Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Greek Revival Meets Southern Hospitality
A design-build firm crafts a cozy new home that feels like it’s been there for years
Downtown Alpharetta, Georgia, has become a happening hot spot full of shops and restaurants. This family, a couple and their two teenage daughters, lived somewhat close by but longed to be within walking distance. So when a lot opened up on a nice street, they jumped at the chance to build their dream house.
Jennifer Holle of Ecraft, a design-build firm, managed the project and worked closely with the wife from the beginning of the design project. “She had a vision of a home that would look like it had been there for a long time and evolved over the years,” the designer says. “She had a great idea of what she wanted — a home that would nod to Greek Revival style and a traditional Southern home.”
Jennifer Holle of Ecraft, a design-build firm, managed the project and worked closely with the wife from the beginning of the design project. “She had a vision of a home that would look like it had been there for a long time and evolved over the years,” the designer says. “She had a great idea of what she wanted — a home that would nod to Greek Revival style and a traditional Southern home.”
A custom newel post and an oversize faceted pendant light make a strong first impression in the entry. So does the shadowbox millwork that lines the staircase. The flooring is engineered white oak hardwood.
“Our client had the vision for the front door,” Holle says. “It’s solid, but the transom and sidelights fill the space with natural light.”
Wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore
Browse lighting in the Houzz Shop
“Our client had the vision for the front door,” Holle says. “It’s solid, but the transom and sidelights fill the space with natural light.”
Wall paint: Simply White, Benjamin Moore
Browse lighting in the Houzz Shop
This room is directly off the front hallway. “My client is a musician and always knew this would be designated as a music room,” Holle says. “She also knew she wanted to bring this mirror from her last house. We reworked the size of the windows to accommodate it.”
The opening on the left side of the room leads to the butler’s pantry-beverage bar located off the kitchen.
Shop for a rug
The opening on the left side of the room leads to the butler’s pantry-beverage bar located off the kitchen.
Shop for a rug
The music room is a dark and moody contrast to the light and bright foyer. The walls and ceiling are painted Benjamin Moore’s Narragansett Green. However, the windows, mirror and rug bring in a nice amount of light.
The table makes the room a fun spot to play games. The seating is a mix of a banquette and a modern take on Greek klismos chairs.
The table makes the room a fun spot to play games. The seating is a mix of a banquette and a modern take on Greek klismos chairs.
The front hallway leads to the family room, located along the back of the house. “We needed to make the most of the space, especially when it came to storage,” Holle says. “In here, it was also important to my client that the room was not centered around the TV.”
Beautiful white oak built-ins meet these needs. The built-ins have cabinets on the bottom for storing things like games, photo albums and media equipment, while the shelves above provide space for displaying favorite objects. A Frame TV fits right in with the framed artwork.
The limestone fireplace provides a focal point. Wood box beams tie the ceiling into the built-ins.
Cast fireplace surround: Artistic Artisans
Beautiful white oak built-ins meet these needs. The built-ins have cabinets on the bottom for storing things like games, photo albums and media equipment, while the shelves above provide space for displaying favorite objects. A Frame TV fits right in with the framed artwork.
The limestone fireplace provides a focal point. Wood box beams tie the ceiling into the built-ins.
Cast fireplace surround: Artistic Artisans
The main floor has 10-foot ceilings. Hanging the window treatments from rods placed close to the ceiling emphasizes that height. The double French doors lead out to the backyard’s covered patio and pool. The rug has a Greek key pattern.
Because the kitchen is open to the family room, it needed a sophisticated look. A long island with oversize pendant lights creates a beautiful transition between the two spaces. To the left of the island is the dining room.
The island has plenty of room for the whole family to sit comfortably and provides prep space across from the range. It contains the sink, dishwasher, microwave drawer and recycling bins.
The island has plenty of room for the whole family to sit comfortably and provides prep space across from the range. It contains the sink, dishwasher, microwave drawer and recycling bins.
The beautiful range area creates a focal point in the room, framed by the pendant lights and two windows on either side. “My client really wanted a niche within the range backsplash,” Holle says. “This was tricky because we needed space behind it for the pot filler’s plumbing and insulation. We wound up doubling the thickness of that wall, which added really nice depth around the windows.”
The perimeter countertops and backsplash are soapstone. “This material patinas, and using it was a very organic way to make the house feel as though it had been here a long time,” Holle says. The island countertop is Dolomite.
Separate panel-front refrigerator and freezer columns (not pictured) are to the right of the island. The pocket door on the left leads to a mudroom and side entry.
The perimeter countertops and backsplash are soapstone. “This material patinas, and using it was a very organic way to make the house feel as though it had been here a long time,” Holle says. The island countertop is Dolomite.
Separate panel-front refrigerator and freezer columns (not pictured) are to the right of the island. The pocket door on the left leads to a mudroom and side entry.
The family’s dog Ruby is posing in front of the mudroom entry, which is located off the driveway. While it’s a more casual entry than the front entry, it also has a few formal Greek Revival details, including the Doric column and the pediment.
This light-filled space off the kitchen is small enough to feel like a cozy breakfast nook and large enough to seat six for formal dining. The round table, the chair silhouettes, the chandelier and the buffet balance curves against all the straight lines of the architecture.
“This room is so beautiful because of the light and the views to the backyard,” Holle says. “It really blurs the lines between indoors and out.”
“This room is so beautiful because of the light and the views to the backyard,” Holle says. “It really blurs the lines between indoors and out.”
At the back of the house, the family room is through the large French doors and the breakfast room is on the left.
To maintain a clean and clutter-free look in the kitchen, Holle designed a hardworking butler’s pantry. It includes prep space, a bar sink and a beverage fridge.
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Find a local cabinetmaker
The soapstone countertops continue in here, while the gray cabinets and trim provide some contrast. The backsplash is antiqued mirror. “This is a utilitarian space,” Holle says.
However, even the most utilitarian of spaces in this house are also beautiful. The backsplash, mesh grilles in the upper cabinets and brass hardware lend an elevated feel.
However, even the most utilitarian of spaces in this house are also beautiful. The backsplash, mesh grilles in the upper cabinets and brass hardware lend an elevated feel.
The food pantry is opposite the window in the butler’s pantry. “I think it’s important to have counter space in a pantry like this,” Holle says. “It’s really helpful when unloading groceries.”
This is another very pretty utilitarian spot thanks to the skirt that covers open storage, the V-groove paneling and the French doors. The doors are adorned with cremone bolt hardware. A vertical rod extends from the top of the door to the bottom, and when the doorknob is turned, the rod extends into the floor to fasten the doors shut. “I like to use these in special places,” Holle says. “There’s a little more involved in the installation, but it’s worth it.”
This is another very pretty utilitarian spot thanks to the skirt that covers open storage, the V-groove paneling and the French doors. The doors are adorned with cremone bolt hardware. A vertical rod extends from the top of the door to the bottom, and when the doorknob is turned, the rod extends into the floor to fasten the doors shut. “I like to use these in special places,” Holle says. “There’s a little more involved in the installation, but it’s worth it.”
The powder room is dark and moody. A mercury glass pendant light plays off the textured silvery-gray wallcovering.
“We found an antique dresser and zhuzhed it into a vanity,” Holle says. The repurposed dresser and its new marble countertop help give a sense of age to the home.
“We found an antique dresser and zhuzhed it into a vanity,” Holle says. The repurposed dresser and its new marble countertop help give a sense of age to the home.
“We spend so much time in the laundry room that it should be beautiful as well as functional,” Holle says. “We installed custom cabinets, a soapstone countertop and beautiful wallpaper in here. My client knew she wanted wallpaper in the house. It adds so much to a space.”
As for the functional parts, there’s a sink for handwashing, a drying rod, cubbies for laundry baskets and a folding counter atop the washer and dryer.
Wallpaper: Arcadia Woodland by Bunny Williams for Lee Jofa
As for the functional parts, there’s a sink for handwashing, a drying rod, cubbies for laundry baskets and a folding counter atop the washer and dryer.
Wallpaper: Arcadia Woodland by Bunny Williams for Lee Jofa
The primary suite is located on the first floor and has a light and airy feel. A large chandelier fits the scale of the high ceilings and makes the room feel cozy.
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Check out our beginner’s guide to get started on your home project
“The primary suite has a large closet, but my clients decided that the wife would have it all to herself,” Holle says. “This meant we had to create closet storage for him.” The center doors conceal a TV, but the rest of this wall is filled with built-in storage for the husband.
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See why you should hire a professional who uses Houzz Pro software
“Our clients’ main concern in the primary bathroom was having ample storage space,” Holle says. “This countertop cabinet adds a lot, and it also helps delineate each of their own separate sinks on the vanity.”
The floor tile is a traditional marble basketweave pattern that lends a sense of age. “We installed a heated floor, which we love to do because every one of our customers who do it love it,” Holle says. More texture comes into the room through the grasscloth wallpaper.
Properly scaling all the elements was important in a room with 10-foot ceilings. The baseboards are 10 inches high, the chandelier is oversize, and the mirrors and countertop cabinet are tall.
The floor tile is a traditional marble basketweave pattern that lends a sense of age. “We installed a heated floor, which we love to do because every one of our customers who do it love it,” Holle says. More texture comes into the room through the grasscloth wallpaper.
Properly scaling all the elements was important in a room with 10-foot ceilings. The baseboards are 10 inches high, the chandelier is oversize, and the mirrors and countertop cabinet are tall.
Upstairs, there are three bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. Each of the two girls has their own, and the third is a guest suite. This is one of the girls’ bedrooms.
The gable roof creates a cozy feel. “I love the feeling of sloped ceilings, it reminds me of the Darlings’ nursery in ‘Peter Pan,’” Holle says. “We used V-groove paneling for the wainscoting because it is a trim detail you’d find in an older home.”
The gable roof creates a cozy feel. “I love the feeling of sloped ceilings, it reminds me of the Darlings’ nursery in ‘Peter Pan,’” Holle says. “We used V-groove paneling for the wainscoting because it is a trim detail you’d find in an older home.”
This is the en suite bath. “This bathroom would be beautiful with painted walls, but the wallpaper makes it really special,” Holle says.
The countertop and backsplash are Ocean Blue quartzite. “For these smaller vanities, we often use remnant pieces from the stoneyard,” Holle says, which helps save money compared with ordering a full slab.
Wallpaper: Dahlia, Thibaut
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The countertop and backsplash are Ocean Blue quartzite. “For these smaller vanities, we often use remnant pieces from the stoneyard,” Holle says, which helps save money compared with ordering a full slab.
Wallpaper: Dahlia, Thibaut
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Browse more photos
Find local design and remodeling professionals
Shop for your home
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two teenage daughters
Location: Alpharetta, Georgia
Size: 3,864 square feet (359 square meters); four bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms
Design-build firm: Ecraft
Architect: Peter Shipps
Architect Peter Shipps designed the house, while Holle worked out the finishes and built-ins. “This was a home where we made the most of every inch,” she says. The homeowner worked with local Alpharetta business The Happy Home to help her with wallpaper and lighting selections.
The architectural style of the house is Greek Revival meets Southern hospitality. The symmetrical white facade, Doric columns, gable roof, simple moldings and entablature (the long horizontal lines above the columns) represent the former. The gracious front porch is welcoming and a classic element in the architecture of the American South. Traditional black louvered shutters, a trio of elegant lantern-like pendant lights and the picket fence add to the home’s charm. “The Doric columns were my client’s idea,” Holle says. “From the street, the house looks quaint and cozy.”
Exterior paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore
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