In 1997, Aderhold Properties began the renovation and redevelopment of the historic Fulton Cotton Mill in Atlanta into a community of 505 loft apartments.

Heirloom Design and Build has outfitted this loft in the Fulton Cotton Mill Lofts.

Architect designed and built- this steel structure is tucked into a group of mature hardwood trees. High ceilings and big, clean spaces with tons of natural light.

Modern, radical, custom built lofts- way up in the trees-tall ceilings and big open floor plans make it a huge hotel room or as event space for small gatherings, meetings, retreats.

Clean, bright and beautiful, this building is made of steel, wood, glass and plaster- with no unhealthy adhesives or off gassing materials- for healthier air quality and to prevent mold growth.

Large windows, and giant doors open out onto a 200sq-foot deck surrounded by treetops. The huge balcony off the kitchen has two grilles- gas and charcoal- built into the guardrail.

The stainless kitchen is minimal- a gas cook top, a small oven, a small sink and a mini-fridge and toaster.

Do you like it? You can rent it at Airbnb, where I’ve found it.

Talk about transformation : across the freight train line in the bad part of town an old garage has a new lease on life. Abandoned and derelict it now houses a studio and living space as well as an open courtyard. This rough and ready building is now being used as a home and workspace. By Atlanta architects Brian Bell and David Yoachim of bldgs.

At first glance, Mariettaâ€s historic downtown square would probably conjure up images of Mayberry before youâ€d think of European locales such as Londonâ€s Mayfair district or, maybe, Maastricht. But above one of the mom-and-pop shops, stylist Thea Beasley has crafted a loft that melds Old World continental charm with the street smarts of Manhattan.

The size and age of the space conjured up Europe for me,

says Beasley of the late 19th-century structure. “Itâ€s sort of like a grand old apartment with good bones, patina and a soul that I had not found anywhere in Atlanta.”
For Beasley, who loves old spaces and has always lived in old houses, this one has been in a constant state of evolution since she first spied it 15 years ago and was the first person to get a certificate of occupancy in the downtown area.

When I first moved in, the floors were so dirty I thought they were linoleum,

she says with a laugh. These days, bright dappled sunlight floods the space throughout the day, creating an ethereal retreat in which she can conceptualize and create projects for her vast array of clients, including a number of national home furnishings companies and catalogs.

Itâ€s like living inside a sculpture,” says Beasley, “one that constantly evolves to reflect me. I think of it as one part loft, plus big, fat New York apartment.

While the stylist in Beasley makes her a natural-born collector, things that remain constant include her passion for things from nature—bones, shells, feathers and raffia—as well as her love of different cultures, particularly 18th-century France, India and Africa. For the French-born Beasley, who was raised in London and lived in Savannah before moving to Atlanta, the loft has afforded her the space to live more of a European lifestyle that mixes simplicity with luxury. As she puts it, “Being here is sort of like pairing a ball skirt with a white T-shirt.”

In 1881, European immigrant Jacob Elsas built one of Georgiaâ€s most successful late 19th century textile mills. Today it remains a proud and significant part of Atlantaâ€s industrial history. The Stacks continues the legacy of its founding visionary, evolving from cotton mill to a community of one-of-a-kind loft homes.

After years of declining operations, Fulton Cotton Mill finally closed its doors in 1978. The property languished for years and demolition loomed until the Cabbagetown community banded together and saved the mill from the wrecking ball. In 1997, Aderhold Properties began the renovation and redevelopment of the historic Fulton Cotton Mill into a community of 505 loft-style homes. It is now known as The Stacks at Fulton Cotton Mill, named for the mill’s still-standing smokestacks.

Passing through the foyer brings you into the kitchen, which has 16-foot ceilings and is one of the main focal points of the unit. It is a galley-style layout with gorgeous travertine countertops and custom built-in maple cabinetry, which provides outstanding storage capability for even the most well equipped chef. Miele cooking appliances provide an exceptional cooking experience, including a 5-burner gas cooktop, built in oven and warming drawer to keep additional dishes table-ready.

Open shelving runs the length of the countertop creating a minimal look while also being extremely functional for day-to-day cooking and entertaining. Oversized drawers reveal a range of storage options for cookware and other essentials, all of which have automatic soft-close hardware. Around the corner, a huge 9†pantry provides additional dry storage and a recycling area.

Around the corner from the kitchen is the Master Suite. The bedroom itself has original brick on all 4 walls 16-foot ceilings. There are two window passages that open onto the main living area, which provides natural light, but not direct sunlight to the sleeping area itself. This effect makes for a wonderful setting to enjoy sleeping in on holidays and weekends without having to draw shades or curtains to achieve the right mood.

Perhaps the most sanctuary-like feature of the space is the bathroom itself. Upon entering, the soft, warm tones along with perfectly controlled lighting invite the visitor to stay and treat themselves to a spa-like experience. Architectural lighting highlights exposed brick features above the soffit and provides a nice juxtaposition between the sleek, modern finishes and the history of the building itself.

The shower enclosure is made up of beautiful travertine tiles and frameless glass, with a deep soaking tub fitted under dual showerheads, including a central rain head that provides incredible coverage for a residential shower. Soaking in a hot bath is a treat in this space, and is even better for 2!

Through the broad sweeping archway out of the kitchen lies the Tower, which is currently configured for living, dining, and office areas. The structure itself is original brick on all 4 sides with dimensions of 25†x 25†with staggering 65 foot ceilings. Words and pictures do not do the space justice, as it is impossible to comprehend until you are standing in the space absorbing the magnitude of the structure.

Before the conversion to lofts in 1999, this room housed 2 massive water tanks that were supported by a series of heavy timber beams. The Towerâ€s brick walls survived the fire of 1999 and the tornado of 2008 and the structure still remains largely as it appeared over 100 years ago.

The Tower faces East but receives natural light throughout the day. On the main level are windows facing North, South, and East, all of which can be opened. At the top level of the Tower (approximately 40 feet above the existing main living area) are massive arched windows on each of the four walls, creating an unparalleled panoramic view of Downtown Atlanta and the surrounding area.

The pool is centrally located in the ruins of the oldest standing exterior structure on the property. Mill building 1, originally built in 1881, was beyond repair at the time of conversion to lofts, but much of the exterior of the structure remained intact, which, along with the original boiler house, provides the backdrop for a unique experience of bathing in a community pool. There is ample furniture for large groups, WiFi access, and a restroom facility onsite, but the perfect placement of the pool itself is certainly one of the propertyâ€s greatest amenities.

The complex have its own common grounds – perhaps the most intriguing amenity of them all. Every area of the 10 acres has its own story, and it is easy to get lost in the various passageways, stairwells, and other unique components that make the Cotton Mill the unique property that it is. Relics of its former role as a bustling business and source of livelihood for the Cabbagetown community can be found throughout the property. The developers took great care to preserve the history of the facility, thus photos, blueprints, and other artifacts are on display throughout the common grounds. Grills and other patio furniture provide additional gathering spaces for the community and invited guests throughout the year, and it is not uncommon for a group of neighbors to host an impromptu cookout in one of the courtyard during the warmer months.

Atlanta-based photographer Rob Brinson has had this loft studio in the King Plow Art Center, a former plow factory from the 1800s, for 23 years now. Today itâ€s the full-time studio space he always dreamed of when he first became a photographer. He and his wife, Jill Sharp Brinson, stylist, designer and creative director for Ballard Designs, lived there full-time for six years but now use the living spaces as a getaway and a crash-pad for friends and relatives.

In the owner’s words:

The most amazing aspect of the studio is that it has over 1,000 panes of glass and has incredible light for my work. It is over 6,500 square feet with sections 25-feet tall with clerestories and was originally the foundry and pattern shop for the factory. Each day, 180 trains go past the studio, but I do not even hear them anymore. Itâ€s located in the Westside District of Atlanta (which is pretty much the place for design, style, dining, etc.). This area was not that way 23 years ago, and I was pretty lonely over there, as I was the sole occupant of the 180,000 square-foot factory for a while, until I convinced a good friend he should risk all of his money on developing it as an art center. Luckily it worked, and we are still good friends. When living there, my young son referred to it as Fort Apache, but now itâ€s all chichi. The loft is an equal blend of my wife and I with a tilt toward me; my home probably tilts to her talent more. The style is industrial and functional. Itâ€s kind of like a space with a view, as every room has great natural light.

The upstairs loft was originally a private bedroom and living space before I decided to rid it of any walls. No sleeping late here with all of its windows. It has a different feel because of the lower ceilings.

The conference area

… with “RL” 60-lb. metal letters (my fatherâ€s name and the first two initials of my grandfather, son and I). Jill had my motherâ€s 1950s chairs reupholstered (she threw out most everything else). A real feel-good space.

An area I can hang my prints

… while I work on projects, and a sofa that was a gift to me from Jill. She thinks the dogs are not allowed on it . . .

The kitchen sinks were $100 on the side of the road

The quirky antique stool was found in London by Jill, and after arriving home with it, she saw it in a spread in World of Interiors.

The wire baskets are sea urchin baskets from fishing boats in Bodega Bay, CA

… that we found during a shoot. We bought them off of a boat that was docking for the last time.

A one-of-a-kind stool invention

… with a patent pasted on it that expounds several lofty spiritual quotations. It bounces. The table is made from an old riveted boiler tank that Jill bought many years ago in France, and it has a proud place in our loft. It is too heavy to move ever again.

We dragged these seltzer bottles home from a shoot in Argentina in 1998.

Forty packed in duffel bags; sure the luggage inspectors loved it.

My grandfatherâ€s partner desk from the 1930s.

Each drawer is filled with old family photos, leases, letters, contracts, deeds, stock certificates and items from as far back as the 1850s. Eyeglasses, ballet shoes, letter sweaters, bibles, coins, ribbons of political buttons, old letterhead, ledgers, lighters and a multitude of other family “treasures.” I love the stairway to our loft — I guess there were not many building codes in the 1920s.

One of the bathrooms

— we have 3 and ½. This one is made from 14-foot Belgium raised-wall panels and doors and an old French street light.

The reason Jill married me: I have 6,500 square feet to store her stuff.

The best 800-square-foot shooting room I have ever been in with the most amazing light.

It has a southern exposure, sort of like me. The flooring is two-inch thick heart pine board from an 1800s tobacco factory in NC where I grew up. My surfer son is the only one who can stand on the ladder without falling off. We were married in this room, along with 70 friends and family members.

The pattern shop.

Patterns are hand-carved from mahogany to make molds for casting metal machine and plow parts. Just beautiful objects that would sometimes take a pattern maker a month to finish. Computers do it in an instant now. Jill slip-covered my old 50s furniture with linen.

Saloon doors to the make-up and hair room. This used to be where tons of sand was stored that was used in the foundry

When I finally got all the sand out, I discovered tiny baby footprints in the concrete that walk around the room. Sometime in 1920, someone heard a man yell, “Get that baby off my slab.”

Via Design*Sponge