Chai Style Home: Design Savvy Snyder Leaves Us Swooning

Recently retired after 52 years in the practice of law, Gary Snyder blurs the lines between art and architecture in his 8,600-square-foot Buckhead home. Set on two wooded acres, the house is a study in precision and place, with the outdoors informing the interior on two levels.

Here, bold modernism embraces a more-is-more philosophy sans ostentation. The effect is polished, sophisticated and exuberant, yet livable. Art consultant Fay Gold, who has worked with Snyder for years, describes his approach as instinctive. “Gary has an excellent eye in matters of taste and beauty. He is a passionate, enthusiastic and knowledgeable collector.”

Jaffe: How did all of this come together?
Snyder: In 2012, my law firm moved, so my route to work changed. I began noticing older one-story houses being torn down and replaced by new modern and transitional homes. Once the landscaping went in, the houses looked as though they had always been there. I certainly didn’t need a new house, but I said to myself, “I can do that.” I thought it would make for a fun project.
I had no idea what I was getting into. I bought the lot in 2018 and tore down the existing house. I then hired Bill Harrison as my architect. I ran into a series of setbacks. Unfortunately, Bill passed away during the project. Then came COVID, more health problems, and terrible supply-chain problems. Construction finally started in January 2022, and the project took more than two years. My builder, Mike McLaughlin of Craft Builders, has an architectural degree, which was very helpful.

Jaffe: Explain your relationship with Gary.
Gold: I was referred to him professionally. Gary subsequently asked me to help him with art for his previous house. The first thing he purchased was a large Rocio Rodriguez painting for the dining room. Later, Gary brought his fiancée, Ellen Monk, to my gallery. She had moved into a new apartment on Park Avenue in New York. Although she had visited many New York galleries, she decided to purchase all the art for her apartment from my gallery. Gary also asked me to reframe, place and install the art he already owned.

Jaffe: What are the most important pieces in the collection?
Gold: I recommended the Robert Rauschenberg and Jasper Johns signed lithographs as significant assets within the context of a broader investment plan. My multi-step process of consultation and long-term advice ultimately convinced Gary to purchase them. Investing in art has had a very positive impact on Gary’s life. The Rauschenberg, Johns and Boaz Vaadia outdoor sculpture are blue-chip works by established artists. But Gary has also supported active, emerging regional talent, including Amy Rader, Marlene Rose, and Paul Tamanian, whose careers have shown consistent upward momentum. Gary instinctively appreciates and understands contemporary art.

Jaffe: How did the art placement work?
Gold: I was given complete control over the art placement. A wall was built specifically to accommodate the dimensions of the Rocio Rodriguez painting. I recommended lighting expert, Israeli lighting designer Yaacov Golan, and brought in my top installers. Gary has been involved in every detail and every aspect of designing this spectacular contemporary home. He knows what he likes, and he has a very sophisticated understanding of the relationship between art, architecture and space.

Jaffe: The low-voltage ribbon lighting is dazzling.
Snyder: It’s a relatively new product, and it has had a big positive impact on the great room. The lighting allows the architecture to really shine without overwhelming it.

Jaffe: Tell me about your affinity for David Hockney.
Snyder: When it came time to design the pool, we selected one inspired by a famous swimming-pool painting by David Hockney, “Portrait of an Artist.” A few years later, Ellen and I visited the David Hockney exhibition at the Louis Vuitton Museum in Paris and spotted the original painting. Ellen jumped in front of the painting, and I snapped a photo. It was one of those fun moments where the art and the house suddenly connected.

Jaffe: What’s your relationship with Anthony Liggins?
Snyder: About 30 years ago, a young artist named Anthony Liggins, who paints edgy contemporary art, talked me into backing him. Anthony now has a successful studio and gallery in Miami Beach. I have several of his pieces from different eras.

Jaffe: The media room has bare walls.
Snyder: The room has an interesting metallic wallpaper, so we haven’t put anything on the walls. There is a large projection big-screen TV, and we use it to watch sports and movies. It’s really a comfortable entertainment space.

Jaffe: What’s going on in the adjacent bar?
Snyder: Neither Ellen nor I drink often, but we thought the house should have a wine room. The room was designed by Poggenpohl with cabinetry and appliances similar to those in the kitchen and morning bar. There is a painting by Donna Summer in the wine room. As for the main kitchen, neither of us cooks!

Jaffe: Since you retired in 2025, have you spent more time enjoying the house?
Snyder: Yes. But a retirement gift to myself was spending two months this summer with Ellen in Mougins, France, in the mountains just north of Cannes. That was pretty wonderful.

Jaffe: What’s the last word?
Snyder: I have 22 irrigation ports, but fortunately, I have a water well on the property, so my monthly water bill is $13.12!