Former Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta President Jack Guynn and his wife, Joey, decided to downsize from their single-family Atlanta home with a yard and pool, but didn’t want to move away from a home with a traditional Southern look and feel.
After looking extensively in Midtown and Buckhead -- and bypassing modern and loft-style options -- they bought a new condominium in One River Place, just off I-285 near the Chattahoochee River.
Their one-level condo, in a four-story building called The Sanctuary, also gives them access to green spaces and the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, which is just right outside. The open floor plan allows for them to enjoy the wooded views from many rooms, including the kitchen.
The community’s connection to the river is brought inside, via artwork and photography of the Chattahoochee River by artist Sandra Meyer and photographer Tom Wilson. Those pieces join items reflecting their heritage, such as framed baby clothes, and memorabilia from Jack’s career, including a cartoon by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Mike Luckovich.
Snapshot
Residents: Jack and Joey Guynn
Location: The Sanctuary at One River Place, Atlanta
Size: About 2,300 square feet; three bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths
Year built: 2009
Year bought: 2010
Architectural style: Traditional condo
Favorite architectural feature: The 10-foot ceilings and 8-inch doorways, traditional cased windows and heavy crown moldings that give the condo the look and feel of a traditional Atlanta home.
Interior design style: Atlanta elegance. The couple worked with interior designer Julie St. John Starcher to incorporate furniture, accessories and art they have accumulated with new pieces. Family treasures -- such as laced-up high heels that belonged to one of Jack's grandmothers and an antique typewriter from Jack's grandfather's country store -- are accessories. Most of the rooms have replicas of the original Hunter ceiling fans used throughout the old South.
Favorite design feature: The so-called "crazy room" is an odd-shaped space off the entryway that they first used as a storage room. They eventually decided to make it into a workspace for Joey, with built-in bookshelves for Joey's favorite books and a full-size Murphy bed for overnight guests. "It also carries on a Southern feel with its miscellaneous Atlanta artwork and vases of cotton," Joey said.
Favorite outdoor feature: A sunroom looks into The Sanctuary's courtyard and the wooded hillside that adjoins the Palisades section of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. The sunroom is a spot for relaxation, with comfortable club chair with a hassock and a nearly 100-year-old mahogany bench.
