Private Quarters: Folk art fills Atlanta townhome

Home and Garden

Private Quarters: Folk art fills Atlanta townhome

Slices of the South are found throughout the townhome, from pieces of a tree planted in Atlanta to folk art.

The family room, which looks onto the porch, has pieces including lamps from Scott Antique Market and a Pottery Barn table. Text by Lori Johnston

An island with bar stools (from Craigslist) provides extra entertaining space in the open kitchen of the Atlanta townhome. There's KitchenAid stainless steel appliances and a vent hood that seamlessly fits into the cabinet design.

A sunny eat-in kitchen is a cozy spot for meals, with a wood table and chairs that fit with the early American-style interiors.

The dining room showcases some beloved paintings -- a portrait passed down from family and a floral painting by Cheryl Connelly. The table, from Beverly Hall, is paired with an antique sideboard.

The early American sideboard is one of the oldest pieces in homeowner Chris Schroder's family, passed down through generations. The painting above it also belonged to his mother.

Homeowner Chris Schroder's man cave workspace is painted his signature color-teal. For the home office in the basement, he used Sherwin-Williams' Really Teal and filled it with paintings and personal memorabilia.

A flower painting by Steve Penley is among the vibrant pieces of art throughout the Atlanta townhome.

The hallways boast the homeowners' extensive collection of folk art and painting by family members, as well as unusual items. The wooden carving of a hat and scarf was a piece they found while visiting Quebec.

The four-level townhome is a departure from their previous Craftsman bungalow. The homeowners, who are empty nesters, planned to renovate their existing house but ended up moving down the street and gaining more space. This home also has 51 stairs.

Arched and oval windows are key architectural elements in the master bedroom, which has a vaulted ceiling and furnishings that fit with the couple's love of antiques and folk art.

Talk about a corner with character. The folk art portraits by Mose Tolliver are the first two major pieces homeowner Chris Schroder purchased. The tree slabs are from basswood trees his great-grandfather, attorney Jack Spalding, planted when he built a house at 14th and Peachtree streets in Atlanta. When 1180 Peachtree, a Midtown skyscraper, was built, the trees were cut down.

The massive wine bottle used for a lamp is a token from an engagement party that the homeowners' friend, Tom Murphy, hosted at his Virginia-Highland restaurant, Murphy's. The light fixture was made by Lamp Arts.

A portrait of homeowner Chris Schroder's great-grandfather, Jack Spalding, founder of King & Spalding law firm, was the first piece of art that the homeowners displayed in their Atlanta townhome.

The homeowners tried many samples of gray for the main wall color, but the hue changed in different areas of the home, depending on the light. They finally chose Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore, which is on all four floors and provides a backdrop to their art collection.

The couple often reads and dines on a porch off the family room, which holds wicker chairs from a Martha Stewart collection.

Homeowner Chris Schroder has been collecting first edition Walker Percy books since college, and they are displayed on shelves in his Atlanta dining room.

A built-in bookshelves display a collection of original art, books and antique porcelain and creamware passed down from family members.

A sculpture in the form of a teal coat, by Chris Beck, and paintings by Shar Johns with rustic wood frames bring color, texture and folk art-style interest to a corner in the Atlanta townhome.

Moldings around built-in bookcases and on the walls add a bit of formality to the townhome, which has open design and abundant antiques and artwork.

The Atlanta townhome was built in 2002. The home, purchased by Chris and Jan Schroder in 2014, has four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths and 4,000 square feet.

Chris and Jan Schroder in 2014 purchased their Atlanta townhome, which only .2 miles from their previous home of 24 years, a 1918 Craftsman bungalow. They both live within 10 miles of where they grew up in Atlanta. Chris is president of SPR Atlanta, a public relations firm; Jan is managing editor of Travelgirl magazine, and a freelance writer and editor.

Antiques are accessories in the Atlanta townhome, which was built in 2002.

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The family room, which looks onto the porch, has pieces including lamps from Scott Antique Market and a Pottery Barn table. Text by Lori Johnston

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