10 things to love Plug & Play The smartest upgrades are the ones that put family first as this newly remodeled, tech-savvy Atlanta home proves. by kristine kennedy photos rob brinson produced by lisa mowry styling elizabeth beeler Older homes with lovely bones don t always work for today s lifestyle. There was nowhere to hang out, owner Molly Marrah says. Solution: a crowd-gathering kitchen that opens to a spacious family room. better homes and gardens may 2014 bhg.com 43
Molly and Scott Marrah were thrilled to find an old home near Atlanta with a big backyard for their three kids. But while the outside was perfectly primed for family fun, inside was a different story. The house wasn t laid out for how I wanted to use it. It didn t have a gathering area, Molly says. To fix the problem, the Marrahs enlisted friend and architect Ili Nilsson. The changes they made including opening up a dark, inefficient kitchen added some welcome square footage, but the biggest gain has been in family togetherness. What the old layout closed off, the new one unites. Now that the kitchen and family room share a single space, five people (or more, counting the kids after-school guests) can hang out, spread out, and do their own thing, together. Cooking, bill-paying at the desk, homework at the kitchen island, movies, board games it all happens here. Smart, behind-the-scenes details (like wiring the house for sound so everyone can enjoy the same tunes, or building a special drawer for 3-D glasses into the TV wall) help the Marrahs plug in not just to family entertainment, but to each other. AT HOME WITH Molly Marrah of Decatur, Georgia, and her husband, Scott, plus kids Laine, 12, Elise, 9, and Jack, 6. MY STYLE I like a sleek look and a neutral backdrop with color provided by art and textiles. No visual clutter! FAVORITE TECH UPGRADE Our ceiling speakers make family dance parties much more fun. We always have music going, whether it s Scott on the guitar or one of our playlists. We love to crank it up and let loose.
SOUND OFF Mesh cabinet doors mean you can hear but don t have to see the TV soundbar. WIRE-WISE Cords and cables thread through a shallow hollow behind the hickory wood facing. POINT AND CLICK The cable box and wireless music system are at the right height for remote control from the sofa. 1SUN SHINE Molly loves a tidy, uncluttered look. Family room windows are left bare for that reason, allowing maximum light to reach the windowless kitchen. 2CLEAR VIEW Eliminating interior walls and columns in the newly renovated space means Mom and Dad can see the kids in the yard from anywhere in the hub. 3SELF- CONTAINED A built-in, above, eliminates the mess of a TV stand, cords, and consoles. See how to make your TV work with your decor at BHG.com/TV. 4SNUGGLE UP I was looking for something big and comfortable that you can take a nice nap on, Molly says of the sectional the hot spot on movie night. 5EASY CLEAN To keep the high-use family room lowstress, Molly chose a washable slipcover, wipeable leather chairs, and a dirthiding patterned rug. better homes and gardens may 2014 bhg.com 45
6CLOSE FOR COMFORT The screen porch, above, one of the spokes off the kitchen hub, provides easy, breezy dining for nine months of the year. The Marrahs repurposed the dining table from their former house. 7CONTINUITY CHECK The thick moldings, dark wood floors, and dividedlight windows in the addition mimic those of the original house, a two-story Colonial. Painting all the walls the same neutral bone color keeps the look light and modern. 8SECRET SERVICE What looks like regular kitchen cabinetry opens to reveal a 39-squarefoot hold-everything pantry, right. Nilsson cleverly co-opted the space from a too-long playroom behind the kitchen. 46 better homes and gardens may 2014 bhg.com
TUNE UP Ceiling speakers allow the same music to be heard all over the house. We have lots of spots to tuck things away, and all the wires for computers, Wii, and TV systems are hidden. The effect is very clean and tidy, which I love. Molly Marrah SETBACK Building the desk into a niche keeps the traffic area clear of furniture. 9CLUTTER BUSTERS In Molly s efficient command center, left, wall sconces free up the desktop, and a clothcovered tackboard displays a rotating gallery of kid art. The modem, router, and computer wires are concealed behind a false back in the bottom drawer. 10 SURROUND SOUND Before, the Marrahs listened to different ipods plugged into docks around the house. Now, with their Denon wireless receiver, they can play music from a computer, ipad, or iphone over the house s speaker system. n 48 better homes and gardens may 2014 bhg.com For buying information see page 178.