Photos: Villa filled with surprise space, stunning art

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Photos: Villa filled with surprise space, stunning art

A beautiful work of stained glass by Jennifers Glass Works Inc. adorns the front door of Hans Frabel and David Copeland’s Sandy Springs home. The stunning dragonfly greets guests as they enter the home, which was designed with entertaining in mind. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

A bronze antique statue is one of the first pieces of art that one sees as they enter David Copeland and Hans Frabel’s home. The glass blossoms that surround the lights on the statue are made by Frabel, artist and owner of Frabel Studio & Gallery, because the original fixtures were cracked and partially missing. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

The two-story living room of David Copeland and Hans Frabel’s Sandy Creek home often surprises visitors when they walk in on what they believe to be the ground floor and then realize that much of the home is actually spread below them. When Frabel built the home in 1979, one of his goals was to make a great space for gathering and entertaining, and the large, open floor plan lends itself to this goal. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

An upstairs gallery wall in Hans Frabel and David Copeland’s home displays a line of classic oil paintings. Many of the classic pieces in the home are what Frabel calls “potato paintings” because his family traded food from their rural home in Germany for the art from the cities during WWII. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

The dining room of Hans Frabel and David Copeland’s home holds a table and chairs from House of Denmark, with a large painting by Robert Sherer from Bill Lowe Gallery dominating one wall as the focal point of the space. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Last year David Copeland and Hans Frabel renovated their kitchen, working with John Curry to install all new teak cabinets. In the kitchen they have a wall climber figure that they bought on a trip to Germany after seeing life-sized ones on a building in Düsseldorf, Germany. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

A kitchen table from House of Denmark creates a cozy dining space in the kitchen of Hans Frable and David Copeland, with chairs covered with fabric from Lewis & Sheron Textiles. Also in the kitchen is art by Walter Jorge and Stephen Foster. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

David Copeland and Hans Frabel’s living room is two stories and open concept, designed for entertaining. Midcentury modern sectionals from Room & Board create gathering areas. Above the fireplace hangs one of Frabel’s favorite paintings in his home, a piece by Robert Sherer that Frabel calls “The Blind Leading the Blind.” Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

In the living room of David Copeland and Hans Frabel is a wood paneled wall that features a painting of Robert De Niro by Daniel Simeonov. The wall itself was originally from the Loew’s Grand Theatre where the film “Gone with the Wind” premiered. The theater was destroyed by fire in 1978, the year before Frabel built the house, and Frabel was able to acquire a portion of a back wall. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Hanging lamps from CB2 give Hans Frabel and David Copeland’s large living room warmth, creating a grounding feeling that balances the soaring 20-foot ceilings. Soldier figurines that the couple purchased on travels to Italy line the mantel above the fireplace. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

David Copeland and Hans Frabel’s favorite painting was purchased for $35 at a yard sale. The painting depicts a scene of a snowy street, which Copeland likes because he pictures himself in that environment and Frabel likes at least partially because it’s dark and mysterious. On the credenza in front of that painting are two photos, one of Frabel with Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip and one of Frabel and the Obamas. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

The den of Han Frabel and David Copeland’s home is the area of their home where they relax. A gallery wall of masks and busts surrounds their TV. Frabel developed an affection for ornate masks in his youth in Germany, where there are large Carnival celebrations. Many of the masks on the wall are from Europe, and several are from a single shop in Florence that the couple stumbled upon during a trip to Italy. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

A deck surrounded by lush greenery and garden space is just off of the den of David Copleand and Hans Frabel’s home. The space has a table and chairs from Woodward Furniture, forming one of many spots in the backyard to rest and relax. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

The office area of Hans Frabel and David Copeland’s home is part of the open concept bottom floor of their house, just off the living room and den. Bookcases from House of Denmark, filled with books, many of which are from the Franklin Press, line one wall. On the desk is a carved wooden lamp from the Atlanta Dogwood Festival, and on the floor by the desk is a figurine of Darth Vader made from reclaimed metal -- a bit of kitsch, which Frabel says is essential to every home. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Display cases that create a slight delineation between the living room and bar area of David Copeland and Hans Frabel’s home are filled with art of all kinds. The one closest to their office space is filled largely with glass art, some of which was made by Frabel himself. Other pieces have been collected throughout the years from other artists, including a piece that depicts the face of 14-year-old Frabel in a bottle. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Hans Frabel and David Copeland updated their home’s powder rooms in 2015. They chose to replace wood flooring with porcelain tile, but to avoid losing the warmth of the wood they had 45 inch wood panels created by Custom Creations and Contracting. In one of the two powder rooms a wall climbing figurine from Germany hangs from the sponge painted wall. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

One guest room in David Copeland and Hans Frabel’s home has a charcoal piece by Atlanta artist Ben Smith above the bed and a pair of pillows from Junkman’s Daughter that depict celebrities as military generals. On the other wall hangs a piece that is one of Copeland’s favorites, titled “It’s a better story without Mickey Mouse” which was inspired by the Disney story “The Sorcerers Apprentice.” Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Hans Frabel and David Copeland think of their bedroom as their quiet place in their home. Bedroom furniture from Cantoni provides clean lights and a lightweight aesthetic. A few years ago they replaced the original flooring with manufactured hardwoods and added custom cut wool carpets for warmth. By the TV are a trio of figurines by the Italian artist Emilio Casarotto. The couple has about a dozen of these figurines, the first of which were given to Frabel by his mother. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Right off the owner’s suite David Copeland and Hans Frabel have a small private balcony where Copeland likes to read, with seating from Costo and an umbrella from Pier 1 Imports. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

A large teak dining table and chairs from Costo dominate the upper deck in David Copeland and Hans Frabel’s backyard. The yard is a series of decks and gardens that create a curated sprawl of greenery. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

The gardens in the backyard of Hans Frabel and David Copeland’s backyard vary in theme and style as you move through them, and you could make your way all around the house following the backyard paths. Two dining areas, a Japanese garden, an Italian-style area and a party deck can all be found among the plants. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Over the last two decades Han Frabel and David Copeland’s home has evolved from a cedar ranch style home to an American villa thanks to stucco and terra cotta style roofing by Gerard Roofs. The home was built in 1979, and its 2,500 square feet, with three bedrooms, two bathrooms and two powder rooms. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

Hans Frabel built his Sandy Springs home in 1979 with the intention of having a great place to entertain. He and his partner, David Copeland, live there, and over the years they’ve updated the home to look more Italian on the outside and filled the home with beautiful art on the inside. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

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A beautiful work of stained glass by Jennifers Glass Works Inc. adorns the front door of Hans Frabel and David Copeland’s Sandy Springs home. The stunning dragonfly greets guests as they enter the home, which was designed with entertaining in mind. Text by Shannon Dominy/Photo by Reynolds Rogers

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