Serenbe - A Sustainable Community

All beauty is an outward expression of inward good, and so closely are the beautiful and the true allied, and we shall find, if we become sincere lovers of the grace, the harmony and loveliness with which rural homes and rural life are capable of being invested that we are silently opening our hearts to an experience. . . .


You may not know the name of this community but you have probably read about this community if you read publications like BHG, Martha Stewart Weddings, NYT, Southern Living or the now expired Cottage Living. Serenbe is a 900 acre community focused on sustainability. Many of the homes in the community have been featured in national publications. For readers in the Atlanta area, the founders of Serenbe, Steve & Marie Nygren have a long history with food—Steve as a restaurateur and founder of the successful Peasant Restaurant Group; Marie as the daughter of Margaret Lupo, owner and chef of Atlanta’s famed Mary Mac’s Tea Room.

When visiting you'll see animals, organic farming, wildflower meadows, restaurants, an inn and a beautiful living community just minutes from Atlanta. It is just minutes from my house so for me it is a nice place to go for coffee on Saturday morning.

Here are the stables where horses and riding lessons are waiting for you.

And isn't this a lovely rustic structure? At any given moment you will see ponies, goats, cows and horses.

Do you ever notice how noisy it can be on Saturday morning in the summer when everyone starts mowing grass? Not at Serenbe. There's no grass in the front yards - really! It's nice to just hear the birds and friendly neighbors saying "good morning" instead of roaring lawn mowers and trimmers.

Wildflowers pop up everywhere. These were curbside on main street disguising a fire extinguisher.

The garbage cans, stop signs and speed signs all have some lovely metal works framing them.
The garbage can has a two-part lid. One opening is for trash, the other is for recyclables.

On Saturday mornings at the market you can by plants, herbs, beef and other organic food products. You can also find art, soaps, plants and other handmade/homemade goods. I brought home a blueberry plant.

Don't you love the railings on this house?

This was the railing next door.

I loved this house. I think because it reminded me of Sea Cottage banner photo.

Aren't these interesting street lights? I've only seen them by day but I imagine these are gorgeous at night.

Isn't it interesting to see this jasmine starting to creep over the front porch. I wish you could enjoy the same scent as me as I stood in front of this house to take pictures.

If you have an afternoon and you live in the metro Atlanta area, you should make a trip to Serenbe. And if you have a weekend to spend in Atlanta, take some time to enjoy a stay at the inn. Either way, I hope you get to make a visit to this sustainable community.