A Gut Renovation Transformed This Atlanta Celebrity's Home From a Mess to a Marvel

This savvy homebuyer found a distressed property in an Atlanta neighborhood on the verge of gentrifying and turned it into a gorgeous showcase of his midcentury vintage finds and art collection.

By: Felicia Feaster

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Photo By: Tomas Espinoza

A Historic Atlanta Bungalow Makeover

The gentrifying Atlanta neighborhood of Chosewood Park offers tons of promising vintage homes for buyers — if you are willing to put in the work. But talented artist and personality Grant Henry (of the hit Atlanta bar Sister Louisa's Church of the Living Room and Ping-Pong Emporium where celebrities from Owen Wilson to Ben Stiller have battled Grant at the ping pong table) was up to the challenge. He found this very much in-need-of-repair home behind his daughter's home and made the homeowners an offer they couldn't refuse (sight unseen) right before they planned to tear the home down and build something new.

"I've always wanted to mix modern and primitive," says Grant of his home filled with midcentury modern treasures and folksy antiques that celebrate his Southern heritage. The result is a unique space filled with collections and design ideas for other lovers of old homes and antiquing.

See how Grant Henry's style has evolved with this tour of his previous home.

Learn More: Tour a Midcentury Modern Collector's Atlanta Home Loaded With Crazy Color

A Front Porch Offering a Taste of Things to Come

Grant took on the renovation of his newly purchased home all on his own; no architect was involved. One of his first tasks: a new roof so a ceiling open to the sky wouldn't become a waterfall. The home featured an unfinished dirt backyard and was basically an opportunity, Grant says, "to try my hand at building a house." He laughs, "I think it has to do with my OCD: I have an addictive personality." And transforming distressed properties definitely feeds that need.

Here Grant cuddles his dog Shoog — the perfect friend and accessory since Shoog's black coat matches Grant's wardrobe of black T-shirts — on the wide front porch that sets the tone for the mix of vintage wood furniture and more contemporary pieces inside.

A Hallway, An Exhibit

Testament to the value in creating a home tailored to you and not geared for resale, Grant transformed a four-bedroom, three-bathroom home into a one-bedroom, two-bath house (plus one bedroom with one bath and outdoor shower in the poolhouse) that suits his needs perfectly. The home is graced with a long entryway corridor that leads the eye into the space. The long hallway is the perfect opportunity to show off collections or highlight large pieces of artwork. This home is one of many Grant has revitalized in Atlanta including his very first purchase of a dilapidated house for $10,000. But he admits "this is my favorite house ever."

Small Space, Big Impact

The living space of Grant's home is divided into two sections, the better to show off his collection of midcentury finds and artwork. Grant traveled to Indianapolis to pick up the vintage Barcelona chairs featured in his living room.

Comfy Chairs Around the Dining Table

This spacious dining table offers one more opportunity for Grant to show off his midcentury chair collection. Grant is a particularly robust collector of chairs. "I think I have over 100 places to sit," he jokes.

Because the living and dining rooms of his home currently face an enormous lot where multistory townhomes are under construction, Grant wanted to ensure his privacy once his new neighbors move in. He had 3M privacy film installed on those windows. He can still see out, but anyone looking in will just see a mirror effect.

An Epic Vintage Credenza Means Lots of Storage

Closet space is at a premium in many historic homes. But Grant has a solution: a collection of spacious vintage credenzas that provide ample space for his collections and overflow. Here he pushed two Knoll credenzas together to make one super-sized credenza. Learn more about midcentury Knoll designs here.

Multiple Lounging Vignettes

The beauty of Grant Henry's space is its flow, with one room opening up into another, but also the smart arrangement of furniture to allow multiple seating vignettes throughout the home.

A Painterly Moment

Proving sometimes the best gallery wall isn't a wall at all, artwork can be propped in various locations and then more easily swapped out.

How to Subdivide a Room

Grant uses groupings of furniture, dividers and rugs to define different sections within each room.

Vintage Masks

Massed masks are a dramatic installation piece in the long hallway that divides the two halves of Grant's bungalow. The midcentury masks are made by Frankoma Pottery in Oklahoma which has been creating pottery since 1933.

A Hot Home Office

As a successful bar owner and zealous antiques aficionado always looking to add to or subtract from his collection, having a home office with good light and spacious vintage desks is a necessity.

Level Up: Almost Anything Qualifies As a Collection

Even levels — when displayed cleverly — can offer an engaging moment to contemplate industrial design.

An All-White Kitchen Is a Blank Canvas for Color

Lacquered white big box kitchen cabinets are a quietly sophisticated backdrop for the key lime chairs and rugs in this open kitchen.

Rugs Cut to Size

Grant found a rug manufacturer that would create rugs in the patterns and exact sizes he wanted for his home, including the polka dot series of small round rugs in his long front entryway hallway.

You can see how Grant takes advantageous use of the generally unused real estate above doors to display his collection of vintage Girl Scout mugs.

A White Kitchen Still Works

For a vintage bungalow filled with midcentury modern furniture, a glossy white kitchen feels just right, offering a nice neutral backdrop to show off some of Grant's collections and colorways. Grant does not cook so all the cupboards and even the oven are filled with his pottery collection. "That's why god made restaurants," he quips of his cooking-free kitchen.

A Powder Room Filled To the Brim

A definite maximalist and collector who never met a vintage portrait he didn't like, Grant has filled the powder room off his main living room with the kind of artwork that gets guests talking. Grant has traveled as far as Boca Raton and Indianapolis for a good thrift find.

A Loungey Moment in the Main Bedroom

The king of vignettes, Grant never misses an opportunity to display some art and create a moment for book reading or a morning coffee, as in his main bedroom here.

Make It Custom

Grant had the contractor who installed his frameless shower cut out a round hole so he would check the water temperature before entering the shower.

Grant's Primary Bedroom

Grant opened rooms up to create more generous proportions including a primary bedroom suite with a walk-in closet, spacious bathroom and a bedroom with plenty of room for lounging.

Clever Ways to Display a Collection

When you are a collector, all sorts of surfaces and nooks are enlisted to display your finds.

Screened-In Space

Vintage finds cozy up to more contemporary pieces in the eclectic mix that defines Grant's aesthetic inside and outside.

Thrift Store Family

A family portrait found on his many vintage furniture hunts presides over the outdoor wooden dining table that overlooks the pool and courtyard.

A Resort-Like Backyard in the Middle of Atlanta

Evidence of the extensive work Grant Henry did to transform a neglected historic home into a personal, private oasis can be seen in the gorgeous backyard pool with fountains and hot tub. Grant added the pool for his grandsons who lives with Grant's daughter in the house behind his. Since building the pool, Grant has discovered he has more family living in Atlanta and another grandson, which has meant even more children and family to enjoy his beautiful space.

Poolhouse

Grant's saltwater pool is the perfect place to keep grandchildren entertained. The pool features a ledge for seating, the better to escape the Atlanta heat. More than just a poolhouse, this ADU boasts a spacious guest room, small kitchen, bathroom and, outside, a large closet for pool floaties and other storage.

An Argument for Bringing Your Artwork Outdoors

Striking sculpture gives this poolscape an elevated, unique vibe that suits its artsy owner. A confirmed "dumpster diver," Grant sourced a beautifully patinaed grate from a dumpster that contained elements from Atlanta's 1996 Oympics, which he had installed in the pavers around the pool. He now has a bit of Olympics memorabilia — date and all — featured in his poolscape.

Floaty Central

Pool floats for his grandchildren fill the pool house storage closet.

The Lounge Life

An immaculately landscaped backyard and plenty of seating for guests define this vacay oasis in the city.

A Pool + Water Feature

When it's not being used for swimming, this compact urban pool with its row of fountains is a relaxing water feature that lends the soothing sound of flowing water to the backyard ambiance.

Oversized Yard Art

Large freestanding statues and other pieces placed on pedestals lend drama to this small outdoor space. Grant is a big advocate for getting rid of your lawn and is pleased to point out his current home is lawn-free, cutting down on maintenance and watering.

A Studio Apartment

The guest quarters in the pool house include a simple kitchen on one wall.

A Balance of Bright Colors and Gallery-White Spaces

To keep his rooms from feeling too busy, Grant balances plain white walls with furniture and accessories that lend a dose of color like this reclaimed green cabinet in the guest bedroom.