When Shashi and Lucky Reddy, co-founders of cell phone accessory brand Case-Mate, were in the market for a new home, they started going for a drive around the leafy Atlanta suburb of Brookhaven. The community is known for its beautiful landscapes and stunning pre-war architecture, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. “It wasn’t the first house that caught our attention as much as the 100-year-old oak tree right in front of it,” Lucky said of the couple’s final discovery. “[W]I said this is it, this is the house.”
The Reddies (who met during their college years in India) bought the house in 2007 and lived happily in the space until 2016. At that point they decided to expand and bought a plot of land next door to their neighbors. Two full house demos later began building an entirely new structure on 2.5 acres of open land.
Shashi and Lucky have called Atlanta home for 25 years. “Every piece of furniture and art in our home comes with a story,” says Shashi, who has collected work by good local and Indian artists. “There is no square inch of the house there has been no discussion of how to define the space. There is no middle chair or cushion; there is always some detail woven into it that makes it different, and that makes it unique.”
Photo: Mali AzimaThe duo commissioned Summerour Architects of Atlanta to design an exterior facade to match the historic district. “We’ve seen a lot of houses in Atlanta that were standing next to shingles or plaster—[materials] They didn’t feel like they were [last] Forever,” Lucky, whose full name is Lakshmi, says. “In India, all homes are made of cement and steel, which means it’s a bit sturdier.” Ultimately, the Reddys decided to use limestone as their predominant material, plus plenty of glass.
Through the architect, Reddys was introduced to Joel Kelly Design and Wyeth Ray Interiors, who led the decor efforts. “Shashi and Lucky asked us to take a traditional exterior and seamlessly integrate it into a modern interior in a way that makes sense,” explains Joel Kelly, founder of the eponymous design firm. “They wanted to be good neighbors on the outside but fashionable on the inside.”
A look inside the home library. “One of the challenges you face as you transition from a traditional exterior to a modern interior is that a clash of styles is very possible and can be very disruptive,” says Kelly. “It’s not an easy thing to do.” Later, he remarked, “This is one of the most collaborative projects I’ve ever been involved in.”
Photo: Michael Stavaridis“It was essential for us that the front door look like a gateway from one style to the next,” adds Whitney Ray, lead designer at Wyeth Ray Interiors. “The Reddys were very active in the design process, but they kept saying to me and Joel, ‘Just hold us responsible, because we don’t want this house to turn into a Frankenstein with a hundred parts to form one disassembled body.'”
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