Private Quarters
Lee and Joan Friedman’s farmhouse in Smyrna combines details from the past with the modern amenities of a new home.
The home -- built on a vacant half-acre-plus lot – also provided a clean slate for the couple to display nearly 120 pieces of art. Artwork fills their walls as well as a climate-controlled art storage room in the basement.
“Art can be an important part of your life,” Lee said. “I always say the same thing to everybody when they are interested in buying something, ‘If your heartbeat doesn’t get quicker when you see a piece of art, you shouldn’t buy it.’ ”
Snapshot
Residents: Lee Friedman, retired elementary school principal at The Westminster Schools in Atlanta, and his wife, Joan
Location: Smyrna’s Williams Park neighborhood
Size: About 4,900 square feet, five bedrooms, four full baths, two half baths
Year built: 2011
Builder: Colin Gallagher (Blue Lion Construction Co.)
Architect: Audrey Godiers (Godiers Architecture)
Architectural style: Southern farmhouse
Favorite architectural feature: Dormers on the front exterior. Joan was concerned that the position of the dormers would block the light coming into the house. The style of their three dormers was reversed from the traditional look, as they are set back into the house.
Interior design style: Traditional
Favorite design feature: Their art collection includes works by friends Ross Rossin, who has created portraits of presidents and public figures, and vibrant pieces by Steve Penley, including a portrait of Teddy Roosevelt. Paintings by California artist Ken Auster, Georgia artist Keith Abney and folk art pieces also are on display. “We’re not art critics. We didn’t major in art,” Lee said. “There’s just certain paintings that catch our attention and that we were drawn to.”
Most unusual fixture: Green exit sign lights in the basement came from at Sarah Smith Elementary in Buckhead, where Lee had served as principal. When the school was being renovated, the lights – from the early 1950s – ended up in the trash, and Lee saved them.
Favorite outdoor feature: “We love the trees. There’s a lot of oaks on the property,” Joan said.
Design tip: Keep looking for the right spot for artwork. The landscape of a rugged mountain scene in Taos, N.M., by artist Carey Moore was purchased years ago, but it finally found its home in the stairwell. “We didn’t like it until we got it in that spot, and now it’s outstanding,” Joan said. “Just keep trying something that you like in different places. Don’t be afraid to make holes in the wall. That’s what spackle and touch up paint is for.”
