Slices of the South are found throughout Chris and Jan Schroder’s townhome, from pieces of a tree that his grandfather planted in Atlanta to folk art.
The couple became fans of folk art, with its raw, authentic and primitive nature, after visiting Folk Fest, held each August at North Atlanta Trade Center, Chris said. The Atlanta natives recently moved about a mile from their 1918 Craftsman-style bungalow into a newer townhome with four levels. Now, they have an even greater appreciation for the art they have collected and inherited.
“We feel like our furniture looks better and our art is better displayed,” Jan said.
Snapshot
Residents: Chris and Jan Schroder. Chris is president of SPR Atlanta, a public relations firm; Jan is managing editor of Travelgirl magazine, and a freelance writer and editor.
Location: Atlanta. The home is .2 miles from their previous home and near where Chris grew up. "I go and hop on my bicycle, and I ride the same streets I did when I was 8 years old," he said.
Size: 4,000 square feet, four bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths
Year built/bought: 2002/2014
Architectural style: Townhouse with Colonial Williamsburg-style elements
Favorite architectural elements: Tall ceilings, including vaulted. They almost renovated the master bedroom of their former home of 24 years because the slanted roof with ceilings made it uncomfortable for Chris to fully stand up in the room.
Interior design style: Early American eclectic, as described by the couple.
Favorite rooms: The man cave/office on the basement level, for Chris, which is painted teal. Jan adores the master suite, with its vaulted ceiling and spacious closet.
Favorite piece of furniture: An early American sideboard that belonged to Chris' ancestors. Other family pieces include a kitchen table that Chris uses as a desk in his office.
Favorite outdoor feature: Porch
Design consultants: Diane Hollman, DHL Interiors
Favorite collections: Early American antiques, folk art by Mose Tolliver, Janice Kennedy, Jackie Haliburton and others, first-edition Walker Percy books, porcelain and creamware. They also have paintings by Ruth Barrett and Steve Penley.
Decor tip: Take your time to pick the right paint color. Their choices included Benjamin Moore's Revere Pewter, and Sherwin-Williams Really Teal and Gypsum.
Resources: Furniture from Pottery Barn, Beverly Hall, Paris on Ponce, Ballard Designs, Scott Antique Market, Crate & Barrel, Craigslist
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