A 1932 English-style house in Brookhaven gets a modern makeover
How Harrison Design transformed this home for its contemporary-loving owners
BY LISA MOWRY
MAY 16, 2022
This Brookhaven house was built in 1932 and had been renovated before. Interior designer Karen Ferguson notes, “It was lovely and traditional, but that’s not our clients’ taste. It was fun to reimagine the space for them to fit their needs.” Exterior paint is Benjamin Moore’s “Sail Cloth.”
Rather than starting from scratch with a custom house, the contemporary-loving owners of this traditional Brookhaven home opted for a modern makeover. “We wanted to keep the architectural charm on the outside that’s part of the neighborhood’s appeal, while mixing it up on the interior in a way that’s totally unexpected,” says Karen Ferguson, interior designer at Harrison Design. As one major example, windows in the front of the house have classic, divided panes, while the rear features a two-story wall of metal windows, with panoramic views toward the backyard.
Some of the rooms have intentionally understated lighting, such as flush mount LED lighting, but not the dining room, where a custom chandelier by Danish artisan Vibeke Fonnesberg Schmidt reflects light in artistic ways. “When we did use decorative lighting, we selected bold, surprising pieces that act as sculpture,” says Ferguson.
The primary bedroom has its stunning moments, as well. A floor-to-ceiling wall of windows, architectural wallpaper, and a custom steel fireplace give it the sort of drama usually reserved for more public areas. A custom oak-strip architectural backdrop adds warmth as it rises up to and runs onto the ceiling.
The steel-and-wood kitchen is nonetheless bright, thanks to an abundance of natural light and the mix of metals for sheen. Custom oak and bird’s-eye maple cabinetry by Block & Chisel is joined by blue quartzite, Fusion Blue from Walker Zanger, and appliances by Wolf, Miele, and Sub-Zero.
“They wanted a house that easily transitions from indoors to outside,” says Ferguson. Outdoors, a stunning steel-and-wood pool house features a cantilevered roof with a waterfall tumbling off its edge. Landscape architect Bill Caldwell incorporated specimen topiary trees, an Alaskan cedar tree, and a variety of grasses to complement the striking architecture, adding a touch of whimsy in places to keep the look unexpected.
The house channels European design—which has always mixed modern and historic elements—yet the local artisans and backdrop of maple trees maintain a lovely Atlanta vibe.