Susan Chambers, Interior Designer

On January 19th Marni, Jennifer and I had a Studio M lunch and gift exchange at Joli Kobe bakery & Cafe.

If you live in Atlanta, Dallas or Nashville, then you’ve probably heard of  Kobe Steaks, founded by Katsuhiko “Vic” Watanabe in 1975.  Watanabe envisioned a French-Japanese bakery like the ones in Tokyo and in other major U.S. cities.  “It’s a real cultural mix, and we wanted to bring it here.”… and so, he opened Joli Kobe…. “Joli,” as in the French for “pretty,” and “Kobe” for the Japanese city he is from.

From the Joli Kobe website, here are more delicious details:

The bakery started turning out croissants to chocolate eclairs in 1985 before closing in 2001 for renovation and expansion. Now at twice the size of the original bakery and with a large-scale pastry-baking kitchen downstairs, Joli Kobe, run by chef François Collet, is filled with traditional French pastries and desserts from mousses to madeleines. The bakery employs three pastry chefs and three bakers.

The bakery started turning out croissants to chocolate eclairs in 1985 before closing in 2001 for renovation and expansion. Now at twice the size of the original bakery and with a large-scale pastry-baking kitchen downstairs, Joli Kobe, run by chef François Collet, is filled with traditional French pastries and desserts from mousses to madeleines. The bakery employs three pastry chefs and three bakers.

Glass cases lining one side of the shop are home to largely French delicacies — beautiful fig tarts, rich gateaux covered in thick curls of dark chocolate, tiny pumpkins made of marzipan. It’s not unusual to see Japanese families browsing in the bakery, the children clamoring and pointing out treats: “I’d like that one!”

The three of us enjoyed a lunch and a gift exchange.

Marni gave both Jennifer and me a handmade ornament from Glak Love, LLC.  The art inside the glass ornament was created using a technique called Celluloidic Artistry™.  Developed by artist and Principal Designer Angelyn Pass, Celluloidic Artistry™ is an original method of deconstructing exposed film negatives and using them as a medium to create fine art and jewelry designs.  To help manufacture the collection, Glāk Love has formed a partnership with the International Women’s House, an Atlanta-based shelter for women and children who are victims of domestic violence. Glāk Love offers residents opportunities within the shelter and donates an additional portion of proceeds from every jewelry item sold directly back to the IWH.

Celebrate!  We, at Studio M published our first newsletter in December… sort of a recap of 2011.  And…. drum roll, please…here’s the newsletter as a graphic.  If you’d like to see the newsletter with workable links… just go here.  We use MailChimp as our email service.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to be a photographer and take photos of some of our Studio M projects.  We needed some photos for our portfolio, and I was lucky enough to be choosen to take the pics.    These are two homes I photographed yesterday.

These homes are custom homes built by a developer in Atlanta, Georgia and we at Studio M work with the builder by providing the interior design services to the buyers.  We assist the buyer in selecting fixtures, appliances, flooring, paint colors, and other interior details.  While these are new homes, Studio has also assisted with interiors for a craftsman style renovation which you can read about here.

Here a few details of the exterior architecture.  The front porch hand rails were custom built with double post railing.  The columns are traditional craftsman style.

The triangular knee brace supports (brackets) add a craftsman-style look to the gable dormer below.

Typically an inviting front porch with heavy square or round columns welcomes guests to a Craftsman style home.

Battened doors were typical of Craftsman style homes.  A battened door is a wood door, without stiles, which is constructed of vertical boards held together on the back side of the door by two horizontal boards called battens.  This door simulates a battened door look.

Two fans on the front porch provide relief on hot summer days in Georgia.

This is the home that sits to the left of the home above.  Also built by the same builder.

The battened door and square, tapered columns add to the craftsman style look of the home.

I think the side by side view of these two homes is so beautiful.

Here’s another side by side view.

Double garage.

Side view of porch.

Tomorrow, I’ll take you inside the first home for a look.

Marni Ratner of Studio M (the Atlanta design firm where I work) designed the home in the photos below shortly before I started work with her.  Marni calls the client’s taste California Casual.

Hummm… so just what is California Casual, I thought.  Since I wasn’t sure, I did what all true geeks (design or otherwise) do in a situation like this….. I Googled it…..and according to Deanna Robinson of Deanna Robinson Interiors www.deannarobinson.com, ”the California Casual lifestyle near the ocean craves textures, leathers, chenilles, and exotic woods and unique, one of kind eclectic furnishings.”  By the way, I don’t know Deanna, but her website comes out near the top of the list when Googling ”california casual design”…… smart lady!

Okay, very cool definition.  This home is not near the ocean, but it definitely craves textures, leathers, chenilles, and exotic woods and unique, one of kind eclectic furnishings.  That describes this home perfectly.   Let’s take a look at the dining room.

Marni did a great job of mixing wood in the dining room, the distressed hardwood table contrasts with the dark stain of the buffet.  I love how Marni softened the room with slipcovered, slate blue chairs.

On the other side of the table is a long bench.  This is the side of the dining room viewed from the attached foyer as one enters the front door, so guests have a full view of the gorgeous table to the right when entering the house.

Another camera angle of the dining room.

This is the view of the dining room guests see when entering the home through the attached front door foyer.

On the far wall are two picture frames with the images that client owned previously.  They fit right in with the design of the room.

Of course, I had to get a photo of Marni, design diva (my nickname for her), in her design domain.  :)

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This is the reading room that guests see to the left when entering the home through the front door foyer. My favorite accessory is the huge, aluminum platter with concentric circles.  Curves are repeated throughout the room by the pendant light fixture, the sloped arms of the chair and the circular ottoman.

Yes, that my camera tripod in the reflection in the mirror.  Professional photographers bite your tongues… I’m still learning this photography thing!

The left side of the reading room.

For non-professional photographer, I think I did a pretty decent job of framing this photo.  :)

My favorite accessory in the reading room.

As one enters the home through the front door foyer, this is the view straight ahead.  The steps are adorned with a carpet runner with a naturalistic design of winding vines.

After progressing down the hallway to the right of the steps, one enters the family room/kitchen area.  To the left is the family room and to the right is the kitchen.

I love the window lite built into the book cases on either side of the fireplace.

These are the valances above the kitchen sink.  I’m an orange (color as well as the fruit) lover, so I’m thinking these valances are gorgeous!

These are two bar stools that made had custom upholstered.

Now, on to the master bedroom.  Love it!  The room has a slight oriental look.

Well, that the end of our tour.  I hope to share many more Studio M client tours in the future, so check back with me often.

Peachtree Hills is a cozy, cottage style neighborhood located in Buckhead, just east of Peachtree Road, north of Peachtree Creek and south of Lindbergh Drive. Craftsman-style bungalows nestled among towering hardwoods and eclectic, colorful gardens dot the neighborhood streets. Development started in Peachtree Hills in the early 1900’s and continues to evolve today as homeowners renovate and enhance their homes.

Photo of Home After Renovation (above)

Dara and Arthur Povlot, residents of Peachtree Hills since 2005 recently sought to give their non-descript, small home a total redo transforming it into the Craftsman-style home so popular among their neighbors. With the help of local designer, Marni Ratner of Studio M Interior and architect Cathie Magnan Power of Magnan Power Architecture, the Povlot’s developed a major renovation plan for their home, both inside and out.

Before Photo (above)

Entire Second Floor Gutted and Rebuilt

The biggest component of the renovation plan was removing the second floor, which was only visible from the side and back of the house, and rebuilding an entirely new second floor, visible from the front of the house.

Before Photo from Side of House (above)

The home had an inconvenient layout with the master suite on the second level and the two boys’ bedrooms on the first level. By removing the existing second floor and roof and reframing, the contractor, Duncan Spears and Rogers King of Eumenean Construction was able to create a bedroom and bathroom for each of the boys, along with a family playroom, on the second floor. The new master suite is located on the top floor of a three story addition at the rear of the original house. The addition also includes a garage at the ground level and a Kitchen/Family Room on the main floor.

Major Home Renovation Considerations

In a major home renovation like the Povolt’s, Mr. Spears’ primary goal was to make the finished home look like it was intended to be a two story home all along. Mr. Spears adds that it’s also critical, with this type of major renovation, to ensure that the renovated home fits nicely into the existing neighborhood’s aesthetics. You want to be able to maximize and enjoy your additional space but not at the sake of an unappealing home in comparison to your neighbors.

Especially when adding a second story to an existing home, Mr. Spear points out that it’s not just about adding square footage, but adding square footage in the context of the home and existing neighborhood. A major renovation that results in a house that is proportionally larger than the surrounding homes will result in a lower resale value and lower renovation return on investment. In the Povlot’s case, many homes on their street had already been renovated to add an additional level.

An architect and contractor will work together to be mindful of issues such as zoning and setback parameters. “Maximizing your space within those parameters, particularly with in-town lots, can be a challenge,” states Mr. Spears. For a major renovation like the Povlot’s, a homeowner can contact an architect first to share ideas and to draw up a set of plans. Next, the homeowner can be referred to a contractor, through the architect or another source, to construct the plans. Alternatively, some homeowner’s contact a contractor they are already comfortable working with and ask the contractor to select an architect.

Exterior Products Used

For the exterior of their home, the Povlots were seeking ease of long term maintenance and longevity, but also wanted products that appropriately reflected the historical time frame of the early 1900’s when the Craftsman style was first popular.

For the home’s siding, the contractor chose Artisan Lap siding, from James Hardie, which offered a thicker profile (5/8” thick) with deep shadow lines providing a more genuine wood look, typical of craftsman homes. Artisan Lap boards are beveled on the back to lie flat against the wall ensuring stability. The tongue and groove feature means end joints fit tightly together for a precise fit and finish.

The stone walls at the front of the home enclose a new outdoor room. Originally, the front yard sloped down from the street to the house. The walkway to the front door was quite narrow. The new stairs and walk were pulled away from the house to allow for planting and to create a more gracious approach. Bluestone flooring at the front porch and steps finish the look.

Below are various photos of the home showing its Craftsman style features.

Low-Slung Roof

Craftsman style house plans often feature wood siding with a low pitched roof, and wide eaves. The low-slung roof often has multiple “built-in” features like the ones in the next two photos below.

Inviting Porch

Typically an inviting front porch with heavy square or round columns welcomes guests to a Craftsman style home.

Battened Door

Battened doors were typical of Craftsman style homes.  A battened door is a wood door, without stiles, which is constructed of vertical boards held together on the back side of the door by two horizontal boards called battens.  The door the Povlot’s chose simulates a battened door look.