SCULLERY KITCHEN GLOW UP: SOUTHEASTERN DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE 2022
A few months ago we were asked to design the scullery kitchen for the Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles Magazine’s annual Spring Southeastern Designer Showhouse.
The home was under construction when we came onboard. It’s a custom built 9300 square foot home inspired by vacation properties in Massachusetts’ Cape Cod and Wyoming’s Jackson Hole. The build ensemble involved a collaboration between the female dream team of Linda MacArthur Architect, builder EverCraft LLC, Kit Castaldo Design and Floralis Garden Design and consists of 5 bedrooms and 7 baths located in the Kingswood neighborhood of Buckhead in Atlanta, GA.
Details and more.
We got to work on our design for this showhouse right away and tapped into the history of scullery kitchens from the Victorian era. We are also history buffs - fiction and real. So knowing we were doing the scullery kitchen, pantry and bar, we wanted to honor the ancestors who often labored in them. We were equally fascinated by stories about Black Victorian era women who may have had their own scullery. The history is deep and often untold. Also, because we understood that the general design of the house would reference cape cod architecture, we leaned into and knew we wanted to reference water and life by the sea. So we were thrilled to discover K Crook Designs beautiful work with Statement Oysters®️. So we asked Katelyn if she could collaborate with us to create an artful moment with the oysters. And she absolutely made it happen.
Going back to the water element, we partnered with Thibaut Design for a fun moment with their Ebru wallpaper in a blue colorway that gives the walls some movement and incorporates the cabinet color that was pre-chosen by the build team’s Spec Designer. The color is called “Blue Dragon” by Benjamin Moore. We couldn’t have chosen a better wall covering because it gave the room its own personality and made the walls a standout and not just an artistic foil to the cabinetry.
We brought balance to our space and grounded it with runners from our partner Annie Selke. We used their Kuba Black Woven Jute Rug and Runner and we absolutely fell in love with the quality and visual impact they made in the space. We also commissioned some pottery carved with African tribal motifs specifically for the space from Tire City Potters out of Augusta, GA..
And we took some direction from the adjacent pool room’s black cabinetry and brought in fictional historical narratives with Harlem Toile’s black and white toile fabric in the form of cafe curtains for the large window in the space. We partnered with Fabricut on the Harlem Toile Fabric and the S. Harris Whitiki Onyx Desert trim that is from the Orejen Collection collaboration with the Black Artists and Designers Guild (BADG).
We used yellow tulips as our pop of color and also brought in some pottery from Pottery By Osa and complemented the overall scheme with a place to sit in the form of an intricately woven rattan stool.
The oyster art turned out better than we could have ever hoped and featured mostly Victorian era women some known, but many others not. I also included a picture of my mother in a fancy outfit and hat from what appears to be sometime in the 70s. I was happy she could be there in spirit to see the space Which I know she would have loved. I was asked if these women - all 20 of them - were my ancestors and I initially said no because they are not blood relations, save one that I know of. However, after further reflection I suppose they are in a way. They came before me and paved the way with their sweat, blood, tears, and sacrifices so that I can be apart of designing these grand houses, which for the most part they wouldn’t have had the ability to be in. So I honor them and the path forward. My mom, now an ancestor herself is is on that wall shining proudly.
This is the last weekend the showhouse will be open so if you are in Atlanta be sure to grab a ticket. There are many details I couldn’t include in the blog. So many designers put their heart and soul into making the home beautiful and the build team did an amazing job on the build, finishes and grounds. It’s a must see. Thank you to all of our partners and supporters during this process. It’s our first showhouse and it truly takes a village. We couldn’t have made it happen without you.
Proceeds for the showhouse go towards a very worthy cause - Camp Twin Lakes this year.
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***** Most of the custom pottery in our space is available for purchase. Please email us at inquiries@joyfuldesignsstudio.com to inquire.