This house is currently for sale brought to you by Jonathan Rich for Keller Knap Realty. If you are interested and want to see and know more, check the listing here

Tucked into the wooded edge near Emory Village, this mid-century modern home for sale by architect Herbert Millkey sits above a 120-foot waterfall on Peavine Creek. Just minutes from Downtown Decatur, it preserves its original mid-century charm and captures the harmony between modern architecture and the surrounding landscape.

Designed in 1969, the home reflects Millkey’s belief that architecture should respond directly to site and setting. Better known for commercial work throughout Georgia, Millkey brought that same clarity of structure and material to this residential commission.

The house spans just over three acres between Emory Village and Druid Hills – close to the city but buffered by forest. Nearly every room faces the waterfall, which carries Peavine Creek beneath one corner of the structure. The creek stretches approximately 500 feet across the property, ending in a dual cascade that splits around a small island.

Materials drive the design. Wormy chestnut paneling – milled from a single tree – covers the interior walls. Stone defines the floors, fireplaces, and exterior transitions. Glass runs wall-to-wall, framing the surrounding woods and the falls. Every bedroom opens to its own balcony.

Three levels are connected by a spiral staircase, with a floorplan that handles both daily life and multi-generational needs. In the early 2000s, an “age-in-place” wing was added – now functioning as a fourth bedroom, guest suite, or studio. It received awards for accessible design. In total, the home includes four bedrooms, three bathrooms, and roughly 2,280 square feet of living space.

Updates have been careful and deliberate. The kitchen was improved for function but left true to its original form. Core systems were modernized, and surfaces restored where needed. Nothing was added that didn’t belong.

Outside, the land carries just as much weight. The surrounding forest is a climax Piedmont ecosystem, preserved with minimal intervention. More than a mile of private trails, footbridges, and quiet seating areas wind through the acreage.

The property’s history starts with the McConaughey family, who began assembling the site in the 1960s. Dan McConaughey worked in conservation across Georgia; Mary Emma was a classically trained vocalist. With Millkey, they created a house grounded in practicality and place.

Now offered for sale for the first time, The Falls remains exactly what it set out to be: a mid-century home shaped by its environment, clear in its purpose, and honest in its design.

This house is currently for sale brought to you by Jonathan Rich for Keller Knap Realty If you are interested and want to see and know more, check the listing here