The 2009 Atlanta Holiday House Tour

Hi! It’s Valarie Edwards ready to head out to the 2009 Atlanta Holiday House Tour! Our photographer extraordinaire Charlene Fisk, production assistant and editor superb Renee Burton and I pile into the Traveler van and dutifully following the printed directions, we wind up at the WRONG place. But, tah-dah! Char whips out her trusty I-Phone and we’re on our way again. Turns out we were 20 minutes away from the office.

Bruce Patterson greets us at the door of this 22,000 (yes, that’s twenty two thousand) square foot home off Paces Ferry Road in Atlanta. This year’s tour benefits the ‘Save a Smile Foundation.’ Bruce is the group’s director. The ‘Save a Smile Foundation’ helps kids born with either a cleft palate or a cleft lip. Turns out 1 in 700 children are born with this birth defect. Surgical costs to repair this hereditary disorder can top more than $250,000. Bruce was born with a cleft palate and tears come to his eyes when speaking of the psychological effects of craniofacial disorders on children. Bruce is wearing striped pj’s and a red Santa hat. It’s just about story time and several kids have come to hear a reading of one of my holiday favorites, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.’

All is going well ‘til the kids start opening the fake gifts the decorator has placed around the room. Then, one little girl starts crying. One sister reminds another to get her Christmas list to Santa, or else. And, more than one mom is surprised to hear her child wants a puppy for Christmas. OK, everyone turn around and smile! We shot this scene at least three times and you can tell it was nap time for some. Including me!

I wish I could tell you I have a favorite room but even the laundry room is fantastic! There’s the master bedroom on the first floor, done in shades of silver, white and pale blue (think a lighter shade of Tiffany’s famous blue). But right off the master bedroom is the master bath. At least six people could fit comfortably in the shower and the closet space (OMG!), one for him, and one for her.

There’s a kitchen any top chef would die for, a wine cellar, an entertainment room, a full-size basketball court, a salt water pool, and a man cave complete with a pool table and a GIGANTIC plasma screen.

When you visit, tell them you heard about it on Georgia Traveler. And, bring your camera …turns out decorators like it when you snap pictures of their rooms. The three level French style estate is located at 3410 Ridgewood Road in Atlanta. For more information, visit www.AtlantaHolidayHouse.com. And, check out the Holiday House gift shop to find some of the same decorative items you’ll see throughout the house.