Over the years, we’ve featured a number of dogs in the pages of our magazine, other beloved pets notwithstanding. The best designers know that the homes that are most loved are the ones that are truly lived in and, after all, what remains a better mark of the vibrant inner life of a house than the furry friends that fill it? These designers and their clients have unfailing adoration for their pets, which is why it has always been a joy to photograph them—in playful moments, inquisitive stances and chic repose—within the beautiful rooms that they both frequent. Here are a few of my favorites:
This lovable French Bulldog was photographed in the foyer of the Coweta County country house of Margaret Knox, ingeniously designed by the late Joye Hirsch and featured in our August 2007 issue.
The second feature I wrote for the magazine—published in the March 2008 issue—was on a guest cottage designed by Lucile Clarkson for Sandy Springs couple Tom and Lou Glenn. The grounds between the two houses, designed by landscape architect Rick Anderson, are a favorite retreat for the family poodle, Hank.
At his own home in Buckhead—an elegant space that made our November 2007 cover—designer Jim Essary takes a break with his dogs Merlin and MacDuff.
At the Westside home of metal artisan Andrew Crawford and his wife, Elizabeth Sears—seen in our April 2009 issue—two dogs, including a Jack Russell terrier, are constant playmates for their young children.
In a photo from our July 2009 issue, Atlanta designer Bill Musso and Bryan Cooke relax in the courtyard of their Alys Beach, Florida, home with their regal Cocker Spaniel, Aaron.
A garden design by Alex Smith for Buckhead clients is even lovelier thanks to the addition of the family's yellow lab and, elsewhere in the July 2008 feature, a curious tabby cat.
Beth Webb's own home on Muscogee Avenue, featured in August 2007, is also the happy haunt of her two Welsh Corgis, Lizzie and Charlie.
The breathtaking renovation of Jamie McPherson and Tra Raines' antebellum farmhouse in Coweta County, featured in our October 2006 issue, displays a covered "Southern porch" that seems to be as much beloved by their pug, Leo, as the owners themselves.
In our January 2010 issue, designer Barbara Howard created a light, feminine scheme for young couple Mayer and Beau Buisson, completed by the addition of their elegant King Charles Cavalier Spaniel.
Also in our January 2010 issue, Pieces boutique owner Lee Kleinhelter's white golden retriever, Rider, enjoys all the perks of life as top dog in one of Buckhead's most coveted high-rise condominiums, Sovereign.
Don't miss the next pair of cute canines in our June 2010 issue, Weimaraners Chloe and Emma, owned by Le Jardin Francais co-owner Marie-Laure Coste Dujols.
What pets have you spotted in past issues of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles? Have any of your own—or those of favorite designers—been featured? Let us know!
