Opposing design philosophies can sometimes clash, but in the right hands, they lead to remarkable results. Homeowners Aaron Wilson and Tommy Chapman embraced this dynamic when assembling the design team for their new abode in Atlanta’s historic Ansley Park. Within a neighborhood renowned for its eclectic architecture, they sought a contemporary residence with classic bones—one that would reflect their modern lifestyle while honoring the traditional context of their surroundings.
The couple called on late residential designer Frank Neely to strike this delicate balance. Although he passed away mere months before the project’s completion, Neely’s lasting mark on the structure is indelible. From the beginning, “Frank understood my goal of blending a modern aesthetic with Ansley Park’s historic charm,” Aaron notes. “He also embraced my desire to pack as many features into this house as possible.” Following Neely’s passing, a pair of his associates, residential designers Christian Reed and Todd Pullen, took the project over the finish line. “It’s a monumental home,” Reed shares, “and a wonderful testament to Neely’s style.”
The long, slender lot faces three parks, presenting picturesque views but ample design challenges. Fortunately, Neely enlisted Jim Sculac—a general contractor he had collaborated with for 20 years—to minimize obstacles for this intricate build. Sculac brought an arsenal of solutions to the bespoke home, including corner pocket doors and a rooftop rainwater collection system. “This entire house threaded the needle; we couldn’t have fit another square inch on that lot,” Pullen comments.
Home Details
Architecture:
Todd Pullen and Christian Reed, Pullen & Reed
Interior Design:
Tim Hobby, HA Modern
Home Builder:
Jim Sculac, Sculac Homes Inc.
Landscape Architecture:
John Howard, Howard Design Studio
Considering the property’s narrow proportions and strict setbacks, every design choice needed to be strategic. “My goal was to ensure that everywhere you looked, there was something special to see,” Aaron says. Fortunately, designer Tim Hobby knew exactly how to deliver on that brief. He came to the project armed with a deep understanding of the owners—having called them friends for decades and completed homes for them in multiple cities. Aiming to infuse their Ansley Park abode with warmth and levity, he helped source a wealth of unique artworks and commissioned a sculptural chandelier to crown the living room. The fixture evokes falling leaves or birds in flight, drawing the eye downward from a custom golden canopy. “It envelops you in light,” Hobby observes.
For Aaron, a three-dimensional feature wall was nonnegotiable—and it became the anchor point around which all other elements revolved. Early in the project, Hobby, Neely and the couple traveled to Verona, Italy, to source stones that would meet Aaron’s expectations. They landed on Dedalus, a striking specimen with rich black, blue and green veining. Hobby leveraged the material to customize the ridged, book-matched statement wall in the double-height living room. “As you walk by, you get this incredible optical illusion of movement,” Aaron describes.
To counterbalance the room’s dramatic stone, Hobby introduced tactile upholstery in bouclé, mohair and nubuck leather, complemented by wool-and-cashmere draperies. Lacquered brass and bronze accents layer in elegant patina.
The living room’s custom version of Ochre’s Moonlight Murmuration installation from R Hughes includes a brass canopy and resembles birds in flight. A Raphael Navot lamp for Charles Paris and a tabletop glass sculpture by Nathalie Ziegler provide artful accents.
Book-matched slabs of Dedalus marble were transformed into a ridged feature wall by Antolini. A coordinating Keel coffee table, Roger sofa and wool rug—all by Minotti—join a Natasha Baradaran swivel chair. The lacquered brass stair railing was fabricated by Mill & Forge.
The living room’s custom version of Ochre’s Moonlight Murmuration installation from R Hughes includes a brass canopy and resembles birds in flight. A Raphael Navot lamp for Charles Paris and a tabletop glass sculpture by Nathalie Ziegler provide artful accents.
Composing the dining room are Emmemobili furnishings—including the brand’s Evolution sideboard, UFO table and carved boiserie panels. Holly Hunt chairs from Jim Thompson and Todd Merrill Studio sconces complete the scene.
Crytos quartzite from Ciot forms both the vanity and backsplash wall of the subterranean sauna bathroom. A pair of Powell & Bonnell sconces from R Hughes illuminates the Élitis Paradisio wallcovering, which frames an infrared sauna from Atlanta Spa & Leisure.
Agorà boiserie by Emmemobili panels the primary bedroom. Holland & Sherry textiles dress the Giorgetti bed beneath Jane Hallworth’s Andromeda Constellation fixture from R Hughes. A Romain Langlois bronze sculpture resides near a rug from Moattar as Ciot-sourced Sahara Noir Lux marble clads the fireplace.
An indoor infinity pool with a hot tub by Neptune Pools links the main volume to the pool house. At right, a hand-carved granite wall by Antolini lends texture, while Bianco Lasa Covelano Vena Oro marble flooring meets a retractable Euro-Wall system—revealing green spaces by landscape architect John Howard.
A similar juxtaposition of materials continues into the dining room, where a Nero Marquina marble fireplace, solid cast-bronze dining table and sculptural sconces pop against alternating panels of intricate Italian boiserie. The hand-carved wooden embellishments, arranged in a deconstructed pattern, add a modern playfulness.
The primary bedroom also benefits from boiserie, albeit in a sleeker application. For each room, precision was paramount: Reed measured both to the millimeter before artisans in Italy spent 18 months crafting the panels. The two batches of boiserie filled an entire 40-foot-long shipping container—underscoring this home’s delicate logistical complexities. “This project was a constant dialogue with so many minds and talents involved,” Reed recalls.
Material precision is also apparent in the indoor swimming pool, framed by gray-veined stone and folding doors that open onto manicured outdoor living spaces by landscape architect John Howard. The synthetic turf lawn is edged using the same marble as the terrace and pool deck, ensuring a cohesive connection to the exterior. Oakleaf holly shrubs, trimmed into structured hedges, further define the pool garden. “They’re clipped above head height for privacy but allow distant views into the majestic tree canopy of the adjacent city park,” notes Howard, whose minimalist design in varied shades of green provides the backdrop to urn-capped limestone piers filled with seasonal flora.
While the residence became something of a magnum opus for Neely, it held special significance for every member of the design team as well. “Creating freely with my clients’ trust was incredibly rewarding,” Hobby comments. “With this house, there were no real limitations—only opportunities.”
Agorà boiserie by Emmemobili panels the primary bedroom. Holland & Sherry textiles dress the Giorgetti bed beneath Jane Hallworth’s Andromeda Constellation fixture from R Hughes. A Romain Langlois bronze sculpture resides near a rug from Moattar as Ciot-sourced Sahara Noir Lux marble clads the fireplace.