The Traditional and the Contemporary

Something that I love to see in architecture and design is a juxtaposition of the traditional and the contemporary. I particularly like it when the exterior of a home is traditional, and the interior is contemporary. I found the portfolio of an Atlanta design firm Miles Design online, and one of their projects really caught my attention.

This is a very typical house in Atlanta - the 21st century interpretation of a brick Georgian.

Step inside, and the interior is a complete surprise...light, airy, and modern. A striking piece of contemporary art is on the only wall space in the room. There is a fireplace, but no mantle, which reinforces the clean and uncluttered lines of the room. Normally a two story living room(or great room, as they are often called in Atlanta) is one of my pet peeves in a home, but this one is done very artistically with the series of windows on the top and bottom; it truly frames the view.

Here is a view from above. You can get a better look at the interesting and effective halo light. The two benches near the back of the room mimic the curve of the windows. I would love to know how the owners use the room, because clearly there is a need for a lot of seating.

The artwork is by Atlanta artist Zoe Hersey, who has been featured in Southern Accents and sells through the Fay Gold Gallery. This area is called the 'seating alcove', which provides three additional seats to a room that already has 14 places to sit, for a total of 17 seats!. The owners must entertain a lot!

The kitchen is open to the great room. The vivid kitchen cabinets infuse the area with a vibrant splash of color. It is an unusual choice for kitchen cabinetry, but it works well in this house.

For more work by the designer, Cb Miles of Miles Design, take a look at his web site.

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