Last week, we took time off from our busy schedule to visit the 2012 Atlanta Symphony Associates' 42nd Annual Decorators' Show House and Gardens.   This home, sponsored in large by Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles is a goodie. Seriously - treat yourself and visit this gorgeous landmark home named Knollwood.

As designers, we love to visit the Decorator Show Homes not only to support the sponsors and our designer colleagues, but to see, touch and feel the best that Atlanta designers have to offer. It's a creative candy land even if your not in the biz.

If you've never been to a showhouse, don't be intimidated. It's a great place to get ideas about design, scale, color, texture and creative ways to use a space. Here are a few notables from Knollwood:

1. Like a good frame enhancing a piece of art or a photo, LIGHTING MAKES A ROOM.

I loved how Kellie Griffin Interiors accentuated the long, smokey hallway into the gentleman's game room with these sconces.

2. EXPLORE A VARIETY OF PAINT FINISHES.

Look what a high gloss finish does to the upper hallway ceiling designed by Melanie Millner (and note another super cool light fixture).

3.  YOUR KITCHEN DINING AREA DOES NOT NEED TO CONSIST OF A WOOD TABLE SURROUNDED BY MATCHING WOOD CHAIRS.

The mother/daughter team of Womack Interiors  shows us how to mix and match banquets (I like them on the ends and not the sides!) with upholstery and black lacquered wood.  If you are rolling your eyes that this would never go in your crazy kid filled home, think of these banquets made up in easy to wash slipcovers and the chairs upholstered in a brightly color vinyl or faux leather!

4. Go BIG OR GO HOME. SCALE IS EVERYTHING!

Scale is probably the number one design element that people consistently get wrong in their homes. A showhouse is the perfect place to see design done to scale at it's finest. The dining room in this home is enormous but designer Carole Weaks makes the room feel cozy by inserting not one but TWO round dining tables (with a mix of chairs and banquets) along with this art that takes center stage in the room. You can't really tell in the photo, but in person this painting is huge (yet perfect).

5. DETAILS MATTER

They say copying is the greatest form of flattery so I will be doing just that with these great finishing touches in the Guest Retreat bathroom designed by Dillard Pierce Design Associates.

Hmmm..... I have a little chair just like this...

 I love this idea for makeup brushes in marbles!!

6. CELEBRATE YOUR LIFE THROUGHOUT YOUR HOME IN UNCONVENTIONAL WAYS

This last room cleverly designed by Barbara Heath and Jim Green for The Mercantile, is one that is near and dear to our hearts because it represent our mantra in design which is celebrating your life.  Our clients are often searching for ideas on what to do with that rarely used formal living room. For that matter, who uses their formal dining room that much these days either?

We dubbed this room "the memorabilia room" tastefully and comfortably displaying all types of sports awards and memories. This is what is so great about Decorator Show Homes - they show us how to think outside the cookie cutter uses for regular spaces.

This particular tour is running thru May 13th so you still have plenty of time to go! You can purchase your ticket at the door for just $20!  That's a cheap date if you ask me and well worth it!!!!