Architect Tim Adams and Designer Meredith Mahan Create Buckhead Brilliance

“The lot is wide—not very deep—and centers at the end of the road, so it has a nice approach as you come down the street,” says Adams of the sprawling Buckhead property. “Given the lack of depth, I decided to create a U-shaped house that surrounds the pool on three sides. I utilized an English-manor home vernacular but stripped down the details to lend the home to a more contemporary feel.”

One side of the house contains the main suite, the middle portion features the living room and kitchen, and the final side holds the outdoor living space. The exterior and interior architecture both reflect a clean aesthetic. Additionally, Adams incorporated lime-washed beams, simple wall materials, and sleek steel doors and windows to create a dynamic feel both day and night.

“We worked closely with the homeowners to design the inside and out,” says the architect. “The home is truly set up for entertaining, as the entry is one room deep and utilizes matching steel-door units for the front door as well as the doors to the pool courtyard.”

Once the home was under construction, the owners brought in designer Meredith Mahan of CID Design Group in Naples, Florida, to take on an extensive two-year design process that began in 2018. The family wanted to make sure the home wasn’t too stiff and formal, which is where Mahan’s keen ability to incorporate fun splashes of color came into play.

“They wanted a predominately white background with touches of black throughout, and pops of bright, happy color,” says the designer. “I’d describe it as modern, clean, inviting, comfortable, fun, colorful, timeless, cheeky, and sophisticated.”

Compelling custom features and original artworks capture attention around every corner. A series of shadowbox-framed classic romance novels painted in vivid Pantone hues decorate the foyer, and a showstopping abstract highlights the main stairwell. Black-and-white patterned tiles adorn the mudroom stairwell risers and repeat as a backsplash for a built-in bench below the stairs. A whimsical glass-enclosed keeping room dazzles the eye with a preserved moss wall and neon art, and a mesmerizing lantern wall adorns the corridor leading to the main bedroom.

“The family was my inspiration throughout the entire design process,” says Mahan. “We focused solely on them. We engaged in their taste, their style, their passions, and their habits. This is what always led the design. Every piece of furniture and fabric has a story or reason behind why it became a permanent fixture in the home.”

A commissioned piece by Atlanta-based artist Linwood decoupaged with special mementos—the children’s artwork, concert tickets, restaurant napkins— highlights the living room. Mahan finished the work in a double frame and mounted it on a black pulley system to allow it to hide the television.

“We had designed three other homes for this family over the years, but this one was going to be their forever home,” says Mahan. “It was a joy to share the experience with homeowners who enjoyed the design process as much as I did. My favorite part was having the opportunity to use color. So many people these days want to avoid it. Life is too short! Color must be used. It is meant to bring you joy and a smile.”