The Magic of Renovating an Older Home: a brookhaven classic.

Blayne Macauley October 2, 2015

My favorite type of house is one that rambles. A home full of quirks and character makes it impossible to forget. Atlanta has so many old homes that you walk into and feel the love as well as the home's evolution. It's the homeowner's own "Affair with a House." They love where they live so much they did not want to tear down or move, so they just kept building. It's the best part of Atlanta's architectural evolution. I love walking around with my camera and dipping through a doorway to find a large bonus room or new master suite.

As soon as I walked into this home I knew it would be a shoot full of discoveries. The main house is historic with smaller cozy rooms, and then the master is updated and modern. The dining room is huge and looks like it used to be the kitchen, and then the current kitchen is roomy and perfect for today's lifestyle. It also allowed for a large bonus room above the kitchen, so the kids have plenty of room to play. The Brookhaven lot is perfect to build (a quiet corner), but it seems such a shame to tear down something that's been so well loved and expertly renovated.

Listed by the Skogstad-Sodemann Team at Beacham & Company, REALTORS.

Click here to see the listing. (by clicking the link you can see additional photos of secondary bedrooms and the yard as well as the bonus room)

Yong Pak and Dan Carithers Team Up To Create “Maison Des Bois,” a French Estate on over 5 acres.

Blayne Macauley September 24, 2015

This home is 5+ acres of pure French perfection. Architect Yong Pak and interior designer Dan Carithers teamed up on this masterpiece, and the result is mind blowing. The pool house is the best one I've EVER seen. There's also a massive play yard on the side with a girl's playhouse and a boy's treehouse. I hope you enjoy the photos!

Photos by Rod Collins and myself.

This home is listed by Glennis Beacham of Beacham & Company.

Simple and Timeless - lessons I learned from my engagement ring

Blayne Macauley July 30, 2015

For the majority of my life I've been a "more is more" kind of girl. Two bracelets are better than one, and three are better than two. Yes, I do need a gallery wall instead of one painting. Fringe boots and fringe purses GO TOGETHER!

I spent about 95% of my life dreaming of getting engaged. I wasn't super focused on the ring itself, but at one point I was thinking a green stone would be most suitable for me. (I'm sorry to all if you who are judging me - Ginny.) I was hoping for something different and uniquely me. I had visions of my future husband standing in front of a ring counter and finding the perfect gypsy/boho/hippie ring and thinking "that's Blayne."

Jimmy proposed to me with a family piece thats simple and timeless. Although I immediately recognized the ring's beauty, I'm not sure I though it was "my ring" right away. I put it on and showed it off and basked in the glow of everyone admiring it (duh). For a few months I thought about changing it's configuration into something I chose, but eventually I decided to just wear it for a while and see how I felt.

Honestly, it was one of the smartest decisions I've ever made. The ring is absolutely perfect for me. It's a classic three stone configuration that will never look dated and never look anything less than perfect. I've grown to adore the ring, and it's my single favorite possession. I spend a lot of time every day looking at it and thinking, "how in the world did I get a ring that was this perfect for me?" I always look at other women's rings and admire them, but at the end of the day I am so glad that my ring is mine. Every time I look at it I think, this simple and beautiful ring represents the person I am and person I want to be in 50 years. So even if I still wear fringe on fringe on fringe and throw colorful throw pillows around like mad, I can always look at my hand and remind myself not to go overboard. It's a journey people...

Which leads me into the most PERFECT segue into this house. Yes. I planned it. It came to me in the shower, like all my best ideas.

This is the house version of my ring. It's just enough without being too much. It knows when to stop. There aren't rugs in every room. It's gives spaces a chance to breathe. Sometimes a single piece of art is the only statement the room needs to make. Being in the house made me feel so calm. There was not a bunch of stuff cluttering the spaces, and there was room to think and be. I could have stayed there forever.