Design Advice

Karla Aberdavis and her family pine for the ’50s and ’60s, when they believe good design was at its peak. Their style, a retro mashup that’s part practicality and part kitschy glam, touches every aspect of their lives, from furniture and clothes to music and kitchenware in their 1964 Stone Mountain ranch. For more of their throwback lifestyle, visit Karla’s Instagram, @mintkarla, where she has more than 200,000 followers.

Look around: Many of today’s stylish kitchens have swapped out upper cabinets for open shelving. But is it for you? We asked designer Lori May of Lori May Interiors, who’s created an open shelf or two herself, for the pros and cons of the trend.

While planning her family’s new house in Serenbe, yoga instructor Jeny Mathis dreamed up an in-ground labyrinth and yoga studio as the heart of the backyard design, for aesthetics and spiritual and physical wellness. She uses the space for personal respite as well as a setting for her business, Zoetic, which offers yoga, meditation classes, and retreats.

Matthew Quinn, co-owner and principal/designer of ADAC’s Design Galleria Kitchen and Bath Studio, has built an international reputation—winning virtually every industry award. We wanted to find out more about this hometown superstar, so we tracked him down for some serious and not-so-serious questions.

The interior designer’s challenge is to translate these same elements into the design of a home—and, like Chanel, to do it simply, straightforwardly, and without gimmicks. Let me show you how I apply these elements to both fashion and interiors.

No green thumb? Master gardener? There are houseplants for everyone. From bold foliage patterns to macrame hangers, the design world is inspiring us to embrace our inner gardener. Every room needs a touch of something organic—even the most minimalist spaces.

As we throw open the curtain of summer, your bed should be high priority on your list of seasonal switch-outs. However, bedding and all its many layers can be tricky. What makes a comfortable (and chic) summer sleep? Here’s what the experts say—and where to find the goods.

The Druid Hills house where interior designer Susan Ferrier lives with her husband, Adrian, was described in her new book as a “portrait of an artist and a bit of a sorceress’s cave.”

All one color is my signature look,” says interior designer Jimmy Stanton, owner of Stanton Home Furnishings on the Westside and in Virginia-Highland. Taking a cue from the white facade of his circa-1851 estate in Madison, Georgia, Stanton extended the color scheme (or lack thereof) to his remodeled garage turned pool house, which sports a modern-rustic vibe.

HGTV's "Cousins" Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri visit Atlanta to talk about their new reality show, "America's Most Desperate Kitchens."