#4 - Mara, Confederate Avenue, Woodland Hills
SPONSORED BY PARK PET SUPPLY, EAST ATLANTA VILLAGE
Since it was built in 1924, the Spanish Mission/Mediterranean house on East Confederate has always turned heads. Mara was house-sitting for a friend in the area in 2000 and fell in love with the neighborhood while walking their dogs, and in 2003 moved into her home on East Confederate. In addition to the cool house, Mara was excited to have Jacci Fuller Park abutting her back yard. 
Mara noticed that the backyard had at one time been lovingly manicured; she went to work returning the gardens to their former glory. The extensive back-yard gardens include aged bricks, a gazebo, and a slate and stucco pond - a perfect setting for throwing some of her famous parties.
Mara, her boyfriend Todd, their boxer-mastiff mix pup and three cats have recentlylived through an extensive kitchen renovation. Having removed walls, added doors and moved windows, the new space boasts a chef’s kitchen, complete with a double oven, farmhouse sink and marble countertops. Mara is happy that her home has good bones, making the remodeling job all that much more rewarding.
The house has been retrofitted with many ‘green’ improvements, including a tankless water heater, energy-efficient appliances, improved insulation, and a more efficient heat pump. Mara is tickled that her utility bills, including power, gas and water combined, rarely exceed $175 a month.
Mara has collected an assortment of vintage and antique furnishings; be sure to check out the floor-unit record player. Many of the home’s quirky features are reminiscent of a former owner, brother to Ty Pennington from The Learning Channel’s “Trading Spaces” and ABC’s “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition series.”
Mara’s future plans for the home include replacing the detached garage with a master suite, creating an enclosed courtyard and living area that will further integrate the house and gardens.