THE PROJECT
Sweetgum Manor
Abby Allen approached me with a designer’s dream challenge—a space that would be their next home while also serving as a healing sanctuary for the community. Nearly every room in this 1925 Dutch Colonial property has been transformed.
We wanted it to be eclectic but sophisticated, melding objects collected over the years with vintage finds and new pieces. Colors, materials, and textures are inspired by nature.
“Sweetgum felt like a hidden gem—4.5 acres of wild beauty in the heart of the city. I felt its energy before I knew its story. Then I learned about the two pioneering Black physicians who had lived here, and that Maya Angelou and Coretta Scott King had been visitors. That sealed it. It’s more than a home—it’s an inheritance.”
ABBY ALLEN, HOMEOWNER
NEXT PROJECT
