Little house with big "old" style in Drew Valley

Going high style in multi-million dollar houses is like shooting fish in a barrel. Even then there are plenty of misses. I prefer great design in smaller packages. This little house is over the top; but over scaled is usually best. See the big picture. It's too great to be a teardown, I hope.


This house makes me smile.

It preserved more of its original "1914" appearance

1148 North Highland is for sale. Even with 11 foot ceilings, it's probably a goner. I'm feeling a bit sad and sentimental about it.


This house has probably been deteriorating for most of the time I've lived here.


And that has left it in a certain condition, don't you think?

I've driven past 100's, maybe a thousand times. I never notice it yet always notice it.



The neglect preserved more of its original "1914" appearance than others in the neighborhood, no add-ons, no preservation, no landscaping, no TLC.


The Bradford Pear smothers it the summer. Even if you are looking, you can't really see it.

Very handsome I think.


You can see the two front doors. It was split in half to make duplex. Who knows when.


It's impressive but the tarp isn't a good sign.


My kind of trucks.


I didn't notice the chimney until I processed the pictures on my computer.


In Virginia Highlands and most of Morningside "extra large lot" means .26 acres.


Indeed a quarter acre gives you some breathing room.



So I'm feeling a bit sad and sentimental about this one.

It's iconic. You can find these - even in this condition - almost anywhere. It's so familiar.

If they tear it down, I guess there are plenty more bungalows.

If they fix it up all authentic and everything, will it really be as authentic as it is today?

If you are in the neighborhood, have a look. And make sure to drive up Highland Terrace.


Treat yourself one of the neighborhoods great views, almost a zen view. It works for me every time.

Thanks to Patti Hinkle at Pretty Old Houses for encouraging me to have a look.

Garage to die for at the Pink Castle

I've fallen for the Pink Castle - Tryggversson (1919-23), built for Andrew Calhoun - and I can't get up. There is so much "there" there I'm taking little bites. Yesterday it was a bit about urns and angles. Today the garage.

Listen: I'm a guy; I like garages. Let me show you the best I've ever seen. This is the house.
In the top picture the garage is on the right; in the bottom the garage is to the left connected to the main house by a gallery with 3 big arches. The arches form a breezeway on the north, kitchen and service entrance on the south.

From Pine Stream you can barely see the mansion edge on, just the driveway and the garage. And it's looking good for an 88 year-old.

Blind arches, columns (or pilasters), shutters, crooked lantern, herringbone doors, tile roof, patina galore, greens with pinks - a theme throughout house. I'm starting to get emotional.


I think somebody lives upstairs, lucky them. See how tall the garage doors are, how much taller than the min-van? Yeah baby. See the double shutters in the middle window, the half open door? These aren't automatic doors, fake decorative carriage doors.

The space inside is worthy of a small wedding or wedding reception. I didn't take a picture - too personal.

Here is the breezeway looking from the garage toward the little pink dining room, looking west back towards the main house. The 3 big arches from the painting are on the right.


Here is the breezeway looking from the pink dining room east towards the garage. You can just see the arches on the left. You'll also notice the stairs. The garage is on higher ground than the main floor of the house, making it look very grand as you can see from the painting.


See?


The other side of the breezeway wing houses the kitchen, the service entrance, and service courtyard. In the top painting you can see a great gateway between the main house and the garage. This is where you bring in the groceries. Not bad, huh?


I'm looking out of the kitchen door towards the garage into the service courtyard. The steps lead to the garage. What mansion doesn't have a greenhouse and storage for cut flowers?


Here is my 38 second HD video. The last scene is from the Pink Dining room into the breezeway towards the garage.


I'm in love.

The biggest chair in Atlanta?

It may be the biggest chair in greater Atlanta. As you drive by the chair looks just right. It's in the scale of these amazing columns.

It requires a second look. Thanks for the humor, so rare in architecture.

Greater Atlanta that is.

Party at the Beacham Series Cover House

The 2010 Beacham Series Magazine deserved it's kickoff party last Thursday. Your fortunate host was there to enjoy a fine Atlanta evening. Here is the cover house as it lit up at dusk.


Bunch of bloggers.

Left to right: Pamela, I'm in the blue shirt, then Niki McNeill of SingleBubblePop, Dana Jones - thegreatdanaj, Blayne Beacham of This Photographer's Life, Kate Abney of Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles. James from Limestone & Boxwoods was there too but camera shy. Those Atlanta bloggers who weren't there are hereby placed on secret probation.

The pool was party central. It felt very nice down there, many comfortable places for sitting or standing, good circulation for mingling.


The beautiful balcony overlooks the backyard.


Folks took advantage of the views. What do you call those columns that appear to be bundles of rods wrapped together?


People gravitated toward comfortable places. Standing is Harrison Design Associates principal, Rick Hatch.


Harrison Design Associates designed and redesigned the house. Here is Bill Harrison himself talking with Beacham agent, Anne Powers. Anne and I grew up together. We had an unexpected and touching reunion at the party. Anne said that the "little kids" we were in High Point are still very much with us.


This is a stunning view from the pool. Two curvy chimneys flank a magnificent oriel window. The pool house roof grounds what might otherwise be an intimidating wall.


This is a nice place.


On the right is Cristi Holcombe of Charm Home. You can see how Blayne, Nikki, Cristi, the pool house and the great house make me look thin.


My impressions? This is a big house, done to a "T" if you know I mean. What struck me most was the comfort in the spaces. The interior spaces are extensive, impressively sized and detailed but they never made me feel small.

The entrance facade and courtyard conceal the bigness, the flanking garages seemed to embrace me, I felt very good there. The big windows and shallow pitched roof mitigate the bigness, made it human scaled I think.

The backyard faces the full 3 stories of the house. Balconies, shelters, stairways, and the pool house break up the great mass. There are many inviting, sheltering places on the back. They make yard comfortable and invite you into the house.

From A Patter Language: 160. BUILDING EDGE

"Crenelate the edge of buildings with places that invite people to stop. Make places that have depth and a covering, places to sit, lean, and walk, especially at those points along the perimeter which look onto interesting outdoor life."

Inside, well, it takes a pro to present the inside in pictures. Blayne's listing pictures are the best substitute to being there.

My very favorite indoor space? The downstairs kitchen is the headquarters for a family space where children and their parents can pleasantly run amok.

Many thanks to Beacham And Company Realtors and the the gracious homeowners for a wonderful evening. Thanks to Greg Palmer of Harrison Design Associates for these up-lit columns in antis on the pool house.


Bravo and thanks again.

Happy 4th: biggest chair in Atlanta, flag food and rwb chairs

It may be the biggest chair in greater Atlanta. As you drive by the chair looks just right. It's in the scale of these amazing columns. (GENTRY-McCLINTON HOUSE 1974, designated: Landmark Building Exterior October 14, 1989)

It requires a second look. Thanks for the humor, so rare in architecture.

Fourth flag food: Michelle's special cupcakes. She can make cupcakes do anything.

With strawberries and blueberries. Some years this cake so so good it brings tear to your eyes.

Happy 4th of July.

P.S. Belly's (Fleeman's) red white and blue spring chairs celebrate the 4th all year long.

The family eyes-closed-pose in red white and blue from our July 4th 2009 party.

Videos: Drawing the Classical: The Mouldings and the Baluster

Henry Hope Reed and Classical America show the classic shapes, proportions, and techniques taught for the last couple of thousand years. Classic design is so familiar to us we often don't pay attention. But when we see classics done wrong it grates on the eye. This video shows it done the old timey, correct way.

The Mr. Reed starts drawing at about 4:45 if you want to see what the video is all about. At about 10:00 you'll learn the difference between a cyma recta and and cyma reversa.



The pioneers of modern architecture didn't abandon classic proportions although some of their imitators did. Your eye can tell.

You Atlantans may know that Georgia Tech has a Master of Science (major in architecture) with a concentration in Classical Design. Read about the founding of the classical design program in 2007 here. Atlanta architect Bill Harrison helped get it off the ground.

Hee is another video about the Doric Order. I'll post later.

Columns from the old Atanta Trust Company Building

They replaced the old Trust Company Building while I was at Georgia Tech. I never saw it in person. In 1973 I began my career across the street from the new building. So I saw these every work day for 10 years. Last week I took a few pictures. Here are 3 of the old columns.


This is the Edgewood facade of the old Trust Company.

PHOTO COURTESY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPT, PULLEN LIBRARY, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Here is the indoor display. Just go into the banking lobby and look right. This used to be a public concourse between the old banking floor and elevators. It was very grand. Now it's a small cubicle farm for employees only. I asked the receptionist who kindly let me see them up close and take some pictures.





The carving isn't what you'd call crisp. I'm sure there is a name for the style but I don't know it. It's as if it has weathered for 2,000 years.



If we could see through this window we'd see the indoor sculptures. The reflection shows the white Healey Building. The Skyscraper is the Equitable Building.




This is the Pryor Street facade.

PHOTO COURTESY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPT, PULLEN LIBRARY, GEORGIA STATE UNIVERSITY

Here is your host in my baggy khakis.




When I worked downtown in the 1970's and early 1980's many of the bigger buildings had great cafeterias. The Hurt Building, the First National Bank Building, the Equitable Building all had busy cafeterias within 2 blocks of each other. The Trust Company had a one of the best on the 12th floor facing north. That's not all that long ago, is it?

They've saved some columns from the old Equitable Building too. The old Trust Company and Equitable building are just a block from each other. Modern buildings took their place.



Both old buildings might have been rotten, unsuitable for modern use. But I don't think we'd tear them down today. The wonderful Grant, Healey, Flat Iron, Chandler, and Hurt buildings are still there and still classy.