Library

The library is lined in reclaimed spotted gum that Maynard says “brings with it wisdom from its previous life.” A stained glass window by Leigh Schellekens makes the contemplative room feel like a domestic chapel.

The husband is a psychoanalyst who attends to patients in São Paulo as well as in the home—hence the generous proportions of the library and office.

Due to zoning restrictions, the house's footprint had to be relatively small, so Svensen devised a solution: split levels. The library occupies a landing on the staircase and features shelves built by Atlanta's Dark Horse Woodwork.

Libra flooring outfits the library.

A former closet was transformed into a double-height library, complete with a reading nook and a rolling ladder from Spiral Stairs of America. “That’s my favorite part of the house,” says Dan. “When I see Stella reaching for a book, there’s nothing better.”

Suspended over the living room, the library bridge connects the second floor rooms of the house. The transitional space contains built-ins and desks where the owners and their three-year-old daughter can sit and read. The steel of the staircase is supported entirely by the adjacent concrete wall. A marriage of concrete, wood, and glass is used in the space, and the large windows let light in and offer a view of the roof garden.

The new layout maximizes the utility of the home's 4,100 square feet.