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.
![20151208_113019 2015-12-08 artist-architect house design Amy Landsberg modern vernacular house](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5692/23316892490_32e4f19df0_c.jpg)
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.
![20160114_160242](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1462/23754488554_1621107cc8_c.jpg)
This is
Christopher Leerssen's RTown Lane in Reynoldstown. Is there a more appropriate and fun infill development in Atlanta? Go see.
![20160114_160131](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1537/23755866523_166005a2d8_c.jpg)
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.
![20151231_162033](https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5754/24091622515_54b4bee564_c.jpg)
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."
![20151231_161917](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1595/23723795599_f555864ef1_c.jpg)
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.
![IMG_0012 2016-01-01 McAlpine on Polo 90 POLO DRIVE NE](https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1635/23635036164_dbfe60095d_c.jpg)
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?