California dreaming in Buckhead

Home and Garden

Monica McCoy and Greg Block were smitten with this Buckhead home, which they first saw when it was the Atlanta Symphony's Designer Showhouse in 2004. See photos of this resort-inspired home that brings the best of California to Atlanta.

BY JULIE HAIRSTON: When Monica McCoy and Greg Block first moved to Atlanta from San Francisco, they settled in another part of the city. But one look at this Buckhead home (when it was the Atlanta Symphony's Designer Showhouse in 2004) was all they needed to know that its resort-inspired California vibe would make it their perfect home. Here, a natural stone wall separates the lake from the pool.

The lush, tropical landscape adds mystery and privacy to the home.

This gentle waterfall designed by Jim Lesti of Scapes descends gracefully through a natural landscape to the home's front door. Its casual polish heralds the soothing embrace of the home's refined luxury. "It was just really peaceful," McCoy said. "We really liked the outside space."

McCoy and Block perch in front of the entrance foyer with golden retriever Buddy, who has brought them the news of the day. Local artisan Charles Calhoun of Calhoun Design and Metalworks created the metal railings on the stairs as well as a number of other notable metal features in the house.

After buying the house, McCoy and Block initiated a renovation to add their own personal touches. They created this luminous cathedral wall of windows connecting the pool patio with the living room, highlighting the home's resort ambiance and woodsy locale. The 32-foot groin ceiling gives the room an airy feel, while Brazilian cherry floors impart a burnished glow.

A casual breakfast banquette flanks the living room. The couple moved the kitchen to the far end of the house. "Once we decided to move the kitchen, it changed our whole perception of the house," McCoy said.

The couple added this bank of windows to the new kitchen and created the grid of mahogany beams above to delineate the kitchen space from other areas. Wenge wood distinguishes the counters, and storage cabinets line the walls below. A unique bench counter seat faces the windows.

This elevated nook in the living room is flanked by a pair of powder rooms. The fireplace is a special design the couple modeled after one in their favorite getaway, Hotel Healdsburg in California's Sonoma Valley. Charles Calhoun guided the design and fabrication of the metal. Once it was made, the fireplace proved challenging to move. "It took them an entire day to move that [fireplace] in here," McCoy said.

Buddy takes five in one of the breezeways that connect the living areas. Rather than putting carpet runners on the floors, McCoy decided to use inlaid stone. The couple also created barrel ceilings to heighten the breezeways' visual appeal. "I wanted to do something different," McCoy said.

From the exterior, this breezeway creates repeating geometric patterns amid a lush, green landscape.

The space once occupied by the kitchen now hosts this handsome home library. Michelle Bradley designed the sleek lights that illuminate the shelves.

The loft above the library looks over the cozy reading nook that sits in front of a bank of windows next to the patio. In addition to the abundant natural light, the windows provide a scenic view of the pool, patio and private lake outside.

This steel wall created by Charles Calhoun injects a dramatic postmodern element into the decor of the media room.

Artist Tracy Lane painted this collection that hangs in the media room. It is one of McCoy's favorite art works in the house.

McCoy had the sturdy four-post bed frame specially built to complement the soaring expanse of the master suite. "I needed something substantial because the room is so big," she said. High above the bed, the skylight is lined in teak and the chairs face a private fireplace graced by a mantel created from a 100-year-old wooden beam.

Teak also surrounds the infinity-edge tub in the master bath and provides a ready mat for bathers to step on after a soak. The floors, which are heated, feature hammered gold limestone from Israel. Venetian plaster covers the walls.

The master bath also includes a comfortable couch. The green backdrop from the trees outside indicates the seclusion of the wooded location. "From almost every room, you have a view," McCoy said.

Greg Block is equally enchanted by the abundant views, like this one from his home office. "My favorite thing is when I open up the curtains in the morning and look out at the lake," Block said.

The covered hut provides a plush retreat from harsh summer sun for swimmers.

The pool complex includes an elevated, infinity-edge whirlpool, a Balinese tiki lounge and plenty of seating for noshing and entertaining. Nearby, an outdoor shower allows swimmers to rinse off before entering the house.

The guest house includes a well-equipped fitness center, a private kitchen and a scenic view of the four-acre property. Represented by Glennis Beacham of Beacham & Company, the house is on the market for $8.5 million.

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BY JULIE HAIRSTON: When Monica McCoy and Greg Block first moved to Atlanta from San Francisco, they settled in another part of the city. But one look at this Buckhead home (when it was the Atlanta Symphony's Designer Showhouse in 2004) was all they needed to know that its resort-inspired California vibe would make it their perfect home. Here, a natural stone wall separates the lake from the pool.

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