Morningside home embraces art and nature

Quaint, restored and expanded bungalows come to mind when you think of Atlanta’s Morningside neighborhood. But you may be surprised to find a number of modern homes there.

In 1994, sculptor Chris Lewis and her husband, attorney John Johnson, built a contemporary home in the neighborhood and set the tone for a row of modern homes on their street.

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Sean Drakes/Sean Drakes / Special

Sculptor Chris Lewis takes time to relax in her favorite space — the outdoors of her Morningside home.

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Sean Drakes / Special

Modern architecture in the home of Lewis and her husband, attorney John H. Johnson, offers a dramatic centerpiece in the living room. The ceiling is about 30 feet high.

Jim Winer, of Menefee and Winer (www.menefeeandwiner.com), was the architect of the 3,600-square-foot home that includes four bedrooms, 3.5 baths and Lewis’ art studio.

Why this home?

The couple decided to build the home after discovering the perfect spot of land at the end of a cul-de-sac.

“We were the first to buy a lot back here,” Lewis said. The developer had planned to build a subdivision with architectural restrictions, but those were removed.

“We didn’t want our mailbox to look like everybody else. We didn’t want anybody telling us what to do,” Lewis said.

In the end, the street accommodated a row of modern homes now nestled in the hilly area. Lewis jokingly calls their home “contemporary country,” giving a nod to the vernacular architecture — a style derived from what’s local and unique. “My dream was always to build and have the house I wanted.”

She said there never was a question of the design because she and her husband share a similar aesthetic.

“I really wanted something that wasn’t a box. We added some curves,” Lewis said. “I love the ’30s and ’40s bungalows all over the city. But they’ve all been done before. I just wanted to do something that was personal to me.

She said it was important for her house to have the feel of the region. “I definitely wanted to pull things that were true to the South [like a metal roof.] And I wanted it to look warm.”

Describe your decorating style: Lewis calls her style eclectic and whatever she comes up with that’s cheap or free. She chose neutrals for her walls, which provides a great background to feature her art.

Coolest feature: “The curved roof. I just love the ceiling. It hurts my neck to look. It’s all over the house, including the (master) bedroom,” she said. The living room ceiling is about 30 feet high.

Along with the roof is a cool interior wall on the second story. It acts like a lantern at night because it fronts the two-story living room and is made of Lexan, a semi-translucent material.

Heart of the home: The family can be found daily on their screened back porch, which they fondly refer to as “the rocket” because of its look. Since the lot is small, the architect created a cozy setting.

“Everybody gravitates there and the whole back deck,” she said. “It’s like we’re outside, but also in a room.”

Describe your most cherished item: Lewis values art she’s collected, but she can’t narrow it to one piece. She also sprinkles her own work throughout her home, but those pieces are for sale. Most of the sculptures in the home are by Lewis. She describes her work as conceptual and vaguely figurative. Her Web site is www.chrislewissculpture.com.

Future project: Lewis eventually plans to create an outdoor entertaining area, so she can create a meal outside.

Tips for good living: Lewis said it’s important to find spaces for things to remove clutter from your life. She urges folks to stay outside as much as possible by creating outdoor rooms. Her No. 1 tip is “Do what you love. That’s a hard one for most people. That’s a luxury I’m incredibly fortunate to have.”