Nathan and Whitney Durham purchased their 1932 home in 2013. Some additions to the home had already been made, including an owner’s suite, an expanded kitchen and a screened-in porch. The Durhams updated the space to match their style, and, as an interior designer, Whitney is often working to spruce up a room or try out a style.
“I’m always seeing new things, new products, new fabrics, new furniture lines — those kinds of things are always popping up, and of course I’m always wanting to swap out and update,” said Whitney, owner and lead designer of Whitney Durham Interiors. “It is kind of ever evolving. I’m always changing and updating.”
While some of the Durhams’ home style and decor is often in flux, some key themes are reliable standards.
“I’ve always been drawn to color. So that’s always been a consistent vibe,” said Durham, who has decorated her family home with pops of blue and her guest suite with coral walls. “It adds interest and character. It makes me happy,” said Whitney.
Whitney also likes to emphasize mixing old and new and high and low. Her living room is decorated with antique mirrors and a vintage zebra hide right next to new sofas from Ellenburg Chair Company, and the sunroom mixes a flea market piano bench and Shumacher window treatments.
Overall, with her clients and her own home design, Whitney likes to focus on joy.
“Your home should make you happy when you walk through your front door and be filled with carefully curated pieces that have meaning to you,” she said.
Snapshot
Residents: Whitney and Nathan Durham, their two sons, 11-year-old Benson and 9-year-old Graham, and their two yellow English Labradors, Gus and Annie. Whitney is the owner and lead designer of Whitney Durham Interiors, and Nathan is the managing director of Marsh McClennan Atlanta.
Location: Atlanta
Size: 3,800 square feet, with four bedrooms and three bathrooms
Year built: 1932
Year bought: 2013
Renovations: Enclosed the screened-in porch to create a sunroom in 2016 and added a pool and cabana in early 2020.
Project consultants: Landscape architect Graham Pittman worked on the backyard renovation.
Architectural style: Cottage
Favorite architectural elements: Gothic blue front door, architectural pitches of the roofline and scalloped roof shingles.
Interior design style: Traditional and colorful with a modern twist
Favorite interior design elements: The mix of old and new and high and low pieces that create a curated look.
Favorite outdoor elements: Pool and cabana
Resources: Furniture and decor from Ellenburg Chair Company, Myers Carpet, Parviz Oriental Rugs, Schumacher, Marguerite’s on Dresden, Twenty2, Stark Carpet, Serena & Lily, Award Fabrics, Antiques & Beyond, Ella Home, Stanton Home Furnishings, B.D. Jeffries, Antique Factory, Knotted Turkish Rugs, SWOOX Curated Consignment, Magnolia Antiques, Anthropologie, The Treasure Mart, DuPre’s Antique Market, Ballard Designs, Ikea, RugsUSA, Lee Industries, Wesley Hall Furniture and Summer Classics. Art by Elaine Burge, Michelle Armas, Erin Gregory, Renee Bouchon, Whitney Durham, Sally King Benedict, Teil Duncan and Meredith Kinney. Lighting from Circa Lighting and Robert Abbey.
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