A columned home with circular side porches was so iconic that Philippe and Amanda Pellerin often drove by and fantasized about living there, if it ever came on the market in Grant Park.
The couple had a great vantage point as residents in the historical Atlanta neighborhood since 2007. But the 135-year-old house was partially gutted, with unfinished projects throughout. The three-bedroom, one-bath home wasn’t move-in ready.
“I thought, ‘Is this the time to do it?’” Amanda recalled, thinking of their young children. “It needed work. It was definitely not a decision we made lightly.”
They also carried a sense of responsibility to be sensitive to the history and original details that permeated every room.
“It has a personality and a character, because it has been around for so long,” said Amanda, who has a historic preservation degree from Georgia State.
Since completing five months of renovations in 2015, the Pellerins have hosted neighborhood events to re-introduce the Grant Park belle to the community, including the 43rd Grant Park Spring Tour of Homes in May.
Credit: Christopher Oquendo Photography-
Credit: Christopher Oquendo Photography-
Snapshot
Residents: Philippe and Amanda Pellerin, their children, Gigi, 7, and Jules, 3, and their dogs, Bogart and Jack. Philippe owns Pellerin Real Estate, and Amanda is an archivist at Georgia Tech.
Location: Atlanta's Grant Park neighborhood
Size: 4,200 square feet, six bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths
Year built/bought: 1895/2014
Architectural style: Victorian neo-classical
Favorite architectural elements: Front doors, original floors, stained glass windows repaired by Susan McCracken Architectural Artworks, exposed brick chimneys, pressed tin ceiling tiles, interior columns, and the east facade with its dentil details and carved braces
Renovations: Kitchen redo with custom cabinets, marble countertops, and Thermador and Bosch appliances. They also renovated a master bathroom and a hall bathroom. They removed a closet in order to add a wall to create separate rooms for their kids. The windows were replaced, except on the front of the home.
Credit: Christopher Oquendo Photography-
Credit: Christopher Oquendo Photography-
Interior design style: Eclectic modern Victorian
Design consultants: Valerie Wylie, owner of Dakota Grey Interiors; JoJo Gilbert-Ross, owner of Home.Staging.Love/KW Metro Atlanta
Favorite artwork: The mural on the dining room walls by local artist Michael Colley. He based the painting on photographs of buildings depicted as ruins. Amanda also loved the addition of women. "I said to Michael, 'I want to make sure our daughter sees women in the wallpaper design,'" she said.
Favorite outdoor elements: Pond and exterior circular porches
Decor tip: Measure, measure, measure!
Resources: Furniture from City Antiques & Interior Arts, Redefined Home Boutique, Kudzu Antiques + Modern, RH, Pier 1 Imports and Endless Finds in Gainesville. Online purchases from Wayfair.com, Homedecorators.com and Amazon.com. Bathroom fixtures from MTI and Kohler. Lighting from Progressive Lighting and Scott Antique Market.
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