I really love the matching paintings that flank the foyer.

Living room pan 2

I shot this house twice.  During the two shoots they did a little re-mix… It’s fun to see how things changed.  The first time I shot the living room it looked like this.

Living room 3

And here it is the most recent time I shot it.

Don’t you love seeing one room two ways? This goes to show that everything looks great with beautiful, classic architecture!

painting detail

This is a detail of the painting above the fireplace. Does anyone know who the painting is by?

Living room right

The other side of the living room, taken on my first shoot.

Living rm detail

And here it is on the second. Notice the way the Greek Key pattern on the molding is echoed in the pattern on the rug.

Square Dining

Gasp! Can you believe how beautiful this dining room is? It is right off the living room. You can see the lattice work through the doors of the first pictures of the living room. There are so many things I love about this photograph.

1. Reflections – an almost must have for a strong photograph.
2. Texture and repeating shapes – another must have … plus, look at the reflection in the mirror of the texture and repeating shapes. Bueno!
3. It’s a square picture, but everything is slightly off center, which makes it evenly weighted on both sides without feeling bogged down in the middle. Killer 🙂
4. The contrast of the black dots on the white chairs make them feel almost 3-D
5. I LOVE that the whole photo could almost be in black and white, but then there is the pop of the green fern… It’s the interplay of something so structured and man made with the bright organic living form.

And that my friends, is why is in one of my favorite pictures ever, taken at one of my favorite houses ever!

Would you like to continue on the tour?

Office

Here is the office the first time I shot it. Do you recognize the orange pillows?

Office FMLS

And this was the second time. The sculptural quality of the artichoke against the natural shape of the birds is so strong. Don’t you love all the birds in this house? How many have you seen so far? Hint, there are two birds in the dining room picture.

Den

I think this would be considered the drawing room. It is across the hall from the formal living room. This is the first shot…

Green Room

Second shot.

Green Painting

I believe I’ve said before that green and white is my favorite color combination, making this my second favorite room in the world (you will see my favorite in just a bit).

Kitchen 2 FMLS

This is the view of entering the kitchen from the den. Look at those counter tops. Swoon.

Kitchen

Here it is from the family room. Does anybody know anything about this kitchen? Who did it? I wish they would do mine 🙂

Breakfast eating

And a close up of the breakfast area. Can you see the sea shells in the chandelier? What about the curtain pattern? It’s funky and classic at the same time.

Family Room

And of course the family room. I could hang out in here, couldn’t you?

Master Use

And on to the master bedroom. Amazing, right? Can you imagine getting to sleep in here very night? You’d never have to travel! Does anyone know who did the painting on the wall? Isn’t it gorgeous?

Master FMLS

This is the master from the other angle. Look at the mirror! It’s like it was made to hang there!

Mantel

And a close-up of the mantel. Does this look familiar to you? It should 🙂 It’s on the banner. Now you know where it came form 🙂 It just screams Neel Reid to me. You?

Let’s head upstairs.

Green Room Use

First stop, my all time favorite room.  I said I like green and white didn’t I? It’s so fresh! I might just take a little nap… kidding.

Green Room 2

Do you just adore the painting? The gold frame is ideal. (artist?)

Green Lamp Style

And the little side table!!! I might have to try to find that book just to have a piece of the room.

Green and white w m

Here is a second upstairs bedroom. What can I say, it’s perfect.

Green and white w m 2

The little sitting area.

Kenson

This painting is by my good friend Kenson Thompson (it’s a bird, are you counting?). If you don’t know Kenson’s work you should get to know it. She is literally a genius.

Black and White Bath

This is the hall bath. The graphic wallpaper and the tile floor make me drool 🙂

Blue and Brown

And here is a detail from the other bedroom upstairs. The brown and blue work so well together.

Pool FMLS

And the secluded back yard. Wanna go for a swim?

See, I told you, it is the best deal in Atlanta Real Estate! When you buy it, will you promise to invite me to all your parties?

Love, Blayne

So, which room would you pick to be YOUR room?

Did you count the birds? How many did you get?

To get your blog sent to you by email click here.

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Yesterday my worlds collided.

When you write a blog, it’s almost like having a virtual life. You meet friends through blogs and e-mails, and you feel like you know them. You get a unique window into their lives… or their blogging lives.

Yesterday six Atlanta bloggers met for lunch… and I was one of them!

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From left to right,

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Helen Young, Whitehaven
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Terry Kearns, Architecture Tourist
Go to Terry’s blog to see more pictures from the day.
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Claire Watkins, High Gloss Blue

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and me 🙂

I cannot believe I was included in this group, and I’m not just saying that. These are great Atlanta bloggers, and I really respect them all. Thank you so much for inviting me.

It amazes me that I have sort of become know as a blogger. I started this blog in November, and I had no idea what I was doing. Four months later, here I am… the author of a blog people actually read. Can you believe it? Because I can’t. It’s so cool!

NEXT…

For as long as I can remember, whenever people have asked me what I wanted to do with my life I said, “I want to work for a magazine.” (I am so lucky that I get to do that). I am obsessed with magazines. I am love them. I collect them like some people collect cars or shoes. In fact, one of my next purchases will be a bookcase because I am out of room on my other four!! I study magazines like other people study history or geography or math. Magazines are my subject. I think you could really get to know me just by looking at my bookcases. A few of my favorite… Veranda, House Beautiful, Dwell, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, Southern Living, Southern Seasons,

.. and of course, Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.

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I know this sounds funny, but when I read the magazine I feel like it was written just for me! It’s like a yearbook of my friends and colleagues around Atlanta…

What do I mean?

Well, for example….

In the current issue, there is an article about Serenbe and our new agent Nan Haverty.

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Nan worked so hard on this with her photographer Ed Wolkis , and it turned out great! You should take the time to read it.

Along with the Serenbe feature, Nan also talked about one of her listings.

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This home is by YM Derazi Custom Homes, one of my very favorite builders in Atlanta.

Yesterday I had to opportunity to meet the people behind Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. They are running a media week and invited us to come…. so Laura (Design Director at Beacham) and I headed to their office.

It was like Christmas!

First of all, we got to meet Clinton Smith.

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I had really been wanting to meet him. I have heard about him for so long, but had never met him. He was an example of another “blogging friend.” I had been following him on TwitterFacebook, and on the Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Blog.

They are doing a great job with their blog, and it’s so much fun to read. I definitely recommend it if you haven’t already visited.

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Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Blog

So after reading the blog and the magazine, I felt like I was meeting an old friend. I loved hearing about their magazine production and how they choose their covers. Last week on Twitter I read that Clinton was in LA and met with Bill Harrison of Harrison Design Associates. It was cool to hear about the work Bill is doing out there. If you missed my latest post about him, you can read it here. He also showed us their “production wall.” Laura and I were like kids in a candy shop.

We also got to visit the room where they keep copies of their past issues, and we were able to uncover this!

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Glennis Beacham was on the cover of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles in February of 2007. The article is about the completion of her personal home.

Glennis AHand L
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We framed our last issue, so I was so excited to get another copy.
(Her house, which was designed my Yong Pak, and build by my uncle, Rod Collins, is so beautiful it might deserve its very own post in the future)

Back to the story…

After we met with Clinton, we went on to meet with Adam Japko, of the blog WineZag.

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Basically, if I could have created a perfect day for myself this would have been it. The whole day centered around two of my favorite things, magazines and blogging! Adam was really interesting to talk to because he blogs about something completely different that my other “house blogger” friends, but that didn’t make a difference. Even though we had different topics, it was still like meeting an old friend. We talked about how amazing blogs are. He had so many stories about the doors that his blog has opened for him, and he even got to go to South Africa because of it. How cool.

It got me thinking about how my own blog has impacted my life. In the short amount of time since starting the blog,  I have already seen how it has changed my life. It’s like being a member of a new club…. a club that has members across the world, and some right here in Atlanta. Did you know that as of this week, 20,000 people have stopped by this blog? Can you believe it. I know that some bloggers out there who have had millions of hits, but I am so proud of my 20,000 I could burst. Thank you so much to all my blogging fiends, and thank you so much for your support. I am so honored.

Thanks to everyone!
-Blayne

P.S. Have you had any of your own experiences where your blog world and your real world meet? I would love to hear about them.

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New Year, New Construction Thursday!

Glennis Beacham listed the 2008 Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles 2008 Christmas House!


Architect: Harrison Design Associates
Builder: Canonbury
Bedrooms: 6
Bathrooms: 8 Full 3 Half

Ok, this is going to be a fun comparison! I am going to borrow some photos from Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles… and we can look at what it looked like then, and how it looks now 🙂

Info on the AH&L article:

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Now, on to the tour…

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This is the first spread of the feature in the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles February 2009 edition.

Foyer-use
Foyer 2

This are my shots of the foyer, with a view back to the Grand Salon…

Foyer

This shot is looking form the Grand salon to the front door .. I love how the circle effect of the stairs is continued over the door…

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This is the AH&L shot of the Library. It is located to the right in the last foyer picture…

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AH&L does a great job at supplying the components. Stan Topal is a fabulous designer!! I love the play of dark and light in this room, as well as the dramatic fireplace by Francois & Co. They have such amazing fireplaces. I love seeing them in homes around Atlanta.

Library

Here is my shot of the library. It allows you to focus on the ceiling and the parquet floors, both of which are beautiful!

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This is a shot of the Dining Room, which is across from the Library. This is from the magazine. Designer, Carol Weaks of C. Weaks Interiors

Dining Room real

And here is the Dining room now. Again, I love seeing the floors.

On to the Grand Salon..

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Designer Suzanne Kasler (who is amazing! Her book was on my Christmas List)

Living Room

Here is the Grand Salon now. Obviously from a different angle.

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This is the keeping room. I do not have a shot of this room. One of the designers, Mary Allison Buzzell, is a friend of mine. She is such a cute new mom, and she is the author of The Buzz Interiors (Great blog! Check it out!)
Here is a link to Gilstrap Edwards Interior Design

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Here is the Breakfast area. it is so beautifully decorated, my photo can’t even compare 🙂

Designed by Liz Williams and Bowdre George
Liz Williams Interiors

Kitchen

Here is my photo of the kitchen. It was done by Design Galleria, and is so amazing. I cannot find a picture of it from the showhouse, but I wish I could.

And finally, on to the master.

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It’s so luxurious!

Design by Douglas Weiss Interiors

And one last thing. I want to show a photo of one of the Guest Suites.

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I absolutely adore this room! If I had a bedroom to design, I would want it just like this. It was done by Beth Webb of Beth Webb Interiors, and Nancy Pendergast (Now nancy Pendergast Duffey), who was with Summerour Interiors. I am not sure if she is still there, as she has opened HER OWN STORE!! It’s called Scout for the Home. It’s at the corner of East Andrews and Roswell Road. I haven’t been in the store, YET, but I will be there soon. I drove by the front of it the other day and it is so beautiful. Please go check it out, I know I will 🙂

Read Mary Allison’s post about the opening of Scout….

I hope you all enjoyed the tour of this amazing home!

Enjoy the snow here in Atlanta 🙂

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My good friend who writes Architecture Tourist noted in one of my earlier postings that he liked the house but wished it had some color. The author of Things That Inspire commented that the new issue of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles was called, “return to color.”

Well, if you want it, we’ve got it 🙂

Check out this amazing home designed by Harrison Design Associates and listed with Glennis Beacham.  Notice the homeowner’s bold and unique use of color.  What a great home!

All Photos By Blayne Beacham Copyright 2009

 
This staircase is so classic and beautiful.

Look at the gray with the bright red curtains!  This is such a happy room.

I love this room because so many elements are classic Harrison Design, like the beams, the windows and the fireplace, but then the bold blue is able to completely transform the room into something so unique and happy.
 
The island and the grand scale of the room are so unique.  The island does not overcrowd the room, but it’s perfect for added cooking space.

Breakfast Area.  Don’t you love those windows.  There is a set of French doors to the right that open to a back patio.

Grand Master Suite.  I covet this furniture!  The desk in the “middle” of the room is fabulous.  I took so many pictures of it just to remember what it looks like.

Warm library just down from the master suite.

This is the terrace level dining room.

 

Terrace level guest suite.
So, isn’t this a great house for color?  What do you think?

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Flipping through Garden&Gun’s Jan/Feb ’08 issue in a waiting room the other day, I saw a familiar name: Keith Summerour.  He is one of the most sought-after architects in Atlanta right now… and I love his style. 

Photo is from the article.  I have looked to try to give photo credit but can’t find a photographer.

The article is about his new home in rural Georgia … 

 

Photo is from the article.  I have looked to try to give photo credit but can’t find a photographer. 

I am reminded again of what an innovator he is…

I have loved his work ever since I shot a home he designed here in Atlanta on Riverview Road, which is currently listed with Beacham&Company, REALTORS.

 
Photo by: Blayne Beacham.  Copyright 2009.  
 I love this home.  It is so clean.  

As I went through the home I was amazed by the classical elements he used over and over in new ways.  Since shooting this home, I have had the pleasure of shooting several other Keith Summerour homes and walking through even more. 

As I scanned the Garden & Gun article I was struck by the question, “What makes a Summerour?”
My answers:

1. A “clean” exterior.
  He lets size and scale speak for themselves.  He uses a lot of masonry stucco and slate of natural roofs.  You wont see stone or dormers of columns on the exterior of a Summerour.  They are clean.
 


Photo from Summerour.net 
I am sorry, I do not see a photo credit, but if anyone knows who took the photo, please let me know.

2. Many homes are symmetrical.
I don’t just mean on the outside either…  Many of his homes are obviously symmetrical from looking at the outside…


Photo by: Blayne Beacham.  Copyright 2009.  
Sold by Beacham&Company agent, Nancy Meister

See… you could cut this home directly down the center and have two equal haves …  but even some of him homes that don’t look symmetrical on the outside have symmetrical floorplans.

Take the home on Riverview Road.  You would never know by looking at the outside that the inside was symmetrical.



Photo by: Blayne Beacham.  Copyright 2009.  

This is a view as you walk through the front door of the home into the dining room.  To the right lies the formal living room and to the left lies a combined kitchen/family room area.  Both have over-sized windows overlooking the pool pavilion on one side and overlooking the naturescape on the other.

3. Oversized arched doorways and windows
Photo from Summerour.net 
I am sorry, I do not see a photo credit, but if anyone knows who took the photo, please let me know.

This is again a photo of his personal home.  Notice the huge half-circle windows running up the sides of the towers.  I have seen these in other homes, but I have come more and more to identify them with Summerour.

To again quote the Garden & Gun article, Summerour said:

For example, the architect opted to use oversize metal doors—a choice that serves to bring the outside in. But, he adds, the doors also bring contemporary industrial flair to what’s basically an old way of building.
 

Photo by: Blayne Beacham.  Copyright 2009.  

This  is the cover of The Beacham Series summer 2008 edition.  It features the Riverview Road home on the cover.  This is a shot of the front door.
 (Sorry for the poor quality of the image)


Photo by: Blayne Beacham.  Copyright 2009.  
Listed with Beacham&Company agent, Nancy Meister

This is a home on Peachtree Battle that is currently listed with Nancy Meister of Beacham&Company.


Notice the double arched doorways at the back of the home.  This is also an example of his symmetrical style we saw earlier.

Photo from Summerour.net 
I am sorry, I do not see a photo credit, but if anyone knows who took the photo, please let me know.
This example is from a lake property he designed, but is a great example of the arched window.  I love it when contrasted with the wood beams.  It allows for unparalleled light.  Wish I had one!

Photo from Summerour.net 
I am sorry, I do not see a photo credit, but if anyone knows who took the photo, please let me know.

Another example, but here it in contrasted with the exposed brick.  It’s more rustic than I am used to in him Buckhead homes, but works so well.
4. A “non-kitchen kitchen”
 
Photo from The Atlanta Home&Lifestyles article about Keith Summerours’ new home.
Photographer: Mali Azima

In the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles article about Keith Summerour, he says: “The kitchen, on the other hand, is the complete antithesis of anything complicated. “I always call it the non-kitchen kitchen,” the architect says. “I didn’t want any kind of conventional cabinets, so we purchased antique heart pine cabinetry and added bookshelves. And the refrigerator is in a pantry; I didn’t want to see any large appliances, either. The [layout] isn’t efficient, but when you’re there you have plenty of time; you don’t worry about walking 10 steps to get a spoon.” — written  by Heather J. Paper


I have seen this belief again and again in his work.  It seems to me that many higher-end Atlanta home are so focused on the kitchen, the rest of the home almost gets lost.  Summerour always gives people “enough” in a kitchen, but doesn’t overwhelm them.  They are simple and elegant.

Photo from Summerour.net 
I am sorry, I do not see a photo credit, but if anyone knows who took the photo, please let me know.
Perfect.  Cozy and simple.
Photo from Summerour.net 
I am sorry, I do not see a photo credit, but if anyone knows who took the photo, please let me know.

I believe this is from Summerour’s home here in Atlanta, and it follows the same guidelines.  Enough, but not too much. 

These are just a few of the things that make Keith Summerour’s design’s truly exceptional.  I am a huge fan if his, and I can’t wait to discover more of his genesis.  His homes have truly been a pleasure to photograph.

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