This gay Atlanta couple treats their stylish townhouse as a playpen. They show off their culinary tricks in a roomy kitchen, keep the drink cart fully stocked at all times and only unleash the drama in their well-appointed bedroom.

So if you ever get an invite to a dinner party from restaurateur Johnny Carino and husband Austin Williams Carino, it's worth the trip to Sandy Springs.

It's easy for Johnny Carino, namesake of the Johnny Carino's Italian restaurants, to speak to guests and for them to watch him cook in the kitchen, he said. The kitchen, which is open to the living room, is more functional that he had in previous condos in Texas, he said.

The AJC's Private Quarters went exploring in the couple's townhouse, which they moved into last year. It's a mix of accessories, and textures, and leather! Oh my! Austin helped transform the place from cooker cutter to vibrant showcase.

Pieces with unique shapes, such as a vintage wooden chair with an upholstered seat and a metal table by West Elm, keep the living room from being too traditional. Austin Williams Carino follows this mantra: Always design for you, always keep it personal and do not follow trends.

[photo removed at request of AJC; view it here]

And this couple knows how to party.

Restaurateur and chef Johnny Carino and Austin Williams Carino are prepared to entertain at all times. A cart positioned in a corner of the dining room makes it easy to serve drinks to guests. The couple has entertained small groups of friends to gatherings of 30 or more guests in their Sandy Springs townhome.

[photo removed at request of AJC; view it here]

But they save the drama for their master bedroom.

Bedding and pillows from West Elm and Restoration Hardware add texture and drama into a room, if you prefer less bold walls. Austin Williams Carino, however, is considering painting the master bedroom walls black in the Sandy Springs townhome he shares with restaurateur Johnny Carino.

View the full album via AJC by Christopher Oquendo

*UPDATE | More than three months after the post was published, Carino complained that he was "unhappy" with it in an email to Project Q, threatened legal action and demanded that it be removed. He also complained to the AJC, which asked us to remove their photographs. So we deleted the photos and replaced the top image of Carino and boyfriend Austin Williams Carino, which you can view here, with an image of one of Carino's restaurants on Camp Creek Parkway. You can view the AJC's feature and all of the photos here.