Places That Inspire Us: Atlanta

Seek design at the Miami Circle enclave in Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood. With over sixty designer hot spots, this is the place in Atlanta for all home decor needs. Boasting the city’s highest concentration of art galleries and an impressive display of antiques, furniture and more, it is truly a one-stop design-lover’s shop.

If treasure hunting is your forte, don’t miss the monthly Scott Antique Market located southeast of Atlanta. This 20-year-long initiative proudly declares itself the “World’s Largest Indoor Antique Show.” Designers plan regular trips to explore replenished assortments from their favorite suppliers of French antiques and Ushak carpets – among myriad other things.

“While in town, make sure to stop by Phipps Plaza for a little luxury shopping – including our Frontgate store (…I mean, we had to). Our 19,400-square-foot retail space features a stunning grand foyer and expansive outdoor patio to display Frontgate’s trademark outdoor collections, home furnishings and textiles. Not sure where to start or need design assistance? Make a complimentary in-person appointment with a store designer for all projects, big and small.

Walking distance to Phipps Plaza is the stunning Nobu Hotel Atlanta. Design enthusiasts will appreciate the space’s Japanese influences paired with Atlanta flair. (We especially love the display of Georgia leaves in the fall in the lobby artwork.) In guest rooms, walls of windows offer natural light and city views, while leather furnishings and nature-inspired accents provide a sense of tranquility. Did we mention guests receive complimentary chauffeuring in the property’s Porsche? Sold.

While in the neighborhood, we highly recommend grabbing a bite within the Buckhead Village District. The outdoor complex covers six city blocks and is composed of fashion’s most luxurious brands and culinary gems. A multitude of restaurants sit among the well-manicured sidewalks and magical twinkly tree lights. If French is your fancy, don’t walk; run to Le Bilboquet for the nostalgia of the Champs-Élysées and the mouth-watering le poulet cajun. Even non-design lovers will appreciate the bistro ambience, set to look straight out of an evening in Paris. If American is more your style, you’ll love the homage to the West Coast that is Carmel. With a rattan-wrapped bar, green velvet accents and extraordinary art, the restaurant features much more to enjoy than just the food.

Need a break from retail therapy while in Atlanta? Take in history with a tour of the famed Swan House, built at the end of the Jazz Age. A prime example of the Italian and English classical styles, this relic will leave even the non-design lover gawking at the work of architect Philip Trammell Schutze and designer Ruby Ross Woods. Don’t miss the walled Boxwood Garden or Schutze’s personal collection of antiques in the basement.

If landscape design is your passion, you’ll adore a visit to the Atlanta Botanical Garden. The 30-acre property offers gardens, extraordinary exhibitions, a conservatory and shady woodland walking trails that will pack your day full of beauty and exercise. In addition to themed rotating topiaries and exhibits, beautiful works of permanent art are interspersed with the greenery. In fact, the property boasts the largest permanent display of art by Dale Chihuly in a botanical garden.

For more places that inspire us, check out our design lovers’ guide to Tampa.