Posts Tagged vinings
New in Vinings: The Front Porch Market and Project Studio
Posted by thunsicker in Vinings on March 6, 2018
We had a double Grand Opening this weekend in Vinings Village with The Front Porch of Vinings opening its new Market space; and Project Studio, an art class and workshop space in the market.

The entrance to the Market
The new Market is located just below the home goods and women’s apparel portion of the shop and features local prepared food, cheeses, gifts, and fresh flowers.

Check out their instagram feed!
If you miss “The Shoppe of Vinings” that we use to have in the Village, this is a great replacement. With cards, gifts, sweet and savory pies, cheeses from Georgia’s Sweetgrass Dairy, pickles and jams, it’s a real Southern experience. Owner Lisa Rieves told me she is trying to create a beautiful “General Store” vibe, carefully curated to serve the Vinings community. The Market will build specially designed gift baskets for you, or you can swing by and pick up a meal for a friend that just needs a night off from cooking. The Front Porch and the Market are a great one-stop shop for all kinds of gifts.
Also, sharing space in the Market is Project Studio where you can bring out your artsy side with a variety of art and home decor projects at all skill levels. Have a girls night out, baby shower, or date night! This is their second location (the first is in west Cobb) and they offer classes, creative art projects and seasonal decor in a beautiful space. Their classes are led by the owners or a staff of artists to guide you through the process.

Project Studio’s menu board
Located just across Mountain Street from the Old Vinings Inn and just in front of the Paces Ferry Vet, both shops have great, easy parking. If you’re a long time resident, you’ll find a refreshing combination of the shop that was Stacy’s Kitchen combined with a splash of Lucy’s Market. And with the classes offered at Project Studio there is always something going on in the store.
Their Grand opening was this past weekend March 2nd and 3rd and they are open now on Tuesday – Saturday from 10-5. Project Studio also offers evening classes.

Local goodies by Strive Foods

Sample of the types of baskets they can make for gifts. Mention this post and I promise I will have a wonderful basket made for you at your closing!
My son and I just picked up a pie, some local cheeses and a card for a party that he was going to on Saturday night. Swing by and check it out on your weekend walk around the Village!

Grand opening projects!
We love living here and love to see more local-oriented shops coming into Vinings Village. Come check them out- there is really something here for everyone! And if you love our walking Village as much as I do, let me help you find your next home right here in our wonderful Village: Tina Hunsicker, realtor at Berkshire Hathaway Home Services.
Custom Home Tips and Ideas
Posted by thunsicker in Home Amenities on October 13, 2017

photo credit: Southern Living
We’re rounding up ideas for custom home (or renovations) “must-haves” by Atlanta homeowners! As I have posted before I hear a lot of great ideas from friends, neighbors, and clients about what they have learned from their experience in building or renovating.
Some ideas come up during every discussion. Lots of deep drawers in the kitchen, for example, are easier to access and keep organized that traditional cabinets. So if I list a repeat here, it’s because it’s still a great idea that people keep talking about.
Whole home systems:
Whole home water and air filtration systems can protect your home from environmental pollution and allergens. With Atlanta’s mild climate, seasonal allergies can be more like year-round allergies and an integrated air filtration system can go a long way in easing allergy symptoms. A water filtration system helps filter unwanted chemicals out of water used for drinking and bathing and can address issues with hard water.
Homeowners continue to love whole home central vac systems, especially with kitchen kick plate openings to make clean ups quick and easy. Whole home automated generators are being talked about on almost every site I follow and the Nextdoor apps due to all of the storms recently its a key feature (and convenient) that everyone who doesn’t have one thinks about and those of us that have them thank our lucky stars every time the power goes out, which seems more and more often in Buckhead and Vinings with all of our large mature trees.
In the kitchen:
Appliances with professional features continue to be a popular choice. Homeowners love the quality and functionality of smart refrigerators, convection or steam ovens, and powerful cook tops. Back when Pirch was still in business I loved to see the demos of all of these fabulous new appliances and dream about upgrading my kitchen. The expensive ones that I know I’ll never be able to justify are the built in Cappuccino makers and the wine dispensers that allow you have a fresh glass of wine and not have to finish the whole bottle. The more attainable upgrades are the steam ovens. Miele was my favorite, but my clients still prefer the Wolfe professional ranges it seems. Steam has also been a hot (get it hot) topic with washers as well. With messy boys the boy Mom’s I know are always looking for new and creative ways to remove stains.

photo credit: Wolf
A pot filler was another great idea. Get one plumbed in at the stove during construction and you’ll never have to lug a huge pot of water from the sink to the stove again. Pasta night (or a shrimp boil) just got a lot easier! I always crack up at this one as you still have to lug the pot to the sink to empty and wash it. But from my clients I’ve heard they just like the look of them as well.

photo credit: prucc.com
Separate drink stations or refrigerators have come up every time I’ve had this conversation for years. But a new twist on that idea is a full refrigerator in the pantry, great not only for the kid’s drinks, but as extra space for parties and holiday meals. Those of that have been using the “beer” fridges in the garage for years love the idea of having it built right in.

photo credit: decorpad.com
Careful planning for electrical outlets and USB outlets is important as technology becomes more and more a part of our lives. Many of our homes revolve around the kitchen but thinking about placement of USB outlets in the home office is important too; no more crawling under the desk to find a plug for your devices when they are planned at desk level!

photo credit: wirechiefelectric.com
Bed and Bath:
A new trend seems to be in planning ahead for one-floor living. Dual master suites, one on the main floor and the other upstairs with family bedrooms allows for parents to be close to children at night during younger years with a guest suit on the main floor, and then the option to move down to one floor living in the future. This also works well for families who have grandparents visiting frequently, giving them privacy and space without having to deal with stairs.
Several people also talk about dual laundry rooms if space permits. Depending on your needs, a main laundry room on the bedroom floor and a smaller stackable laundry unit on the main floor or in the master closet can be really practical.

photo credit: decorpad.com
Although soaker tubs are still popular, people are putting a lot more thought into their showers. From multiple shower heads, steam showers, custom sound and lighting and amazing tile finishes, showers are getting the attention they deserve.
One great tip is a heated bench seat in the shower. Think about how great those heated floors are, but for your tush! One person even mentioned a built in coffee mug or wine glass holder. Talk about taking a long shower!

photo credit: steamboatsmyhome.com
We’re always looking for ways to maximize our space and a lot of people are planning pocket doors into their homes during construction for that reason. Pocket doors are one of the single best space savers in a floor plan! Thinking through these subtle, harder to alter details during construction can really help with long term satisfaction. It just takes a little extra planning!
Indoor/ outdoor living:
Atlantans love their decks and porches! We like to practically live outdoors during nice weather but there are a couple of tips that can really extend the outdoor enjoyment. Screening in porches (or at least part of your porch) creates a bug-free outdoor space that’s great for dining, a kid’s hangout, or a spot for coffee in the morning. Adding ceiling fans or wall mounted oscillating fans to a porch keeps you cooler and keeps bugs away!

photo credit: decorpad.com
Having either a mudroom or a bathroom that is accessible to the outdoors is a must-have for many moms. Having a place to clean up kids who are muddy from soccer practice, organize backpacks, or clean up dirty paws helps keep the rest of the house cleaner. Speaking of muddy paws, a dog shower in the mud area or garage keeps Fido out of your tub or shower too.

photo credit: Kate Marker Interiors
Garages should not be an afterthought! Measuring the depth of your parking spaces and the width of you door can save you so many headaches in the future. Believe me, you don’t want to find out you can’t fit your car into your garage space after construction is complete!
Planning electrical outlets and lighting in a garage are important too. We use our garages for so many things besides parking and having enough lighting is key. No one wants to search through ski equipment or lacrosse gear with a flashlight in one hand. And with electric cars becoming so popular, consider adding a high voltage outlet to charge your car.
And one last tip for your outdoor space: add faucets and hose bibs to every side of your home. Keeping a long hose under control while you drag it around your house to hose off porches or walkways is a workout. Avoid that hassle by adding shorter hoses (and their plumbing) to all sides of your home.
So, what would you add to this roundup? Any great tips or lessons learned during construction? Check out the link from the previous list as well.
Visit Your Local Library for Summer Fun
Posted by thunsicker in Uncategorized on July 17, 2015
One of my favorite local resources here in Vinings and Buckhead are our local libraries. Both Cobb and Fulton counties have great branches in the area. We love our local Vinings branch library; their summer program theme is “Superheros!” and their events schedule looks pretty “super!”
From story hour for toddlers, summer reading programs for all age groups (including adults), special guest speakers, classes, art competitions and family movie screenings, the libraries are a wealth of activities that are great for your brain and your budget.
Take a look at the websites for the Atlanta-Fulton Public Library System and Cobb County Public Library System I’ve linked here, find the closest branch and see what cool (literally- they’re air conditioned!) summer programs they have coming up in July and August.
4046 Keswick Drive SE
Posted by thunsicker in Uncategorized on July 15, 2014
From the wood moulded brick to the Grand Manor Shingle roof, there is so much quality in this elegant Traditional Vinings home. With 5 bedrooms up, a nanny suite on the terrace level with several family game rooms there as well, cul de sac location and a level front lawn, this home is perfect for a large family to move right in. Formal rooms are large and gracious and the kitchen opens to the family room. Decks line the back of the home and, though currently wooded, there is plenty of room for a play yard. It has a whole house generator, two car garage, and permanent stairs to the 4th level.
Overview: 5,440 sq. ft., 6 bedrooms, 4 full/ 2 half bathrooms. Schools: Teasley/ Campbell/ Campbell
List price: $1,325,000
View the full listing here on my website.
Please contact me for more information or to view this beautiful Vinings home.
Play time in Atlanta
Posted by thunsicker in Buckhead, Living, Neighborhoods, Vinings on June 18, 2014
Summer is here and we are all looking for things to do with our children. I ran across this great article – a list of Atlanta’s Top 10 Parks and Playground. Some of these might be old favorites, but it’s always good to learn about new parks when you need to mix up your summer routine.
Run, Swing, Slide: The 10 Best Atlanta Playgrounds
Before summer starts to swelter here in Hotlanta, it is time to take this outside, parents. We scoured the city and rounded up 10 playgrounds that are a breath of fresh air and a guaranteed boredom buster. These parks have something for everyone—even the grown-ups. Consider this your bitty’s bucket list. Enjoy!
While our local Vinings/Smyrna playgrounds didn’t make the list, I’ll add my own recommendations:
Vinings: Cochise Riverview Club (members only): we have our own great playground by the pool.
Smyrna: There is a great playground by St Benedict’s. It is very clean, and young and older kids both enjoy this one.
Smyrna: Just up Atlanta Road is Taylor-Brawner Park. Besides having a great playground, it is also the site for Smyrna Food Truck Tuesdays. Take your kids for the playground and stay for dinner or popsicles.
Buckhead: Beaverbrook Park. It’s very quiet and has a lot of shade for these hot, summer days.
Rainy Days: We’ve all used McDonalds and Chick Fila in a pinch or on a rainy day – can’t beat it.
Are any of these your favorites? If not, where are your go-to playgrounds or parks?
Feature for Sellers: Prudential monthly real estate updates
Posted by thunsicker in Buckhead, Data and Statistics, State of Real Estate Market, Vinings on September 16, 2013
Knowing what is going on in the real estate market is just as important when selling your home as it is when you are buying. One of the great features that has come with joining Prudential is a monthly market update that is quick and concise. Below, I’ve included links to the Buckhead and Vinings September updates.
What you’ll notice in the Buckhead data is the dramatic fall off of sales in August. Normally, I would think this drop is related to back to school, but this year the decrease was more dramatic than in years past.
Vinings was more stable from July to August. I believe the uptick in sales prices is related to the Jumbo rates being lower than conventional financing right now. In both markets you’ll see that inventory is down dramatically.
If you are interested, I’m happy to pull YTD data for you as well. As always, if you’re thinking about selling, give me a call so I can help you analyze the value of your home.
Vinings home for sale with master on main and PebbleTec Pool
Posted by thunsicker in Featured Homes for Sale, Vinings on May 7, 2013
This property has been leased!
Master on the Main in Vinings
2681 Orchard Knob SE – Atlanta, GA 30339
Four Bedrooms, Three Full Baths, One Half Bath
Offered at $925,000
Master on the Main with wonderful living spaces and walk out to the level backyard with Pebble Tec salt water pool.

Beautiful PebbleTec saltwater pool. Offered at $925,000 by Tina Hunsicker. Click on the image for additional information and more photos.
Beautiful kitchen with wine cooler and stainless appliances. Open to family room with fireplace and built in cabinets.
From family room you can go to Sunroom with a wall of windows overlooking lovely backyard.
Large corner lot with circular drive between two streets. Walk to Vinings Village via sidewalks, eligible for Cochise Club membership.
Prudential Georgia – Buckhead Office
404-931-3944