"Designing this home was an easy ‘yes,’ ” says Atlanta-based interior designer Kay Douglass. The owners, Billy and Juli Bauman, were longtime clients of Douglass’ former showroom, South of Market, and share her appreciation for art and antiques. That aligned perspective helped shape the residence’s layered and collected feel, though the process required a level of restraint. “The hardest part about this project was waiting patiently for the right pieces to come along,” the designer notes.
The condo, built in the 1990s, had been given a “dark and moody” treatment—the antithesis of the couple’s style. “We needed to lighten and brighten everything,” Douglass recalls. “The existing floor plan also wasn’t the best use of space, so we approached the unit as a blank slate,” architect Thomas Davis adds. Working together, the design team had the herringbone floors refinished, added a powder room, redesigned the kitchen with a pantry for Juli’s collection of blue-and-white ceramics, and crafted new decorative moldings throughout the home. As the architect describes, “It was a pretty big transformation.”
Home Details
Architecture:
Thomas Davis, Thomas Davis Architect
Interior Design:
Kay Douglass, Kay Douglass Interiors
The foyer of an Atlanta condo hints at “the color feast to come,” designer Kay Douglass says. An Artemide light from Lumens shines above a table from CB2. In the corner sits Ron Arad’s imaginative Clover chair.
The living room’s vintage acrylic chairs from The Gallery at 200 Lex complement the crystal-and-acrylic coffee table from Huff Harrington. The homeowners found the antique column at Douglass’ former showroom years prior. The gold-leaf ceiling fixtures were sourced in France.
A Christian Lacroix wallpaper from Designers Guild lines the powder room. The marble, as throughout the home, is from Creative Stone, and the sink and faucet are Waterworks.
Keystone Millworks cabinetry anchors the kitchen, alongside a faucet by Waterworks and the wood floor from Wesley Custom Flooring. CB2 barstools pull up to the island below a chandelier from Visual Comfort & Co.
A painting by Kit Reuther rests atop the bar, against wall tile from Ciot. The table came from South of Market, and the vinyl stools are Douglass’ design. The hardware is from Matthew Quinn Collection.
A Verellen chaise in the primary bedroom “adds to the European feel of the home,” describes the designer, who composed the lilac-hued upholstered bench. The hide rug is from Moattar. A painting by Yvonne Robert enlivens the space.
The primary bathroom cabinetry is also by Keystone Millworks. The Waterworks faucet gleams alongside hardware from Matthew Quinn Collection.
Though the Baumans (he works in real estate, she co-owns the Atlanta jewelry store Tassels) were downsizing, they brought several pieces with them, including the living room’s pendant lights and an antique column purchased from Douglass’ showroom, much to her delight. “This home is modern but with traditional infusions,” the designer explains. From the foyer—an all-white space punctuated by a colorful dot painting—a central hallway leads to the reception rooms. Rather than leave it a simple pass-through, the designer gave the corridor purpose by adding lilac-hued benches and drinks tables so it can double as an entertaining area during cocktail parties. “We pulled a lot of colors from the artworks,” Douglass adds. In the powder room, a butterfly wallpaper unifies the palette; its motif carries personal meaning as well, reminding Juli of her sister and her love of butterflies.
Vibrant accents continue in the living room, where a pair of 1970s pretzel chairs upholstered in purple velvet led the design. “But we also needed a little neutrality,” says Douglass, referencing the camel-toned sofa and gunmetal table that ground the area. Flanked by a dining room on one side and the cozy kitchen on the other, she divided the generous space into multiple seating arrangements. “If I have a large room, I like to give it a hotel lobby feel,” she notes. The opposite end was transformed into a bar with faceted stools and sunburst-shaped hardware—a nod to Juli’s love of jewelry. And while the adjacent study often hosts football gatherings, its walls are painted the palest pink. “It reads like a neutral,” the designer says, “but we masculinized it a bit more with green velvet chairs.”
In the couple’s bedroom, a vibrant piece of art by Yvonne Robert served as the starting point for the furnishings and finishes. “I saw that painting at The George Gallery in Charleston—it’s big, but it just fit and it’s wonderful,” Douglass muses. To balance its impact, she added soft, cloud-like daybeds by the windows and a lilac-colored bench that echoes those in the hall. She also reimagined their bathroom, cladding it in a luxurious natural stone. The interplay of bold art and soft forms brings balance to the space, resulting in a suite that feels equally dynamic and serene.
“We were able to do some magical things in this home,” Douglass reflects while calling out what might be its most uplifting quality. “Color can bring a lot of happiness, and this home definitely has the happy factor.”
A Christian Lacroix wallpaper from Designers Guild lines the powder room. The marble, as throughout the home, is from Creative Stone, and the sink and faucet are Waterworks.