Family and friends are important to Scott and Cathy Rhodes. When their now-adult children were growing up, they made family dinner a priority. Now their daughters, who both live in New York City, have “Sister Sunday” dinner each week and their son is a good home cook. Cathy’s brother Rob Shults, his wife Liz, and children (Grace and Robert) have lived next door on West Brookhaven Drive for 26 years and the two families often travel together. “Our children have literally grown up together,” Cathy notes.

 

For Thanksgiving, they bring together family, friends, and family of friends for a big feast, flag football, and a themed costume dance party. “Thanksgiving has become an epic day,” says Cathy. Seven families gather. It starts with brunch followed by a game of flag football. Then after the traditional Thanksgiving meal, the families come together again for a costume dance party. Each year, the kids choose the theme.

 

“It started 12 years ago as a casual get-together to watch football, and at half time someone turned up the music and started a dance party,” Cathy notes. The next year they decided everyone should come dressed in après ski attire just for the fun of it, and the costume tradition began.

 

Last year the theme was movie duos. “We were Mia, Uma Thurman, and Vincent, John Travolta, from Pulp Fiction,” Cathy says. “It’s now our children’s favorite holiday.” Cathy’s mom is always there as are several other grandparents who are in town visiting.

 

Cathy grew up in Little Rock, AR, and Scott in Greensboro, NC. She attended Vanderbilt University for both her undergraduate and MBA degrees. Scott has a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of North Carolina and an MBA from Northwestern University Kellogg School of Management.

 

The two met when they were living in Charlotte, NC. Cathy was working in finance at Nations Bank, now Bank of America. They were introduced by friends and moved to Atlanta in 1994. In 1999 when Cathy was pregnant with twins and their oldest daughter was 18 months old, the Rhodes moved to Historic Brookhaven.

 

Their home was built in 1928 and was one of the first 25 houses in the area. It features a large turret which has contained the front entrance since it was first built. Cathy says the turret is an ode to the similar structure on the Capital City Club clubhouse across the road on West Brookhaven Drive.

 

In 2002, the Rhodes undertook a major renovation with Frank Neely as architect. Cathy, who has always had a knack for interior design, enjoyed working with Frank on the house and decided to totally switch gears professionally. “I went from left brain to right brain,” she says of her move into interior design. She started helping friends, she and Frank worked on several other projects, and in 2001 Cathy Rhodes Interiors was born.

 

Since then, Cathy’s designs have been featured in magazines and she has worked on several designer showhouses with Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. This November and December, she will serve as an ambassador for the Home for the Holidays Designer Showhouse on West Club Lane and designed a guest room in the home.

 

Cathy says her strength lies in helping with large-scale renovations or new builds, but she also helps clients with smaller needs. “I love the aesthetic part of design and the project management part of it,” she notes.

 

Scott is managing director, software mergers and acquisitions, at Citizens M&A Advisory. Since their move to Atlanta, he’s also owned and operated one of the largest PODS storage container franchises, been a managing director of corporate development with Waste Management, and been a mergers and acquisitions leader with Equifax.

 

Their three children all graduated from the Lovett School before heading off to college. Hollis (27) now works in finance in New York. Caroline (25) is a consultant with Deloitte Consulting in New York City. Will (25) lives in Atlanta and works in sales. Cooper, their five-year-old English Springer Spaniel, completes the family and lives with Cathy and Scott.

 

In addition to managing their busy careers, the Rhodes are involved in the community. Scott is the board chair of the Cathedral of St. Philip’s endowment fund. Last year, Cathy chaired the High Museum’s Wine Auction, which raises millions for the museum each year. Once every other month, she cooks dinner at the Ronald McDonald House with a group of friends.

 

In their spare time, the Rhodes enjoy tennis, pickleball, and golf. They love traveling to Park City, where they have a home and enjoy skiing in the winter and hiking and biking in the summer as well as hosting friends. New York is another favorite destination to visit their daughters.

 

When asked their favorite thing about living in the neighborhood, the Rhodes respond: “The wonderful friends we have made, and the ability to walk across the street to Capital City Club to play golf, tennis, or pickleball or grab dinner with friends.”

 

SIDEBAR TO FAMILY SPOTLIGHT

HEAD = The Rhodes’ Favorite Things

 

Restaurants: BoccaLupo, The Optimist, Valenza, Little Rey, Gu’s Kitchen

 

Vacation destinations: Park City to snow ski in the winter and hike and bike in the summer; New York City to visit their daughters

 

Sports Teams: University of North Caroline Tar Heels basketball team

 

TV Shows: “Whatever our friends recommend! We just watched The Bear”

 

Music: All types; this year they have seen Lake Street Dive, Chris Stapleton, Yacht Rock, Head & Heart, and James Taylor in concert