Heavy machinery and dark spaces surround Mary Allen in her work life as owner of a steel manufacturing business. So when she bought and tore down an Inman Park home that had fire and water damage, she wanted an abundance of windows, an open living area and a clean, simple style in her new home.
“When I am at home, I have to have art and light,” she said. “Obviously I like cool, calm light because my business is so noisy and dirty.”
Allen paired French country furniture and colorful artwork that fills the walls — and even spots on the floor — with sleek, contemporary cabinets, fixtures and countertops, and special spaces for her four granddaughters. Her home is on the Inman Park Tour of Homes, which runs April 25-27 and features historic, renovated and new single-family homes, townhomes and lofts in the intown neighborhood.
Snapshot
Resident: Mary Allen
Location: Inman Park
Size: About 2,000 square feet, three bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths
Year bought: 2011
Year built: 2013
Renovations: The home was built from the ground up after getting approval to raze the property. In the year-plus process, she chose everything for the home, from the placement of the electrical outlets and the floor grates to the appliances, bathroom products and furniture. "Nothing could be salvaged," she said. "There were always decisions that had to be made quickly."
Architect: Adam Stillman Residential Design
Contractor: Cablik Enterprises
Design consultants: Suzanne Seymour, Michal Taylor, Wood Cabinet Design, John Tile, Core Landscape Group
Architectural style: Craftsman
Favorite architectural elements: The front windows, which Stillman designed after Allen showed him a photo of a home in Ansley Park, and exterior moldings.
Interior design style: Eclectic. "(People) come in here and say, 'You don't really think any of this stuff goes together, but somehow it does,'" she said, laughing. "That's what people say about my decorating style."
Favorite interior design elements: The kitchen island with marble countertops, barstools and a GE Profile induction cooktop. "I knew exactly how I wanted the kitchen because I like cooking for my grandchildren and it's great to have them on stools here. And I can just cook and we can all be there talking and laughing and listening to music," she said. She wanted the house to feel like a home for her four granddaughters, ages 10 to 14, so the bedrooms were decorated for the girls, who showed her ideas on Pinterest. "We tried to recreate as close to what they wanted."
Favorite outdoor features: The front porch and the garden. "I wanted to walk in the front door and see right into the garden," she said.
Favorite artists: Artwork on display by artists including Toby Penney, Rhett Thurman, Jonathan Green, Mark Karnes, Floyd Gordon, Bo Sweeny, Walter Anderson and Randy Wood. Other pieces are from Buenos Aires and Peru.
Resources: Furniture from The Nicholson Gallery, Nandina Home & Design and AmericasMart Atlanta, Lighting Loft.
Photos: Browse our Private Quarters Photo Gallery of this Inman Park home
IF YOU GO
Inman Park Tour of Homes. Tickets purchased online may be picked up at the main sales booth, located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Elizabeth Street. The main Sales Booth will be open Friday Noon-4 p.m., and during Festival Hours Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday you can also pick up your tickets at the Sales Booth near the MARTA Station. Please bring your printed purchase confirmation and a photo ID to pick up your tickets. Home Tour tickets are not refundable. When: April 25-27. Price: $15 in advance, $20 day of tour. Info: inmanparkfestival.org/events/tour-of-homes
