After living in a restored farmhouse that became the Inn at Serenbe, Steve and Marie Nygren, founders of Serenbe, opted for a European rather than Southern country style for their townhouse.
The needs of entertaining guided some of the design choices for their residence in the south Fulton County community, which has received national attention for its focus on sustainability and its idyllic setting. In the span of a week, the Nygrens may go from playing host to more than 100 people for a Serenbe event to dining with a dozen friends in their courtyard or having a family dinner with their three daughters.
“You’ll see the house is full of tables in almost every niche and corner,” Steve Nygren said. “We are hospitality people. That’s one of the first things we think about: Where can we set a table?”
Snapshot
Residents: Steve and Marie Nygren
Location: Serenbe
Size: About 4,200 square feet, three bedrooms, three full and two half baths
Year built: 2005
Architectural style: European country home
Favorite architectural feature: The stone exterior, accented by a balcony created by metal artist Andrew T. Crawford. "We wanted to show the simplicity from the exterior. It's very simple lines using simple stone," Steve said.
Interior designer: Smith Hanes
Interior design style: Sophisticated, with French or Italian influences. "Everybody thought we were going to do a country charm house and I went, 'No.' I wanted it to be a little more upscale than the country charm," Marie said. "It has a sophisticated but very comfortable lived-in feeling. It feels like it's been a generational family home."
Favorite design feature: There are no walls between the dining room and kitchen, but for formal entertaining, taupe Italian wool drapes can be drawn to create an intimate dining room. "It's amazing. On a day-to-day basis, the big table turns into a workspace. Then it can be very, very formal as well," Steve said.
Favorite kitchen appliance: The 60-inch white Viking range. "I'm very particular about home kitchens. I don't think stainless should be in a home kitchen unless you're a massive professional," Marie said. "I don't hide appliances. That's my other pet peeve."
Favorite outdoor feature: Garden designer and landscaper Ryan Gainey incorporated easy-to-maintain gravel in the courtyard. The homes at Serenbe open to woods, Serenbe's organic farm or a pasture. "We get nice breezes because we're right on the edge of all of the woods," Steve said.
Favorite piece of furniture: A glass cabinet with bulb feet originally from China that sits in their foyer. "My favorite piece is a piece we've had for years," Marie said. "The colors are exquisite."
