With three children, two dogs, one cat and one guinea pig, veterinarian Duffy Jones and his wife, Courtney, knew their home needed to withstand daily wear and tear of pets and kids.
Their 1940s Atlanta home, which they bought from the original owner, didn’t even have air conditioning. As they expanded up and out, they incorporated stain-resistant items such as outdoor rugs and easy-to-clean slipcovers, as well as furniture handed down from family members.
“Our house is not a museum,” Courtney said. “There’s nothing you can’t touch. There’s nothing you can’t get broken or upset about.”
Snapshot
Residents: Dr. Duffy Jones, wife Courtney and their children, Dawson, 9; Grady, 7; and Sydney, 2. Jones owns Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital; Courtney works for Peachtree Hills Animal Hospital and her family's company, B&D Industrial, based in Macon.
Location: Peachtree Hills
Size: About 3,500 square feet (including the garage and unfinished basement), four bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths
Year built: 1940s. The couple has the warranty deed showing E. L. King sold the lot to Mrs. White K. Mahone in 1942.
Year bought: 2002
Architectural style: Bungalow
Favorite architectural feature: The interior arches, which remained in their renovations.
Renovations: In 2009, the couple added onto the home, which had two bedrooms and one bath, and modernized it. "The house was pretty simple to start with, and we kept it simple," Duffy said. "We kept it very functional."
Changes included adding a garage, opening the kitchen to the family room (with new built-ins that hide toys, books and electronic equipment), putting in more windows, and customizing the master bedroom and bathroom. Some of the home’s original features, including the black-and-white tile in the downstairs bathroom, were retained. The couple matched the hardwood floors to the existing red oak floors and bought items, such as reproduction crystal doorknobs, that kept the feel of the 1940s in the home. A neighbor gave them a cast-iron fireplace believed to date to the late 1800s. Other items were reused, such as granite flagstones that were moved from the backyard to a front walkway.
Interior design style: Economical and functional
Pet-friendly living tips: The couple chose hardwood floors and rugs instead of carpet. The outdoor rug is in the dining room, and it can be hosed off, if needed. All the furniture has slipcovers. "Everything has to be washable because of the dogs, and the kids are going to spill things," Duffy said. "Nothing in our house could be destroyed very easily."
Favorite pet-friendly piece: The house doesn't have a mudroom and the laundry room is on the second floor, so the dog crates needed to be on the main floor. The couple didn't like having the crates out in plain view in the family room, so after several years of experimentation, the couple found a way to hide them, Courtney said. Duffy built end tables with a slide-out tray and incorporated crates with a garage-door opening. The crates can stay open during the day, without a door swinging out, Courtney said. Table covers with slits allow the dogs to push through the cover to get into their crate whenever they desire. The crates are where they need to be, but hidden and incorporated into the design of the room, Courtney said.
Favorite outdoor feature: Duffy built a playhouse and created a zip line in the yard, which backs up to Peachtree Creek. "The kids love it," he said. "They go out there and ride it all the time."
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