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Sunday, April 15, 2007
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Business: Private QuartersChez Montier in Decatur is so much more than just lively, engaging art, stylish, contemporary furnishings and strategic lighting.
The home recipe for one of Atlanta's celebrity designer/chefs and his community-minded wife has produced a dwelling as comfortable as one of Juan Montier's bear hugs and as warm as Judith Service Montier's sunny smiles.
The carriage house annex of the three-story frame cottage in one of Decatur's quaint neighborhoods accommodates the studio where Juan, 47, creates his expert interior designs.
He is launching plans for a food, décor and lifestyle television show called, of course, "Chez Montier," inspired by his success on "The View's" Next Celebrity Chef competition in 2004.
Judith, 45, a former aide to legendary R&B diva Diana Ross, loves Decatur's easy commute to her downtown job as an executive with the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta and its walkable access to shops and dining.
The couple met on a blind date arranged by a mutual friend when Judith came to Atlanta to coordinate events in the Olympic Village during the 1996 Games.
They bought the house for $289,000 in 1999 to make room for their growing family.
Among the first of some $65,000 in renovations the Montiers made to customize their home was the third-floor "teen suite" for son Monty, now 18. Three-year-old Austin inhabits a cheery animal-themed room on the second floor.
The sleek, contemporary master suite features a cozy sitting area.
"We created a sitting room, so we have a sanctuary up here," Juan said.
Judith's boudoir, carved from a former bedroom, lies a step beyond the cushy chairs. The chamber houses her well-organized wardrobe and a discreet desk for her personal correspondence.
His closet is tucked away between the bedchamber and the black-and-white bath.
Downstairs in the common areas, strategically placed mirrors reflect Juan's carefully planned lighting and the couple's eye-catching art collection. Juan placed the mirrors at eye level to expand the rooms' visual impact.
Track and recessed lighting throughout the house is controlled in each room by dimmer switches.
"I'm a lighting person. Even during the day, lighting makes a difference," Juan said.
The Montiers shifted the downstairs configuration to create clearly defined spaces for living and dining. Ivory walls and carpeting allow the vivid colors and crisp lines of their furnishings and art collection to capture the eye in each room.
"I buy art for the history and the feeling it evokes," Juan said.
Colorful abstracts dominate the den, while the living room features a Faith Ringgold print entitled "Wynton's Time" and a Turkish prayer rug.
To create their space, Juan said, he approached his wife like a client, probing her preferences and catering to her tastes.
"Then I threw in a little of my stuff at the end," he said with a laugh.
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