After years of restoring and living in an old home in Inman Park, Dennis and Faye Mobley were ready to downsize, but they weren't ready to give up the neighborhood. The answer: A new loft in the rehabbed Grinnell condos, carved out of an 1830s building on North Highland Avenue, one of the area's hottest new stretches of condos, apartments, stores and restaurants.

The move in March meant giving up much of their old furniture and finding pieces that fit with their new urban lifestyle. Their sleek, 1,600-square-foot plan features manufactured mahogany hardwoods; 10-foot ceilings; an open kitchen and living area; and a balcony that extends across the width of their unit.

Hyosub Shin / AJC (ENLARGE)

The open kitchen is one of the biggest rooms in Dennis and Faye Mobley's new loft.

Hyosub Shin / AJC (ENLARGE)

Dennis Mobley didn't want a yard to keep up, but a balcony was a must for the family cat.

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"Our cat is the reason we're in this unit," admits Dennis Mobley. "She gave up a small backyard for this big balcony."

Just inside the entry is the guest bedroom that doubles as Dennis Mobley's home office. It connects to a tiled bath and has a spacious walk-in closet. And in case guests are in town, the couple had a blond wood cabinet installed on one wall that hides a Murphy bed.

"One thing we learned in scaling back is that every room has to double or triple its function," said Dennis Mobley.

Along the hallway to the living area is a flex space that could be a den or dining room, but currently serves as the couple's repository for items they haven't blended into their decor. Amid the few pieces of artwork, two tables and an antique chair is a day bed to accommodate overnight visitors.

The white walls of the entry hall blend into a soft blue along the right side of the living space. To the left, a contemporary kitchen is outfitted with track lighting, gray and white granite counter tops and a glass back splash. The granite island is softly lit by three large opaque pendant lights on squiggly cords. A sleek sideboard and a tall chest for glassware and china are nearby.

A green sectional that doubles as a sofa bed takes up the main seating area whose main attraction is the high-def flat-screen on a wall between the windows. The new pieces are surrounded by four leather chairs and a drop-leaf antique table. Behind the pocket doors opposite the TV is the couple's bedroom and bath.

"I swore I'd never had a TV in the bedroom," said Dennis Mobley. "But now I can lay in bed and watch from here."

Along one wall of the bedroom is a low birch dresser that the couple picked up at a yard sale. The master bath, with granite counters, garden tub and separate shower, is brightened by artwork of local painters.

Both the bedroom and the living area have sliding doors to the balcony, where a small table and two chairs give the Mobleys a place to sit and watch the action on the street below.

"The best thing about this unit," said Dennis Mobley, "is that on the weekend, we can lock the door and not give a single thought to grass growing or paint peeling."

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