Juan Smalls (left) and Gee Smalls at home in MidtownPhotograph by Ben Rollins Juan and Gee Smalls, founders of Virgil’s Gullah Kitchen Bar, have been married for 16 years, but it wasn’t until 2021 that they found their forever home. This renovated house doubles as a haven and a workspace, becom ing a headquarters for the business empire they’re building together, which now includes three locations of Virgil’s, the nonprofit The Gentlemen’s Foundation, and a forthcoming podcast called LoveWorks with Juan Gee. Here, they share the details of their Midtown home. Preparing for Forever “The house is over 40 years old. But before we moved in, the [former owners] did a complete redesign, adding on about 2,000 square feet, with two additional rooms, a garage, and other renovations,” says Gee. “We updated the bathrooms and kitchen, hired a couple of interior designers, and added a pool to create a new backyard oasis. We also painted the outside of the house black because we wanted to do something bold. It’s been known as ‘the Black House’ ever since.” Words to Live By “When we were designing the home, we wanted a museum-type feel with clear sight lines on that main floor from the kitchen to the living room,” says Juan. “We wanted it to reflect our personalities and have a spiritual essence. The entryway has hand-painted words and phrases, like self-awareness, joy, and gratitude. As people enter and exit our home—and as we enter and exit on our daily journeys—you take a word with you as a manifestation or mantra.” Yin and Yang A pair of sculptures in the living room was a surprise from one of their interior designers, Andre Jordan Hilton of Jordan Hilton Interiors. “We walked in, saw these huge sculptures, and were blown away,” says Juan. “To me, those statues have come to represent the divine masculine and feminine energies watching over us.” Heart of the Home “We don’t cook a lot—maybe just a couple of days a week,” says Gee. “We order out, so we spend a lot of time eating on the couch.” But, Juan adds, “When we’re hosting, it’s the total opposite. Everyone is crowding the island, jammed in the kitchen. I’m like, ‘You do know there’s a whole house here. Let’s go chat in the living room.’ But the kitchen is where everyone congregates.” Opposites Attract “This home was so perfect because it was the perfect marriage of both of our individual styles,” says Juan. “I loved more modern, clean lines—midcentury modern, to be exact. Gee liked a more lived-in, traditional type of feel. This was a perfect melding of the two.” Gee agrees: “Our home is very peaceful.” Light Touches “A Black, gay artist [Emmy Marshall] did the custom wall around the fireplace. I think he started off with a feather in an abstract style. We didn’t really like it, so he kept painting. We said, ‘You know what? Paint the whole thing!’” says Gee. “He’s actually doing the same thing on the brick on the outside of the home to complement it.” Emmy Marshall’s custom wallPhotograph by Ben Rollins Juan Smalls’s first commissioned piece of artPhotograph by Ben Rollins Museum Worthy “This was my first commissioned piece of art, probably five or six years ago. The artist’s name is Cyrus Nelson, and that’s his signature style. I saw his paintings and fell in love,” says Juan. “I told him to create something that spoke to strength and power, and this is what he came up with. It’s now in our powder room.” This article appears in our November 2025 issue. The post Take a step inside Juan and Gee Smalls’s bold Midtown home appeared first on Atlanta Magazine. ...read more read less