WHEN DESIGNER RONALD JONES FIRST WALKED THROUGH THE 8,000-SQUARE-foot Roswell home, he immediately recognized its potential. The home possessed exceptional architecture: soaring ceilings, generous proportions and abundant natural light, yet the interior design told a different story. Dark cherrywood cabinets dominated the kitchen, beige walls blanketed every surface and entire rooms sat unused—their purpose unclear to the homeowner. The residence, though relatively new, felt trapped in another era. Jones, founder of R Jones Designs, saw not just what the home was but what it could become.
“The homeowner had a lot of rooms she didn’t use, so one of my goals was to make everything useful,” Jones says. The homeowner’s vision was clear: She wanted a transitional aesthetic that felt light, airy and distinctly contemporary while honoring the home’s architectural bones. What followed was a comprehensive remodel that touched nearly every major space, transforming the residence from overlooked to extraordinary.
Jones’ path to becoming one of Atlanta’s most sought-after interior designers began at age 8, when he discovered his passion for spatial design. “I started drawing cartoons and then cars, then houses, then floor plans,” he recalls. “Even as a kid, I was thinking about space and the materials I wanted to use.” This early fascination evolved into formal education at Kennesaw State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in construction management with minors in architecture and business administration. With over a decade of industry experience, Jones has mastered the technical tools of his trade while developing an intuitive understanding of how people inhabit spaces.
What distinguishes Jones from other designers is his comprehensive approach. His background, spanning interior design, architecture and construction, enables him to serve as both a creative visionary and a project manager. “You can have a great architect, but the floor plan can be completely wrong for the furniture,” he says. “Having a background in architecture, interior design and construction, I do the renderings and floor plans so I know what’s going to fit.” This holistic perspective proves invaluable, particularly in residential projects where the stakes feel deeply personal.
“Residential is more personal and more intimate,” Jones says. “This is someone’s home, and I want them to be happy when they come home. I take things slower to help people develop their vision.” For the Roswell project, this meant understanding not just aesthetic preferences but lifestyle needs: why certain rooms remained unused, which spaces felt welcoming and how the home could better serve its inhabitants.
The dining room is a perfect example of Jones’ ability to create drama while maintaining sophistication. Where beige walls once receded into bland neutrality, Jones introduced “Urban Bronze” by Sherwin-Williams, a rich, enveloping hue that immediately elevates the space. But the true masterpiece lies in the layering. Ralph Lauren chevron wallpaper adds subtle texture and pattern, creating visual interest that shifts with the light. Custom velvet curtains in a complementary tone frame the windows, their luxurious fabric bringing tactile richness to the room.
The centerpiece, a showstopping light fixture by Arteriors, commands attention without overwhelming the space. Its sunburst design, with arms extending like rays, creates sculptural presence and provides ambient illumination. Beneath it, a glass dining table offers transparency, preventing the dark walls from feeling heavy. Elegant, upholstered chairs in cream velvet provide both comfort and visual contrast. The result is a room that feels simultaneously cozy and grand, intimate enough for family dinners yet impressive enough for entertaining.
The keeping room, situated just off the kitchen, presented a different challenge. This space had fallen victim to a common problem in large homes: undefined purpose leading to disuse. Jones transformed it into a conversation area that has become one of the family’s most frequented spaces. The transformation began with the walls, where he installed an Innovations wall covering in wood veneer, featuring a distinctive Goyard pattern. The geometric design reads as a subtle texture from a distance but reveals its complexity upon closer inspection.
The neutral palette of cream and taupe creates serenity, while varied textures prevent the monochromatic scheme from feeling flat. Custom velvet curtains echo the dining room’s luxurious fabric choice, and new club chairs upholstered in channeled fabric provide both visual interest and comfort. A round coffee table anchors the seating arrangement, its dark finish grounding the lighter elements. Abstract artwork adds an artistic flourish, and a statement chandelier with organic, bubble-like forms introduces an element of whimsy. The room now functions exactly as intended: a place for casual conversation that feels both refined and welcoming.
Perhaps the most dramatic transformation occurred in the living room, where Jones created a space that feels like a modern art gallery. The focal point is impossible to miss: a floor-to-ceiling marble fireplace wall in white and gray veining that serves as both a functional element and a sculptural statement. The marble’s natural patterns create their own abstract artwork, eliminating the need for additional ornamentation on this surface.
Flanking the marble centerpiece are warm wood-slat walls that introduce a horizontal rhythm and natural texture. The juxtaposition of cool marble against warm wood, smooth against linear, light against dark creates visual tension that energizes the space. Contemporary artwork featuring abstract forms in black and white continues the sophisticated palette and adds human creativity to nature’s artistry.
The furniture selection also has modern sensibilities. Plush seating in cream bouclé fabric provides comfort and contemporary texture; a low-profile coffee table maintains sight lines to the fireplace. The dark hardwood floors ground the light color palette and connect to the wood slat walls, creating cohesion. Custom draperies frame the windows in dark fabric that complements the wood elements, and a subtle area rug defines the seating area without competing for attention.
Throughout the home, Jones’ attention to detail manifests in carefully considered choices. In the kitchen, he refinished existing cabinets rather than replacing them, installed marble countertops and a herringbone backsplash, added a 48-inch stove and created a custom Venetian plaster hood.
The butler’s pantry transformation showcases Jones’ ability to modernize traditional elements. He painted the existing cherrywood cabinets an elegant blue gray, installed an antiqued mirror backsplash that adds depth and glamour, and topped the space with black marble counters. Brass hardware, which Jones describes as adding shine “like jewelry,” provides the finishing touch.
The primary bedroom underwent color drenching in Behr’s “Elephant Skin,” a technique Jones particularly favors in which walls, ceilings and furnishings embrace shades of a single color. The primary bathroom received a complete gut renovation, emerging as a serene monochromatic retreat with 4-inch-thick marble countertops, floating vessel sinks and a luxurious tub inside a shower wet room.
Jones’ design philosophy centers on creating spaces that are both beautiful and functional, sophisticated and livable. While most of his clients gravitate toward modern aesthetics (which he executes exceptionally well), his personal preference leans toward European transitional, mixing old and new for innovative results.
“If you’re remodeling, don’t do it on your own,” he advises homeowners. “We’ve seen too many uh-ohs. We know what’s going to add value, what’s going to go out of style and how things should flow.” For this client, that expertise meant transforming an underutilized house into a home where every room serves a purpose, where dark, dated interiors gave way to light-filled contemporary spaces, and where architectural beauty finally met its match in interior design. Through Jones’ vision, the estate has been reborn, not just renovated but reimagined for modern living. *
Robin Howard is a freelance writer in Charleston. See more of her work at robinhowardwrites.com.
