Private Quarters (Photos): Quirky, modern home in Decatur

Home and Garden

Private Quarters: Quirky, modern home in Decatur

Photos to accompany article about quirky modern home in Decatur GA

The Decatur house was designed to be fun for the family of four and functional, since writers Bret Witter and his wife, Elizabeth Butler-Witter work there. The curtained corner is the master bathroom, and underneath, there's one of two screened porches.--Text by Lori Johnston (Christopher Oquendo Photography)

The cantilevered roof of Bret Witter and Elizabeth Butler-Witter's new home in Decatur's Oakhurst neighborhood is one of the architectural elements that represented modern to the couple. CORE Landscape Group helped them overcome challenges with the narrow and steep lot.

One of the screened porches offers a second - and often used - dining area for the family, and features a Malm stainless steel fireplace and a nontraditional gray sectional from Direct Furniture.

Having a screened outdoor area was crucial for the homeowners, but they recognized it would present challenges when designing a modern home. Architect Staffan Svenson of Dencity ended up designing screened porches on both ends of the home for the family to enjoy. The horizontal design also fit more with the modern aesthetic, said homeowner Bret Witter.

The homeowners didn't have a modern home previously, but had mid-century furnishings such as the Noguchi coffee table that worked well in their new Decatur house. A folding door from LaCantina helps the room flow into one of the screened porches.

Another iconic modern element in the Decatur home is a white freestanding fireplace by Malm, a California company that was one of the original manufacturers of this style of fireplace. Open wood railings allow the homeowners and their guests to see the library from the living area on the first floor.

With two children, the kitchen needed to be organized and functional, so they worked with Dark House Woodworks for storage that would keep the marble countertops clutter-free. The kitchen is in the center of the house and connects to all of the social spaces, and the seating at the island was designed to be far away from the cooking areas.

The Viking refrigerator blends into the cabinets in the Witters' Decatur kitchen, which was designed and created by Dark House Woodworks. The couple didn't want a huge refrigerator, since they prefer to shop more frequently for fresh fruit and produce.

Blu Dot chairs from Bobby Berk Home surround a dining table made by Chris Dehmer of Dark Horse Woodworks. The chairs arrive flat and are folded into shape, said homeowner Bret Witter. The two copper chairs, which form a patina after being touched repeatedly, are for his two children. The light is made from cardboard by Shiner, an Atlanta company.

Buying all the remaining discontinued blue tile from a tile warehouse in Atlanta allowed homeowners Bret Witter and Elizabeth Butler-Witter to create an interesting entryway to their bathroom. The artwork was a gift.

A round lavatory from Lacava puts a contemporary spin on the traditional pedestal sink in one of the home's four and a half baths. The Decatur home is on the June 7-8 MA Architecture Tour in Atlanta (ma-designishuman.com).

The master suite is deconstructed, with the bathroom and bedroom all in one space. White curtains from Brookhaven Curtain & Drapes surround the freestanding tub from MTI Baths. The use of wood, which stretches from the floor to the ceiling, helps keep the look seamless.

There's so much going on in the master bedroom, with the round windows and the wood floors, walls, ceiling and built-ins that the design required a low, simple bed, homeowner Bret Witter said. A platform bed leans against the wooden wall in the master bedroom, and the chair is from Direct Furniture in Atlanta.

The deconstructed master suite has a tub from MTI Baths near the bed and glass shower, but curtains from Brookhaven Curtain & Drapes provide some privacy. The couple has owned the George Nelson pendant for 15 years and found a spot for it above the tub.

There's much to see from the different levels of Bret Witter and Elizabeth Butler-Witter's new home in Oakhurst, where a bridge spanning the two-story living room leads to the writers' home offices.

Guests during the MA Architecture Tour on June 7-8 will be able to see for themselves the angled and sloped bridge leading to the homeowners' offices, which are separate from the main spaces in the home. The bridge is another sculptural element that can be viewed from many areas of the home.

After working in the unfinished basement of his former home, writer Bret Witter made it a priority for he and his wife, Elizabeth Butler-Witter, to have writer's studios that were away from the main spaces, but still incorporated into the home's modern design. He used a paint called Lovely Green on the walls, and the deck is just steps away.

Architect Staffan Svenson of Dencity created multiple levels in the home - some separated by only a few steps. To liven up the white walls, there's a paint called Lovely Green on the interior and exterior railings.

The home takes openness to the extreme with a metal floor grate in the small library that allows people to view the level below. The authors filled the bookshelves with 2,000 books, including foreign translations, that they have accumulated. And yes, either Bret Witter or Elizabeth Butler-Witter have read all of the books.

One of the kids' rooms gets a dose of color, including paint called Lovely Green. Like other rooms in the Decatur home, the bedrooms were designed to have a connection to the outdoor spaces.

Extensive woodwork throughout the home warms up the modern interiors and separates spaces such as a guest room that also doubles as an entertainment room. Jaxx Bean Bags, made in Atlanta, offer seating for kids and adults.

For a cute touch in the laundry room, the homeowners framed their daughter's first pair of baby-sized jeans and their son's first jacket, a faux-leather bomber. The washer and dryer are Electrolux, and custom cabinets offer attractive storage.

A Blu Dot system shelf is a modern design classic that provided a spot for them to display the clocks they inherited from Elizabeth Butler-Witter's mother, Judy Butler.

The family's piano is boxed in between the living room and kitchen. Although Bret Witter wanted more areas of the home to be painted Lovely Green, his wife disagreed, so they compromised with the green accent wall. The blue sectional is made by Thrive and the pillows are from AllModern.

Author Bret Witter worked with architect Staffan Svenson of Dencity to build a modern home in Decatur's Oakhurst neighborhood. Witter and his family moved in last year, and the home is on the MA Architecture Tour (ma-designishuman.com) on June 7-8.

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The Decatur house was designed to be fun for the family of four and functional, since writers Bret Witter and his wife, Elizabeth Butler-Witter work there. The curtained corner is the master bathroom, and underneath, there's one of two screened porches.--Text by Lori Johnston (Christopher Oquendo Photography)

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