South Fulton's planned community, Serenbe, gained a new business and new residents when artists Tom Swanston and Gail Foster moved in.

So did Studioplex Lofts, where buyer Greg Graham launched his chiropractic studio in the same space where he sleeps in Atlanta's Old Fourth Ward neighborhood.

Hyosub Shin / AJC (ENLARGE)

Homeowners Thomas Swanston and Gail Foster have a live-work unit in Serenbe.

Hyosub Shin / AJC (ENLARGE)

Greg Graham operates Cafe of Life chiropractic studio out of his home in Studioplex Lofts in Atlanta.

RELATED LINKS: • Photos: See their live/work spaces • More on the lifestyle at Studioplex • More stories about homes • Read dining review of The Hil restaurant at Serenbe • Read dining review of Serenbe's Farmhouse restaurant

From intown to the suburbs, homeowners are making residential spaces fit with their work life. They're strategically carving out private and public areas in live-work units sprouting up around intown and in metro Atlanta.

"It's obviously an easy commute to work," said Serenbe co-founder Marie Nygren, laughing. "And your life is all rolled into one place. So it's a reflection of both parts of yourself, your home life and your work life."

For some business owners, the setups are appealing for financial reasons, with one mortgage instead of two. But they're also able to combine two aspects of their life that already are intertwined.

"Honestly, it works out very well because we don't have a lot of division between our work and our personal life," Swanston said. "Our work is our clients; clients are our friends. People get very interested in who we are and what we're doing. There's a very thin membrane between our life and our work."

They worked with architect David Butler and designer Tom Williams to help create room for three uses — a retail art gallery, a studio and a residence.

Williams, co-owner of commercial real estate firm The C Group, has seen an increase in the number of live-work units the past several years. He said a lot of people have a tough time figuring out how to configure the spaces. In addition to the Serenbe project, he's helped artists, attorneys, photographers and other professionals who have purchased in live-work developments including King Plow Arts Center.

At Serenbe, StudioSwan Art Gallery is on the main level, with a studio above and living quarters in the back. That gave clients access to a residence in case they wanted to see how a piece they're considering looks mounted above a sofa, for example.

The connection between the three spaces helps "demystify the process of making artwork," said Swanston, who moved in three years ago. "We wanted to be able to show work, and if someone was interested, to show them what it looked like at home."

More than just life and work connect the three areas of the Swanstons' space. Cast concrete floors unite the three. Choosing either a single color or colors in the same family can keep that open feel, Williams said. Williams used different finishes for the walls and furniture and rugs to distinguish the spaces.

Another trick he's used is creating moveable walls — using some on wheels and others with fabric — to help make a unit multi-functional. For fabrics, Williams recommends sheers or stretch materials such as those made of Lycra.

"Once you have it closed, it still gives you that separation of space without really having a permanent wall or structure," he said.

At Studioplex, most of Graham's space is used for business. Earlier this year, he was building a space about 8 feet wide by 12 feet long for his bedroom. Until then, he slept on an air mattress.

"It's just a lifestyle," Graham said. "If you're out and about a lot, and you don't feel like you need a ton of room ... then it's a great situation."

The Café of Life chiropractic studio waiting room and front desk, adjusting rooms, and his office, bathroom and even his kitchen are seen by patients from morning to night on Monday-Thursday and on Saturdays. Combining the two aspects of his life reflects Graham's lifestyle as a new business owner.

"I eat out most of the time. I'm networking, trying to grow my business," he said. "I don't use my kitchen as my personal kitchen yet."

"It's just very comfortable, very warm and inviting," he said.

At Serenbe, creating that comfortable feel also meant comforting clutter. T-shaped shelves allow Swanston and Foster to store their large book collection out of the way and display artwork. Five shelves run across the length of their living space.

"We wanted everyone to feel comfortable when they walked into the space, and we didn't want it to feel tight," Swanston said. "We wanted it to feel open. We wanted to maximize as much space as possible."