Chai Style Home: Fearless Henos on the Edge of Bravura
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Chai Style Home: Fearless Henos on the Edge of Bravura

Atlanta native, self-taught artist Cheryl Henos’s home delves in drama of things French, folk, and crystal. Her own commissioned work can be seen at the Sandy Springs Police Station, where she proclaimed, “They must like it, as I didn’t get arrested.”

By Marcia Caller Jaffe February 25, 2026, 11:41 am Edit

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.

  • Cheryl Henos greets guests in her entry foyer by Peter Max’s, “Hearts.” The pet painting (left) is by Madison Latimer. Rescue cat, Lucy, enjoys the lap perch // All photos by Howard Mendel
    Cheryl Henos greets guests in her entry foyer by Peter Max’s, “Hearts.” The pet painting (left) is by Madison Latimer. Rescue cat, Lucy, enjoys the lap perch // All photos by Howard Mendel
  • Artist Cheryl Henos poses with poodle, Raffi, near a Steve Penley painting over the fireplace. The cocktail table is composed of reclaimed railroad ties.   
    Artist Cheryl Henos poses with poodle, Raffi, near a Steve Penley painting over the fireplace. The cocktail table is composed of reclaimed railroad ties.   
  • Right:  Cheryl’s hand painted oil on paper, “Who Called 911?” taken in 2018, painted 2025.  Cheryl has loved Porches since childhood.
    Right:  Cheryl’s hand painted oil on paper, “Who Called 911?” taken in 2018, painted 2025.  Cheryl has loved Porches since childhood.
  • The office/living room has 1800s shelving reclaimed from a French church and an antique chandelier. Cheryl recovered the 19th century French armchairs. The painting above is signed serigraph of Chagall’s, “Moses and the Ten Commandments.” 
    The office/living room has 1800s shelving reclaimed from a French church and an antique chandelier. Cheryl recovered the 19th century French armchairs. The painting above is signed serigraph of Chagall’s, “Moses and the Ten Commandments.” 
  • The lower level features an antique foosball table and a special light over the pool table that Mike designed. The 96 Rock neon was from Cheryl’s long career there.
    The lower level features an antique foosball table and a special light over the pool table that Mike designed. The 96 Rock neon was from Cheryl’s long career there.
  • The dining room paint color is Tricorn Black which gives off blue vibes. An Imari bowl is in the background. The mirrors are Italian antiques. 
    The dining room paint color is Tricorn Black which gives off blue vibes. An Imari bowl is in the background. The mirrors are Italian antiques. 
  • This original Henos, “December Pier,” is oil on paper portraying Gulf Shores, Ala.
    This original Henos, “December Pier,” is oil on paper portraying Gulf Shores, Ala.

Premature silver hair and snug jeans are only signs of Cheryl Henos’ good vibes and intent on breaking the mold. Serving as her own “designer dream team,” she doesn’t take herself or 7,000-square-foot home too seriously. What she does take seriously is her own creative expression as a self-taught photographer and painter who fuses two passions: hand-painting her black and white photography.

After a 30-plus year career in the radio industry (many with 96 Rock), she went all in on her art. Her home study spans the top floor of her Sandy Springs home, from her framing room to sunlit studio. There we see her moody nature scenes with nuanced colors in sunsets, palm trees, and angry skies, rolling to her fun side with classic VWs in pastels. She laughed, “As far as my own pieces, fans seem to like my llamas. There’s a fun story there … everything I create is original art. There are no prints.”

Artist Cheryl Henos poses with poodle, Raffi, near a Steve Penley painting over the fireplace. The cocktail table is composed of reclaimed railroad ties.

Henos, nee Brener, is a native Atlantan who declared, “I’m a Jewish Sandy Springs gal who went to Barney for years as did my brother, kids, niece, nephew.”

Tour her dramatic, crystal-laden home/studio treading carefully around cats and her rather large dog, who could star in a Hollywood movie.

Cheryl’s hand painted oil on paper, “Who Called 911?” taken in 2018, painted 2025.  Cheryl has loved Porches since childhood.

Jaffe: Lots of pet activity here.
Henos: Raffy, our poodle, is quite charming and cooperative. Lucy, my cat, may cooperate occasionally, and Nola the Hurricane Harvey cat is shy. We have a good amount of animal art, “The Cow,” by Marinich, “The Zebra,” “The Fun Sheep,” by Kim Daniels, and R.A. Miller’s, “Snake.”

Jaffe: Who are some of your most favored artists?
Henos: Some Chagall, Steve Penley, Peter Max, and even a signed John Lennon print. More uniquely, Rodriguez’s “Blue Dog,” a nod to New Orleans; and one of my earliest finds, a folk piece, “Fox and Guineas,” on cardboard in the master bedroom by Cornbread. I bought it “for a song” — $75, 40 years ago, the only thing I could afford fresh out of college. Recently, we reframed it and made it a focal point in the primary bedroom.

The office/living room has 1800s shelving reclaimed from a French church and an antique chandelier. Cheryl recovered the 19th century French armchairs. The painting above is signed serigraph of Chagall’s, “Moses and the Ten Commandments.”

Jaffe: What are some of your favorite design elements/décor?
Henos: We display a lot of Imari, Stuart crystal, authentic antique French shelving. I reupholstered some collectible French antique chairs to make for a whimsical update in contrasting patterns.

Jaffe: Your lighting is really very special. 
Henos: The pendants in the kitchen are Kuzco Lighting, took me a year to find them as I saw them in a photo of a hotel lobby and tracked them down. The majority of the lighting is Visual Comfort/Generation Lighting (dining, powder, master bath, my studio, basement). Mike (retired husband) bought the antique crystal chandelier in our living room (his office). We brought it here from our old house. He wouldn’t leave it behind. It’s real crystal and it’s really old! The sconces in the media room that took another six months of digging are by Curry.

The lower level features an antique foosball table and a special light over the pool table that Mike designed. The 96 Rock neon was from Cheryl’s long career there.

Jaffe: What about your color palette? I see intense cobalt blues.
Henos: The dining room and powder room are Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black. It’s one of the purest blacks. Depending on the time of day or lighting, it may take on a blue hue.

Jaffe: You are an outstanding emerging artist who was featured at the Temple Sinai Art Fair.
Henos: I hand-paint my black and white photography using oils, acrylics, watercolors, and pastels, an art form rarely practiced today. I paint a portion of the photograph, inviting the viewer to use their imagination. I use a fixed lens Leica camera, so I don’t miss anything.  My paintings range from $150 to over $2,000. My largest so far is 4’ x 5.’ I’m featured in the Gulf Coast Arts Alliance Gallery in Alabama and LM Frame & Gallery here. My first solo exhibition at the Abernathy Arts Center in June (according to the City of Sandy Springs) was one of their best in attendance, engagement and sales. I’ve had two commercial, design-focused “invitation only” exhibitions.

This original Henos, “December Pier,” is oil on paper portraying Gulf Shores, Ala.

I believe it’s important to contribute to the community. I was asked by the City of Sandy Springs to do a photo shoot and paintings for the new Sandy Springs Police Headquarters which were just installed. I also provide art for Sunshine on a Ranney Day.
My focus is working with interior designers, both residential and commercial, marketing my ability to create custom pieces for projects. I’ve been told I’m a left/right brain artist. I utilize the business skills I’ve developed during my radio management career.

The dining room paint color is Tricorn Black which gives off blue vibes. An Imari bowl is in the background. The mirrors are Italian antiques.

Jaffe: What’s going on in the cavernous basement?
Henos: There’s lots down there — an old oil painting, “Peacock and a Monkey,” we found in storage, an antique foosball table and a special light over the pool table. Oh, and a painting of dogs playing poker.

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