Barbara English lets her 130-year-old home dictate the decorations.
Thick moldings, built-ins, wood floors and antique furnishings in the renovated Victorian home made it appear period-appropriate, yet more serious and dark, even with 14-foot ceilings.
English lightened the mood with bright fabrics, international artwork and graphic elements, like the giant paisley patterns painted on her dining room ceiling.
“I like a twist of humor and a little funkiness in my decor,” she said.
Her property, which includes a 1947 vintage Tahoe camper, is on the June 24 Historic West End Tour of Homes.
“Most don’t expect what we have here in West End,” she said.
>> View a gallery of her home here <<
Snapshot
Resident: Barbara English, an interior designer, and her dogs, Squeaky, Angel and Lucy
Location: Atlanta's West End neighborhood
Size: 2,780 square feet, four bedrooms, two-and-a-half baths
Year built/bought: 1887/2007
Architectural style: Craftsman origins with Victorian updates
Favorite architectural elements: 11-foot-tall leaded glass church window in the kitchen with matching custom French doors on the opposite side of the room; original heart of pine floors and doors; 14-foot ceilings; five fireplaces
Renovations: A previous owner turned the one-story home, with an attic, into a two-story house with nearly double the square feet and a new roof line, English said. She was impressed how the house was remodeled in a way that was appropriate to the period in which it was built. She spent about $150,000 on updates and renovations, including the bathrooms, where she installed mosaic tile for the floors, subway tile in the shower and white Carrara marble countertops. She replaced the roof and repainted the exterior. After a huge tree in her yard was struck by lightning and fell, she added a veranda.
“The leaded glass window is 11 feet by 11 feet. It was getting full afternoon sun,” she said. “It was necessary to add the back veranda on to protect the window and to cool the house.”
Interior design style: Eclectic
Favorite collections: Items from international travels, including a Saudi Arabian tribal breastplate, a giant tortoise shell and antique Asian hair accessories and jewelry.
Favorite artwork: Originals and limited editions from Picasso, Erte, French artist Linda Le Kinff, Israeli artist Itzchak Tarkay, Georgia bird painter Athos Menaboni and Fritz Zimmer, her grandfather.
Favorite outdoor elements: In her backyard, she has a 1947 vintage Tahoe camper that she's furnished for the period with fabrics, artwork, photos and travel posters, but that also includes modern luxuries, such as air conditioning, plumbing and appliances. "It's like camping in the middle of the woods in downtown Atlanta," she said. Her garden blooms with hydrangeas, hostas, vinca and magnolias, while sweet potato vine is featured on her storage shed.
Resources: Most items are custom made or antiques, but some pieces are from Design Within Reach and Switch Modern.
Decor tip: Surround yourself with things that remind you of who you are and where you have been. "Personal stories are what great interiors are all about," she said.
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