Private Quarters: Wright-inspired modern in Virginia-Highland

Home and Garden

Private Quarters: Wright-inspired modern in Virginia-Highland

Private Quarters: Stone walls accent Wright-inspired home

The home sits on a corner lot in Virginia-Highland, giving the homeowners the ability to walk to restaurants and shops in the neighborhood and Piedmont Park. The home's design incorporates prairie-style elements such as large cypress overhangs and high custom-made windows, while the use of stone and wood keeps it from being a stark contemporary home. Text by Lori Johnston

The use of red is seen in homes by Frank Lloyd Wright, whose work inspired the homeowners as they worked with architect Staffan Svenson of Dencity.

The front door and all the windows were custom made by Loewen, a Canadian window company. Cypress surrounds the front door and it's also used for the exterior overhangs and into the home. The door handle also was custom, by Atlanta's Franco Iron Works.

The living room boasts street views through the corner windows and original art by Hilario Olivo, purchased on a trip to Puerto Rico. The homeowners worked with Sarah Boardman and Zach Hill of Difference Design Lab for the modern interiors, selecting a Cantoni couch and leather recliners from Design Within Reach. A glass-top Noguchi table by Herman Miller with a curved wood base is paired with a Room & Board chair.

One of the home's most interesting features is the constant use of stone, inside and out. The builders used 186 tons of stone quarried in Asheville, N.C., for the exterior and interior walls, including the dining room. The table is made from a walnut tree the homeowners purchased, while the chairs and a bench are from Room & Board.

A black walnut door swings open from the home office to the dining area. When closed, it fits in line with a floor-to-ceiling wall of glass, while stacked stone quarried in North Carolina is on the other side of the door. The live edge table, by Rick Lorenz, is made of a slab of walnut and serves as a desk.

Homeowners Steve and Joann Karaga spend much of their time in the kitchen with family members and guests, and the design incorporates two islands topped with Caesarstone and a Wolf oven and refrigerator. All the cabinet pulls were custom built by Franco Iron Works in Atlanta. The handmade cabinetry by Dark Horse Woodworks retained the imperfections and weathering in the walnut wood.

The modern stainless steel vent hood was custom made and installed on the stacked stone backsplash. The countertops are made of Caesarstone quartz.

An 18-foot glass wall opens completely to remove the barrier between the interior and exterior. "The patio just expands our kitchen amazingly. The doors open all the way across," said homeowner Joann Karaga. The floors are made of locally sourced, forest-free walnut.

The homeowners worked with Core Landscape Group on the outdoor spaces, which includes a concrete patio off the kitchen with RH chairs.

The two-story, 3,800-square foot home in Virginia-Highland was designed by Staffan Svenson of Dencity and built by Principle Builders Group. Sarah Boardman and Zach Hill with Difference Design Lab provided the interior design and project management. Landscape architecture is by Core Landscape Group.

The upstairs master suite includes a hallway suspended 14 feet in the air that contains a row of closets made out of walnut.

Fixtures from Lighting Loft illuminate the richness of the stacked stone and black walnut wood used for the stairs and the ceiling in the home, on the MA Architecture Tour 2015 (ma-designishuman.com) on June 6-7.

A cast-stone free-standing Oliveri bathtub, purchased from TheInteriorGallery.com, continues the modern feel into the bathroom, which also has stacked stone walls and black walnut floors. The light fixture is from CB2.

Tile imported from Israel contrasts with the rich tones in the walnut floors in the master bathroom. A horizontal band of windows brings in more light and add to the home's unique design.

Stacked stone walls and black walnut floors continue from floor to floor in the Virginia-Highland home.

The Virginia-Highland home, built in 2014, has entertaining spaces such as a pool room in the basement, which also features the stunning stone walls found throughout the house. Light fixtures are from Lighting Loft.

A horizontal band of windows is an intriguing architectural element in the design by Staffan Svenson of Dencity. The steel frame allows for suspended bridges and cantilevers in the home.

CB2's Horizon outdoor chaise, with its minimalistic design, provide seating on the upstairs patio, which overlooks the Virginia-Highland neighborhood.

Franco Iron Works of Atlanta fabricated the hand rails in both stairwells. The new Virginia-Highland contemporary home uses unfinished steel and penetrating oil, instead of glossy finishes.

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The home sits on a corner lot in Virginia-Highland, giving the homeowners the ability to walk to restaurants and shops in the neighborhood and Piedmont Park. The home's design incorporates prairie-style elements such as large cypress overhangs and high custom-made windows, while the use of stone and wood keeps it from being a stark contemporary home. Text by Lori Johnston

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