Photos: Asian design inspires decor for downsizing

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Photos: Asian design inspires decor for downsizing

This Stone Mountain home shows beautiful home design in a downsized house.

When Linda and Chris Clark moved into their three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath cottage in 2015, they downsized drastically. The wraparound porch on the Stone Mountain home was a selling feature for them, allowing them to relax and entertain outdoors in a covered area.

The Japanese silk tapestry of red-headed cranes hung in the main lobby of Northside Hospital for many years. When Chris retired from Northside Hospital after 17 years as CEO, the board gave it to him as a retirement gift. "It's a symbol of long life, and you can't beat long life," he said.

Linda collects angels, like this statue, which she calls Wendy. "I found her in a gift shop. She's not an antique. She doesn't have a history, but she just has my heart," she said.

Linda paired an antique replica piecrust table that she bought with her daughter-in-law with a wicker chair antique shop find to create a cozy nook in her den. Above the chair hangs a collection of wood cuts, souvenirs that Chris' father brought back from China.

Linda and Chris Clark were thrilled to find the Stone Mountain home had built-in bookcases in the den. Both are avid readers, but Chris especially loves to keep his favorite books, making ample shelving a necessity.

A blue and white pottery plant stand complements the traditional blue toile upholstered headboard and bedding in the master bedroom. The pale blue color scheme creates a relaxing retreat for Linda and Chris, and small silk pictures of Asian vases framed above their bed are everyday reminders of the couple's trip to China in 2007.

A folk harp, made by artist James Martin in Australia, sits in the living room. It was an anniversary gift from Chris to Linda, who takes harp lessons. "I love it, because I love harp music. I'm always so thrilled with the symphony when I see two or three harps up there," said Linda.

The antique curio cabinet standing in the great room has been passed down through three generations of Chris' family. It was originally a display case in an English shop. On either side of the cabinet hang oil paintings of Chris and Linda's children - their son when he was 21 and their daughter when she was 18.

Displayed within the antique curio cabinet are souvenirs collected by Chris’ father, Wallace Clark, during his journeys in China. This includes a traditional Chinese horse figurine Wallace received as a gift.

Chris and Linda Clark have filled their home with art that tells a story and reminds them of special people and places. The silk rug hanging over their fireplace, for instance, was a souvenir from a trip the couple made to China, while the portrait of a young girl over the living room sideboard was passed down from Chris' mother.

Although Linda and Chris downsized, they still found room for beloved musical instruments, such as a baby grand piano believed to be 105 years old. Linda said she often decorates with fresh flowers, including these daylilies, because she loves how the fragrance penetrates throughout the home.

Linda and Chris Clark downsized from an 8,500-square-foot house to their 2,000-square-foot Stone Mountain home in 2015. In doing so, they found they needed smaller furniture for some of their spaces. They consulted their designer friend Linda Thomas and chose two sofas with down-filled cushions for the living room.

A collection of European chocolate cups adorn the breakfast area wall. A friend gave Chris and Linda his collection, which they display and treasure.

When Chris and Linda moved in, they refreshed the floors, kitchen cabinets and appliances and bathrooms. The couple selected granite countertops for the kitchen and cherry cabinets, similar to the color of those in their last home.

A colorful rooster adds a touch of country charm to the kitchen. The couple found the statue in a gift shop in Birmingham.

Linda added a drop-down table connected to the kitchen island after seeing something similar in another home. She and Chris sit here for breakfast and snacks, and often use the surface for puzzles, sewing and reading the newspaper.

This handy pocket door was installed between the kitchen and the office when the home was built in 2005. Retirees Linda and Chris Clark like that their Stone Mountain home will be easy to grow old in with a walk-in shower, ground-level entrance in the back and wide doorways.

The colors in this piece of art inspired Linda to decorate her guest bedroom in a palette her three granddaughters could appreciate into their teens. The pinks and reds in the artwork's slippers and florals coordinate with the pink coverlets and other accessories in the room. Stacked trunks topped with a lamp give the room a bit of vintage sophistication.

With three granddaughters and a grandson, their guest space can fill up quickly. One of the guest beds conceals a trundle, so all three girls can stay together if they sleep over.

The grandfather clock in the entryway was a housewarming gift that Chris and Linda gave to themselves 20 years ago when they moved into a previous home. When the couple downsized to their current home in Stone Mountain, they brought the clock with them. They still enjoy the sounds of the Westminster chimes.

Chris and Linda found the gilded mirror that now hangs in their foyer at an antiques shop. "We love to go antiquing," said Linda. The table beneath the mirror and the Asian-style charger on display were also antique finds.

When Linda’s mother died, she left each of her children a monetary gift to do something to remember her by. Linda chose to commission her dining room table, chairs and sideboard. She and Chris use their dining room for large family gatherings and groups from church.

A framed screen hangs in the dining room. Asian influences are woven throughout the decor of their otherwise traditional home, shown in the repeated image of cranes and other bits of Chinese imagery.

A potted fern adds color and a touch of nature to Linda and Chris Clark's traditional home. Acting as the dining room table centerpiece, the fern sits atop an Oriental pull cart statue that the couple bought years ago. Asian influences can be found throughout the home, in part from items given to the couple by Chris' father, who worked for the United Nations and spent time in China.

Blue-and-white pottery lamps bookend the sideboard. Set against the backdrop of a pale blue wall, the lamps tie the space together and echo similar Asian-inspired pottery pieces on the kitchen counter, in the living spaces and in the master bedroom.

An antique table, passed down to Linda and Chris from Chris' grandmother, sits at the heart of the eat-in kitchen. The couple uses the heirloom for family meals and smaller gatherings.

One of Linda’s favorite architectural elements is the wraparound porch, where she likes to sit when it rains. Rocking chairs, like those Linda saw on a visit to Gibbs Gardens, beckon the family and guests to linger on the front porch. The bistro table set, a purchase Linda and her husband made on a trip to Hilton Head, provides a place to sit with a cup of coffee or a book.

Touches of Asian style can be found inside and outside. In the front garden, visitors are welcomed by a set of Asian-inspired statues from Four Seasons Pottery in Sandy Springs.

Linda and Chris Clark moved into their 2,000-square-foot Stone Mountain cottage in 2015, downsizing from their previous home of about 8,500 square feet in Sandy Springs. Chris is the former CEO of Northside Hospital.

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When Linda and Chris Clark moved into their three-bedroom, two-and-a-half bath cottage in 2015, they downsized drastically. The wraparound porch on the Stone Mountain home was a selling feature for them, allowing them to relax and entertain outdoors in a covered area.

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