Plants and flowers decorate Kenan Hill’s Morningside home, from the mudroom to the bathrooms to living spaces. While her houseplants tend to be more exotic, the exterior plants are inspired by the home’s English Tudor architecture.
“I love English gardens,” said Hill, artist and co-founder of Real Men Buy Flowers, an online florist. “I love the way they marry the architecture, which is manmade, but the natural world as well.”
Artwork, such as an acrylic on canvas piece of poppies that she created, also shows her love for all things floral. Outside, she has tried to introduce as many native plants as possible into her yard, after moving from a condo to Atlanta’s Morningside neighborhood.
“Plants are my babies,” she said.
Credit: Text by Marena Galluccio/ Photos by Christopher Oquendo
Credit: Text by Marena Galluccio/ Photos by Christopher Oquendo
Snapshot
Residents: Kenan and Nicholas Hill. Kenan is an artist and a co-founder of Real Men Buy Flowers, and Nicholas is an attorney at King & Spalding.
Location: Morningside
Size: 3,237 square feet, five bedrooms, four baths
Year built/bought: 1930/2018
Architectural style: English Tudor
Favorite architectural elements: The gargoyle over the front door, the arched window in front, the original picture molding and the original living room fireplace. "I love the little details," Kenan Hill said.
Renovations: The previous owners did extensive renovations, Kenan said. They gutted the kitchen to open it to the dining room. The kitchen has marble countertops, a six-burner Thermador range, glass knobs from RH, original hardwoods, and a butler's pantry with glass-front cabinets and built-in desk. They turned the sunroom into a mudroom and a family room was added off the kitchen. The downstairs bedrooms and bathroom also were renovated. The master bathroom was gutted and redesigned with space for a walk-in closet by California Closets; it also has sinks by Decolav. The covered wood deck was converted into a porch off the second-floor master bedroom. The exterior brick was painted and artificial turf was added to the backyard.
Interior design style: Traditional
Favorite interior design elements: The circa 1900 Singer sewing machine table that doubles as a side table in the living room, houseplants and furniture inherited from family.
Favorite outdoor features: The covered porch off the second-floor master bedroom. The space, which Kenan said feels like staying in a great hotel suite, also joins a patio and side porch for their outdoor spaces.
Resources: Furniture from Intaglia Home Collection. Lighting from Pottery Barn. Fabric from Karen's Fabrics. Curtains from Pottery Barn. Sewing machine by Singer. Art by Steve Penley, Britt Bass Turner and J. William Hill. Faucet by Brizo and Newport Brass. Kitchen range, fridge and dishwasher by Thermador. Paint by Sherwin-Williams, including Repose Gray.
Tip: Don't be afraid to mix metals and finishes for a collected look, Kenan said.
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