Last weekend, Mark and I attended the Canton/Waleska Fall tour, via an invitation from the Cherokee County Historical Society. It’s a tour I had never been to before, but since we love touring homes and getting inspired for new ideas, we went and really enjoyed it. It was a gorgeous Fall day and perfect for being outside. A tour bus dropped us at the first 4 houses and then we drove to Reinhardt College for the last two houses and that was my first time on campus there, which is a beautiful place.
The first home we visited, I ended up knowing the homeowner, Anita, from years ago. She recognized me and we finally figured out she taught aerobics at a gym I was going to back then in the mid-80’s, so it was ages ago. Her home is beautiful and it’s also for sale, so she said I could post pics.
Built in the 1950’s, Anita and her husband have lived in this house since 2001 but plan to sell it now. She said she was really going to miss it because she had put her heart and soul into the house. I totally get that!
They renovated the kitchen, the addition of heart pine, an overhaul of the sun porches and the addition of shiplap thoughout the house.
Anita had some beautiful touches of Fall inside and outside the home.
Of course, I loved this blue and white porch.
A cute potting shed and little garden was right through the gates. The home is for sale along with 6 acres.
I didn’t want to invade everyone’s privacy, so didn’t take pics inside this one, but it’s right near downtown Canton and just a lovely house, built in the 1930’s. The inside was gorgeously decorated too and called the Hyatt-Perkins home in Canton.
Such a welcoming front porch.
The back of the house had tiers of decks and stairs and a wonderful backyard to entertain in.
One of the lovely porches.
And the 3rd house I took pics of was at Reinhardt College, the Evelyn Gordy Rankin Hospitality House. I loved this story. The home was originally constructed in 1929 on Piedmont Road in Atlanta. Frank Gordy, owner of The Varsity Restaurant here in Atlanta, purchased the home in October 1940 and gave it to his wife as a Christmas present. It was moved in four pieces from the site on Piedmont Road to the campus in January 1991, renovated and opened in 1992, where it now serves as a hospitality house for out of town guests who are visiting the college as well as special functions and group meetings. It’s so gorgeous and so very Southern inside. Just like the day it was built back in the 1930’s, it’s so pretty and charming
The Varsity, for those of you who don’t know is a famous landmark and all of us who grew up here loved going to this near Georgia Tech hamburger and hotdog icon for fast food. I still love it and go by the Kennesaw location occasionally to get my fix of onion rings and a peach pie. Yum!
This ornate wallpaper graces the walls in the foyer.
I’m not so formal Southern Traditional as this anymore with swags and jabots, but I can still appreciate a house well done in the classic Southern style such as this one. You can tell a lot of good design went into the house architecturally and decorating as well. Those 2 arched doorways are swoon-worthy, aren’t they?
Formal living area.
A close look at one of the archways. So gorgeous!
I just loved this sunroom and the windows in here are original to the house.
There’s even a fireplace out here.
This was a former covered porch that was later converted to another sunroom with windows and those were made to look like they’ve been here forever. Just stunning, I love big windows so much.
The formal dining room was pretty and stately with stained full paneled walls and a dripping crystal chandelier.
The breakfast area was so quaint and charming as well with built-ins.
And these built-ins in the other corners. I just love built-ins don’t you, they should bring these back to home designs in new houses.
The kitchen still has the charm of a by-gone day and still has laminate counters. They kept the charm of it all and I love that.
Not fancy by today’s standards, but a nice functional kitchen.
The laundry room going to the backyard has big arched windows too.
Off the foyer is the hallway going to the 3 bedrooms.
That’s an old French mural wallpaper that has been saved and restored.
It’s just beautiful in an Old World way.
One of the children’s rooms of the Gordy family.
Hallway and arch.
This bathroom has original blue tile and it’s still very pretty even though it’s older and not in style now.
I can imagine back in the day, this was a state of the art bathroom.
The master bedroom is spacious and light-filled.
And the master bath also has a state of the art (for the 30’s!) bathroom with pink and maroon tile, remarkably in good shape.
Wasn’t that a fun tour of some neat houses? I love sharing these with you as we go on tours, so I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. It was a fun day out so if you’re in the area, be sure to catch the tour next year! There was a farmer’s market going on in downtown Canton that day.
I love that all the small towns around Atlanta area booming and people are enjoying them all over again, including our new town of Acworth, GA!
Wow! Anita. That is a name from the past. She was an amazing aerobic instructor. That is when I met you back in the 80’s.
The houses are lovely. Always enjoy hearing stories about the Gordie’s. Reinhardt is a beautiful campus. Thanks for sharing!
I know, Judy, small world to see Anita again!
So much beauty and character in older homes. I love seeing them! We are coming up on home tour weekend here in the Dallas area and I can’t wait!
I love Anita’s house. How cook you ended up knowing her. Glad you and Mark could spend the day enjoying the tour!
Looks like a fun day touring beautiful homes. I love all the architectural details and the floors in the first home are gorgeous!
Shelley
I really liked the features of that Hospitality house, Rhoda. Like you, I’m not quite that formal, but I love classic, traditional styling. Thanks for the tour. I’m sure wondering that paint color throughout the home that appears buttery colored…….
What a great post! I thoroughly enjoyed looking at these homes. I suspect Anita’s home will be sold by the end of the day! It’s just perfect.
I am in love with that older “Hospitality” house. It is worthwhile to note that many of the designs are timeless – and since it’s all decorated in the same period – it just works!
Hey, Becky, I totally agree with you. That house is very livable for today, just an update in the kitchen would be nice. But the floorpan was wonderful.
Anita’s home is charming! I have no doubt it will sell quickly. Gosh, haven’t been up to Reinhardt in quite some time. My oldest’s high school cheer camp was always held there. It is quite pretty in the fall, but super hot during the summer months.
Enjoyed the tour!! I would also love to see more built-in cabinetry as it makes a room so warm and inviting. Oh my, I drooled over the French wallpaper…so exquisite!! 🙂
That was fun! Some great decorating ideas in that first house. Thanks for sharing.
I absolutely love the charm of the white kitchen with its older counter tops and that pink bathroom is awesome!! I love how your share real life home that are so beautiful, thanks Rhoda!!
I agree with everyone. This is the best tour you’ve ever featured! I could move right in to any one of these houses and adore the kitchens “as is”, as well as the beautiful bathrooms. Changing those bathrooms, windows, etc. would just ruin them. Fashions come and go. Your friends house is amazing! Everything they’ve done displays a delicate and thoughtful touch. If only I needed to move a few states away, I’d be there! Thank you SO MUCH for this post. It made my day.
Hi Rhoda! I’ve followed your blog for a while, but this is my first time commenting. I’m on the board of the Historical Society- thank you so much for taking the homes tour and sharing. I was a docent at the Gordy House Friday night- it is an amazing house. So neat that it was given as a gift two different times- first by Mr. Gordy and later by Evelyn Gordy Rankin to Reinhardt. She wanted the home to be on the campus where they met. So romantic.
Hi, Lisa, thank you for reading and I’m glad you enjoyed my post about the tour. I thought Mrs. Gordy’s house was so fascinating.
Loved this. I worked on the Canton tour but didn’t get to see Mrs Gordy’s house. I knew her and recall visits to her house when it was on Piedmont Rd. Haven’t seen it in 30 years. After moving her house, Mrs Gordy moved to Park Place condos in Buckhead. She had it custom built and it looked exactly like the house she moved from (heavy molding and archways, etc). She mentioned riding on the elevator with Sir Elton John one day (he lived in the same building). She said she later tried to watch one if his concerts on TV and said, “I couldn’t see what all the fuss was about.” Lol. Thanks so much for these photos. They really take me back.
HI, Joe, thanks for stoppimg by and your comments about Mrs. Gordy. She must have been a wonderful lady.
That lilac bathtub is gorgeous!!