Part 2, Leaving Villa

After my last blog about leaving Villa I was surprised at the response I received from friends, family, and people I’ve never met before. Thank you all for your interest! So here is my latest chapter in our new lifestyle.

The next phase of our new home consisted of Bryan and I figuring out how we would actually use our home. As with most people, our lives and entertaining have become more relaxed. (Notice I didn’t say casual. I hate that word, it’s synonymous with sloppy or lazy – two things I am not.)

I wanted our new space to feel sexy and glamorous with an ease to it. I got to thinking – how would stars of yester-year like Cary Grant, Audrey Hepburn, or Fred Astaire live now? And that’s when I was truly inspired. Style and comfort, never one without the other!

But, nothing was to obstruct or detract from our amazing views of Buckhead and downtown. Living in our new place is like being in an aquarium. Watching the world go by, both day and night, and watching the rapidly changing weather can become addictive.

My color palette was a complete opposite reaction to the Mediterranean colors that filled our last home. Gone were the azure blue, coral, terra cotta. Our new urban life would be colored with ivory, mushroom, and dark coffee, or, when translated into Benjamin Moore paint wheel terms, Ivory White, Black Magic, and a warm Rockport Gray. Pops of color will be provided by furniture, art and fabrics.

Our furnishings would be quiet and covered in luxurious fabrics that didn’t scream look at me but rather sit on me or touch me. The lines of our new sofa, end tables, lamps, would be clean and simple. Not modern, but a classic style with nods to Art Deco and Biedermeier.

We brought with us a pair of Arca chests from Baker Furniture. Not only do they meet the criteria of clean and simple, but their hardware exemplifies the art deco inspired interiors of ships like the Normandy.

Surprisingly, after making our furniture decisions, I noticed that most of what we kept we had prior to moving into Villa. Biedermeier dining chairs, and two lounge chairs in the art deco style, and our enormous coffee table from previous homes and inspired by things I had seen in old movies. And, we kept most of our art which was always based in classic architecture. It’s a short list, I admit. Moving day was simple. Everything else either stayed with the new owner of Villa or found new homes.

I’ve got much more to say about this move.  Next time, we will explore the fun new stuff I found for our new home.

Thanks for reading.

Bill