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Photograph by Mali Azima
Designer Dina Varner’s clients knew they’d found the right neighborhood, even if the house wasn’t there quite yet. Charming, walkable Virginia Highland provided the perfect location, although the builder-standard residence, built in 2022 and largely black and white, fell short on character. Referred to Varner by word of mouth, the couple felt confident the VPI Design owner could take the so-so abode and make it feel just like them, injecting the warmth and individuality the new construction lacked.
Both partners hail from the Northeast and have called Atlanta home for about a decade, having happily embraced the South’s hospitality and easier pace. Busy professionals who travel frequently and entertain regularly, the couple wanted a home that would become equal parts refuge and entertaining space.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Known for her ability to marry old and new, Varner was delighted to discover that her clients favored an eclectic mix. Rather than referee clashing styles, she leaned into their shared love of contrast—from traditional bones and heritage pieces to crisp lines and contemporary gestures.
She began by upgrading the shell via details that respected the existing matte-black fixtures while adding extra dimension. Brass banding now wraps the kitchen hood, and coordinating hardware gives the cabinetry jewelry-like polish. New light fixtures combine black and brass to underscore the project’s mix. Nearby, English-inspired brass stair rods hold back a bold Missoni runner, giving a heavily trafficked space a spark of personality.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Against creamy ivory walls, Varner layered a warm and unexpected palette: accents of oxblood, ochre, sienna, rust, and sea green, with navy as a grounding neutral. The hunter green library sets a stately tone for the couple’s inherited antiques and energetic art collection, while refinished case goods and reupholstered armchairs lend instant history elsewhere in the house. “We like to tell the story of our clients’ lives,” Varner notes. “The question is how to make them shine through the pieces we curate.”
With their two beloved dogs at the center of the couple’s universe, durability was crucial. Varner designed with the canines top of mind, selecting ultra-tough textiles—polyester and polypropylene blends with chenille, cotton, and linen—and forgoing silk entirely. Amid full-height draperies and colorful rugs, the requested slipcovered sofa doesn’t demand decorum from the dogs; nothing is too precious for paws or parties.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Pattern further softens the once-spare backdrop. A monkey-strewn Cole & Son wallpaper enlivens the powder room, while a Kelly Wearstler for Lee Jofa wallcovering clads the dining room ceiling, suggesting a house that has evolved over time. The room’s dramatic black chandelier ties back to the permanent fixtures, while convivial seating groups—clubby swivel chairs and ottomans in the library, and a flexible arrangement in the family room where an acrylic backgammon table stands at attention—reflect the couple’s love of games, friends, and fun evenings in.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
That ready-for-anything dynamic also underpins one of Varner’s signature moves: placing a petite chair beside the family room fireplace. “It’s one of the pieces we try to slip into every project,” she reveals. “Sometimes clients don’t get the appeal upfront, but in this house, as with many others, it’s the seat everyone fights over.”
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