Atlanta Family’s Waterfront Retreat is a Design Lover’s Dream

Designed by Andrea McKenzie of McKenzie Custom Home Design, the home’s architectural style embodies a harmonious blend of modern, rustic, and traditional influences with a nod to the client’s love of English cottages. Custom millwork and weathered beams infuse the home with character and history. Open living spaces designed for entertaining ensure a seamless flow, and there are plenty of bedrooms to sleep friends and family—especially during summer, when the home is jam-packed with friends and loved ones.

Guided by the skilled eye and expertise of interior designer Maggie Griffin, owner of Maggie Griffin Design, the clients chose a traditional mix of hardworking upholstery fabrics, durable jute rugs that wear well, and classic brown furniture for case goods and tables. Despite struggling with the 2021 COVID delays on just about everything, Griffin’s team succeeded in getting the family into their new home by Memorial Day that same year. “There were so many reselections and unknown arrival dates for this project per the global supply chain issues,” says the designer, “but we still managed to provide items in a timely fashion and get them moved in—all in record time. It was a challenge but so very worth it to give them this dream.”

Sharing the homeowner’s vision for an elevated yet comfortable look, Griffin incorporated her favorite performance velvets on upholstered pieces, grasscloth on the walls, checks on the drapes, and florals on the pillows. She even squeezed in a mural in the dining room. “The homeowners are low-key and fun—we became friends the moment we met,” she adds. “It was a pleasure and a treat to indulge them in this process and to give them a place to make memories.”

To tame the open-concept spaces and generate warmth, Griffin used pecky cypress, stained white oak beams, a hardworking light oak floor, and traditional brown furniture to create those cozy layers that have become her signature style. The living room opens onto an open-air porch and a screened porch with a fireplace—the perfect design for a large weekend gathering. “Even on the loggia level, we used classic checks on the outdoor furniture, a mix of teak and wicker, and incorporated lots of seating for those long, lazy lake days, especially during the fall with football on every TV and friends around the tables,” she adds. “Baskets of throws, plenty of pillows on the beds, private spaces to work if need be—these are the elements that create hospitality for guests and ease of flow for the homeowners and their two tween children.”

The homeowner herself loves to collect beautiful antique plate sets, oil paintings, and anything displaying dogs or birds. Acquiring exceptional pieces while scouring eBay, Etsy, and 1stDibs—she stocked the cabinets with sets of china, silver, and pretty linens to set a beautiful Southern table. “I was happy to find a home for them in their new design,” says Griffin. “To me, pieces with history add permanence to a home, helping it not to feel so new.”

The entire family especially loves the pool area—keeping the doors wide open to the loggia-level pool deck most of the time. They spend relaxing evenings around the fire during the fall months and enjoy snuggling up on the sofas during the winter. To this day, Griffin still receives texts from the homeowners several times a year, telling her once again just how much they love the home and how grateful they are to have a place like this for their family. “It makes me so happy to hear that,” notes the designer. “They tell me that most weekends they bring their family and friends, so the house is full of love and chaos—the way it was always meant to be.”