Buckhead Colonial home has eclectic art collection

Private Quarters

Photos: Interior designer goes for ‘pushing the envelope’ with his Buckhead home

The ranch home in Buckhead was built in 1956, and it has 3,600 square feet, three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths.

The screened porch, which was rebuilt, features furniture from Kolo, pillows from Pierre Frey, Indonesian folk sculptures and Benin bronzes. Like other rooms, he uses copper, with plants in Middle Eastern pots. Raw crystals and stones also are scattered in the room.

The built-in shelves in the pine-paneled den hold some of the homeowner's favorite books. "What you read during periods of your life reflects what's going on in your life," said Douglas W. Hilton.

The interior designer wanted to give his den the feeling of being home after world travels. Influences from Africa, India and Asia are apparent in the Scalamandre tiger pillows, Cowtan & Tout drapery and kilim rug, while the reproduction chinoiserie tea table and the 1920 ratchet arm sofa bring an English air into the room. "I love that it is comfortable and visually stimulating at the same time," he said.

Blue-and-white porcelain grows out of coral, which is displayed on an Anglo-Indian console from Travis & Company.

A collection of bed warmers and chestnut roasters are grouped in the breakfast nook. With them is a hanging French fish poacher that the homeowner received as a gift. "I love antique copper and brass," he said.

There are plans to update the kitchen, but it already gets plenty of use from morning to night. The steel and bronze table, from Interiors Market, is where the homeowner eats breakfast. The bar serves as his home office. When he hosts potlucks, the bar holds appetizers and main entrees, and the round table is the dessert table.

For the living room drapery, the embroidery fabric from Christian Lacroix for Designers Guild caught the homeowner's attention for its exotic floral design and layered stitchwork.

The table centerpiece is one of "my pride and joys," said Douglas W. Hilton. The contemporary lucite sculpture is by Frederick Hart, and one side is frosted. The dining room table, about the same age as the home and purchased from Parc Monceau, is surrounded by contemporary turquoise chairs. The 19th century landscapes are inherited.

Some of the art in the hallway gallery are pieces that the homeowner said he bought as young as 12. "I'm really, really attracted to the human form," he said.

When you have a small space, like the master bathroom, the designer says don't be afraid to use a bold wallpaper, like he did with the Christian Lacroix pattern. The fixtures are from Circa Lighting.

Some of Douglas W. Hilton's art vignettes are not in a square grouping. In the master bedroom, he placed bronze plaques with contemporary artwork, including a drawing by Atlanta artist Ben Smith.

The master bedroom's headboard is a hand-painted screen, and the bedding is from Gramercy Fine Linens & Furnishings.

A bust of Roman emperor Hadrian commands a spot in the hall bathroom. Although homeowner Douglas W. Hilton says some people are intimidated by using busts in their home, he likes how the sculptures can be situated pedestals and fill corners.

The home retains its 1950s character, while the homeowner updated the bathrooms with new sinks, faucets, cabinetry and wallpaper.

Instead of having one big rug in a bedroom, Douglas W. Hilton prefers placing rugs where people step out of bed and at the foot of the bed. In his guest room, he used Portuguese needlepoints. The oak secretary was his childhood desk.

The tapestry embroidery headboard, nightstands and bench belonged to the homeowner's family members. He based the palette of the room on the headboard, which is from England, and selected bedding from Gramercy Fine Linens & Furnishings.

Interior designer Douglas W. Hilton, with Gizmos, purchased his Buckhead home in 2014. Text by Lori Johnston/Fast Copy News Service.

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The ranch home in Buckhead was built in 1956, and it has 3,600 square feet, three bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths.

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