S CANDLER ST-NEW INTERPRETATION OF A BY-GONE ERA

In 1822 a town named after naval hero Stephen Decatur was established just south of the heavily industrialized Atlanta. Decatur’s first business district was kickstarted in 1913 by Joseph Hugley’s drug store located on the corner of East College and S Candler. Trolleys would continue to whiz back and forth from Decatur to Atlanta and foster both residential and commercial growth. Fortunately for Decaturites, the small town was far enough from the big city bustle to stave off its growing noise and pollution. Decatur, it seemed, was the perfect oasis for new families and start up shops.

One of our newest properties, 828 S Candler St was built in 1941 during this developmental boom particularly in the Oakhurst and Winnona Park Districts.   This exact plot of land was included in a larger larger land parcel orginally owned by Clay Van and Carl Busch. A local worker for the Republic Steel Corporation Idwal Owen owned the home for two decades until his death in 1965. At that time his widow, Mildred, became the sole owner. In the 70’s the Bell family assumed ownership. With a rich military history and deep roots in the community the Bell family resided in the home until 2014 at which time it was acquired by PowerHouse Properties/Level Craft Construction.

Level Craft Construction is breathing new life into this very historic location. We’re transforming this depression era home into a stunning and sleek 5 bedroom, 4.5 luxury home complete with present-day southern charm and modern amenities. Located on nearly a half an acre in the much sought after neighborhood of Winnona Park—the with two car garage, open floorplan and exterior sitting and grilling porches; this home is Level Craft’s wonderfully modern interpretation of a by-gone era.

WORK IN PROGRESS PHOTOS:

CREATING A DROUGHT-TOLERANT GARDEN

PHOTO BY BHG.COM

Creating a drought-tolerant garden is an excellent alternative for those tired of frittering away their precious weekends mowing, blowing, and edging. In the 60’s and 70’s in America, large lawns were a symbol of success.   The image of a khaki-wearing Dad preening the lawn on Saturdays used to be one of prosperity. Well, times have changed. No longer are lawns considered an essential home component. In fact, California Horticulturalist Tom Piergrossi calls turf lawns, “a luxury item.”

Not only are lawns weekend time-suckers, they’re downright expensive. The amount of water, gas and fertilizer for regular lawn maintenance can really add up. Of course swapping a lawn for a sustainable drought-tolerant garden is not only easier on the wallet—it’s easier to upkeep and more environmentally-friendly.

But before planting you will likely need to amend your soil and get rid of imbedded rocks. You may want to repurpose the dug up rocks around your garden to serve as embellishments or create a dry stream bed. There are many drought resistant trees, shrubs, and plants from which to choose—the hearty and giant-leafed Cast Iron Plant, Butterfly Bush, Lamb’s Ear, the dainty flowered Dusty Miller, Purple Heart, Mexican Sage, Treasure Flower, Kangaroo Paws and many others. Check with your nursery for suggestions before you start.

After you’ve planted the new growth you must water often until the root systems are established. Once the root systems are well established (after about six weeks) you can cut back on your watering to about once a week.

Your new garden will teem with wildlife. You’ll be able to simply look out your window to watch butterflies, bees, and birds of every make and model (including hummingbirds) enjoying their new drought-resistant habitat.

MORE “CONSERVATION GRAZING” GOAT PHOTOS

As promised here are some “up close and personal” photos of the goats from Get Your Goat Rentals. Photos below photos courtesy of Atlanta-based Luis Mendoza Photography www.studiomendoza.com and Michael and Kristin Swanson’s Goat Rental Company www.GetYourGoatRentals.com.  Thank you!

CONSERVATION GRAZING WITH NIGERIAN DWARF GOATS

Though goats have been used for centuries to clear unwanted vegetation, we just recently began using these “eating machines” for land clearing on our building sites. We had a wonderful experience with Michael and Kristin Swanson at Get Your Goat Rentals www.GetYourGoatRentals.com. They trucked in a herd of goats to one of our Decatur properties that needed some serious clearing prior to building.

Upon arrival the goats bounded out of the trailer doors and immediately got to work munching on privet, ivy, kudzu even poison oak—mangled, tangled and embedded vegetation that a bulldozer could never reach. The results were so dramatic and impressive that it planted the thought of getting our own fleet. After all, we have plenty of properties that were in dire need of the same kind of treatment. Without a doubt the goats would always have plenty to do.

So, a few months ago we purchased 6 Nigerian Dwarf Goats from a farm in the North Georgian foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Our goats are hard core workers—they never complain and don’t take smoke breaks. They work quickly and efficiently and seem to have an instinct for tackling tough jobs. In fact, it seems—the tougher the better.

We transport our half dozen goats from site to site in my husband’s amply roomed minivan.  Depending on the amount of overgrowth and undergrowth, it takes two to three weeks for the goats to complete a project. Of course, after a long day of munching they love to relax on the cool grass under the nearest tree shade.

Goats’ natural curiosity and agility make them the ideal plant predators especially in precarious and hard-to-reach places. This “conservation grazing” has no negative impact on the environment and (obviously) requires no gas or human labor. It’s also more economical than you might imagine.

Honestly the best part of conservation grazing is forging a bond with these scruffy creatures. We quickly attached to their quirky energy and idiosyncratic personalities. Each has his own distinctive coloring and markings; consequently pet names inevitably follow. My 11 year-old daughter Abby is our official goat-namer: Snowy, Mojo, Missy, Autumn, Alice, and Hannah are her picks for our current batch of goats (we have a feeling more are coming).

Virginia is pictured here with Snowy. Snowy is a real task-masker—nibbling, gnawing, biting and chewing from sun up to sun down. However, it’s nice to know that despite his devout work ethic even Snowy the goat takes a quick hug break every now and then.

Stay tuned for more photographs courtesy of www.GetYourGoatRentals.com

EAST LAKE COTTAGE MAKE OVER

When we discovered this East Lake structure it was a dilapidated flop house teetering at the edge of collapse. We cued off the unique front gables, cobblestone foundation and chimney and chose a “classic” cottage direction. The future homeowners presented us with a charming fireplace mantle treasure from their most recent weekend of foraging at Lakewood Antiques. We adapted the mantle into our fireplace design and it became a wonderfully distinctive focal point. The Moroccan-themed glass tile of the fireplace dictated a few other design choices as well. The pendant lights in the mint-walled bedroom playfully nodded in the same direction similar to the Arabian style light fixture hanging in the foyer. The persimmon colored accent wall in the adjoining bedroom is a definitive punch of “Moroccan Red.” The dove grey interior provides a quiet balance and backdrop for the modern kitchen with rich wood cabinetry, smoky glass pendant lights, and 30” stainless steel gas range with chef’s hood. We love the inherent charm of the entire home. This 4 bedroom 3 bath East Lake cottage with Moroccan undertones is located at 425 Ashburton Road.

MAINTAINING FARMHOUSE INTEGRITY

When we commit we commit. Sure there are changes during the course of any project—a slightly different paint hue, a timeline change-up due to weather conditions, but overall we stay true to our original vision. We typically find our vision by sitting on the porch for a spell just long enough to soak up the personality of the structure. After that, the direction we need to take will usually be pretty obvious. We both had a quick read on the “farmhouse” quality of this structure. Likely because of the large plot of land it sat upon, gabled roof and generous porch.

We loved the initial design plans and quite honestly didn’t veer much. The only nip and tuck came into play was when the natural light wasn’t exactly what we anticipated. To compensate we added white oak pickled flooring that adroitly captured abundant bounce from the sun. To offset the blanching we chose a deeper stain for the stairs. Yin and Yang works every time!

We were very pleased with the way we adopted and adapted reclaimed 1’ by 8’ roof decking into our design in the powder room, hallway, stairs and kitchen. We find that repeating elements make for a more cohesive final product. The artisan functionality of the decking boards used in lieu of plywood in the kitchen was a hit. We also love the broken claw foot tub that was hidden under years of back yard muck, exhumed, cleaned, restored, and brought back to its original luster. Though the project was definitely labor-intensive it was worth it to us and (more importantly) the new owner. Now this forgotten gem is no longer forgotten.

The color of the front door was one of the last decisions we made. We knew we wanted something moderately eccentric to underscore the quirkiness of the house (after all we had over a dozen grazing goats on the property for nearly a month─more on that later). Caribbean Blue was the only choice that seemed to punctuate everything we wanted to punctuate. Knock out roses in the landscaping extended our perky palate.  There is a slight nautical note with the rope hung bathroom mirrors (see above) and exterior weather resistant paint applied to a couple of indoor fixtures. However, we felt that a sea-worthy element was in keeping with the quaintly adventurous open-air spirit of our interpretation of the modern American farmhouse. Like we said—when we commit, we commit.

CREATING A SOFT AND ORGANIC LOOK WITH WOOD GRAIN

Wood grain is everywhere these days. From butcher block countertops and iPhone cases to wallpaper and tea towels stenciled with faux bois patterns. Wood grain is popular because it’s a sure and simple way to create a softer, more organic look. It also echoes the overarching permanent shift toward sustainability. A great illustration of how wood grain sets a clean and chic modern tone is the elegant warmth of the wood grained fireplace pictured here by Smith Homes.

Faux wood tile is trending too. Since it’s water resistant it can be used in parts of the home (bathrooms, kitchens, mudrooms) where wood would be unwise. Faux wood tile is actually a ceramic that combines rich finishes of real wood with the design flexibility of tile. So the possibilities are endless. It looks amazing and is less expensive than real wood.

Over the last several years there’s also been a sharp spike in demand for custom kitchen cabinetry. More than ever home owners are craving natural-looking wood grains in their cooking and dining spaces. They’re looking for simple lines and a sense of true artisanship. Though such cabinetry can be a bit on the pricy side—fine grained woods like walnut and white oak have slowly become the cabinetry standard.

A less expensive alternative to walnut and oak is knotty wood. An excellent example of knotty cypress cabinetry is featured in the Peters House by Craig Steely Architecture (check out http://craigsteely.com/projects/peters_house). These to-die-for cabinets are crafted from reclaimed personality-rich knotty pine and are a truly gorgeous way to bring modern warmth into your home.

ADORABLE DOORS

The DIY Network calls entry doors the “portal to the soul of your house.” We couldn’t agree more. Steel entry doors are hot right now offering a sturdy heft that’s very appealing to homeowners. Copper and bronze are popular right now too. Like steel doors copper and bronze doors are super sturdy. An added feature of interest is their dynamic finish. Due to oxidation, copper and bronze doors are constantly changing in color. Fiberglass doors are becoming increasingly sought-after. Though fiberglass doors mimic the look and feel of real wood—they won’t warp in extreme conditions.

We still prefer good old wooden doors simply because they evoke woodsy warmth and character. We’ve been toying with door colors—most recently marigold, turquoise, and Kelly green. Like the orange door featured above by Cambridge-based Pinney Designs—a pithy and adorable door color can add an interesting twist to the home’s personality.   Since wooden doors can crack and fracture in extreme conditions we do advise touching up the finish every couple of years.

Wooden doors are available in wood sustainably grown and harvested by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). So the more ecologically-conscious can breathe easy.

Make an entrance!