Press
Atlanta couple downsize to a Tudor-style home with modern lounge, spacious deck
When Jan and Glenn Kolker downsized in Brookwood Hills, they turned to interior designer Diane John to transition a Tudor home into a residence that fits their family’s casual lifestyle.
The family did away with the formal dining room — turning it into a lounge space — and tackled problem areas common in older homes, including the lack of closet space. They shifted part of the focus to entertaining outside, where the family and friends, such as their daughters’ soccer teammates, congregate for dinners on the new deck.
“One of my favorite things that we did is we added a cedar deck off the back,” Jan Kolker said. “You can access it from the kitchen, the bar that we added, and you can also access it from the family room.”
The reimagined home is on the 2019 Brookwood Hills Home Tour on April 27.
Snapshot
Residents: Glenn and Jan Kolker, and their children, Weldon and Helen, and dog, Cooper, a Maltipoo. Glenn is managing director for Cushman & Wakefield, and Jan is a real estate agent for Beacham & Company, Realtors. Weldon is a freshman at the University of Georgia and Helen is a high school senior.
Location: Atlanta’s Brookwood Hills
Size: About 3,100 square feet, three bedrooms, four-and-a-half baths
Year built/bought: 1925/2017
Architectural style: Tudor
Favorite architectural elements: Clay tiled roof, interior archways
Renovations: They finished the cellar basement with a full bath, laundry room, rear entrance, media room and exercise studio, plus storage space. The formal dining room was replaced with a casual lounge area. A locker area was replaced with a bar area featuring custom cabinets, a Blanco sink, Richelieu hardware and Kohler faucets. They added a cedar deck with a fireplace and redesigned the rear yard and driveway. They reworked the bedroom closets by capturing unused attic space, revising the master bedroom layout and incorporating a previous hall closet. Each bedroom now has custom-designed walk-in closets. New lighting was installed throughout the home. A custom barn door was added to the sunroom, which also serves as an office. The first floor powder room was updated with fixtures and lighting. The fireplace surround in the living room changed to metallic tile from Specialty Tile.
Design consultants: D. John Design, Ed Castro Landscape, Atlanta Construction King and Atlanta Custom Closets
Interior design style: California casual
Favorite outdoor elements: The cedar deck, which also has a fireplace and TV, is one of the main rooms, the family said.
Resources: Furniture from CFC, Caracole, Beau Interiors, RH, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Bernhardt Furniture Company, West Elm, Bungalow 5, Oly, Modani Furniture, Gabby, Pottery Barn, Vanguard Furniture, CB2, Pier 1, Authenteak, Hayneedle, Wayfair, Target and Smith & Hawken. Mirrors and accessories from Ballard Designs, CFC, Eskayel, Z Gallerie, One Kings Lane and CB2. Light fixtures from Regina Andrew, Circa Lighting, Noir, Stanton Home Furnishings, B.D. Jeffries, John-Richard, Wayfair, CB2, The Home Depot, Studio A, Solaria Lighting, France & Son, Shades of Light, RH and Poly & Bark. Rugs from Moda Floors & Interiors, Loloi, Surya and CB2.
Decor tip: Mix metals, such as iron, gold and nickel finishes, to add interest.
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Month: March 2018
Remodeling a Life in Atlanta, GA
Posted on March 28, 2018April 10,2018 by Pam Bruckbauer
Our client had not only recently gone though a divorce, but quite literally, had her ceiling cave in on her. Due to years of neglect, the plaster ceiling in her office completely fell, just missing her by minutes.This was exactly the impetus that she needed to change her life around. Through the process of renovating, updating, and refreshing her home, she was able to leave the past behind and step into a new phase of life with a beautiful home in which she fell back in love.Not much was left untouched in her Atlanta home, every room was redone and the construction and furnishings were all managed by our firm. What started with new ceilings resulted in a major makeover throughout the house with the end result being a colorful and spirited home that finally reflects the homeowner’s personality.
A dated family room was in dire need of a facelift.Design Process – We started with the TV and newly acquired art as our focal point and adjusted the layout for easy conversation and lounging. New lighting, comfortable furnishings and a rug were added as well as light controls for the windows.The end result is a cozy space for the family to relax and unwind.
We turned this once very beige powder room into a stunning jewel.
The kitchen was transformed by simply painting the existing cabinets and incorporating a lighter color palette. More space was created by adding a banquette to the existing island and creating a casual dining nook. this also allowed utilization of the previously un-functional table area for more cabinetry and a desk. Feminine, beautiful and functional.
Brookwood Hills Home Tour 2019
Honored to be featured in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and to be a part of the Brookwood Hills History Reimagined home tour. Loved this project and working with such fabulous clients.
