Text: Jeanne de Lathouder
Photo: Jean Allsopp
Melanie and Stephen Schoen’s home wears Christmas greens well. With classic dormer windows dressed in fresh wreaths topped with red bows and lit garland draped between a columned front porch, their holiday tableau transforms into a magical nighttime scene, casting a luminous glow across the hushed pastoral landscape. Positioned beside the polo fields of Vinings, just west of Atlanta’s vibrant Buckhead neighborhood, a quaint gravel road winds alongside the property, and horses graze the surrounding grounds. “I love the peaceful serenity of our outdoor spaces,” says Stephen. “After my morning walk and devotional time, I often sit in silence on the back porch with a cup of coffee, taking in all the beauty.”
Sprawling nearly 10,000 square feet, the newly built home nestles comfortably into its environment, making guests feel as if they’ve arrived at a Virginia horse farm. “We wanted it to appear natural and in keeping with the land,” says Tim Adams, owner of T.S. Adams Studio Architects in Atlanta, “so we took great care in how the house was situated on the property and managed the existing topography. Rather than just build up a mound, we sculpted the land to preserve the setting—winding the drive and leaving the existing trees where possible.”
The shingle-style home emanates a relaxed aesthetic with elevated yet casual details. An open floor plan connects the rooms visually while projecting their own identity with columns and ceiling height changes defining the family living spaces and kitchen area. Additionally, Adams incorporated arches between the entry and family rooms and between the dining and family rooms, emphasizing the visual relationships yet separating the areas. “We love our large open floor plan with the kitchen and great room flowing from one space,” says Melanie. “We love to cook with our large family and have everyone gathered around the island and in the great room watching a football game or playing with the grandkids.”
Collaborating with Atlanta interior designer Mary McWillams, Adams fine-tuned architectural elements, including millwork, ceiling beams, wall materials, and flooring selections. They chose slate roofing, weathered granite, cedar shingles, copper accents, white rail fencing, and gas lanterns to achieve a sense of age while emitting a light and airy aesthetic. “I absolutely adore a house with lots of trim,” says McWilliams, owner of Mary Mac & Company and known to all as Mary Mac. “You gain instant character with wood detailing, and Tim Adams did a masterful job executing the look and feel of a home that appears as if it’s been here for a long time.”
The interior furnishings required durability, comfort, and beauty for this family and their five grown children. In sync with the couple’s style preferences after previously designing five homes for them in various states and destinations, McWilliams’s design approach has become seamless. Blue and green hues—the couple’s favorite colors—weave throughout the home, along with signature antiques and cherished pieces from Stephen’s mother, who was an avid collector of French and English antiques. While construction was underway, McWilliams accompanied her clients on treasure hunts, scouring the markets for lighting and unexpected finds. “I always take a timeless and classic approach to design,” says the designer. “I love to make investments for my clients, not just purchases. I want them to love their new home for a long time to come.”
The Schoens’ picturesque home creates a dreamy backdrop for holiday decorating, one of the couple’s most beloved traditions. So, when the holiday season sets in, the Schoens enlist their interior designer plus floral designer Mary Delia Poynter to deck their halls in grand style, from top to bottom. The owner of Mary Delia Designs, with a storefront in Buckhead at Lucy’s Market, Poynter and her incredibly talented team spend most of the year creating fabulous grab-and-go displays and custom floral arrangements for their clientele. But in late November, they hang up their floral snips, grab their coats, and put on their elf hats for the busiest three weeks of the year.
“While it’s a crazy month, my team loves bringing Christmas joy and beauty to their clients’ homes,” Poynter says. “The Schoens’ gorgeous collection of ornaments, trees, and seasonal décor offers us the opportunity to personalize their home for the holidays—adding fresh mixed greenery, magnolia, pine cones, garlands, and wreaths.” The wow factor crescendos with a fully bedecked Fraser fir in the great room’s custom bay window, an architectural feature strategically designed with a massive tree in mind.
“We always say the Schoen home at Christmastime looks like a Hallmark greeting card,” McWilliams says. “Their holiday décor has evolved for more than a decade, and Melanie and Stephen embrace this season with their family—it’s an impactful time for being together.”
“On install days, Melanie can be found at the top of a ladder collaborating with the decorating team,” adds Poynter. “It’s so much fun! The Schoens are incredibly gracious and welcoming, which sets the stage for us to do our best work. They are a dream client—a Christmas joy every year!”
