Erika Meinhardt and John Parks were originally drawn to Dunwoody because of the proximity to John’s office, but it is their genuine love of the area that has kept them there.
“We developed friendships here and wanted to stay even when the office moved downtown,” John explains.
John, a commercial real estate attorney, and Erika, an executive for a title insurance company, have lived in their home for six years.
“We have really crazy lives with work, but to come home to this place is like escaping from everything,” Erika says. “I’ll never forget the first time I walked into the home and said, ‘This is my house.’”
Melanie Williams of Melanie Williams Interior Design assisted John and Erika with some of the recent design and remodeling of three bathrooms. According to Erika and John, Melanie helped the couple accessorize their home.
“Erika and John wanted to personalize the home to reflect their tastes and lifestyle, a goal they had not completed since moving into the home,” Melanie explains. “We were able to give the house the fresh clean personality of its present owners.”
John and Erika enjoy entertaining and “it’s a great house for it. It has so many great casual and formal spaces with the downstairs being an adult playground,” Erika says.
The couple agrees that what their guests love most about the house is the openness of the layout.
“It has great flow for a party and people don’t get boxed in. Whenever we entertain, people are in the kitchen and we have plenty of space for people to hang around,” Erika says.
John and Erika use every room in the 8,600-square-foot house but spend most of their time in the barrel-ceiling family room. The room was originally designed for a musician who held concerts in the room.
“Even though it’s a very large house, we wanted a very livable space and something that was warm and comfortable to hang out in despite the size. It’s a really tranquil place,” Erika says. “It’s a little bit of nirvana tucked into Dunwoody.”
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