The Founders
A James Beard Award-nominated food writer, home chef, and producer, Nicole Taylor is the author of Watermelon & Red Birds: A Cookbook for Juneteenth and Black Celebrations, the very first cookbook to celebrate Juneteenth. In addition to her other cookbooks, The Up South Cookbook, and The Last O.G. Cookbook, Nicole has written for the New York Times, Bon Appétit, and Food & Wine.
Nicole has been featured in the LATimes, BET, Today, Wall Street Journal, Today, Washington Post, NPR, Apple and Oxford American. Brooklyn Magazine named Taylor to its list of 100 influential people in Brooklyn culture, and her cookbooks have graced more than two dozen "best" lists.
Adrian Franks (A.d.FRNK) is a versatile artist, designer, and creative visionary with a 27-year journey encompassing design, advertising, and the arts. Beginning as a designer and art director in Atlanta, Adrian's career took a pivotal turn during the 90s internet boom. Embracing the digital revolution, he thrived as a digital agency member, crafting websites, banners, and digital innovations. His expertise expanded, yielding collaborations with global giants like Toyota, Coca-Cola, AT&T, and U.S. Armed Forces branches. A pioneer in wearable tech, he contributed to an early Apple Watch app and excelled in FinTech design challenges.
Adrian's boundless creativity extended to film, partnering with acclaimed filmmaker Spike Lee on projects such as Chiraq and Michael Jackson: From Motown to Off the Wall. Notable accolades include a Gold Addy for Publix Greenwise micro-site, Advertising Age's 40-under-40 recognition, and honors from American Illustration.
The Maroon House was born in the summer of 2020 when Nicole A. Taylor and Adrian Franks purchased a mid-century modern home sight unseen in Northeast Georgia. Designed and constructed in the early 1960s and nestled on more than six wooded acres, they became the second family to gather around its brick hearths.
Named after the maroons, or enslaved Africans who escaped plantations and cultivated vibrant communities in the American south and throughout the Caribbean in mountains, wetlands, and woods. They honor this history with The Maroon House, a modern haven full of texture, and comfort. Collaborating with NJA interiors, Nicole and Adrian spent three years renovating the structure—it's one-of-a-kind and includes many custom finishes that highlight Black artisans and makers
