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Thursday, August 13, 2009

New on the market: a Buckhead home with 'celebrity' connections



There is a quiet street in the heart of Buckhead that I consider to be one of the most charming and beautiful in all of Atlanta. I love to walk my dog in this area; if this area is called 'the jewel box of Atlanta', then this street is one of the crown jewels. There are several homes on this street that are currently for sale; a sign of the times, perhaps, because homes on this street usually sell before a sign can even be put into the yard.

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One of the homes that is for sale really caught my eye (pictured above). It is owned by one of the premiere luxury home builders in Atlanta, Stan Benecki, and his wife Melanie Turner Benecki of Turner Davis Interiors. Melanie was named as the Southeastern Designer of the Year 2009, a very prestigious award. The home was designed by an architect from Dallas, and inspired by a home there; the style has both French and Californian influences.

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Melanie's signature style combines light and dark elements, along with exquisite architectural details. The floors in this room are intricate and really stunning. Throughout the house, Melanie uses yellow as an accent color. Note the band on the edge of the curtains and the backs of the chairs are in the same fabric, which ties the room together. The chandelier was made in California; I suspect it is by Dennis & Leen. The art on the wall is by Todd Murphy, a nationally known artist based in Atlanta.

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Recognizing that kitchens are one of the rooms in a home that become dated rather quickly, Melanie made this kitchen classic and streamlined. Some of the trendier elements - such as the island lighting and the barstools - can easily be changed out at a future point. I really love the look of this kitchen - it has my favorite feature, a wall of windows, and my favorite shape, square. The vent was custom designed and has a European feel to it. Although it can't be seen in this picture, some of the cabinets have a woven nickel inlay which is reminiscent of chicken wire, but in a much more elegant form.

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The family room, which is open to the kitchen, also has the touches of yellow as well as gray - a popular combination. I love how the tv is somewhat disguised by the mural-like diptych on the wall. To me, this is a very functional and comfortable family room arrangement. Image via AJC, photography by Joey Ivansco.

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The casual dining area opens to the family room and the kitchen, with a door leading to the screened in porch. This room brings in the gray of the sectional in the family room. It looks like the ceiling is curved - I would not be surprised, this house had the highest end architectural and decorative details.

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Generally I am not a huge fan of screened in porches, but this one is exceptional. It overlooks the pool, and has a generous scale in the lighting, seating, and ceiling height. I love the architectural details too - the shiplap ceiling, the stone fireplace. According to a recent article in the Atlanta paper, which profiled the home, when the weather is nice the owners open all of the doors in the screened in porch to get a true indoor/outdoor feel.

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This room was perhaps my favorite room in the house - inspired by 1970s Hermes, it is a charming and cozy room with pecky cypress walls (I am starting to see this more and more in newly designed homes), a rug from Pottery Barn, and overscale floor lamps.

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The living room is filled with light (notice the light on two sides of the room) and serenely beautiful. There are two seating areas, and centered in the room is a round table that Melanie designed herself. A capiz shell chandelier brings in a deliberate element that is less casual, to balance the room.

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The master bedroom is on the second floor, and also features art by Todd Murphy. The bed floats away from the wall, with an extra wide wrap around headboard, which allows for maximum light from the large window. The chandelier is a reproduction of a French antique; it looks like one of the new chandeliers from Suzanne Kasler's line for Visual Comfort.

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The daughter's bedroom is beautiful - a fresh take on a blue bedroom with its accents of kelly green. I love the valance on the curtains - beautiful details like this really make a room. Image via AJC, photography by Joey Ivansco.

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Another bedroom in the house has a rich masculine feel to it. Image via AJC, photography by Joey Ivansco.

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The home also features a luxe media room in the full basement, as well as a drive under four car garage.

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The back yard is absolutely stunning - simple, but sculptural. The landscape architecture was designed by one of my favorite firms, LandPlus.

I have thought about posting this home on my blog for some time now, but never followed through. However, when reading my People magazine this week, there was a picture of the 'Real Housewives of Atlanta' cast that really captured my eye, and inspired me to do this post. The picture, seen below, shows the cast of this season's show, photographed in a 'Atlanta mansion'. As soon as I saw the picture, I knew exactly which home they had posed in - it was one and the same as the home I had long admired on one of my favorite streets in Buckhead.

Apparently the home is used for photo shoots - it was used for both Bloomingdales and Ralph Lauren campaigns. It is also a well known secret that two A list celebrities rented the home for a few months earlier this year, and used it as their base while one of them was shooting a movie in town.

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Here is a picture of the living room again. There is the blue-gray stool (one of the housewives is sitting on it), the modern sunburst style mirror over the mantle, the sculpture on the Oly Studios chest in front of the window.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of a lovely and beautifully designed Buckhead home! It is currently on the market. For more information, please see the real estate listing. All images, except as noted, came from the real estate listing.

48 comments:

  1. Thought you would also like to know that Ashton Kutcher rented this home while he was in Atlanta filming Five Killers with Katherine Heigl.

    Oh and this is definitely not 'new on the market' - it was listed a year ago for $4.895M.

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  2. What a fabulous home. Particularly love the two rooms with the dark brown walls.

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  3. Such a gorgeous home! I especially love the Hermes-inspired room, the little girl's room, and the masculine bedroom. Thanks for sharing this home with us.

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  4. Amazing house - my favorite is the orange and brown (horse on the wall) as well as the pool. Good eye to notice the people mag. location!

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  5. I love just about every single room pictured here. I really want to see the hallways though (which I know never appear in real estate listings). I want to know how they're styled (impeccably to be sure) and what color they are painted.

    Thank you for sharing! It just says more, more! to me.

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  6. I love the dark wood floors and the Hermes room!

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  7. What a beautiful home! I love the orange room too, and what a beautiful backyard. Great post!

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  8. A. I love Housewives of Atlanta
    B. I used to live in Buckhead (Ohio now, :( )and I know that I've seen this home!

    Thank you for the voyeuristic peek inside!

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  9. Very nice. Any idea what the kitchen ceiling treatment is?

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  10. This house is gorgeous! I love the different rooms, yet it flows very well. Thanks for the tour.

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  11. Thanks for the comments, everyone. If you look at the AJC article that I link to, you can see a few more pictures of the home - a little of the foyer (which is on the side of the home, and just has a staircase and artwork), some of the basement, a few more rooms upstairs.

    I was actually able to see this house in person, and it is stunning - every little detail from the doorknobs to the hinges is exquisite. The doors look like a similar style to the kitchen ceiling, which looks to me like that shiplap type style of wood - like wide wainscotting - that seems to be the rage now. How do designers stay so ahead of the trends? Maybe a designer like this is setting the trends.

    One thing that really struck me about the house is the amazing art. They definitely like contemporary art, and have a magnificent collection. Another thing I loved is the butler's pantry, which is actually a carved out room, almost like a walk in pantry. If a bartender puts a table in the entry of the butler's pantry, it turns into a bar.

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  12. I can't believe you recognized the house from that scary picture. But we all know that you pay attention to the little details, so maybe I should not be surprised you ID'd this room right away. You are truly amazing TTI, and also thanks for the great tour. Like you, I liked the orange room and the general quiet feel to the home, even with the bursts of colour.

    Terrix

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  13. it may just be me, but when I click on the link to AJC, it just takes me to the home page. Could you post the article title so we can search it? Thanks for the beautiful post!

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  14. Here is the AJC article direct link:

    http://projects.ajchomefinder.com/gallery/view/homes/private-quarters/splurge/pq2-benecki-0222/

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  15. It is beautiful but like you said I would already change some things out.
    Also I would never buy it now that RHOA were in it yuck!
    Why do people rent out their homes? There is one near me that is being rented by 2 movies stars right now. I don't think I would want strangers using all my stuff, especially reality tv shows like RHOA.

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  17. I love the facade It's interesting how they solved the gutter problem with their wall dormers. Wall dormers are "big" in French style homes and if there are 2 or more on a wall, the downspouts are an issue. Here the downspouts and leader heads (those box things) are a strong vertical decorative elements.

    The rooms seem frighteningly big to me, a party house rather than a family house. "Apple Betty" is a knockout. The Hermes room seems comfortable. The blue sofa with the green chair in the bedroom: I want to be there.

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  18. I love the neutral colors with splashes of yellow in the first few pics. And I love the picture in the dining room of the dress- so chic.

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  19. Terry, interesting observation about the architectural features - the wall dormers. I had not really registered those, but went back and looked more closely. I know that those dormers that break through the roofline are very characteristic of French architecture, but I really prefer dormers that are on the roof.

    Also, just to clarify, the Real Housewives did not rent this home, they just had the People magazine photo shoot in the home. It was another celebrity couple who rented the home earlier this year.

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  20. I posted pictures of this house on my blog last week. Only I don't have such a wonderful eye like you do and wasn't able to explain all of the elements. There are so many things about it that I love. I'm so glad you posted on it so that I could learn more about it. I'm especially fond of the art work with such a dark backround.

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  21. beautiful home in such a prestigious neighborhood. I love yellow accents and the grays, and of course especially the art!

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  22. Lovely home. And what a contrast between those refined interiors and those tacky housewives!

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  23. Absolutely gorgeous home! Thank you for sharing it with us. There are so many great design elements that I couldn't even start naming my favorites.

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  24. Pretty post with a funny bonus at the end.

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  25. What a fabulous home and lovely peak inside it.

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  26. Yowza, that is a beautiful house! I love the palette they used and every piece of furniture is just exquisite. So if I ever move to Atlanta, this is where I need to live, is that right? ;)

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  27. Absolutely stunning! Everything from the architecture to the floors (oh those floors!) to the decorating is spot on and SO my style.

    Thanks for sharing!

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  28. beautiful home! although the one room with the tv seems akward to me.

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  29. This house marries traditional architecture with clean lined design in just the most skillful way. I, too, thought the kitchen was fantastic and l really liked the pops of yellow. I do love gray and yellow together...

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  30. I am afraid I wouldn't get much viewing done in the media room. I'd be asleep in a few minutes - how inviting!! Lovely home, there is something for everyone in this home, I enjoyed your beautiful photography.

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  31. I love the art by Todd Murphy but cannot find his work or who represents him on the internet.
    I am interested in his work.
    Do you happen to know where I can find his work for sale>
    Cheers
    Victoria
    victoria@hopkins.net.au

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  32. Thank you for yet ANOTHER great home tour. I have the best time touring with my robe and coffee in hand! I especially love your keen eye identifyind the People Magazine article.

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  33. I dream of living in a house like that someday. I only wish I could decorate like that! My big question is... who cleans all of that??? LOL!

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  34. When I lived in Buckhead (in an apartment), I loved to drive the streets and look at all the houses. What a beautiful interior.

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  35. This Buckhead home is fabulous. I really love the casual dining room both in color and the ceiling. The only thing that doesn't feel right to me has to do with the room you said might be your favorite. The one with the pecky cypress walls and rug from Pottery Barn. The first time I saw this room, the three section Horse painting gave me the creeps, with your post, I find it still does, other wise, love the home.

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  36. Great post...great house. Love the dark bedroom with all the great lines...ceiling slant, dormer curve,rug stripes, desk X legs. Inspiring. Thanks.

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  37. Wow, I simply adore that orange living room, so much I need to figure out what to say about it and post it on my blog today!! Stunning!

    And the media room with the chaise lounges and everyone has their own throw as well! Now that is luxury!

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  38. LOve the Media Room & pool...ahh to dream!

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  39. Wow, amazing house, thanks for sharing!

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  40. you really have an eagle eye - I'm not sure I have would noticed that !!!

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  41. Love your blog. this house is beautiful, very Southern but yet with very nice modern tones.
    Will make sure to followyour blog.

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  42. fabulous article. You captured the true essence of the house and the owner's lifestyle. The Designer Melanie Turner is Amazing. She must be the new "it girl" in the design community. Do you know of any of her other published work? I heard that the dining room is going to be the cover of the Fall ADAC'S quarterly magaizine. Is this true? I have found her email contact which has some of her other work on it. Wow check out The Rosemary Beach House, it is on her site at Turner Davis Interiors.com I love your Blog..Keep up the amazing work.

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  43. What a beauty, inside and out! Love that 70's room (that Pottery Barn rug is perfect), and the curved ceiling room, I would live in that screen room - a flavor of outside without fighting the insects - all of it, yummy!

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  44. Gorgeous home. Does the designer have a web site? I would like to see more of her work.

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  45. Does anyone know who the architect is? I'm actually familiar with the "inspiration home" in Dallas... have always admired it!

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  46. Completely and utterly gorgeous. So happy you shared!

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  47. I have been coveting the Veranda Mag with this home on the cover. So georgeous...great to see more of the pics, especially the orange room. --Gretchen O.

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Thank you for your comments! I strive to make my blog positive in tone, and appreciate the same courtesy when comments are made. Thank you!

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