Actress Amber Nash felt an instant connection to Atlanta's Cabbagetown neighborhood for her first home.
Her mom was a native of the neighborhood, and the home was walking distance to Dad's Garage, a theater company in Old Fourth Ward, where her husband, Kevin Gillese, is artistic director.
The bohemian bungalow, a half-mile from the comedy theater, is filled with quirky vintage finds and art that reflect the owners’ passion for comedy.
"It's got a sense of humor, which sounds weird when you're talking about design," said Nash, who voices Pam Poovey on the animated TV series, "Archer." "Nothing takes itself too seriously."
Snapshot
Residents: Actress Amber Nash, and husband Kevin Gillese, artistic director for Dad's Garage, and their dog, Carol J.
Location: Atlanta's Cabbagetown neighborhood
Size: 1,628 square feet, three bedrooms, two baths
Year built/bought: 2003/2016
Architectural style: Bungalow
Renovations: They made small cosmetic changes, such as new flooring, fixtures, paint and countertops. For example, they removed the tan tile floors and installed black-and-white checkered marble and granite floors. They replaced the beige marble countertops in the kitchen with leathered granite in a charcoal hue. They whitewashed the red brick fireplace and installed a new mantel — an old barn beam.
Project consultant: Contractor Corey Davidson
Interior design style: Eclectic
Favorite interior design elements: The mishmash of vintage and industrial decor, such as a diner booth made of teal vinyl, metal pendant lighting, old Samsonite suitcases (including some turned into shelves), and a vintage bar.
Favorite collections: Their weird art and kooky things, Nash said, include vintage wig heads, a portrait of their dog as a half canine, half woman in a ballgown, and a window pane that says "Asylum for the insane," which was a birthday gift from Gillese to Nash.
Favorite outdoor element: Their front porch. "It was just so beautiful and so inviting," Nash said. "It encourages people to be social and to have a community, which is so cool."
Resources: Furniture from Room and Board, Highland Row Antiques
Decor tip: Put old items to work in new ways. A vintage washing machine that belonged to a family member is now used when entertaining. "We've got an old washing machine on the porch. When we have parties, we put beer and ice in it and use it as a cooler," Nash said. "We even have the paperwork that came with it when my aunt first got it."
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