Don Akridge faced “considerable anxiety and fear” in making all the interior decor choices for his new three-level townhome in Cherokee County.

“Having no formal training and not turning it over to a decorator, it was a bear of a task,” he said.

Akridge, a CPA, did extensive research on the home design and decor website Houzz.com, talked to friends and visited stores to select paint colors, furniture, accessories and other items for his new home. Akridge’s design decisions impressed guests and avoided his biggest fear: “That it was going to end up being a disaster.”

Snapshot

Resident: Don Akridge, CPA, CFP (certified financial planner) and managing member, Citadel CPA and Wealth Management

Location: Overlook at Sixes Road community in Canton

Size: About 4,700 square feet, four bedrooms, four baths

Year built/bought: 2013

Builder: David Swales, Kennesaw-based Province Homes

Consultants: Dixie Nickoloff, Talking Rock Realty; Teresa Downey, LoanSouth Mortgage

Architectural style: Mountain Craftsman

Favorite architectural features: Interior arches, European-style rounded corners, 9- and 10-foot ceilings, extensive trim and details such as coffered and tray ceilings. Guests often comment first on the coffered ceiling in the family room. “I like things that are not ordinary. Coffered ceilings are not ordinary. They add an elegance to a room,” Akridge said. “One of the really neat things about a coffered ceiling is that if you use custom painting like I did, you can paint the ceiling panels the same part as the upper part of the walls. It is just striking when you do that.”

Interior design style: “Sophisticated and comfortably livable,” he said. “It has a tasteful ‘wow’ factor.”

Favorite interior design features: The upgraded lighting, paint and trim packages, wood flooring, granite countertops and cabinetry, which add pop to the home, he said. The Brazilian blue granite countertops were shipped from Nashville, Tenn. “A lot of the colors in it go great inside the home,” Akridge said. ‘The browns go nicely with the floors and the cabinetry, and the blues and greens also worked nicely with the Peacock Plume color on those walls. The larger island that has granite frankly just pops.”

Favorite artwork: An original painting of St. Augustine, Fla., by Emmett Fritz, which is displayed in the breakfast area.

Favorite furniture: Matching sofa and chairs in the family room, from Haverty’s.

Favorite outdoor features: The stone patio and back covered porch, which offer golf course views.