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15 Profound Wisdom for Living 28 Executive Career Opportunities 30 Atlanta’s Best REALTORS 33 Atlanta’s Best Homes & Communities 38 Your Luxury Advantage 42 Gifted Programs for Children 4-12 43 Entrepreneur Programs Youth 13-18 52 Your Power Your Money Your Legacy
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“The best colors are the ones you can’t describe with a word,” says Birmingham-based Tammy Connor. And at the Buckhead home she designed for Rod and Linda Gray, it’s one big guessing game—at least to the untrained eye. A dreamy mix of blue-greens, soft ivories (more than halfdozen of them) and comfortable tans, browns and grays create a quiet cacophony of colors that makes for a subtle yet striking palette. But pinpointing an exact shade? Impossible. Working with architect Norman Askins on the home’s extensive remodel—which included beefing up all of the home’s moldings, the addition of a sunroom and scaling back the double-height foyer into something more intimate—Connor chose hues that are easy on the eyes, yet offer round after round of surprises. “We do our color schemes in a way so that rooms don’t look overly decorated or matchy-matchy,” Connor says of her firm’s philosophy. “That makes them more complex and, as a result, each room has its own personality.” What’s more, Connor’s take on fabrics is similar. “We use more subtle fabrics than big patterns,” she explains. “In general, it’s rare for me to pick a floral pattern and match the rest of the fabrics to it. The textures that we choose make it more casual.” In the Grays’ residence, for instance, bouclés, linens and velvets are juxtaposed with wallpapers that have charming prints and antiques with rich patinas. Some rooms, such as the library, are cozy and intimate while others, like the master bedroom, are light and bright. “The Grays had some great things to work with,” says the designer of her clients’ existing furnishings. Pieces from their previous residence on Tuxedo Road were used throughout this one, while Connor called upon her sources in Birmingham, Charleston, New Orleans and New York for other antiques, lighting and accessories. The resulting mix is a home that, in Connor’s words, is “soft and comfortable, yet sophisticated.” Now that’s something everyone can agree on. -Clinton Smith, Author -Erica George Dines, Photographer
LB: What's your next project? HB: There's this movie called Nappily Ever After. It's beautiful, funny, but has a deep message about women. Women slave for their hair! It's all about how we compare ourselves to other women, how we size ourselves up. It's a look at this one woman's life, and she goes through this metamorphosis when she gets rid of her hair. Not only does she feel different, but people treat her differently. She's now more like an alien than the hottest chick on the block. She's got to reboot and discover who she really is. LB: For the role, do you plan to shave your head on camera? HB: Yes. I'm scared to death. I just hope my reaction fits into the story. If it's uncontrollable screaming, it might be a different type of movie. LB: What are your guilty pleasures? HB: Very boring, but I buy baby clothes online. Nahla can't wear all the clothes I've bought, and we don't go anywhere because I can't deal with the paparazzi. Gabriel's always like, "She doesn't even leave the house! Halle, you've got to stop." LB: Nahla is a beautiful girl — amazing, given her challenged parents. HB: Let her be sweet because I believe beauty is as beauty does. My hope is that she is sweet and kind because no matter how beautiful you are, ugly ain't cute. LB: Would you ever get married again? HB: No. I'm done. Also, I happened to find a person who feels done too, and he's never even been married before. So it works. LB: More children? HB: Yes. My pregnancy was amazing. I was happy that whole time, I felt good, I had energy, I was like Superwoman. I wish I could feel like that for the rest of my life, that's how fantastic it was. LB: Last year was kind of super for women in Hollywood too. HB: It really was. As a woman, when you embrace where you are in life, then I think the struggle isn't so hard. If you're 42 and still think you're an ingenue, then you've got a problem. LB: Whose style do you like? HB: Eva Mendes. She's beautiful, and she's sexy and hot, and I love her. LB: So, what are Halle's hobbies? HB: I just want to be home for a while and swim in the pool, and I love to garden. I thought, Wouldn't it be great when Nahla can run out here and pick fresh fruit right in our own backyard? [Points to veggie patch.] We have an apple tree, a plum tree, a pear tree ...
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