A choppy ranch house wasn’t going to work for Justin and Betsy Clay.
The couple frequently entertains friends and family and plays host to a neighborhood supper club and parties to celebrate engagements and holidays. An updated Atlanta ranch offered an open floor plan with ample outdoor space, as well as “quirky” extras such as an outdoor shower.
Snapshot
Names: Justin and Betsy Clay. Justin is manager of government relations, North America, at NCR Corp.; Betsy is Southeast sales director for Stephen Webster Jewelry.
Location: Atlanta
Size: About 2,12o square feet (plus a finished basement), three bedrooms, three baths
Year built: 1957
Year bought: 2010
Architectural style: Ranch
Favorite architectural elements: Open floor plan and bonus room, which is located in the former garage
Type of renovations: Focus on the master bathroom, where the couple added porcelain tile on the floor and in the shower. The shower walls also were changed, to build out the glass frame between the shower and the toilet. For cost savings, the couple kept the vanity — which they faux painted — and a mirror. More modern sinks, granite countertops and new hardware were added.
Cost of renovations: $13,000
Interior design style: Eclectic
Favorite interior design elements: The wall of gray and white stripes in the dining room, which draws people into the space and gives the illusion of a larger room. On that wall, a mirror from The Dump was transformed by Betsy Clay and her mother, who covered up the black shiny finish with gray paint and car polish.
Favorite artwork: Guests at their 2010 wedding created the painting above the mirrored bar (from Scott Antique Markets) in the dining room. It's a conversation piece that also has an interactive element. "Instead of doing a wedding book when we got married, we did a canvas and let people paint on it and make their mark," Betsy Clay said. "Everybody that comes into the house looks at it and tries to remember what they did on it."
Favorite furniture: The Bernhardt couch in the living room. "I love that it's this relaxed linen slipcover," Betsy Clay said. "It has a warm, inviting, curl-up-on-the-couch look to it that's still a little structured."
Favorite outdoor features: Deck and outdoor shower
Consultants: First Impressions Landscape, based in Atlanta
Resources: Furniture and accessories from Atlanta stores Interior Philosophy, Boxwoods, Bungalow, Savvy Snoot, Peridot, Scott Antique Markets, Now & Again, Antiques & Beyond and West Elm; Albany's Kay Fuller Interiors; furniture manufacturers such as Wesley Hall and Bernhardt; and artwork by Jennifer Bekkers
Decor tip: Layer along the way. The couple, who previously lived in New York City and Washington, merged furniture and items they individually collected to create a unique style that represents them, Betsy Clay said.
