Photograph by Rustic White
With its location in a historic Midtown neighborhood and an original granite wall around the property, this white brick home fools some people into asking if it’s a renovation, and that pleases architect Jeffrey Bruce Baker. “That question is music to my ears since the house is 100 percent new construction,” he says. “Our design decisions were all about creating that authenticity, looking like an older house that had a heavy renovation.”
Photograph by Rustic White
Photograph by Rustic White
Baker’s clients were torn between going traditional or modern, since they love both styles. But the design eventually veered towards contemporary given their wish list: a rooftop entertainment space, an open floor plan, a nontraditional library, two laundry rooms, and specialty spaces for hobbies. The wife recalls visiting an architect friend’s home in Chicago that also inspired her. “I was struck by her central fireplace that we enjoyed from every room,” she says. “That was the first feature I shared with Jeffrey that we wanted, and he sketched it out in our first 10 minutes of meeting with him, so we knew, He’s our guy.”
Photograph by Rustic White
Photograph by Rustic White
Photograph by Rustic White
While incorporating modern features on the inside, Baker strived to make the outside blend with historic houses elsewhere in the neighborhood. He drew references from French Revival architecture—such as symmetry, detailed brickwork, and decorative ironwork—but added a modern perspective. “I used a flat roof, where usually in French Revival you would see a steep mansard,” he explains. “The roof had historic grounding but it’s a playful interpretation at the same time.”
Photograph by Rustic White
Photograph by Rustic White
Photograph by Rustic White
The architect was excited to design the interiors as well. He combined custom pieces with the clients’ existing art and furniture. “This was a nice commission to be able to work in all four of our design disciplines: architecture, interior architecture, interior decoration, and furniture design and fabrication,” says Baker. “I love having everything come together organically.”
RESOURCES | Architect and interior designer Jeffrey Bruce Baker, AIA, ASID, jeffreybrucebaker.com | Builder Gary Dresser, Dresser Homes, dresserhomes.com
Landscape designer In Bloom, inbloomlandscaping.com Living room Rug: Keivan Woven Arts, keivanwovenarts.com. Fireplace stone slab: Pietra Luxury in Stone, pietraluxury.com. Sheer window fabric: Schumacher, fschumacher.com. Chair back fabric: “Ingrid” in Buttercup, Pollack, pollackassociates.com. Kitchen Hood: Miele, mieleusa.com. Appliances: Sub-Zero and Wolf, subzero-wolf.com. Counter stools: Design Within Reach, dwr.com. Faucets: Brizo, brizo.com. Countertops: HanStone Quartz, hanstonequartz.com. Dining room Painting: GF Contemporary, gfcontemporary.com. End chairs: Powell & Bonnell, powellandbonnell.com. Other chairs: Custom through architect. Master bath Tub: Signature Hardware, signaturehardware.com. Faucets: Brizo. Floor tiles: Marble Systems, marblesystems.com. Mirrors: Mirrors and Marble, mirrorsandmarble.com.
This article appears in our Spring 2021 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.