Design Advice

When he’s not cultivating his interior-design business, 23-year-old Kevin Francis O’Gara puts his feet up in this cozy study/media room at his home in the Manchester neighborhood near Morningside-Lenox Park.

Inspired by a trip to Morocco, interior designer Chris Hutcheson designed a freestanding pavilion for her Smyrna client. “It’s the epitome of a staycation spot for entertaining but cozy enough for ‘work from home,’” says Hutcheson.

Lynn and Jimmy Lowe wanted a modern treehouse vibe for their home, which sits on a creek in the woodsy Emory area. The pros at Terracotta Design Build knocked down a wall between the family room and kitchen, then vaulted the ceiling and added new windows and doors as step one.

At least some virtual work is likely to become permanent, so it’s more important than ever to create a workspace at home. We spoke with four designers who shared tips on how you can get started.

Thanks to its eye-catching wallcovering, this workspace in Patrick and Meghan Sharp’s Serenbe house is guaranteed to spark video-conference envy.

Inspired by cabanas at beach hotels, Angela Blehm designed this custom shelter for her family’s Gainesville pool.

For obvious reasons, the last couple of years have seen a boom in home entertaining. Many Atlantans have gotten especially creative with their basements, installing bunk rooms, game tables, home gyms, wine rooms, even entire kitchens. Here, two families take different approaches to decorating their terrace levels—one going dark and cozy, the other light and bright. Both make for inviting places to hang out.

Gardens can get a bad rap in late summer—with wilting flowers and fewer blooms than in spring—but interior designer and author James Farmer added architecture and heat-tolerant plants so that his backyard excels even in August.

“I love living with different design eras,” says interior designer Laura Jenkins, whose circa-1905 Grant Park bungalow has 11-foot ceilings and original heart-pine floors to provide a great setting for her home office.