The brownstone style of Christopher and Vicki Netzband’s Smyrna townhome is a departure from their former house in Tampa, Fla., which had an abundance of glass and windows.
So the couple personalized the townhome by changing out the deep, rich trim color and other darker features with new paint, carpet, light fixtures and window treatments.
“Everything in our previous home was open and bright and we really like that,” said Vicki, who saw photos of the Cobb County townhome, but didn’t see it in person until after the closing. “Here, we come in, the people from Florida, and we lighten it all up.”
Snapshot
Residents: Christopher and Vicki Netzband, and their dogs, Oskar and Wolfgang. Christopher is vice president of application services at BIAS Corp.; Vicki is a certified K-6 teacher.
Location: Smyrna
Size: 4,407 square feet, three bedrooms, five baths
Year built: 2009
Builder: John Wieland Homes & Neighborhoods
Year bought: 2013 (real estate agent was Sally Falkowski with Keller Williams Realty)
Architectural style: Townhome inspired by brownstones of the Northeast.
Favorite architectural elements: Built-in bookcases and niches, archways and coffered ceiling.
Interior design style: Traditional English manor
Favorite interior design features: The light fixtures hanging in the foyer and dining room have a mosaic design on the glass shades, which are made from wedge-shaped pen shells and bring the beauty of nature into the home, the couple said.
Favorite furniture: The pine dining table and chairs by Century Furniture, which were purchased about 20 years ago. The couple didn't have room in their home at that time to add the credenza and other pieces in the collection. When they called the company several years later, the other pieces were located in a warehouse. They added the dining room credenza, living room coffee table and side tables, the master bedroom bed, dressers and bedside tables, and a demilune chest in the foyer. The chest, bedside and end tables have a beautiful marble top, Vicki said. The move showed Vicki that she had an emotional attachment to the dining table, which has hosted family celebrations. When the movers picked it up in their Florida home, she thought to herself, "Don't hurt the table."
Favorite outdoor features: Views of Buckhead and Stone Mountain from their fourth-floor terrace, which fulfilled Vicki's wish to have a home with a view. Other favorite features include a courtyard where they often grill and proximity to the Silver Comet Trail and Smyrna's restaurants and shops.
Design consultants: All Comfort Heating and Air; Bell Carpet Galleries; Gus Sassman of Tico Renovations; Hunter Bilbro with Stone Solutions of Atlanta; Armistead Paint and Supply; Hector's Painting; Ivy Cleaners (window treatments).
Resources: Furniture by Century Furnishings, Lane, Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware; silk flowers by Gump's (gumps.com); Feiss and Quoizel lamps, chandeliers and sconces from Build.com.
Decor tip: Fill your house with items that make you comfortable, which for the Netzbands include: prints from European family vacations; glass from Murano, Italy; Waterford crystal vases and lamps; and gifts from friends and family who have visited countries such as China, Egypt, India and Japan.
