Private Quarters: Peachtree Corners home grows along with its gar

Home and Garden

Private Quarters: Peachtree Corners home grows along with its gardens

See inside the home of Allen and Teresa Stoker, and their cat, Elroy.

In a basket next to the gate, homeowner Teresa Stoker grows caladiums and impatiens. Caladiums, which are some of her favorite plants because they thrive in the shade, are scattered around the garden in about 20 pots. Text by Lori Johnston and Shannon Adams/Fast Copy News Service.

The Cape Cod-style home has grown over the years from its original 1,900 square feet to its current 3,000 square feet. The Peachtree Corners house sits on about an acre at the end of a cul de sac, giving the homeowners plenty of room for their gardens.

In the foyer of the Peachtree Corners home sits an antique sideboard the homeowners found at a festival in Louisiana. Both agreed it was perfect for their entryway.

This French hunt chest, one of Teresa Stoker's favorite pieces, is estimated to be 150 years old. She and her husband found the piece at an auction house in Mountain City, Georgia, for $500. Its stained glass windows rattled, so Stoker, who creates stained glass as a hobby, restored them.

The rocking chair in the great room was passed down to Teresa Stoker from her mother. The rich wood frame, leather seating and nailhead accents on this family heirloom fit right in with the Stokers' traditional interior design style.

The small workbench that sits in the great room in the Gwinnett County home is an antique Allen Stoker found online. It is too small to function as an actual workbench, so he and his wife use it for decor, accenting it with an antique swan.

The wood-burning stove in the sitting room of the Gwinnett County home is from Vermont Castings. Antique cabinets and a side table were purchased at auctions or from individuals. A coffered ceiling, stained wood trim and warm colors reflect the home's traditional style.

A glance up reveals an antique rocking horse straddling the open beams of the great room. The horse once sat on the great room floor, but the homeowners decided to place it out of reach, but where it could still be admired.

Teresa Stoker has been creating stained glass for years, and her husband often builds frames for her pieces.

Allen Stoker once worked as a mechanical engineer, but he began designing timber frame houses in his mid-40s. Now, he also builds much of the furniture and frames that decorate his home, the biggest of which is the dining room table, which seats eight.

When the homeowners remodeled their Peachtree Corners kitchen in 2006, they chose maple Thomasville cabinets to complement the earth tones throughout the large space. Hardwood replaced linoleum on the floor.

Teresa Stoker calls the marble-topped dresser in one of her home's bedrooms "one of those magical finds." She and her husband found piece at an auction in Mountain City, Georgia, about 10 years ago and snatched it up for about $400.

A picket fence with a double gate runs across the front of the gardens.

Brick walkways are among the paths around the garden. The trees and plants attract wildlife, including a crane that nests within sight of the deck, a variety of birds and bullfrogs, and owls they can hear calling at night.

The Stokers added most of the landscaping to their nearly 1-acre lot, including this ornamental pond and waterfall. They also have access to a large, private lake.

A large bed of hostas grows in the garden. Homeowner Teresa Stoker said hostas are some of her favorites, because they grow well in her shady yard. Christopher Oquendo/AJC FILE

Teresa Stoker said the beauty of having a greenhouse is that she can cut plants back severely when they need pruning and then let them recuperate in the greenhouse, allowing for wonderful healthy new growth.

In their greenhouse, Teresa Stoker, who is retired, grows a variety of plants from seeds to maturity. Her husband, Allen, does woodworking in the space.

The greenhouse and its roof are made with Lexan (a polycarbonate alternative to glass) to protect the plants from extreme temperatures and to make the structure sturdy enough to withstand most hail damage.

Teresa and Allen Stoker purchased their 3,000-square-foot home with three bedrooms and 2 1/2 bathrooms when it was built in 1980. Over the years, the homeowners have added a sitting room, office, dining room, side entry, half bath, great room, stained-glass workroom and a deck, along with a greenhouse and workshop.Find out more about the Stokers' Gwinnett County home at myajc.com.

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In a basket next to the gate, homeowner Teresa Stoker grows caladiums and impatiens. Caladiums, which are some of her favorite plants because they thrive in the shade, are scattered around the garden in about 20 pots. Text by Lori Johnston and Shannon Adams/Fast Copy News Service.

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