The kitchen hosts custom cabinetry from Benny Hart of Hartwood Custom Cabinets and appliances from Wolf and Sub-Zero. Photographed by Mali Azima

New York-based interior designer Emily Del Bello built a client’s dream townhome here in Atlanta, a process that proved to be an exercise in curated livability.

It is a rare thing in the interior design world to begin with a blank canvas. More often than not, renovations are the name of the game, but Emily Del Bello took a brand-new modern transitional home and transformed it into a cozy and livable home for a growing Atlanta family. 6,500 square feet would become the client’s vision, as constant longdistance communication and several site visits made sure that everything was on track.

Designer Emily Del Bellow sitting in the living room on a custom couch and pillows made with Nobilis and Rosemary Hallgarten fabric. Photographed by Mali Azima

“This project is, obviously, based in Atlanta while we are based in NYC, so that physical distance was the hardest challenge. We accomplished so much in those designated meetings that it made up for the lack of consistent in-person visits,” says Del Bello. The goal was to create a space that would grow with this young family and accommodate a father’s afinity for watching football in the living room and children who were bound to be just that— children. Functionality was also infused via ample storage units and built-ins accented with subtle details that complemented the primary function. This component necessitated that textiles and fabrics were a priority, with sherpa-upholstered ottomans by Emily Del Bello Interiors (EDBI) among many exciting decisions. “Our firm is always putting fibers first and making sure our spaces look designed but also incredibly functional for families to live in for years to come.” Also in the client’s vision was various pops of color, allowing Del Bello to instill bold decisions in cabinetry and wall color.

The custom vanity area was designed by Del Bello with gold hardware from Delta. Photographed by Mali Azima

Probably the most exciting of that connection between naturalization and color is the stunning green kitchen, standing out as the heart of the home. Traditional accents shine through in the antique brass hardware and a full-tile backsplash. It’s both exciting and soothing, bright and charming. While the kitchen is the centerpiece for the growing family, it transitions nicely into the striking color decision of darker tones, including black. The main sofa harbors green and neutral fabrics to immediately melt into the emotion happening in Farrow & Ball’s Off-Black with limewash finish on the fireplace, complemented by the custom Hannah coffee table recently added to EDBI’s collection. Above the color decisions happening in the space, lighter wood beams brighten and ground the hues to celebrate a cohesion of elevated livability. A marble vanity extends its usage as it floats in the powder room between the continuation of black, introducing texture in the Nobilis wood wallpaper. Arched windows became the statement feature of the dining room, and with the continued use of darker tones in the trim, the rest followed. The custom dining table and chairs bring both sophistication and comfort through a medium stain on rift white oak paired with vinyl seagrass wallpaper. Once again, balance is found in unlikely combinations of color and texture.

The plush chair in the nursery from RH Baby & Child is paired with a carpet from West Elm and lighting from Serena & Lily. Photographed by Mali Azima

Del Bello emphasizes that what made this project so fun and personal is that the homeowners “aren’t afraid of making an impactful design choice!” Naturally, this would be emulated in choosing black seagrass for the backdrop of the primary bed. Following this unexpected detail, the space calculated the perfect measurement of drama and opulence. Darker ceiling beams complement a similar hue in the canopy bed, Fabricut’s splatter drapes that lighten to a goldish tone, and the deep purple in the shams. The gold in the drapery can be found in Scout Design Studio’s swivel chair in sherpa, a softer touch that emphasizes Del Bello’s mastery of mixing dark and light. Quite contrasting is the primary bathroom attached to such a room, which boasts one aspect of the homeowner’s personal sensibilities. When you enter, the design decision lightens one’s senses. White oak fluted cabinets with brass and bone hardware elicit a practice of simplification to show the transitional capacity of the house. More modern decisions are evident in light fixtures through the rooms, each a statement but not taking from the overall look. Pear-like bulbs hang on a chain and drape the side of the powder room’s mirror; minimal sconces provide light on either side of the primary bed; alternating bulbs extending over the length of the table add some spunk to the dining room; and Schoolhouse sconces complement the kitchen’s range. Also in the kitchen, Circa Lighting pendants hang above the island and Studio McGee fixtures illuminate the family room. The same blacktrimmed windows from other spaces into the house evoke consistency and bring in the outdoors to create a meditative and clean oasis.

Photographed by Mali Azima

Photographed by Mali Azima

As design elements came to life, the process as a whole was an experience. “I loved the family. It felt very personal and comfortable. The family is growing... and it was so fun to create a home that they will be able to grow into,” says Del Bello. And while there are bold decisions mixed with modern and traditional details, the livability of finishes, products and tones feels evergreen, ready for the test of ephemerality. Not only does the functionality of the home’s design necessitate the ability to adapt, but by the end of the project, the family had added a new baby to the equation. “When we built in the house they only had one daughter. Now, they have another son and we loved getting the call to do his nursery,” says Del Bello. What was meant to be a bedroom then became a nursery, in which they installed a light fixture reminiscent of a disco, and calming warmer hues to hone the modernity and also the new beginnings that come with a newborn. Once again, each room harkens back to the pillar of livability.

The primary bedroom bed is from Restoration Hardware with unique drape fabric from Fabricut. Photographed by Mali Azima

The living room hosts a custom couch and pillows made with Nobilis and Rosemary Hallgarten fabric. Photographed by Mali Azima

The primary bathroom features cabinetry designed by EDBI and made by Benny Hart of Hartwood Custom Cabinets with a chandelier from RH Teen and sconces from Circa Lighting. Photographed by Mali Azima

DESIGN DETAILS

Type: New construction,
single-family home

Neighborhood: Brookhaven

Interior Design:
Emily Del Bello,
Emily Del Bello Interiors,
emilydbinteriors.com

RESOURCES

Blu Dot,
Kitchen counter stools,
bludot.com

Fabricut,
Primary bedroom drape fabric,
fabricut.com

Hudson Valley Lighting,
Powder room tiered pendant lights,
hudsonvalleylighting.hvlgroup.com

Nobilis,
Powder room wallpaper,
nobilis.fr

Phillip Jeffries,
Dining room wallpaper,
phillipjefiries.com

Rejuvenation,
Kitchen pendant lighting,
rejuvenation.com

Scout Design Studio,
Primary bedroom swivel chair,
scoutdesignstudio.com

Schoolhouse,
Kitchen sconces,
schoolhouse.com

Worlds Away,
Kitchen breakfast table,
worlds-away.com