Mid-rise penthouse gives couple window on Midtown

From their perch on Juniper Street, Cynthia and Tom Massey enjoy fireworks, lightning and the occasional road race.

It’s just one of the benefits of living in a penthouse in Midtown Atlanta.

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Sean Drakes/Special

Cynthia and Tom Massey have enjoyed their move to a Midtown mid-rise. He has lost 25 pounds from walking to his office in Colony Square. The couple also is within walking distance of the Fox Theatre and the High.

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Sean Drakes/Special

Cynthia Massey’s art collection, which includes oil-on-canvas paintings from ‘The Saint Series’ by Joe McFadden, is her most cherished item.

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Sean Drakes/Special

The kitchen connects to the dining room and living room. ‘The cook doesn’t miss anything. It’s truly a family area,’ Tom Massey says.

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The unit, with 24-foot glass walls and acid-stained concrete floors, is located in a mid-rise building.

“I didn’t want to be way up. I felt more comfortable in a mid-rise. We were one of the first ones to buy,” Cynthia Massey said.

The couple bought two units and combined them into one measuring about 2,800 square feet. Architecture firm Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein oversaw the project, adding another level that cradles the guest suite.

To give the space a more intimate feel, the architects dropped portions of the ceiling and added fabric ceilings. That also abated sound.

Tom Massey, a partner at the Cherry, Bekaert & Holland accounting firm, walks to his office in Colony Square. Since moving to Midtown from a split-level ranch home in northeast Atlanta, he has lost about 25 pounds. He attributes the change to more time to exercise and getting out of his car.

“I think people are going to move back into the city,” he said. “To us, Midtown is the most livable part of Atlanta.”

The Masseys walk to the Fox Theatre and the High Museum of Art, and they host Fourth of July parties because they can view several fireworks celebrations at once as well as the Peachtree Road Race.

The Masseys also have a home in Charleston, S.C., where Tom Massey often travels for work.

Decorating style

Cynthia Massey calls their style comfortable contemporary. Surber Barber Choate & Hertlein designed the earth-toned interiors.

“Everything we have pertains to nature and animals because it’s so near and dear to my heart,” she said. “We wanted to make this a comfortable place and warm.”

Massey, 55, wasn’t as comfortable with all the technology of her smart home as her husband. Technophile Tom Massey, also 55, monitors all the systems remotely.

“All I want is one lamp I can switch on,” she said with a laugh.

Tips for good living

• The Masseys have been married 18 years and credit having separate bedrooms. He is an early riser, while she is a night owl.

• Walk a lot, they both say.

• Be connected to your community and the outdoors. The Masseys enjoy meeting other Midtown residents. “It’s a real interesting group of people, real eclectic,” Cynthia Massey said.

Coolest feature

Massey loves her secret room and the cats’ room. The room is behind seamless cabinetry off the kitchen and hides the washer and dryer, heater, extra dishes and cleaning supplies.

Because the couple has four cats, there needed to be a few adjustments to the penthouse. The cats have a kitty litter room with fan and cutout door.

Tom Massey is impressed by the guest suite they call the “Man Cave,” with motorized draperies and surround sound, including a subwoofer under the bed.

“You feel like you’re in your own theater,” Cynthia Massey said.

Most cherished item

Massey treasures her art collection, which includes whimsical painter Joe McFadden. The home includes a 21-foot display wall finished with Venetian plaster.

Heart of the home

The kitchen, great room and dining room flow together, and the Masseys enjoy that ease.

“We cook and dish it from the bar. The cook doesn’t miss anything. It’s truly a family area,” Tom Massey said.