This charming home on Buckhead’s famed Habersham Road was inspired by the pastoral country homes of Normandy.
“Not one detail was overlooked,” says Courtney Downs of her French country-inspired home. Located in the heart of Buckhead, the Habersham Road house was a labor of love for the late interior designer Peggy Stone and her son, architect Duane Stone, that spanned more than 20 years.
After purchasing the lot in the mid-1980s, Peggy and her husband, Norman, sat on the property for nearly two decades. Finally, inspired by a masterful 18th-century French oak armoire, Peggy, with the help of her son, broke ground in 2002. “In its early stage, the house was a much more formal French house,” Duane explains of the design. “However, as her taste evolved and became less formal so did the house.”
At completion, a classic French country home that seamlessly blended Peggy’s growing collection of antiques and unique design aesthetic with Duane’s architectural style was revealed. “Growing up around design made the marriage of architecture and interior design almost intuitive,” explains Duane. “For a project to be truly successful, it requires beautiful architecture, well-designed interiors and also great landscaping. One cannot exist without the other or the whole of the design is not complete,” he adds.
The resulting masterpiece, which was featured in Veranda’s April 2011 article “Continental Charm,” was a labor of love for both mother and son. “The intent was to create a house that lived on past my parents and would become a beautiful setting for the future owners,” says Duane. “Careful attention was given to each space so that the placements of furniture would be effortless both for my mother and for future homeowners.”
For Downs, who moved in in 2012, it was that impeccable attention to detail that drew her to the home. “We just loved the home,” she says, “its French Normandy-style exterior, the very high quality craftsmanship and materials used, and Peggy Stone’s incredible attention to detail.” Although her style tends toward the more traditional, Downs attests that her decor blends beautifully with the original design features, including standouts such as the miniature antique Delft tiles imbedded in the reclaimed terra cotta floor at the back entrance, the 17th-century walnut mantle in the keeping area of the kitchen, the painted ceiling in the library, the starburst floor pattern in the octagonal entry hall and the ironwork on the floating staircase.
When asked to describe the home, Downs again points to the remarkable craftsmanship and the exquisite design details. “I never stop noticing the incredible detail in this home and feeling the love and excitements that the Stones felt building Peggy’s final and ultimate work. We have often felt like we have been looking after Peggy’s home,” she explains. Now on the market for only the second time, Downs is ready to pass the patronage of “Peggy’s home” onto its new owner.
This home is for sale! To see the listing with more photos, CLICK HERE
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