Julian and Aimee Peterson's main home is in the rain-soaked city of Seattle. So when the Seattle Seahawks linebacker and his wife needed a second home for the NFL off-season, they chose sunny Atlanta.

Sean Drakes / Special (ENLARGE)

The Petersons' living room is open and comfortable.

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They love Atlanta for its summertime weather.

Yes, you heard that right, summertime weather. Julian Peterson is originally from Washington, D.C., but he despises the chilly summer nights of the Northwest.

Odd as it may seem to Atlantans, this couple enjoys our humidity.

"Atlanta is nice as far as the summer. We love the humidity. We're hot weather people, so this is great," he said.

Designer Kesha Kline and her company, City Living Home Furnishings, provided design services for the Petersons. All of the furnishings, artwork and accessories came from City Living.

The couple asked Kline to make their Southern retreat modern, elegant and comfortable. They wanted it to reflect a summer villa style.

Their Atlanta home is nothing like their Seattle home, where the decor is traditional and Victorian, Aimee Peterson said.

She is a Georgia State grad and has family and friends in the area, a connection that led the couple to make their summer home here.

"This is comfortable for her, and she has family (here,)" Julian Peterson said.

They chose the location because they liked the convenience to shopping and attractions. The building itself was a draw because of the large balcony that overlooks one of Atlanta's central arteries. Son Jayson, 14 months old, is mesmerized by the traffic. Kline created several sitting areas on the balcony and included a sandbox for Jayson and his brother Jadden, who is 2 and a half.

The balcony is also a place for Julian Peterson to show off his grilling skills.

"We like to mingle and have a good time," he said.

Take a look inside

Once inside, visitors are ushered into an open living room with a sectional and comfortable, stylish chairs. In a child-friendly move, Kline used an ottoman in place of a coffee table. (As if to prove the point, Jayson drove his Batman car around the living room recently without incident.)

Kline made sure to put all accessories out of a child's reach.

The lights in the living room are from Indonesia, featuring a crackled, antique look.

"It sets the tone of the whole room," Julian Peterson said.

The flat-screen TV rises out of the dark wood entertainment cabinet on a hydraulic lift.

Peterson recently got a Wii entertainment system. He loves to bowl and play tennis — but no football for this three-time Pro Bowl player. It was his mother who turned him onto the video game.

"My mother and dad have bowling tournaments," he said, laughing. "The ball's not that heavy, and everybody can do it."

A resort feel

The boys' bedroom features two twin beds with colors of bright green and coral in a nautical theme. The floors of the home are bamboo, lending a resort feel to the space.

The Petersons have lived in the home slightly longer than a month. Once football mini camps begin, Julian Peterson will travel between Atlanta and Seattle.

"When they saw the house, they were so excited," said Kline, who completed the design in about 70 days.