When he finds an interesting antique or traditional piece of furniture, TJ Callaway often has to decide whether it should go in one of his Onward Reserve boutiques or his Buckhead home.
“I’m looking for things that have a cool story and for things that just look like they have some character,” he said. “The way my style and design works is that I like to just collect really cool stuff. It’s partly about the search. When I’m buying it, I don’t really know how I’m going to use it. I let it naturally fall into place.”
Furnishings from antique auctions and estate sales, and inherited furniture with sentimental value contrast with contemporary pieces selected by his wife, Catherine, for a “dressy casual” look in their home.
Snapshot
Residents: TJ and Catherine Callaway. TJ is founder and CEO of Onward Reserve, a men’s gifts, apparel and home goods retailer with an online store and locations in Athens, Atlanta and Charlotte, N.C. Catherine is development officer at Skyland Trail, an Atlanta nonprofit mental health treatment organization.
Location: Buckhead
Size: About 2,300 square feet, three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths
Year built: 1951
Year bought: 2013
Architectural style: Traditional
Favorite architectural elements: Large windows, wainscoting and crown molding, vaulted ceiling in the family room
Interior design style: Traditional with modern components
Favorite interior design elements: The Callaways have meshed TJ’s style, which he describes as conservative rustic taste, with Catherine’s preference for clean, elegant pieces. For example, the home’s decor ranges from an old hat rack near the garage and an antique oriental runner to new glasstop tables in the living and family rooms. “It’s a mix of things that have a story and a mix of new,” TJ said.
Favorite piece of furniture: Pine hutch in the living room. The hutch is a traditional, yet transitional, piece, but offers a statement as one of the first items people see when walking in the home, TJ said.
Favorite artwork: Pieces of art include a Coke bottle by Steve Penley and a tulip painting by Comer Jennings.
Favorite outdoor feature: The house wraps around the back deck, which has a trellis. “You can get to that deck from basically everywhere,” TJ said.
Resources: Furniture from Havertys and Ballard Designs; bedding and dinnerware from Erika Reade; rugs from Surya; fixtures and lighting from The Home Depot; appliances by General Electric; Behr paint
Decor tip: Find pieces you love instead of buying a piece of furniture just because it fits a space in the home. “You end up with a more authentic feel when you let that happen,” TJ said.
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