A novelist’s house and writing shed in Roswell offer lots of mysterious twists

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

“Our client’s style is a mixture of Don Draper meets Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil meets the Brontë sisters,” says Kate Duffy, one of the team with Duffy Scott Interiors. “She loves the mix, and she loves vintage.”

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

The client in question is a novelist who specializes in dramatic books with a bit of darkness and sometimes murder. Her custom house in Roswell is sprawling and what she calls “the anti-open concept,” with a charming shed in the back where she gets down to business. “As a writer, I’m definitely more of an introvert rather than somebody who loves to entertain,” she says. “I wanted to provide lots of small, discrete spaces where my family could all be together at the same time but also do our own thing.”

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

Architect Tim Adams designed the farmhouse to flow with the topography of the wooded property. “I thought it would be nice to let the house grow across the landscape and not be confined like a typical home,” he says. “Breaking apart the footprint would give the home a sense of a structure that evolved over time.” As a strong statement, the exterior is painted a dark gray, with an aluminum roof and bluestone floor tile both outside and inside. The interiors include a vaulted ceiling and plenty of windows to keep the look bright and airy. Modern cabinetry is combined with antique furniture for an updated mix.

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

Photograph by Marc Mauldin

The writer’s “she shed” is particularly cozy, like a rustic cabin. “I decorated it myself so it’s more of a hodgepodge,” says the homeowner. “The hero piece was a 1940s Globe Wernicke tanker desk I found on Ebay, and I love my grandmother Emily’s chair in the pink velvet and an Urban Outfitters daybed for napping—I seriously take naps while writing.”

RESOURCES | Interior design Duffy Scott Interiors. Architecture T.S. Adams Studio. Landscaping Sears Smith & Associates. Exterior/writing shed Paint: “Tricorn Black” 6258, Sherwin-Williams. Shed patio furniture: Fig House Vintage. Front entrance bench: West Elm. Front door mat: The Rope Co. Swing pots: Dovetaile. Daybed: Urban Outfitters. Kitchen Red pot on stove: Le Creuset. Pantry cabinet color: “Wrought Iron” 2124-10, Benjamin Moore. Powder room Wallpaper: Morris & Co. Concrete color: “Mink” 6004, Sherwin-Williams. Living room Wall sconces: Katy Skelton. Custom coffee table: Rustic Trades Furniture. Pillows: Anthropologie. Vintage decor: Antiques & Beyond and City Issue. Framing: LM Frame & Gallery. Dining table: Chairish. Lamp shades: Lamp Arts. Walls: “Chantilly Lace” OC-65, Benjamin Moore. Primary suite Drapery workroom: The Drapery Designer. Drapery panel fabric: Schumacher. Roman shade fabric: Fabricut. Bedding: Pottery Barn. Vintage runners: ABN Rug Gallery, 678-907-9001. Walls: “Simply White” OC-117, Benjamin Moore. Foyer Bench upholstery: Lewis & Sheron Textiles. Fabric: Fabricut. Guest bedroom Rug: Loloi. Lamps: Uttermost

This article appears in our Summer 2024 issue of Atlanta Magazine’s HOME.

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