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Tuesday, December 8, 2009

On the market in Atlanta: a beautiful French style home



A house recently came on the market in Atlanta, and the style really speaks to me. The whole house, inside and out, was designed in an elegant and restrained style that is my ideal in architecture and decor – nothing is overdone, and everything is of exquisite quality with clean lines and form.
The house was clearly inspired by French architecture, with its mellow hardcoat stucco exterior, hip roof, floor to ceiling windows, and charming shutters in the perfect shade of blue that nicely contrast with the subtle ochre tones in the stucco. Even the tiny window above the front door has trim painted in the same beautiful shade of blue.
Note how the door surround appears to be carved into the stucco. The owner of the house said that the traditional way to create walls in Europe is with masonry, which creates very thick walls with recessed windows, and wonderful shadow lines as a result. The owner wanted to achieve the same look, and accomplished this by doubling up the exterior walls and recessing the windows. As a result, the exterior walls are 12” thick, and the house is incredibly well insulated as well as beautiful. The landscaping perfectly complements the house, and is also elegant and restrained in the French tradition. (All photos are by Blaine Beacham, and are used with permission).
Shaba NEW FOYER Med res
The main stairs in the home are to the side of the entry; there is a powder room tucked under the stairs. I appreciate the beauty of these stairs, as I like to have stairs tucked to the side or in a more private area. Another one of my favorite design elements is a dramatic window on the stairs, as seen in this picture.
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The home has an open and casually elegant plan that reminds me a bit of pictures I have seen of French country homes. I love how the beams on the ceiling and the trim on the door are painted in gray; this really emphasizes the architecture of the house. I also love the tone of the wood floors – they are dark, but it is a warm, rich brown that beautifully contrasts with the airy light decor.
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This end of the great room has two slip-covered sofas, and a pretty rustic armoire used for the TV. The great room is its own defined space, but opens to the kitchen through a doorway.
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On the other side of the room, a great arrangement of chairs is perfectly positioned for a conversation grouping. The limestone fireplace surround and the herringbone pattern in the firebox are two of my favorite design elements in a French style home.
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A study is tucked off to the side, near the living area. These kind of rooms are very popular in Atlanta – they can be used as studies or offices, and are often positioned around a corner or off to the side for privacy and quiet. This one has beautiful wood paneling that gives the room a warm feel that contrasts nicely with the light and airy feel of the living area.
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A farmhouse table in the home’s dining room emphasizes the elegant casual vibe of this home – this is what the owners have chosen to use, but the architectural bones are very pure and I could see a new owner going in a different direction with equally stunning results. Note the pretty ceiling in this room. All of the ceiling heights on the main floor are 11 feet, and the owner used different ceiling treatments to give the rooms individuality and flair. I also love that the rooms in this house open up into each other – instead of using halls, the rooms themselves are used as the passageways, which makes a house and all of its rooms more animated. I believe this is called enfilade style, and the doors are usually aligned with one another.
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I love the colors in the kitchen, and the huge window over the sink that lets the natural light into the space. The cabinets look like that perfect shade of gray that picks up on the tones in the marble.
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The master bedroom continues the serenely elegant feel to this home. The vaulted ceiling gives the room a special feel and makes a perfect spot for a chandelier. I appreciate all of the natural light that fills this home; clearly it was designed with light in mind.
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In the basement, there is ample room for entertaining casually – the perfect place for a bar and small kitchen. I love the three TVs along the wall – sometimes I wish I had this set up when refereeing my kids on the weekend!
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A media room with stadium seating. Notice how the entire room is painted out in the same rich color – the perfect treatment for a room like this.
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A wine cellar with a pretty ceiling treatment, and brick floors.
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Finally, a flat walk out back yard, which is not too common in Atlanta and highly desirable because so many of the lots in Atlanta are hilly and sloped.
I hope you enjoyed this tour of one of Atlanta’s prettiest homes on the market! For information on this listing, please see the Beacham & Company listing. All photos by Blayne Beacham.


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26 comments:

  1. wonderful! that Foyer is incredible and I'm always a sucker for natural stucco and french blue!

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  2. What a beautiful home - love that great room, and the style of the house.

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  3. Thank you so much for this amazing feature! It's better than I ever hoped it could be! The pictures look amazing and I love all your comments. Is there anyway you could link to my blog instead of my website? The website needs some tlc, but I put so much time into my blog I think I would rather people go there. Thank yo again. You told me stuff I didn't even know! Thank you Thank you! I cannot wait to see the response. I am sure the homeowner will be thrilled.

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  4. Simple, clean, classic and beautiful. Its doesn't get much better than that.

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  5. the kitchen is beautiful! this home speaks to me too.

    xo,
    cristin

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  6. Level yard - no stairs to the kitchen - rare around here and great for groceries or when grandparents visit. The thick walls mean deep reveals for the windows which soften the natural light if done right: 223. DEEP REVEALS.

    I with you all the way on the stairs. If they are on an outside wall each of it's windows light all the floors. It seems much bigger inside than I expected.

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  7. I love the foyer and study. Both are beautiful, as well as the entire house. Great post.

    Gwen
    Ragland Hill Social

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  8. Those blue shutters, fabulous street appeal, and then the interior! Love the dining room!

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  9. I have just died and gone to heaven!!! This house is a dream, inside and out. Thanks so much for sharing it. Thanks too for sharing Blaine Beacham's blog, I am enjoying following her.
    Angex

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  10. Now that's a beautiful house! The rich brown color looks fantastic in the media room. I love how the two side walls are darker and the ceiling, front wall and carpet is a shade lighter. Fantastic depth!

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  11. I learned about Lew Oliver one day when I stumbled across the Town of Lost Rabbit online. I am a huge fan of his work. This house is awesome!

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  12. This house is amazing.. and for whatever reason am always (pleasantly) surprised when I stumble french-style homes in Atlanta. We have quite a few!!

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  13. A simply lovely home. As oppose to just another McMansion. The details alone quitely says. Simple yet
    elegant. Thank you for the tour of this wonderful home.

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  14. Absolutely gorgeous! I love the rustic feel of the furnishings in a serene, pure setting. The architecture is simply wonderful. I would like more art in the dining room -- it seems too empty to me. And three TV's in one room (do you wear headsets??) plus a home theatre? That's a bit over the top!

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  15. i love your blog, and the beautiful photos accompanying your comments. i am curious: the homes you show are very grand. is there a more modest area of atlanta that is also charming? sometimes i am daunted by the magnificience of what i see so it is hard for me to take elements i like and apply them to my more middle class setting. am i alone in this feeling? when i see elements i have employed in my house i am over the moon. i will keep trying!jkj

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  16. Wow that is one of the most stunning exteriors I have seen, so great to have the tour as well!! Great kitchen!

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  17. Simply stunning. I love the stairs, the dark floors, the gorgeous beamed ceilings, the soft grays -- all of it!

    {And thank you so much for your sweet comment on my post last night; you made me blush!}

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  18. Wonderful blog entry. It made me wonder why you don't buy this house as opposed to building? I have built two homes, and while fun, it is a very time consuming. This home seems to have it all--interesting ceilings, rooms of lovely proportions, magnificent exterior and landscaping, fabulous kitchen. The only thing I noted that you might want is more rooms with windows on two sides.

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  19. Hello everyone - thank you for the comments!

    Jane, although there are many large homes in Atlanta, there are probably even more small and charming homes! There are several areas that were built up in the 20s-40s where the homes are smaller, and people tend to renovate them instead of tearing down.

    I suggest looking at High Gloss Blue's recent posts, which feature a loft tour that has some beautiful spaces. Architecture Tourist lives in the Decatur area, and frequently features beautiful homes than are less than 2500 square feet. You have given me food for thought, though!

    Marcia, I love this house - it is built incredibly well. However, it is in the same area of town as the house where I have lived for 13 years, and part of my desire to move is to try living in a different area of Atlanta (although there are many other reasons, too). I will admit that the area where this house and my house are located are one of the more ideal locations of Atlanta from a convenience perspective - near two major highways, midway between Buckhead and the Perimeter area - close to the hospitals - inside the perimeter - it is an extremely convenient location.

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  20. I am thinking about moving to Atlanta now!!!! Very beautiful house!

    Greet

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  21. W-O-W what a beautiful home. I would love to get my manicured designer fingers on that house...visions of fabrics are already dancing in my head.

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  22. Pure eye candy! I love it when a house has the same "feel" in all the rooms.

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  23. oh i just love so much about this house!!!! the great room is so amazing--- i've always wanted to have a spacew large enough to handle 2 shelter sofas opposite one another AND have always wanted a room with 4 chairs in front of a fireplace like that! AND BOTH IN 1 ROOM!!!

    All the beautiful woods & the washed feeling of the space create such a fresh feel... You can see it's huge but it still feels like it's all about comfort & enjoying life.

    beautiful find!! i'll take 1 please! ;)

    xoxo,
    lauren

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  24. You always have the Most beautiful homes featured with gorgeous photos! The totally wood room and kitchen is definitely a statement!

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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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