Chai Style Home: A Wonder Woman’s House of Thoughtful Judaica
Caterer Hillary Holland collects various streams of art-some, a fun type of offbeat.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
Hillary Holland, a woman with many dimensions, knows what she likes.
Here, in the Beth Tefillah neighborhood, she balances a busy family life with kosher catering as a side hustle, all nestled in a white columned home.
Here, the tongue-in-cheek punk and comic art play second fiddle only to her commitment to works from Jewish artists around the world and special reverence to the Lubavitcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson (OBM).
Upon entering the Holland home, a five-foot-high colorful metalwork with one of the Rebbe’s most famous images is displayed in a rainbow of colors, the treatment of him is spellbinding.
Hillary said, “It was hanging in a Tel Aviv gallery, and I really admired it. My husband surprised me with it for our anniversary that year. It’s one of our greatest joys to have beautiful art and a double joy that some of it can reflect our values.”
A Miami, Fla., native, Hillary isn’t afraid to have fun with her collections by framing vintage Hermes scarves, commissioning a hip jazzed-up portrait of her husband by Israeli artist Amit Shimoni, and positioning a rare skateboard leaning against the focal fireplace. Note that Architectural Digest saluted skateboards in its “On Deck” column: “How a crude, handmade toy evolved into one of today’s top collectibles.” With a huge Rohlfs painting of Wonder Woman just opposite one of Marilyn Monroe, it mirrors Holland’s life of balance.
Skate through space with a sputnik Jonathan Adler chandelier and a large Van Gogh “Starry Starry Night” Be@rbrick, to find a life-sized horse that Hillary just “had to” repaint.
Jaffe: What are some of the most unusual pieces you’ve collected?
Holland: Almost everything in our house is kind of unusual or at least has a story behind it. The furry sheep in the living room are by Magrit and were a Chanukah gift.
The bear is from the Be@rbrick Collection based in Tokyo, but we took our kids to a Van Gogh exhibition and became obsessed with his work and the sadness behind it.
Some of the framed works we have are vintage posters from Israel that we randomly found in a small and gorgeous gallery in Paris. They commemorate Israeli symbolism and anniversaries — one being completed by Asaf Berg each year. We had them framed locally with Anthony Naturman. The vintage Hermes pieces were scarves I hunted for in shops and resale sites and had them framed in Miami before our move to Atlanta.
Jaffe: What went into your dining room?
Holland: The lighting fixture is sputnik-like by Jonathan Adler. The chairs are clear plastic by Phillip Strack for Kartell.
Jaffe: What’s unique about your child-themed art?
Holland: Our son’s room is great fun with a life-sized gorilla lamp with a movable arm and a life-sized teddy bear nightlight, both by Qeebo. The painting in the background has a strong protective Poppa Smurf wearing a Star of David rallying, “You Talking to Me?? Bad Boy Gangs” by Offensberg from an Israeli gallery. Certainly, enough to give a young boy confidence.
The large acrylic in the breakfast room of children tumbling called, “Street Brothers,” by Anna Maria Cimbal (Venice), is one of the first pieces we collected.
Jaffe: Share the uniqueness of the upstairs bedroom.
Holland: We kept it chalk white and barnlike as it was a room with unusual angles built over the garage. The white chairs are from West Elm. The life-sized horse was a gift and arrived in pewter, where I methodically painted it over in white to give a lace-like effect. The framed Hermes scarf there glows in the dark, and we liken it to outer space. The hand-drawn painting of the rabbi parting the waters is from Sfat and is lighthearted.
Jaffe: Describe the funky portrait …
Holland: There’s a great story about the punk rock portrait I commissioned to celebrate my husband’s birthday during COVID. Artist Amit Shimoni has this very distinctive style that he’s also created for celebrities and heads of state like Ghana, Princess Diana, Putin, U.S. presidents and more. Shimoni is known for his treatment of cultural icons by adding hip and pop vibes. It’s very sideways for someone who is as basically strait-laced as we are. We get a kick out of it every time someone asks about it.
Jaffe: You have art from various periods of the Rebbe’s life?
Holland: In the back hall is a very unique painting of him drawn from the likeness of his passport photo at age 18 by Daniel Ariel (2013). We brought it back from Venice of all places.
Jaffe: How do you use the outdoors?
Holland: It took us two years to get the pool in and running. We’re just now working on landscaping and decor so it’s a work in progress. It’s heated and has a dark tint with running waterfalls. We wanted it to be lagoon-like.
Jaffe: Your kosher catering business was featured in the Atlanta Jewish Times on March 15, 2023, “Holland’s Elevated NOSH Catering.” Now what’s cooking?
Holland: Often on social media I post that week’s menu for pick up on Friday. I use top-tier and kosher ingredients and, as of now, no meat. Some of my special dishes are jalapeño honey salmon, green goddess pasta, carrot roasted hummus, smashed potatoes. salmon bites with maple tehina sauce, chocolate peanut butter rice crispies bars, raspberry crumble bars … I am not AKC-registered but cook out of the Beth Tefillah neighborhood.
Jaffe: Last word.
Holland: I treasure books; and my favorite store, Books and Books, in Bal Harbour Shops, has been a big source of my collection, particularly by Jewish publisher Asouline. If my husband wants to give me a gift, it would be a book from there. I recall with fondness the intimate rooms, colorful seats, and local owners. Growing up, we were not raised in households that collected art, so we feel lucky to be able to have fun and beautiful things around us. I maintain a healthy perspective on what’s important to have around and mostly want to be reminded of the things I love when I look around – my family, Israel, friends, seeing the world.
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