The HOME Page

As a magazine editor, I can’t pass a newsstand without looking for my issues. If some delivery person has put them in the wrong place, of course, I move them around. So it was an even bigger thrill yesterday to see our magazine’s logo on a storefront! The Atlanta Magazine’s HOME Store was honored to be the first of 70 new retail shops opening at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport. And I certainly won’t argue with its placement. The home accessories and gift store is right at the entry to the security gate—where many of us are likely to spend some quality time over the holidays.

In a region known for hospitality and gracious home entertaining, it seems appropriate that shoppers have an opportunity to take a little of that ambience with them. Merchandise like monogrammed white linen wine bottle bags, mint julep cups, mercury glass, and creamware speaks to Atlantans’ sense of place better than any hot pink ATL hoodie. Many of the store’s items, from Paula Deen cookbooks (page 20 of our winter issue!) to pewter pheasants (page 51!), have appeared in our pages.

The Atlanta magazine brand also seems appropriate, as our magazine approaches its fiftieth year of chronicling the city’s history, culture, and character. It’s fitting that our shelter publication—dedicated to showcasing Atlanta’s unique lifestyle—can welcome travelers or send them off with a party favor.

Unfortunately, our beautiful new winter edition won’t be on newsstands until December 1, so we didn’t have new issues to distribute at the grand opening. But we weren’t about to hold back a good thing. The store is lovely, and we’re grateful to all the people at Hartsfield-Jackson, HMS Host, and Paradies Shops who made it happen. I just want to know if there’s an employee discount.

(That's our publisher, Sean McGinnis, on the right, helping cut the ribbon below.)

    I know it’s confusing to the outside world, but magazines have two sides–editorial and sales. At least at Atlanta magazine, we operate separately so that advertisers cannot influence the content of our pages. To put it simply, if we tell you a resort is great, that’s because it is—not because we got the royal treatment on a free trip. Given our divided world, I knew relatively little about our Atlanta Magazine Dream Home (it was produced by our sales side). I did go to the opening night party, but I had to leave before taking a real tour. So it wasn’t until yesterday that I got to take a close look at the house.
    And here’s another confession. I am more of a cozy, cottage-y kind of person than an estate-style dreamer. If I had a house like that, I would probably hole up in a tiny nook—like one of those charming window seats.
    All that said, I was pretty darn impressed with Villa Bella Vista. I got to eavesdrop on one of designer Shane Meder’s “Behind the Scenes” tours, and I highly recommend seeing the house that way. The estate is so overwhelming (28 rooms!!) that it really helps to have a guide. Without his explanation, I might not have noticed how the stone wall rises two stories to present the illusion of an aged foundation—or how a row of windows set into the roofline floods the kitchen with natural light. I’m pretty sure I would have noticed the glass wall that “folds” back to make the living room totally open to the stone terrace overlooking the golf course. And it’s hard to miss the elaborately carved paneling of the two-story library—which feels just like a miniature of the one in Biltmore mansion. But without Shane’s tour, I never would have imagined that they did much of the carving by hand on site.
    I also got a chuckle out of the features that Shane called the “because you can” moments. A memorable one was the oversized master bathtub, which emits a stream of warm water over your shoulders when you lean your head back on the bath pillow. Such extravagances illustrate that this dream house, unlike many others, is more about pure luxury than showy bling. I am almost envious.
   
 

     Atlanta must be a Pottery Barn kind of town. Not only does Lenox Square have the world’s largest Pottery Barn, but now the mall has the world’s first Pottery Barn Teen store. I got a sneak peek this morning, and it’s every bit as charming as Pottery Barn Kids—which has moved down the hall to share space with PBT. You really don’t have to have a teenager to get a kick out of the fun light fixtures, furniture, desk accessories, and artwork. In fact, much of the merchandise would be fun for adults, except that all the chairs are low to the ground, catering to adolescents’ inexplicable preference for lounging around on the floor. I know, I’ve got two teenagers myself.
    In case you don’t receive the PBT catalogues at home, I’ll try to give a brief overview. Boys’ themes are sports, extreme sports (including surfing, snowboarding, and skateboarding), and a sort of urban lite. There is even a four-and-a-half-foot polyresin “Wall Shark” mounted on a surfboard. Among my favorite pieces are a table perched on two bicycle wheels, shelves made out of skateboards, and, of course, the dressers and desks with drawers made of metal lockers. The girls’ side is an explosion of pop-colored florals and graphic designs, with princess-y flourishes like beaded chandeliers, jewelry armoires, and vanities.
    There are plenty of gadgets for rockers and techies of both sexes. In fact, the new store has a stage with (polka-dotted) electric guitars and color-coordinated amps. Order online, and you can have them personalized. Girls’ vanity organizers come with a power strip for a hair dryer and curling irons. And iPods plug into chairs, study lamps, a skateboard shelf, karaoke machines, a makeup stand, stuffed animals, and reading pillows.
    The products are almost as practical as they are creative—with all kinds of multi-tasking and space-saving features. I'm thinking dorm room!