Nothing conveys a true sense of style more than delivering the unexpected.

The Marietta home of Marci and Dr. Gary Jacobson, located at the base of Kennesaw Mountain, is surrounded by traditional houses as expected in Marietta. The home that the Jacobsons purchased in 2008 is admittedly "traditional" on the outside.

Upon entry into the red brick home, the surprising urban decor demands a second look.

"My taste is influenced by my family back in Chicago," Marci said. The couple grew up less than 1.5 miles away from each other in the suburbs of Chicago but did not meet until introduced through mutual friends while attending different colleges in the south. They moved to Marietta when Vascular Surgical Associates hired Gary after his medical training.

Influenced by vast examples of modern architecture evidenced in Chicago, the Jacobsons wanted a modern decor. "It can be incongruent with the traditional styles of a lot of houses in Marietta," Marci said. "It was hard for me to visualize the modern look I liked."

After seeing the work of Atlanta interior designer Bob Brown in some printed material, the Jacobsons engaged Brown to decorate several rooms on the main level of their home.

"I liked the look (Brown) achieved. It kind of spoke to me," the stay-at-home mother of two children said.

Working with Brown, the Jacobsons achieved a modern look that is minimalistic, uncluttered and clean. The simple color palette of cool greens and blues is anything but boring. Although the Jacobsons like white, they used it sparingly because of their lifestyle with children and pets.

"The colors are very calming to me. It makes me very happy, the color palette," Marci said. "I do like that my children can come into these rooms and enjoy them. It's very livable."

The use of bold graphic patterns like that of the dining room rug (designed by Brown especially for the home) and mimicked in the back of the dining room chairs creates a visual design that is as unpredicted as it is adventurous. "Little details like that (rug and chairs), I really love," Marci explained.

Contemporary art throughout the rooms instantly bring the space into the here and now. The natural light flooding through large windows gives vibrancy to open feel of the space. "I love the light," she said.

"I'm looking forward to decorating the rest of the house," Marci said, a sure sign that more of the unexpected will be delivered.