A house so beautiful it's been gushed about for 50+ years (starting with the Feb. '64 edition of Better Homes & Gardens), 2745 Riviera Court is a stunning piece of art, architecture, and history tucked into Decatur's Amberwood-Briarlake neighborhood.

Loved by a single owner from 1965 until this year, the 3-bedroom, 2-bath home is surrounded by a landscaped mature garden (aka a riot of butterfly-hosting blossoms come spring), giant trees (original forest that's home to songbirds, owls, and nesting hawks), and a small stream overlooked by a large back deck with screened-in pagoda.

"More than simple lines, more than glass panels," read Better Homes & Gardens—"with this house comes an even rarer discovery: A feeling of spaciousness usually found only in houses twice its size.” And with special touches everywhere—from slate floors and rich, wood paneling to built-ins, floor-to-ceiling windows, a winding staircase and elevated walkway—it's a house that was truly meant to be home. 

3 bedrooms • 2 bathrooms • 2 large decks • enclosed garage • workshop

2,450 SQF

$459,000

"Please return, I shall need this for planning"—evidence of the original owners' care and attention to detail are everywhere, starting with the preserved pages of the article that first inspired them. They took many cues straight from the magazine's model house (right down to the chandeliers, currently sleeping in the workshop), but outdid it entirely when it came to the setting, grounds, and exterior. 

The build (the very first to be constructed on Riviera Court, hence the perfect setting) was done by W.D. Farmer, a company rich in Atlanta history and roots. Farmer himself was the author of Homes for Pleasant Living and several other books, a former Chancellor of the College of Fellows with the American Institute of Building Design, and a life director for the Greater Atlanta Home Builders Association—quality that still sings throughout the home today.

Amberwood-Briarlake is home to beautiful parks (forever protected against development) and beautiful mid-century modern architecture (Arrowhead was the work of Robert Green, Atlanta's "forgotten master of modern" and one of Frank Lloyd Wright's last apprentices). It also boasts the excellent Briarlake Elementary, and its proximity to the 285 and 85 make for quick access to downtown and the metro area.