Page 31 - Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles (February 2020)

Around town with

Naomi Von Habersham

PERHAPS I OUGHT NOT TO MENTION IT, but we’re in

the throes of an election year, and if the past few months
are any indication, the coming year is going to be acrimoni-
ous to say the least. Although we may not always agree on
politics, there is one area of commonality that many Atlan-
tans share, and that is our love of design. I would argue that

not only is Atlanta one of the most design-savvy cities in
the country, it is also one of the least aesthetically dogmatic.
Traditional, contemporary and all of those decorative points
of view between the two are well-represented here, and

even though each of us may feel strongly about one style
over another, I have yet to see a fistfight break out over dif-
ferences in decorating.
Take color, for example. Decades ago, most Atlanta homes
were awash in rich colors, from sunny yellows to regal reds.

Later, color was somewhat banished from the scene and
designers and their clients embraced neutral color palettes
that were mostly creams and taupes. But today, there isn’t
any one color scheme that is deemed more acceptable

than another, and you only have to look at the pages of this
magazine to see that. From pale to vivid tones, Atlantans
are embracing almost every color—and noncolor—under
the rainbow. The same goes for fabrics. Floral chintzes are
creeping back into some interiors, perhaps to the chagrin

of the modernists. On the flip side, sleek, contemporary tex-
tiles—usually in those shades of gray that the traditionalists
find so chilly—are finding favor in other homes. And yet,
these diverse looks all manage to coexist peacefully. Even
our city’s designers, who have such distinctive styles, man- '*/& -*/&/4 ] -*()5*/( ] "$$&4403*&4 ] "35
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ILLUSTRATION BY MEREDITH GILLESPIE design community is the envy of other cities. P E A C H T R E E B A T T L E S H O P P I N G C E N T E R
age to get on famously—so much so that Atlanta’s tight-knit
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Now, I’m not going to minimize the importance of this
2351A PEACHTREE ROAD NE | ATLANTA, GA | 30305
election by comparing it to the state of Atlanta design, but
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in these topsy-turvy times, it’s a comfort to know that when
it comes to decorating, our motto is: Vive la différence.

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