The 2013 Tour Of Homes celebrates its 42nd Year with Several Homes and Points of Interest on Tour.
Tickets purchased online may be picked up at the main sales booth, located at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and Elizabeth Street. The main Sales Booth will be open Friday 12:00 – 4:00, and during Festival Hours Saturday and Sunday. On Saturday and Sunday you can also pick up your tickets at the Sales Booth near the MARTA Station. Please bring your printed purchase confirmation and a photo ID to pick up your tickets. Home Tour tickets are not refundable.
Advance Sale tickets are $15.00.
Tickets may be purchased on Friday for $20.00 at the main Sales Booth at Elizabeth St. and Euclid Avenue from 12:00 – 4:00pm.
Tickets may be purchased on Saturday and Sunday for $20.00 during Festival hours at the main Sales Booth (Elizabeth St. and Euclid Ave.) and at the Sales Booth near the MARTA Station.
The 2013 Tour Of Homes is sponsored by:
Homes on Tour are:
(please note that all pictures are courtesy of neighbor Ben Mitchell!)
484 Sinclair Avenue
Having just celebrated its 100 year anniversary in 2012, the home at 484 Sinclair Avenue was originally built as an up/down duplex. In 1996, new Inman Park residents Regina Brewer and Joe Castellano bought this rental with eyes on renovation. Their home was last on tour in 1999. Now, 17 years and three children later, it is a fully renovated single family home with a cozy basement apartment where Regina’s father, Bill Brewer, lives with his dog Willie. Saving as much of the original historic fabric of the house was paramount for Regina who is a professional preservationist. The wood windows are all original (with much of the original glass) and have been restored by Joe. Original wood floors, plaster walls, trim, doors, and hardware have been lovingly restored as well. The kitchen and screened porch (designed by friend and neighbor Tamara Jones) were added in 2009, making the space the favorite gathering location for everyone who visits. In 2011, the front and rear gardens were completely redone to allow for a maintenance-free yard that is both beautiful and kid-friendly.
The décor of the house reflects Joe and Regina’s love of antiques and contemporary art. Their favorite painting, “Wilbur,” located in the entry hall, was painted by friend and neighbor Scott Eakin. The guest bedroom downstairs is furnished with a bedroom suite from Regina’s great aunt and the bedspread was handmade by her grandmother for her wedding in 1917. Pictures of both Joe and Regina’s relatives are located throughout the house as a reminder of their deep love of family.
The Castellano/Brewer family loves being a part of the Inman Park community and they hope you enjoy your visit to their home!
469 Sinclair Avenue
This wonderful 1906 bungalow was purchased by Karen and Kevin Green in 1991. “At the time, it was the worst house on the street,” says Karen. No two windows matched, it had fake brick instead of a front porch, all the ceilings had been lowered to 8 feet, and just about everything original had been stripped out except for the heart pine floors. “I remember being asked if were going to ‘keep the house’ or tear it down. But there was never any question in our minds,” says Kevin.
Well, what followed was more than a year of rebuilding, working nights, weekends and vacations. Kevin had been a carpenter during college and grad school and so these newlyweds teamed up to do much of the work themselves.
The result is a transformation that is nothing short of amazing. A strikingly attractive and open floor plan, the ceilings back to original height, an upstairs, and “all new everything” other than the pine floors which were preserved wherever possible. Recent improvements include a “re-renovation” of the main floor with a new kitchen, baths and much more, and digging out the dirt basement and crawlspace to create a “man-cave” that was recently featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, with most materials being recycled or reused.
A must-see is the fabulous screened-in porch and deck, the 50 ft. tall rope swing out back (suitable for all ages), the outdoor shower, and the one-acre park off the backyard that is shared by 10 neighbors.
Now home to their two daughters Mia (12) and Maris (10) as well, “this is a house we don’t ever plan to leave,” says Kevin.
434 Sinclair Avenue
Welcome to this charming and inviting home which proudly takes its place among the historic bungalows, cottages and stately houses of Inman Park. There’s a lot to be said for new construction as demonstrated in this lovely home built in 2003.
The contemporary Craftsman-style design is founded in tradition, with contrasting yet complementary touches of modern and industrial styles. A gracious front porch, large interior rooms, beautiful hardwood floors and coffered ceiling in the living room are just a few examples of the meticulous architectural detail throughout the entire house
Since purchasing their home, the Arnetts have been tackling the interior design room by room, working with John Ishmael of Inman Park’s own Nandina Home & Design. They started with the living room, followed by the master bedroom and, most recently, completing the great room and kitchen renovation.
The modern, French-inspired kitchen design will make any cook feel like a master chef! The Arnetts’ palette of blues and grays creates a soothing atmosphere. Be sure to also see their son Jack’s enviable playroom.
Private spaces include a custom-designed media room downstairs and four bedrooms upstairs. As you tour the house, don’t miss the Arnetts’ extensive art collection displayed throughout their now very comfortable, very livable home.
413 Sinclair Avenue
When Leigh Hays, a real estate agent, was previewing property in the neighborhood in early 1998, she was definitely not in the market for a house for herself. But when she walked into the living room of this 1939 Craftsman bungalow, it was truly love at first sight. In fact, she bought the house before seeing all of it, something she’d never let her clients do! As Leigh tells it, “I was so excited that I stopped opening doors once in the master bedroom and missed the master bath!”
That love at first sight turned into a match made in heaven, because 413 Sinclair Avenue was a house that certainly needed lots of love. A rental property for over 12 years, the house was run-down and in need of TLC and all new systems, but it had “good bones” and wonderful details: living room bookcases with arched tops, perfectly delightful dining room cubby that has now been turned into a smart liquor cabinet, stained glass window in the sitting room, cast iron tub in the bathroom, four fireplaces, and exquisite antique light fixtures. What’s not to really love now?!
Prior to Leigh’s move-in later in the year, major renovations took place throughout the house, especially in the kitchen. Along with that undertaking, Leigh also tackled the hall bathroom and, a year later, the master bedroom. In 2006, her friend and designer/artist, Rory Powers, worked with her on the décor of most of the house. These loving touches can been seen in the living room, dining room, master suite and the smaller guest bedroom. Several of Rory’s paintings have found special places throughout the house.
Leigh loves her home inside and out and laughingly says, “One of the best spots in the house is actually the front porch.”
The Wrecking Bar Brewery
292 Moreland Ave. NE
Frequently referred to as “The Wrecking Bar,” this remarkable 1900 Victorian house has eclectic elements of Roman, Renaissance and Baroque architecture and is highly recognizable with its beautiful semicircular front portico and classical Corinthian columns. The architect was Willis F. Denny II, who also designed Rhodes Hall and many other notable buildings in his short career. Originally, the building was the residence of Victor H. Kriegshaber who served in executive positions for countless business, civic, philanthropic and cultural organizations. Additionally, this building has been a church, a dance studio, and an architectural antiques operation which is where the Wrecking Bar name originates.
In 2009, Bob and Kristine Sandage purchased The Wrecking Bar, and have turned it in to the successful business it is today. The renovations include the restoration of the main level to its original glory and its transformation into an event facility called The Marianna. The granite foundation in the basement is the perfect place for The Wrecking Bar Brewpub, with the brewery in the warehouse behind the main building. Bob has personally spent many hours involved in the project: cleaning graffiti, painting, jack hammering concrete in the basement, and many other fun tasks. But Bob and Kristine say it’s all been a labor of love. They were also smart enough to hold numerous volunteer days where friends and neighbors helped dig in and restore the building.
This year the Sandages are opening the brewery as part of the 2013 Festival Home Tour at the designated times below:
Friday, April 26, at 1:00 and 3:00pm
Saturday, April 27, at 1:00 and 4:00pm
Sunday, April 28, at 1:00 and 4:00pm
Please be sure to check out the Brewpub, where your ticket book will give you $5 off your order. The Wrecking Bar Brewpub is very family-friendly and has a full menu of delicious offerings.
1107 Austin Avenue
Carol and Ben Mitchell don’t like to give up on a good thing. They lived in Inman Park in the 1990s in their home on Elizabeth Street. They loved their neighborhood and tirelessly volunteered for all things Inman Park (especially Festival!) until a new job took them to New York and a loft in Greenwich Village. They lived there for 20 years, but within a year of Ben’s retirement, they were back in their favorite neighborhood.
1107 Austin Avenue is their second home in Inman Park and has wonderfully settled feel to it. You’ll see that the big, open Craftsman-style rooms are a perfect showcase for their much-loved art collection, and there’s a definite loft-like vibe in their decorating style.
Among the highlights in this beautiful home are a cloth sculpture of an Egyptian Princess racing an ostrich created by Lisa Lichtenfels; a painting by Bruno Zupan; and a Carol-created crazy quilt in the living room. The dining room features pictures of some of their previous residences (including their home on Elizabeth Street,) and Ben’s photography is located above the stairs. Prints by G.H. Rothe can be found in the sunny master bedroom. The wire dancers in the sitting room are reminders of the Mitchell kids’ professional ballet dancing days. Be sure to also note the leaded, beveled glass in the sitting room, which reflects rainbows around the room on sunny days. Their kitchen renovation combines modern appliances and cabinetry with the original vintage butler’s pantry and quaint built-in ironing board.
Carol’s studio on the first floor is a riot of color and creativity and perfect for making dolls, doll clothes, quilts and various other Carol creations. You’ll also enjoy seeing Ben’s photography studio which is located upstairs along with the library and guest room.
970 Waverly Way
Built for $2,500 in 1915 by owner-architect Richard Wye, this Craftsman-style bungalow underwent a major addition and renovation in 2003 when Aimee and Nick bought it. They renovated the bathrooms and the kitchen (of course!) and added 400 square feet of family and dining space at the back of the home. They’ve brought in their sense of color, light and artistry throughout. Now fast-forward to early 2013 when the homeowners redesigned the upstairs to include a master suite, added a wine cellar and installed a shower in the downstairs guest bathroom…with the goal of completion in time for the 2013 festival. They made it!
The Franzes “weren’t even talking about moving” when they looked at the house for the first time and fell in love with those amazing old house features: bubble glass, pocket doors with window panes, beautiful solid wood construction and high, high ceilings. Maybe having Freedom Park one house down and the easy walking distance to one of their favorite restaurants were signs that this was to be their home. They love the fact that they know so many of their neighbors and have stayed involved in the neighborhood, enjoying its strong sense of community.
Original features in the home include a butler’s panty, sleeping porch (now enclosed) and transoms. The farmhouse sink and suspended glass cabinets give a county feel to the back area while the front remains a bit more formal. One-of-a-kind family antiques are lovingly placed throughout the house, including the empire-style dining room furniture and various unique wicker pieces. The large square table in the family dining area was purchased at a previous year’s Inman Park Festival. The tables in the hall rest on ornamental grid work from a bridge in Pennsylvania and note the stunning Turkish rug in the living room which was acquired on a recent visit to Istanbul. The Franzes may love to travel but they love to come home to Inman Park even more.
946 Waverly Way
Sometimes, to get what you want, you have to keep trying.
That’s what Jeanne LaSala and her husband Jim Abbot will tell you. In 1984, they were newlyweds renting an apartment nearby. They fell in love with the older homes and tree-lined streets of Inman Park. Life got in the way, though. It took sixteen years for them to get back, accompanied by sons Thomas and Andrew.
Even then, Jeanne and Jim had to “settle” for new construction. Although everyone reassured them that their Craftsman-style home was wonderfully compatible in scale and design with the rest of the neighborhood (visitors sometimes asked, “When did you renovate?”) they weren’t entirely satisfied.
So try and try again. In the foyer, for example, they’ve replaced the original staircase with a new one, entirely custom, and added a display cabinet featuring art glass with a dragon-fly motif. In the octagonal parlor, they scaled down the fireplace mantel, and new pocket doors with stained glass lights separate the parlor from the dining room. They started over in their master bath, adding a wainscot of impressed art tile for a contemporary take on a centuries-old technique. Downstairs, the basement is now finished with a study, full bath, and exercise area. Last but not least, they have furnished their home in a way that speaks to their enthusiasms: look for signs everywhere of Jeanne’s interest in the Arts & Crafts era and, in their artwork, of Jim’s passion for trees.
Almost 30 years after they first laid eyes on Inman Park, Jeanne and Jim now call it home. Mission accomplished.
768 Lake Avenue
The unusual and unique small building at 768 Lake Avenue is often mistaken for a commercial property. Although it is now the private residence of Amy and Trey Palmer, it was indeed used as a store for approximately 90 years.
The “flatiron” upper half of the house was built as a corner store in 1907 by prominent Atlanta real estate developer Fitzhugh Knox. The location was chosen because there was a trolley line running from Lake Avenue onto West Ashland at this corner. The store was a triangular wood-frame building with a tar-and-gravel roof; the original siding can be seen on the long downstairs wall, and the exposed wood ceiling is the underside of the original roof deck.
The store was bricked on two sides and a shed-roof added on, probably in the 1940s or 1950s. Longtime Inman Park residents recall the plumbing store that occupied the property since at least the 1970s; the present patio, now an attractive sitting area, was an open lot filled with old appliances and toilets.
Michael Bond bought the store for his heating and air conditioning business in 1996, and subsequently renovated it as a loft-style private residence with a substantial front patio now occupying the triangular corner.
Now Trey, Amy and bulldogs Fat Boy and Petunia call 768 Lake Avenue home, and enjoy living in one of the most unusual dwellings in Inman Park.
Garden at 828 Virgil Street
Welcome to an enchanted garden. The beauty begins before the yard even starts, with tiny plants peeking from between trees and sidewalks, letting all who pass by know that a true urban paradise awaits within. Step into the yard, past a unique and ornate metalwork gate, and let your eyes feast first on green, wild foliage pouring out of containers and held (barely) in check by a sweeping porch lit with wide, tin, welcoming farmhouse lamps. This porch is reminiscent of the deck of a ship as it sails above stone pavers leading to more backyard enchantments.
Follow the path to discover a lush shade and partial shade garden, populated with native perennial glories. The stonework guides visitors around an eclectic plant enthusiast’s collection, eventually bordering a fanciful grotto whose water plays host to every neighborhood bird.
This is no strictly planned sterile landscape, but neither is it a raucous overgrown jungle. Rather this is an evolving garden with every step of its history evident for the visitor wandering within. It is a reassuring space, clearly cultivated by human hands, but nature took over where necessary to make it more than the sum of its parts.
Subtleties abound: vines curled around hidden treasured art; small stones near a clandestine fairy bridge; a color of green (or is that purple?) that doesn’t exist beyond a certain time of day when the sun hits it just right. Every element asks the eye to stop, slow down, and spend the time that it takes to truly see. Beauty is everywhere, and it is here for the sharing.
Garden at 845 Ashland Avenue
The garden at 845 Ashland Avenue is most assuredly as unique and special as the house the Cunninghams call home. Before Clark and Helen bought the house in 2002 it was the home of Christine Sibley, a beloved neighbor and local artist. Christine passed away in 1999, but her spirit lives on in this magical garden, which was once home to a menagerie of animals including goats, ducks and peacocks.
Enter through Christine’s famous Suns and Moons gates to this glorious hideaway, home to Carolina jessamine, native azaleas, “big blue” variegated hosta, sweet flag dwarf and mondo grass, burgundy aguga, golden creeping jenny, ferns, and ginger lily camellia. And then there are the trees: wax leaf myrtle, Japanese maple, weeping cherry and river birch. A cobblestone border leads up to a whimsical spiral staircase, connecting three levels of outdoor living space. Of course there is a water garden. There had to be. Its goldfish live amidst water lilies, water iris, water cabbage and hyacinth.
The pond and fountain were built by David Thayer of Wonderfalls. He was a close friend of Ms. Sibley and designed the waterfall to be a bit reminiscent of the fountain Christine designed for the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. All landscaping was designed and installed by Kevin Kornder of Environmental Landscaping.
The perfectly scaled garden study was added in 2003. It was designed by Ute Banse and built by Paul Weathersby, and includes a full bath, dark room, attic and two exterior storage rooms.
All and all, this is a beautiful garden for a couple who lovingly call 845 Ashland Avenue home.
Inman Park Cooperative Preschool
760 Edgewood Avenue
Closed Friday
Although Inman Park Cooperative Preschool was formally established in the early 1980s by a group of Inman Park parents, neighborhood parents in the 1960s and 1970s had joined together to create Mothers’ Days out and a Mothers’ Club to help meet the needs of the community.
As the neighborhood changed and grew in the 1980s so did IPCP, starting with a move to its current building at the corner of Edgewood Avenue and Waddell Street. In the late 1990s, the lot across the street from the Edgewood building became available and, with the vision of the school’s long-standing director, Patty Bonner, IPCP acquired the space. What was once a gravel lot is now an Outdoor Classroom and the crown jewel of the preschool.
By receiving a “Grants to Green Community Foundation” grant, IPCP was able to use the summer of 2008 to start from scratch and build a preschool that was environmentally friendly, fostered the healthy growth and development of its children and complemented the incorporation of nature-based learning experiences, including a Nature in the City Summer Camp, as part of its curriculum. In doing this, IPCP not only gutted and completely renovated its former home, but also doubled in size with the addition of another building across the street (not on tour,) which houses IPCP’s one and two year olds.
Today, the Inman Park Cooperative Preschool serves children ages one to five from a variety of in-town neighborhoods. The cooperative spirit of the school remains as strong as ever and is a true example of the close-knit community that is Inman Park. (For information about enrollment and Nature in the City Summer Camp, visit ipcp.org.)
Garden at 47 Delta Place
From a kudzu-covered Georgia clay backyard to a show-stopping out-door lifestyle – that’s what the Dwyers have created for themselves, their family, neighbors and friends.
First there was a path, which was a raceway allowing for safe wipeouts for their children, Grace and Jack, on their bikes or skates. Then, after a whole-house renovation, it was time to really focus on the garden. And focus they did. The wrought-iron screened porch, an almost year-round favorite spot, started with the purchase of a gate and panels from Paris on Ponce and a desire to hear rain on a tin roof. The old pathway is still there, but now leads garden visitors from the courtyard to the fishpond, and on through the bottle arch to the fire pit area.
Anchored by a weeping willow tree and vine-covered window frames, the brick courtyard is the work of Terry Bradshaw of Grounded Artistry, who is also responsible for the screened porch and the fishpond. The beautiful bricks conceal complicated and effective water management that channels water away from the house and safely to the street. A couple of steps from the courtyard you’ll see the fishpond, covered with granite and metal sculptures that mimic the varied buildings of Atlanta’s skyline. The fishpond’s impressive metal work was created by Neil Carver of Carver Iron and Ward Bradshaw.
John and Kris bought the iron bottle arch and star sculpture right here in Inman Park years before the garden actually took shape. Both pieces are by metal artist Mike Esslinger.
Parties at the Dwyers’ often end up at the back of the garden with s’mores and a last glass of wine around the fire pit and under the billowing parachute. The unique fire pit was made by Melinda Crisp of the Fire Pit Gallery in Niles, Ohio.
John and Kris have created a wonderful space that is serene, interesting and most of all, fun for their kids, their two rambunctious labs and all who come to visit.
Inman Park United Methodist Church
Reverend Matthew Nelson, Minister
1015 Edgewood Avenue
A participant in the inaugural Inman Park Tour of Homes in 1971, Inman Park United Methodist Church has welcomed tour enthusiasts through its doors for 42 consecutive years. This is really no surprise from a congregation 116 years old and 125 members strong. Leading the way today is Reverend Matthew Nelson who, along with his young family, happily calls Inman Park home.
Worship service by the founding group predates the Inman Park neighborhood itself. Members began meeting in private homes as early as 1866. Later they organized services under a small brush arbor before erecting a wood-frame structure in the nearby Edgewood community. At last, the cornerstone for the current structure was laid on September 6, 1897. A building dedication was held on April 17, 1898.
The architect Willis Franklin Denny II (1874-1905) designed the sanctuary in Romanesque style when he was just 23 years old. Granite from Stone Mountain served as a primary building material and cost only $12,620. Today the sanctuary still boasts the original altar furniture, pews, chancel rail, wainscoting, ceiling and beams. Just a few steps beyond the sanctuary sits the pastor’s study with the original church organ and archives – open for all to explore.
Inman Park United Methodist church is an historic congregation with a 21st Century attitude. The church’s mission has always been to live out God’s Love and Grace under this roof and in our world, and it is a treasured part of the Inman Park community.
