Atlanta is building houses to beat the band. Our finest architects, designers, and builders are producing amazing work. But most are huge. I love them but I rarely fall in love with them.
But I get crushes on small'ish houses. Here are four though one is not so small.
1. I saw this Amy Landsberg design while poking around Decatur.
I slammed on the brakes and called Amy from the car. An artist / architect / lecturer designing a house is my kind of thing.
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I believe you can have your cake and eat it too: You can fit in style-wise and scale-wise AND be "modern." Give me sloped roof lines, a hint of gables, a corrugated metal roof, divided light windows, narrow clapboard siding, and throw in the old chimney, and if the detailing are right, I'll probably fall in love. Throw in saw-tooth clerestory windows? I'm so there.
Look: no corner boards, skinny rafter tails, why doesn't the front door have a transom like the windows, details, details.
What are those bottoms up shade things in the windows? They ward off the blackout-windows look.
2. On to Reynoldstown, not an architectural destination for many yet it's a beloved spot for the Architecture Tourist.
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This is
Christopher Leerssen's RTown Lane in Reynoldstown. Is there a more appropriate and fun infill development in Atlanta? Go see.
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There are bigger units, smaller units, units that live-work, units with mother-in-law suites. There's an alley. The last two units are queued up for construction. Sold out in a hurry. Some sold before construction. More of these please.
3. The Cheshire Bridge O&I / Skin district really needs Manchester.
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This is
Manchester by Hedgewood where the Habersham Gardens retails store used to be, next to Futo's on Cheshire Bridge.
"
Lew Oliver worked with us on the Manchester project and has designed much of our architecture over the past 30 years."
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Detached harmony in human scale by Hedgewood.
4. There is a high end a design war in Ansley Park where there's no protection. Smallish lots put them close the curb so it's a spectator sport.
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On Polo by
Bobby McAlpine. This is as close to the curb as you'll see a "Bobby." It's not small but it seems small'sh. It has 11 foot ceilings but the roof slope and through-the-eave dormers conceal the height so it fits in in size-wise. It's a spec house, it can be yours but it's not cheap. Call
The Getzinger Group.
I'll bet you have crushes too. I've love to see them?