By CHRIS REINOLDS / The Atlanta Journal-Constitution / Published on: 09/05/07 Old-world Italy.
The country of vino, Michelangelo and architect Andrea Palladio.
That's the inspiration for Michael and Maria Gavenchak's palatial home in the suburbs of North Fulton.
That's the inspiration for Michael and Maria Gavenchak's palatial home in the suburbs of North Fulton.
"We wanted Mediterranean, not Palm Beach," said Michael Gavenchak.
The couple chose the builder, Linda Martin Trademark Homes, because they said she listened to their needs and treated Maria equally with her husband. After finding the perfect lot, they built the neo-classical 9,600-square-foot home six years ago.
The couple chose the builder, Linda Martin Trademark Homes, because they said she listened to their needs and treated Maria equally with her husband. After finding the perfect lot, they built the neo-classical 9,600-square-foot home six years ago.
"(Linda Martin) was very open to us customizing," Gavenchak said, adding that the seven-bedroom house is an environmentally friendly Earthcraft home. Before building, the Gavenchaks purchased many items ahead of time, including the Italian marble and crystal chandeliers and doorknobs.
The family, and sometimes extended family, lives at The Estates at Atlanta National, a gated, guarded enclave of 35 homes in the new city of Milton. The neighborhood includes an 18-hole golf course, and the homes sit on wooded lots of two to five acres.
The couple chose the neighborhood because it allowed them to build a smaller home, about 1,800 square feet, next door for their parents. Michael Gavenchak's mother and father winter in Georgia about four months out of the year before returning to their home in East Hampton, N.Y. The Gavenchaks also designed their own home to display the artwork of Michael's prolific mother, Teddy Gavenchak.
Teddy Gavenchak is an accomplished artist, with work stretching back 40 years. Now 80, she recently showed her work at The Spruill Center for the Arts.
Michael and Maria Gavenchak made sure their home included expanses of walls to accommodate the large scale mixed-media paintings. The Gavenchaks display about 30 of her pieces. Most of the walls in the public areas are painted a neutral color to serve as a backdrop for the art.
"The house itself was designed to showcase my mother's work. It's a comfortable house, but a big house with extra garages 'cause I love vehicles," said Michael Gavenchak, who owns the public relations and advertising firm, The Titan Agency.
The Gavenchaks like to mix antiques with newer pieces. The table in the formal dining room is more than 100 years old, while the French chairs are reproductions. Gavenchak describes his style as neo-classical.
The formal living room shares a double fireplace with the keeping room on the opposite side. The living room mantel of cast concrete creates a pedestal effect for his mother's painting. Maria Gavenchak also displays her collection of Lladro statues that were given to her for special family occasions.
As she recently gazed out the living room's three-story bank of windows, Maria Gavenchak despaired about her garden of figs, blueberries and grapes.
"Deer have been feasting at the free buffet at the Gavenchaks," she said. She brought the grape vine down from her grandfather's garden in New Jersey. It was originally brought over from her family's land in Spain.
Family is a recurring theme in the Gavenchak household. Maria Gavenchak displays two jewelry boxes of sentimental value in the living room and master bedroom. The boxes represent a powerful love affair in her family. Maria's grandfather was taken prisoner during the Spanish Civil War and imprisoned for 10 years. During that time, Maria's grandmother was a constant visitor — even though they were not married. Maria's grandfather fashioned the boxes out of folded paper as a gift for her grandmother. After he was released, they married and bore a son. Her grandmother died when the child was only 18 months old."We named Nicolas after him (her grandfather)," she said, remarking that she gets goose bumps every time she hears the story.
Heart of the home
As with many homes, the kitchen is the hub of activity. Maria's Spanish roots are revealed in her love of cooking and entertaining. The peppy former Spanish teacher works her six-burner Thermador range hard. Cherry cabinets and a tile backsplash with cheery pale yellow walls surround the cooktop.
"We tried to create a flow. If we have 80 people, 65 will be in here," Michael Gavenchak said.
The master bedroom, in rich reds and golds, also is on the main floor. His wife and son, Mikey, 16, painted the walls in goldleaf for Michael Gavenchak's birthday.
The master bedroom, in rich reds and golds, also is on the main floor. His wife and son, Mikey, 16, painted the walls in goldleaf for Michael Gavenchak's birthday.
"We wanted the master on the main. It's important for resale and convenience," Michael Gavenchak said. They also added an elevator shaft so an elevator could be added by future owners, if needed.
In the terrace-level basement, the Gavenchaks set up a multi-purpose media room, including a pool table, air hockey and foosball. On the same level is a guest room — complete with handcrafted furniture by Michael Gavenchak's father — and a full bathroom.
HOUSE HIGHLIGHTS
• A three-story bank of windows and one of the couple's prized possessions, a five-foot-tall chandelier, lights the formal living room and foyer.
• The spine of the house is a stunning three-story winding staircase that was built in Canada and shipped here.
• Teddy Gavenchak's artwork is displayed throughout the home. Her work focuses on the juxtaposition of the figure and the imagination.
• The spine of the house is a stunning three-story winding staircase that was built in Canada and shipped here.
• Teddy Gavenchak's artwork is displayed throughout the home. Her work focuses on the juxtaposition of the figure and the imagination.
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