Chai Style Home: Heritage & Hospitality Inform Design

David and Stephanie Aferiat are partners in gracious and family living. David is the founder of AVID Vines, which imports grower champagnes and sparkling wines from small, independent producers. Stephanie is associate general counsel at The Home Depot, where she leads a team focused on employment law and class action litigation. She also serves on the Board of the Zaban Paradies Center, helping couples transition out of homelessness.

Together, they’ve built a life rooted in shared values — culture, family, and hospitality in their Buckhead home. She explained their design process, “We knew when to assert our ideas and when to yield, always aiming for harmony over hierarchy. Our design language blends French, Israeli, Moroccan, and Mediterranean influences — a shared aesthetic rooted in travel, hospitality, and cultural appreciation. David cooks passionately and I curate the hosting experience.”

Toast to the tour of a well-designed house.

Marcia: What’s the history and architectural evolution here?
David: We bought the house in 2003. Originally built in 1994, it had a red brick exterior typical of that era. Over time, we’ve transformed it into a transitional contemporary home with European influence. The goal was to soften the facade and bring in more light. We did a German wash over the brick, which gave a white tone with subtle red flecks peeking through, and added a steel and glass front door to brighten the entry. We re-graded the front staircase, added new awnings, and updated the lighting. The transformation feels much more aligned with the warmth and openness we want to convey.
Stephanie: The design process was gradual, reflecting both our changing tastes and the stages of family life. We updated the exterior with LG Squared and worked BP Designs on the interiors. My mother, Sue Bohm, an experienced Chicago-based designer, played a huge role in helping bring cohesion to the home. Her touch, especially in the study, helped us integrate materials, light, and art in a way that felt unified and personal.

Marcia: Describe the home’s style.
David: It’s “transitional contemporary” with clean lines, natural materials, and international nods. We’ve traveled extensively, and that shows up in intentional ways such as Moroccan tile, Israeli batiks, and French antiques. The materials and textures speak to both history and functionality.
Stephanie: It’s a shared aesthetic that brings in French, Israeli, Mediterranean, and Moroccan influence. We wanted the house to reflect our values: creativity, hospitality, and a sense of cultural rootedness. It’s not a showpiece. It’s lived in and loved.

Marcia: So, the home is central to family living?
David: It is designed for gathering. The dining room feels like a Parisian bistro — private and cozy, with a pulley-style chandelier from Vagabond, a French antique wholesaler in Atlanta’s Mart. The powder room features Venetian plaster in a calming turquoise, which ended up becoming a signature color connecting spaces throughout the house.
Stephanie: Our kitchen island, topped with rich chocolate marble and finished with a tiger wood extension, is where everything starts. It’s where David cooks, often with multi-course wine pairings, and where conversations happen. The cabinetry is a modern horizontal-grain design (Montreal), and the backsplash is white Moroccan tile. We moved to induction cooking because it’s faster, cleaner, and more precise.

Marcia: What are a few “standout” pieces in your home?
Stephanie: The art tells our story. We have a Calder mobile, a gift from my parents, which is both bold and sentimental. There’s an Israeli batik in the kitchen that brings a burst of color and culture. We also have a sculpture, “Jacob’s Wing,” a large piece in wood and gold that seems to hover in the great room. It feels symbolic of ascent and transformation.
David: We have a freeform steam-bent wood ribbon sculpture by Renee Dinauer that brings movement and texture into the space. Then, there is our daughters’ artwork — framed, displayed, celebrated — makes this house feel like a true family home.

Marcia: You are known as gracious hosts.
Stephanie: We love to entertain. From birthday tapas feasts to themed dinners like “Burgundy Beasties”—think boeuf bourguignon and Burgundy pairings — we aim for connection, not performance. Shabbat dinners, Sukkot gatherings, graduation parties — our home is the backdrop for many meaningful moments.
David: Champagne pairs with everything: halloumi, salmon, baklava. But really, it’s about the experience. Our goal is for every guest to feel special, and for every gathering to feel like a memory in the making.

Marcia: Tell us about your spirits business.
David: AVID Vines is a very personal venture. We import grower champagnes and sparkling wines from small, independent producers. These are people who work their own land, who believe in sustainability and craftsmanship. To us, it’s about curating stories, not just bottles. It’s a lifestyle rooted in intention and elegance.
[For more info about AVID Vines, please visit https://avidvines.com/shop]

Marcia: How do your cultural backgrounds influence your home?
David: My family is Algerian-Jewish. My grandfather brought our family to the U.S. in the late 1950s, while others settled along the Côte d’Azur. That blend of North African and French-Jewish culture deeply influences my tastes, my values, and the way we host and gather. Hospitality is part of our heritage.
Stephanie: My background is Ashkenazi, but we’ve built a home that reflects both sides of our family. You’ll see Moroccan tile, European antiques, and touches of Chicago, where I grew up. It’s all interwoven.

Marcia: How does your backyard extend your “heart” for hospitality?
David: We’ve hosted graduation parties, family dinners under the stars, and Sukkot meals. It’s a space that invites both ritual and spontaneity.
Stephanie: Whether we’re celebrating or just slowing down, the backyard has become a place of peace and connection where memories are made.

Marcia: Last word.
David: Champagne isn’t just for special occasions. It’s a mindset — a way to live with elegance and purpose every day. Each bottle tells a story. And every home can be a place where those stories are opened and shared.
Stephanie: A beautiful home isn’t about things. It’s about energy, intention, and love. That’s what we’ve tried to create here.