Rather than stay downtown or Buckhead, which I have done on past trips, you might focus on Mid-town Atlanta for great accommodations, restaurants and art. I recommend:
Stonehurst Place: Located at 923 Piedmont Ave. NE in Midtown, this is a great location from which to explore the area. This is a small inn, or Bed and Breakfast, with five rooms. The décor is really exceptional. It is beautifully furnished with great attention to art, furniture and design details. The staff was great, the food was excellent and the rooms really wonderful. The beds could not have been more comfortable. There was parking on the property. I had a huge suite that was perfect. There were tourists as well as businessmen staying while I was there. Sure beats a large impersonal hotel. I will definitely go back!
Empire State South: Located at 999 Peachtree St. NE, a short walk from Stonehurst Place, this is chef Hugh Acheson’s restaurant featuring southern food with fresh locally sourced ingredients. He just won the James Beard Award for best cookbook and for Best Chef in the Southeast. I enjoyed lunch with friends and had a great catfish dish. He has two other restaurants in Athens GA.
10th Street/Mid-Town: Around my inn on Piedmont Ave. there were a number of shops, restaurants and bars that you can easily walk to.
The High Museum and the Museum of Design Atlanta/MODA are a short drive.
High Museum: I had not been to the High in years, but enjoyed walking through it again. They have a large focus on American art and decorative arts and furniture. I enjoyed a temporary exhibition of contemporary art and photography. It is at 1280 Peachtree Street NE, in the Woodruff Arts Center which also houses the Atlanta Symphony and the Alliance Theatre. There is a sleek, contemporary restaurant, Table 1280, located across the plaza from the entrance.
Museum of Design Atlanta/MODA: Across the street from the High Museum is the Museum of Design which has been in their space for just a year. I enjoyed a chair design exhibition that was extremely well-done. It is very small, so keep your car parked and do both museums at one time. The address is 1315 Peachtree St. NE.