2017 Atlanta CommunityProfiles

“We were able to use about 40% of this Atlanta family’s previous things for
their new house,” says Kelly Kole. To upgrade the family room, they painted
the built-ins a soothing gray, and livened up an existing sectional with new
pillows and rug in colorful hues.
Photos courtesy Kandrac-Kole and photographer Emily Followill.
Living room:
Joann: Make this room a true room to live in; gone are the
days of the “too nice to sit on” furniture and the museumlike
furnishings. Make this room comfortable and cohesive
to family time, not a room that is only “for show.”
Dining room:
Kelly: Formal dining rooms are not as common as they once
were. Some homeowners are turning their dining room into
a more multi-functional space – such as also a library, music
room, or craft room. For those homeowners who still want
a dining room, we are seeing a trend toward a more casual
area. One way to accomplish this is by using a mix of seating
options. We are designing these spaces with a
mix of wood and upholstered chairs, benches
and banquets (like a small sofa made to cozy
up to a dining table). Also, a large interesting
chandelier can transform a dining room. Most
chandeliers we see in clients’ homes are too
small.
Family room/TV room:
Kelly: Our clients are busy families, so the fabric
choices we make are very important. We are
selecting Sunbrella and Crypton fabrics in many
of our projects. These fabrics are traditionally
known for their indoor/outdoor qualities but the
patterns, colors and softness have come a long
way. They are durable and easy to clean, which
appeals to everybody. We are also designing
family rooms that appeal to everybody in the
family—such as a quiet reading corner, a small
desk to work at, a pub table for games, or a large,
deep sofa for curling up in front of a movie.
Kitchen:
Joann: Incorporating bold and oversized
light fixtures can update your kitchen in a big
way. Storage is another game changer for
functionality in a kitchen. In terms of cabinetry,
it’s handy to incorporate trash/recycling
pullouts, rollout drawers, spice pullouts and
even special storage for dog bowls/food.
Powder room:
Joann: This is the space where company can close
the door and really take it all in. Even though this
is probably the smallest room in the house, it can
have the most impact. The use of a graphic wall
covering or an intense paint color for the ceiling
is one clever way. Painting this room a dark color
is also a great way to add drama and it does NOT
make the room look smaller.
Master bedroom:
Kelly: Normally the last room that our clients
decorate, the master bedroom is really one of
the most important spaces for homebuyers. We
are enjoying designing with “smart furniture”
these days-- bedside tables that have a built in
night light under the table, hidden drawers for
iphones/ipads to charge, or headboards that
have a hidden panel with an LED reading light. We are also
layering windows with custom linen panels but then using
a black out cellular shade underneath--a big hit with the
teenagers!
Home office:
Kelly: With technology becoming smaller and more efficient, a
home office can be a light-filled corner of a room, a renovated
closet, or a portion of a laundry room or butlers pantry. We
are also seeing trends towards wellness and ergonomics in
the office - standing desks, adjustable smart chairs (where
you can adjust the height, the lumbar and the arms) and LED
lighting that is easy on the eyes.
They gave the dining room a new look with slipcovered chairs and a more casual light fixture with
some size to it (the previous one was wimpy).
Photos courtesy Kandrac-Kole and photographer Emily Followill.
CommunityProfiles >> 2017 23