People ask Ross Jones if she lives too close to her Atlanta restaurant, Watershed on Peachtree. After all, her residence and workplace are in the same building, The Brookwood, a high-rise condo complex on Atlanta’s most well-known road.
“Living above the restaurant is a blessing, it really is,” Jones said. “It just makes my life so much easier.”
She and her partner, Susan Owens, first lived in a different unit, then bought the three-bedroom condo on Peachtree Road. Smith Hanes Studio created the interiors of the restaurant and their modern residence in Atlanta’s Brookwood Hills neighborhood.
“We also believe in living in the community where we do business,” Jones said. “It’s something we feel strongly about.”
Snapshot
Residents: Ross Jones and Susan Owens. Jones co-owns Watershed on Peachtree restaurant in Atlanta with Emily Saliers, of the Indigo Girls; Owens owns Ultimate Distributors and helped co-found Watershed.
Location: The Brookwood, Atlanta
Size: About 2,000 square feet, three bedrooms, three-and-a-half baths
Year built/bought: 2010/2013
Architectural style: Modern in a subtle neoclassical style. It was the first high-rise condominium in Atlanta designed and constructed to the U.S. Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Standards; the project is LEED certified.
Favorite architectural elements: Floor-to-ceiling windows, for the Atlanta views
Design consultant: Smith Hanes Studio (Caroline Cooley, project designer)
Interior design style: Contemporary
Favorite interior design elements: Fitting sentimental family antiques, such as a serving cabinet from the 1800s with a marble top and Jones' father's desk, also dating to the 1800s, in with modern furniture and art. "There were certain things that we had that were family pieces that we wanted to keep in use," said Ross Jones. "My parents purchased those, and I'm carrying on with those now."
Favorite artwork: Paintings and sculptures by Southern artists, such as Todd Murphy and Frank Fleming
Favorite collections: About 100 wine glasses, for champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy and even spirits, displayed in a tall, shallow kitchen cabinet. "We like the right glass for anything we might be enjoying," Jones said. Those glasses join artwork referencing wine, including photographs of 100-year-old vines.
Favorite outdoor features: The southern views of downtown Atlanta, from within what they call the "sky high" condo and its terrace. "You can just see everything. It's constantly in motion," Jones said.
Resources: Furniture from Bungalow Classic, Roost, Authenteak, Apparatus lighting from R Hughes, bedding from Peacock Alley, rugs from Stark, pillows from Seemakrish, custom pieces by Smith Hanes Studio and Kevin Scanlon
Decor tip: To create a modern environment, Hanes suggests alleviating visual clutter by bringing the curtains to the ceiling and painting in a neutral color palette, even as you play with contrasting colors, such as a dark bedroom.
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