Rebecca Pihera was six months’ pregnant with their second child when she and her husband, Evan, realized they needed more space.
The couple focused on upsizing into a midcentury modern home. After an arduous journey, Rebecca said they lucked out on a fully renovated home in Atlanta’s “groovy” Northcrest neighborhood.
“When we were first shown the home, right away we fell in love with the open floor plan, the unique tongue-and-groove ceiling, and the renovations that were done by the previous owner were over the top. The final selling point was the neighborhood,” said Evan.
Rebecca added: “We do not plan on moving ... ever.”
Snapshot
Residents: Evan Pihera, director of research and development for Inland Seafood, and Rebecca Pihera, a clinical nurse specialist, and their daughters age 3 and 5 months old.
Location: Northcrest neighborhood, in northeast Atlanta
Size: About 2,700 square feet, four bedrooms, three baths
Year built: 1962
Year bought: 2011
Architectural style: Tri-level contemporary midcentury modern
Renovations: The previous owners, Chuck and Tami Tallent, had renovated the home. "The only tweaking that we had to do structurally was a gut-wrenching conversion of an incredibly beautiful master closet back into one of the original bedrooms to accommodate a nursery on the upper level. Luckily, there was additional space in the master, and we were able to create a closet out of an attached sunroom that gets great natural light," Rebecca said.
Cost of renovations: "Our tweaks were certainly minimal both financially and in terms of headache compared to the overhaul Chuck and Tami undertook. We also got the renovations done just in time as our daughter was born a week after we hurriedly finished," she said.
Favorite architectural feature: The truly open floor plan. "The spacious kitchen opens completely to the living room and the dining area," Rebecca said. On Sundays, they typically host eight to 12 people for dinner, and the floor plan allows them to involve everyone and not exclude the chef. "The island is the central point of the home and is absolutely huge. It is more than ample prep area for the kitchen while still accommodating snacks, beverages and family hangout," she said. She added that the original tongue-and-groove ceiling is beautifully highlighted by unique cork lighting.
Interior design style: Modern but livable with eclectic furnishings.
Interior designer: Vanessa Reilly of Domo Realty assisted them in the sale of their home and purchase of this home, and she also brought in her design sense of midcentury modern homes.
Favorite design feature: The home features Evan's artwork and found objects including copper printing plates for pennants such as "Amish Farm House," a Balinese teak cabinet and an unfinished painting of (they were told) Cubans reaching Florida's shore and stumbling upon the native Seminole population.
Favorite outdoor feature: The fire pit. The backyard is centralized around a patio and fire pit where they roast marshmallows. "There is also a great privacy fence and plenty of room for a dining area, lounge chairs, swing set and even an admittedly trailer-parkesque trampoline," Rebecca said.
