When a tree fell on their home in 2015, Dennis and Susan Cook knew they’d have to make repairs, but when the crane trying to remove the tree toppled and crashed into their house, those repairs became much more extensive. It took several tries and many days to get the crane and the tree off of the Cooks’ home, and their roof, gutters, air conditioning and driveway all sustained damage in the process.
“Every room in the house had some degree of damage,” said Susan. “Some of it was cosmetic, like cracks in walls where the sheetrock had to be sanded and replastered.”
The guest bathroom upstairs had to be completely renovated, several floors upstairs needed replacement and a lot of the duct work had flooded.
“There’s always a bright side. We got so many things done to the house — improvements,” said Susan.
Those improvements included a new roof, new front lawn, new siding on the back of their home outside, and wall repairs, new flooring, a new air conditioning unit and a new fireplace in the family room inside.
“We made some changes for the better,” said Dennis.
Dennis and Susan redesigned the family room fireplace themselves, and now it’s one of their favorite features in their home. The couple own Aesthetics, a home design firm, and they often try new techniques or styles in their own home before offering it to clients.
“Our house is our laboratory,” said Susan.
Snapshot
Residents: Susan and Dennis Cook, who own Aesthetics, a home design firm specializing in decorative art, painting, fine art and garden design.
Location: Marietta
Size: 2,500 square feet, with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms
Year built/bought: 1994
Renovations: Guest room and bath repair and redesign, family room fireplace repair and redesign, new roof, siding, gutters, driveway and walkway, garden pond and front lawn.
Project consultants: Barko Response Team
Architectural style: Traditional brick
Favorite architectural elements: Family room fireplace and picture window.
Interior design style: Traditional with French details
Favorite interior design elements: Antique three panel French screen, marquetry floor and portieres.
Resources: Furniture and decor from Ballard Designs, Macy’s, Facebook Marketplace, Telem S Antiques, Hill Street Warehouse, Lillian August, Provenance Antiques, Dupre’s Antique Market, Warren Gary Gay Decorations, Craigslist, Sherrill, Horchow, Pier 1 Imports, Pottery Barn and Bob Timberlake. Lighting from Lamp Arts Inc., Progressive Lighting, Austin Allen & Co, Robert Abbey, Inc. and Dupre’s Antique Market. Art by Carl Brenders, Clara Wooten Tally, Frank Broadhurst, Claude Monet, Paragon, Kate Greenaway and Dennis and Susan Cook. Dining room wallpaper by Katzenbach & Warren and wallpaper frieze in the owner’s suite by Schumacher.
CONTACT US
If you have a beautifully designed home in the Atlanta area, we’d love to feature you! Email Shannon.N.Dominy@gmail.com for more info.
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