THE MOD COUPLE

Newlyweds Keith Brown and Karen Hennessey turn a rundown 1960′s ranch into a midcentury modern masterpiece

Produced, directed, written and styled by Brian Patrick Flynn with photography by Sarah Dorio

Midcentury modernists are kinda like popular kids in high school. An intelligent coolness exudes from their attitudes and keen fashion sense to their flea market infused weekends. Newlyweds Keith “Kebo” Brown and Karen Hennessey are no exception. He is a sharply dressed marketing, branding and design whiz. She is a stunning, soft-spoken, population-saving epidemiologist. Aside from their careers, both are masters with decorating and interior design.

Brown and Hennessey saw hidden potential in a less-than-stellar 1963 Avondale Estates ranch, a short drive from downtown Atlanta. Both invested sweat equity and hard-earned cash to take the property from architectural ugly duckling to period-appropriate dream home. Although the midcentury marvel, referred to as the K2 House, looks like a million bucks, the mod couple’s penny-pinching bag of tricks resulted in a home as practical as it is spectacular.

Grand entrance

Entering the K2 House is an experience in itself. Guests are greeted by house pet, Kuba, before making their way into the great wide open. Kebo discovered original chrome Eichler-style door hardware at a local vintage market, then had it retro-fit for the house.

Sliding scale

Brown and Hennessey put up a wall, literally. Modular drywall panels allow the couple to section off private areas of the house when hosting large events. The all-white aesthetic helps their meticulously edited pieces to stand out including: Obama-centric photography by Marlene Lillian Photography and a modular sectional found at West Elm.

In living color

Brown and Hennessey are all about organic textures mixed with small doses of color. An aged, leather-clad console table was just what the doctor [and her husband] ordered to break up the dominant white-on-white aesthetic. Above the table hangs abstract art by David Huff found at the Mattress Factory Studios. Kebo was drawn to its resemblance of a classic Valentino haute couture gown, a nod to his roots in fashion design. Nestled next to a handsome chunk of driftwood sits a ceramic look-alike of the couple’s four-legged Boston Terrier son.

Up on a pedestal

True to midcentury form, pedestal bases appear on furniture in most rooms of the K2 House. Our featured fashionistas are greeted by their master suite’s Saarinen tulip side table and felt-upholstered swivel chair, both picked up at Design Within Reach Atlanta. A lightbox art piece discovered at SpaceModern sheds light on both subjects. Unfortunately, the lightbulb in my head didn’t illuminate when styling this shot; the leafy branch arrangement appears in two different photographs in this feature. Dammit.

Up high, down low

Kebo and Karen shopped super high-end, then went super low to create their master bedroom. Hubby proved himself handy by stripping the existing wood floors, then refinishing them himself. The tall rectangular window beyond the niche wall was a clever cost-saver courtesy of Kebo’s outside-the-box thinking; he had a low price-point sliding glass door installed as a picture window. Brown and Hennessey re-purposed a queen palm seed pod as sculpture displayed above their bed. KAJSA STEN bedding from IKEA set them back a cool $59.99 allowing them to dig deeper into their pockets for the upholstered platform bed from SpaceModern. Abstract art by Helen Durant becomes a focal point from the bed.

Bed, bath and beyond

Although Kebo and Karen’s master bathroom looks like a W Hotel penthouse suite, its budget was more fit for Motel 6. The man of the house came up with some brilliant ideas to create high-end fixtures from medium-to-low-end items. First up is the glossy white vanity re-purposed from IKEA’s BESTA BURS tv stand. Kebo cut out the back to fit plumbing, then fixed two DECOLAV vessel sinks from Lowe’s to the top. Wall-mounted Kingston Brass faucets were a steal from overstock.com. Italian porcelain from Iberia Tile runs throughout the space from the floor to the shower walls. Custom mirrors and glass were fabricated locally by Glass World in Decatur.

So fresh and so clean

A modern free-standing tub was a discount online discovery. Kebo added drama with a formal chandelier hung overhead; the DIY light fixture was freshened up by first spraying the brass with primer, then finishing it off with black spray paint.

Guest relations

Staying in the K2 House guest suite is a first-class experience. The white-on-white aesthetic is at its best here, especially when lit by the sun’s morning glow. A framed pair of Das Cabinet of Dr. Caligari-inspired Alberto Mier art pieces hangs above the MALM platform bed from IKEA. Custom sheer draperies made from $5.99 per yard IKEA fabric diffuse the morning light as Kebo’s rehabilitated midcentury chair rests in the corner with an 8X8 “State of the Union” collage by Daniel Biddy overhead. Keepsakes from trips to Japan and Africa top the guest dresser while a David Bowie-esque abstract by David Huff hangs nearby. Kraus fixtures polish off the minimalist guest bathroom.

Heart of the house

Kebo and Karen cook and entertain often [in fact, they even got married at the house]. From the looks of their designer kitchen, this is no surprise. Brown and Hennessey saved a good chunk of cash by going the IKEA route for cabinets, drawers and refrigerator facing; however, they agreed to splurge on a custom Corian countertop and an island facade of Nexus brown/black wall panels. Below the Zephyr ventilation fan sits a hand-welded stainless steel Alessi centerpiece designed by Fratelli Campana. The same white hue from the cabinets and countertop carries down to the floors via Italian Arebescato marble found at Home Depot EXPO. High-end appliances were purchased affordably through discount outlets; a resin Harry Allen Banana Bowl was a wedding gift.

Preferred seating

The best seats in the house are in the fireside dining room. To create something unique without busting their budget, Kebo and Karen combined JAKOB swivel chairs from IKEA with safety yellow sawhorse bases and an ovular IKEA laminate top, then splurged on a 1940′s Belgian iron and crystal chandelier found at Scott Antique Market.

Fashionably late

Although Kebo and Karen were dolled up and ready for their night out on the town, we begged them to stick around just a few [or fifty] minutes longer for a kickass action shot. Do they usually ballroom dance in their kitchen? No. Did we persuade, then encourage them to double dip over and over again all for the sake of one more fantastic shot? Hell yes we did.

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