225 Extra: 2016 Spaces & Places by Baton Rouge Business Report

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2016

SPACES PLACES • Inspiring homes • Downtown living on the rise • Before & after makeovers

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UP FRONT

Publisher: Julio Melara Executive assistant: Millie Coon

BY JENNIFER TORMO

IF WALLS COULD TALK

I STILL HAVE IT. The soft purple duvet from my first college dorm sits on my bed more than a decade later. My mom and I picked out the bedding set together. It was beautiful: a deep, velvety purple that felt so much more grown-up than the floral comforter I’d had since I was 9. We even got a matching pin board that I covered with photos of family and friends. When I left home for the first time, the bedding was a small comfort. The thought of being four hours away from my family at a campus full of 50,000 people—only four of whom were from my high school—seemed like the scariest thing in the world at the time. As I watched my parents drive away from my dorm parking lot, I had never felt so alone. I raced to the elevator and back to my dorm room, where I buried my face in the duvet and cried. I didn’t know then how amazing college would be, the incredible friendships I’d make or the journey that would make me the person I am today. But for those first few months of growing pains, I’d hug the pillows my mom and I picked out together, feeling just a little closer to home. Today, the twin-size duvet is repurposed as a blanket on my larger bed. It’s one of a few sentimental pieces in my apartment, joined by a small wooden dining table my grandmother gave me to help save on furniture costs in my first apartment. And my kitchen is full of pots and pans that my other grandmother used to cook with before

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she passed away. When I use them, I think of her making mac and cheese. I can get lost for hours on Pinterest, looking for style ideas to replicate and DIY projects to copy. But at the end of the day, it’s these tiny details—the duvet, the dining table, the pans—that truly make me feel at home. And it’s those same tiny details that make the stories featured in 225’s annual issue of Spaces & Places so special. There’s the vintage Louisiana map on local jewelry maker Madeline Ellis’ wall that once hung in her grandparents’ house, the tiny figurines on the wall in artist Molly Taylor’s apartment that were passed down to her by her grandmother. Interspersed with all the tips and ideas about landscaping, renovating and closet organization, there are stories of how local apartments and houses were transformed into homes. “I like the things I like,” Ellis says, explaining how she doesn’t try to hold herself to a particular style when decorating. It seems like such an obvious concept, but I think it’s the most important thing to remember when designing your space. No matter what part of town you live in, and whether you’re living temporarily in a 500-square-foot apartment or just moved into your first fixer-upper, make the space your own.

Editor

EDITORIAL Editorial director: Penny Font Editor: Jennifer Tormo Managing editor: Benjamin Leger Staff writer: Kaci Yoder Director of online operations: Brandi Simmons Staff photographer: Collin Richie Copy editor: Robin Mayhall Contributing writers: Sarah Barnett, April Capochino Myers, Amanda Capritto, Faith Dawson, Beau Didier, Lee Feinswog, Adrian E. Hirsch, David Jacobs, Tracey Koch, Elle Marie, Blair Percle, Kayla Randall, Maggie Heyn Richardson, Jeff Roedel, Rachele Smith, Emilie Staat, Meredith Whitten Contributing photographers: Allie Appel, Lawles Bourque, Chelsea Caldwell, Kristina Britt, Stephanie Landry, Brianna Paciorka, Amy Shutt, Tate Tullier ADVERTISING Advertising director: Jill Stokeld Senior account executive: Rei Heroman Account executives: Katie Baron, Manny Fajardo, Blythe Johnson, Elizabeth McCollister, Ambrey Nicholson Marketing director: Jennifer Guillot Marketing/special events coordinator: Christie Battaglia Advertising coordinator: Lydia Spano Community liaison: Jeanne McCollister McNeil ADMINISTRATION Chief financial officer: Jonathan Percle Chief innovation officer: Curtis Heroman Business manager: Adam Lagneaux Business associate: Danielle Daly Office coordinator: Debbie Lamonica Courier: Jim Wainwright Receptionist: Cathy Brown PRODUCTION/DESIGN Production director: Melanie Samaha Art director: Hoa Vu Graphic designers: Tammi deGeneres, Melinda Gonzalez, Emily Witt AUDIENCE DEVELOPMENT Audience development coordinators: Kenna Maranto, Brittany Titone A publication of Louisiana Business Inc. Chairman: Rolfe H. McCollister Jr. President and CEO: Julio Melara 9029 Jefferson Hwy., Suite 300 Baton Rouge, LA 70809 225-214-5225 • FAX 225-926-1329 225batonrouge.com © Copyright 2016 by Louisiana Business Inc. All rights reserved by LBI. Spaces & Places is published annually by Louisiana Business Inc. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. All information in this publication is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the accuracy of the information cannot be guaranteed.

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

Let us make your dream home a reality!

CUSTOM HOMES | RENOVATIONS RESIDENTIAL | COMMERCIAL 225.413.1439 • easleybuilders@yahoo.com Follow us! 225batonrouge.com

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CONTENTS

COLLIN RICHIE

STEPHANIE LANDRY

COURTESY 525 LAFAYETTE

INSIDE: RESOURCES

The keys to an organized closet................................... 12 Small space hacks...................................................... 13

RENOVATIONS

What to know before buying a fixer upper.................... 14 Home renovations scaling from small to large............ 16 Perkins Road overpass area home fuses clean lines with midcentury style ............................ 18 Mid City warehouse’s rustic transformation................ 23

IDEAS Upgrade your rental without losing your safety deposit................................................... 27 Landscaping in south Louisiana................................. 30 First-time homebuyers share their stories................... 34

DOWNTOWN LIVING What the area’s construction boom means for residential living..................................... 42

SPACES

An industrial-style apartment on Third Street............. 61 A modern glam University Club home......................... 65 ON THE COVER Krystal Faircloth’s Baton Rouge home mixes soft textures, gold accents and bright colors—plus plenty of DIY projects. Photo by Stephanie Landry

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RESOURCES TIPS

HANG TIME

COLLIN RICHIE

A well-organized closet is a game-changer

Small-space closet designed by Ultimate Closet Systems

ORGANIZE YOUR CLOSET LIKE A PRO • Use thin hangers. “With hangers that are one-eighth-inch thick instead of three-fourths-inch, you’ll add up and save a lot of space,” Gardner says. • Use the same color hanger. Your closet will look neater. • Face shoes in opposite directions. For each shoe pair, put one facing forward and one facing backward. Having all your shoes facing the same direction takes up more width, she says.

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HOW OFTEN HAVE you rummaged through your closet, desperately searching for that missing shoe or sweater you’re sure is in there? This is a scenario that Rebecca Gardner, an organization expert with Ultimate Closet Systems, knows well. “Our customers tell us, ‘I can’t find my clothes,’ or ‘My rods fell,’” Gardner says. “Probably the thing I hear most often is simply, ‘This is just not working.’” Gardner and her colleagues design and install custom spaces, including closets, pantries, garages, laundry rooms and offices. She says no two projects are the same, as her goal is to provide each customer with an organization solution tailored to meet his or her specific needs. “The first thing I ask is, ‘What do you want to get out of this space?’” she says. “There are a lot of different variables. I take a lot of measurements and ask a lot of questions, so I can create a customized blueprint.” Things Gardner considers when reorganizing or remodeling a closet range from how tall the users are to how they prefer to hang their pants. These details, as well as decisions about color, lighting and hardware, matter for creating a personalized space, she says. Gardner, a Baton Rouge native who has worked for Ultimate Closet Systems for almost three years, says she has always enjoyed organizing spaces. Having an organized space “sets the tone for the rest of the day,” she says. “Your closet is the first place you go in the morning and the last place you go in the evening, so it’s nice for it to be a peaceful place.” Gardner says she has had customers who found new clothes—with the tags still attached—that they’d lost in their disorganized closet. One customer kept buying groceries she already had because she couldn’t see what was in her pantry. After the remodel, that customer thanked Gardner for saving her money on groceries. “She said she was no longer doubling up on her groceries because she could actually see what she had. That’s the best reward ever. “I love helping people,” Gardner continues. “They can walk into their closets and see their clothes, see their shoes—they know what they have. I love that aftereffect of people saying ‘Wow!’ when they have an organized space.” —MEREDITH WHITTEN

BIG IDEAS for SMALL SPACES

Local designers offer tips on space, lighting and structure LOW SQUARE FOOTAGE doesn’t have to equate to a cluttered home. Here are quick, easy fixes for tight-space woes, shared with us by Trends by Design owner Carmen Scully and local interior designer Pamela Emick.

—AMANDA CAPRITTO

PROBLEM: Studio apartment THE FIX: Room dividers Create privacy between joint areas in smaller homes. Room dividers come in a variety of styles and sizes.

PROBLEM: Little room for coffee and side tables, but no place to set things when guests are over THE FIX: Nesting tables Offer surface space when needed but tuck away neatly when not in use. Nesting tables house two to three smaller tables under a “roof” table and come apart easily.

PROBLEM: Dim lighting THE FIX: Lighting columns They are lit from the floor up, resulting in more illuminated surface area than floor lamps. Plus, columns come in a wide variety of patterns and shapes.

PROBLEM: Lack of windows and natural light THE FIX: Large-scale mirrors Create the illusion of natural light in a small living space with two or fewer windows.

SAY WHAT?

PHOTOS TAKEN AT THE TRENDS BY DESIGN SHOWROOM BY MIRIAM BUCKNER

BEWARE DRYER FIRES

“There are already several more high-rise apartment communities just like ours coming open just in the next year, so I would expect [residential options] to at least double. I do think rent is going to go up in the area.”

IF YOU’RE WONDERING what that burning smell is, it could be your dryer. Clothes dryers cause more than 15,000 fires per year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The main culprit is often the dryer vent. Baton Rouge firefighter Melvin Martin manages ProVent Plus, a company that does complete diagnostic dryer-vent inspections. Inspections determine vent efficiency, safety and cleaning needs. “The more I started cleaning the dryer vents and seeing how filthy they are, and how bad they can get, especially the ones that vent up through the roof, I realized this was a big problem that nobody really knows about,” Martin says.

—MEGHAN OGANS, COMMUNITY MANAGER AT 440 ON THIRD AND WEINSTEIN NELSON MANAGEMENT. READ MORE ABOUT DOWNTOWN LIVING STARTING ON PAGE 42.

Benefits of cleaning your dryer vent: 1. FIRE PREVENTION Built-up lint, dirt and debris block airflow and cause excessive heat, resulting in fires. Heated lint gives off a smoky smell—the first warning sign.

COURTESY 525 LAFAYETTE

2. INCREASED EFFICIENCY Martin says the screen inside the dryer only catches about 25-30% of the lint. The rest goes into the dryer vent, causing clogging and blockage, which makes clothes dry slower.

525 Lafayette, one of downtown’s many new apartment complexes

3. LESS WEAR ON CLOTHES A dryer with a clogged vent takes extra time to dry clothes, causing wear and tear from overheating and excessive tumbling. Mold, mildew and bacteria can even form on the clothes, because they are damp for longer. proventplusllc.com —KAYLA RANDALL

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RENOVATIONS TIPS

FIXER-UPPER

What you need to know before buying a house in need of major work BY FAITH DAWSON • PHOTOS BY KRISTINA BRITT

Turn the page to see this kitchen makeover by Acadian House Kitchen + Bath Design

HAVE YOU FOUND your dream house—but it’s in a nightmare state? Or do you want to renovate a house so that it looks and functions exactly the way you want? Rehabbing a fixer-upper can be a rewarding, even cost-effective way to attain the house of your dreams. But before you buy, remember these tips to make the project less stressful—and save time and money. • HIRE AN INSPECTOR. Some buyers assume they don’t need an inspection if they’re going to do a lot of demolition. But an inspection can ultimately save you money, says Halpin’s Flooring America contract sales consultant James Johnson, 14

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especially if you spot something like a cracked foundation that will let in moisture and buckle your new floors. A new insurance policy on the property may require an inspection anyway, says Kevin Dinkel, a Baton Rouge inspector. • DON’T LET EMOTIONS TAKE CHARGE. Dinkel says he’s seen buyers end up with money pits because they have their heart set on a house that’s more work than they can handle. Buyers may reason, “This is my childhood neighborhood” or “I can just see us sitting on the front porch”—when in reality they’ve chosen a house that doesn’t meet their needs. • DON’T USE HOME-RENOVATION SHOWS AS A GUIDE. They can misrepresent time and cost outlays. They also don’t show common worst-case scenarios.

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• DETERMINE THE VALUE THAT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD CAN SUPPORT. You don’t want to put more money into your house than you can resell it for. Note sale prices of comparable homes in your neighborhood.

• CONSIDER COMFORT IN YOUR CHOICES. Some types of floors are noisier than others. Ceramic floors can keep your house cooler in summer but are harder to warm up in the winter, Johnson says.

• GET FIRM QUOTES. Whether you plan to do the work yourself or hire a professional to handle it, you will want to have a clear idea of how much money you’ll be spending.

• FLOORING IS EASY TO INSTALL, BUT COSTS CAN VARY. For instance, the price of flooring in a slab home may be different than in a house of the same size on piers. Seek expert advice.

• PLAN TO SPEND MORE TIME AND MONEY THAN YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED. Add 10 to 15 percent to your quotes, Dinkel says. “It’s always going to cost more and take longer.” • CONSULT A PROFESSIONAL FOR SPECIALIZED WORK. Electrical or plumbing work may require permits and inspections. A professional can ensure your house meets construction codes.

• OPT FOR A QUICK REFRESH INSTEAD OF AN OVERHAUL. In a newer house where appliances are already well positioned, your kitchen might only need a “facelift,” says Richard Ourso of Ourso Designs. For quick impact, you might redo the counters, backsplash and floors. New cabinets alone may cost around $15,000, so decide if you can do without.

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RENOVATIONS TIPS

Modern makeovers

Before and after renovations scaling from minor to major

Scandinavian bathroom Designed by: Acadian House Kitchen + Bath Design’s Kakin Todd and Angela Poirrier The transformation: The homeowners wanted to turn their dark and dated hall bathroom into a relaxing retreat. Designers kept the bathroom’s tub, original cabinets and toilet but replaced everything else. Striped and floral wallpapers were removed and replaced with white paint. New quartz countertops were installed and subway tile was added in the shower. The old cabinets were sanded and painted a mushroom gray. The designers gave the space clean lines with geometric-inspired faucets, cabinet pulls and frameless mirrors. Issue Date: Spaces&Places Ad2 proof #3 Duration of construction: • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. Five weeks • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

An industrial kitchen Designed by: Acadian House Kitchen + Bath Design’s Adele Merchant and Kakin Todd The transformation: The clients hoped to add industrial elements to their classic Louisiana kitchen. They wanted to keep some elements of the space, which was built in the 1980s by architect Jim Howell.

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Magazine-inspired kitchen Designed by: Acadian House Kitchen + Bath Design’s Monica Broggi and Angela Poirrier The transformation: The homeowner held onto it for years: a magazine clipping showcasing the kitchen of her dreams. Last year, she finally made that dream come true with a total gutting and makeover of her kitchen. Designers replaced wood-trimmed formica countertops and floral wallpaper with a calacatta and silver-leaf quartz backsplash and countertop. White cabinets and stainless-steel appliances—complete

with a Danby wine refrigerator and MILA high-tech coffee station—keep the space light and bright, while wood-like porcelain herringbone floor tile warms the room up. Doors to a SubZero refrigerator and GE dishwasher were paneled like the cabinets for a seamless look. Duration of construction: 11 weeks —JENNIFER TORMO

The kitchen’s cypress cabinets were revarnished and complemented with new, white cabinets for extra storage. The island was enlarged to accommodate two dishwashers and finished with a quartz countertop and side panels. White subway tile and Restoration Hardware stools were added to complete the industrial look. Duration of construction: Three months

Tucked on historic Highland Road, Valhalla is a gated neighborhood of twenty exclusive estates featuring a central boulevard shaded by stately oaks. There’s no better time than now to call Valhalla home.

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RENOVATIONS BEFORE & AFTER

FREE STYLE

Jewelry artist Madeline Ellis fuses minimal, rustic and midcentury modern elements into her home BY FAITH DAWSON • PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE MADELINE ELLIS SEES her house as a blank canvas. The jewelry artist’s home design draws on many influences, including her background in landscape architecture and her international travels. Despite such rich material to work with, Ellis avoids holding her design to any one particular “look.” Instead, visitors to her Perkins Road overpass area home will find a predominantly white space with natural light from plenty of windows. The space serves as the backdrop to her design ideas—a true whiteboard of inspiration and experiments played out with paint and furniture.

“I like the things I like,” she says, adding that she does her own design work and was not afraid to incorporate two small children and pets into both the practicality and execution of her design scheme. “We love to experiment, and we constantly change things up,” she says of working with her husband and business partner, Dawson, who also has a degree in landscape architecture (both Ellises studied at Louisiana State University). “Our back room has been a porch, a bathroom, a utility room and an office, and we are renovating it now to be a sitting room. It might sound

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Dawson built the porch, including the slatted wall on the deck, for the couple’s frequent outdoor entertaining. The fireplace was rescued from another house and repainted red. Homeowners Dawson and Madeline Ellis with their children, Charlie and Lillie

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With the open floor plan, the Ellises can watch their kids playing in the living room while they cook. The dining table, found for Ellis by one of her friends, keeps with the home’s clean look, while the copper pendant light adds warmth.

crazy, but we truly enjoy it.” Ellis espouses the same design aesthetic—clean lines and simplicity—that goes into her delicate, soulful jewelry. Each of the furnishings, inside and out, has a story, whether it’s a sentimental heirloom or a piece “upcycled” from something else. Their picket fence, for example, was fashioned from wood reclaimed from about six other fences. Ellis herself created most of the art hanging on the walls. “We’ve been really resourceful,” she says. The home features plenty of interesting textures. “I love natural things; I love leather, wood, fur,” she says. “I like shiny metal and brass and old, old rusted stuff.” More importantly, she loves playing with the juxtaposition of those textures against each other. “Putting those things next to each other highlights each thing’s essence more.” Her favorite room? The

living room—but not for any one piece of furniture. Ellis loves the purpose it serves and the people who gather there. This year, Ellis is considering stamping a pattern onto the walls. She’s also currently making kiln-fired wall planters to raise the home’s greenery out of the way of their young children. And although she says that having youngsters makes it difficult to tackle some of the larger projects the couple would like to address at home, she actually finds ways to make them part of the process. Her 4-year-old son is already a veteran of painting a room and mudding an archway. Her favorite part of the design process? Planning. “I do get a lot of satisfaction out of researching things and thinking about it. It’s fun to actually do it and then have it be done … but then I’m automatically on to the next thing.”

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RENOVATIONS BEFORE & AFTER

BEFORE

THE ELLISES kept the house’s original arched entryway in the living room and created an arched entryway in the dining room to complement it. The living room is extremely kid-friendly, with a durable cowhide rug that’s lasted more than seven years already. Everything wipes clean easily, even the white chairs and the midcentury modern sofa. The wood flooring is the house’s original.

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WINDOWS AND one wall in the kitchen were removed to create an open space connected to the living and dining rooms. Dawson built the concrete countertops. Paired with the floor-to-ceiling white cabinets, they give the kitchen a clean look. The flooring—terra-cotta octagon tile—gives an earthy and warm feel to the otherwise industrial kitchen. The butcher block island was a Craigslist find.

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DAWSON BUILT and welded the green canopy bed in the master bedroom for her birthday.

AN OLD map of Louisiana hung in Ellis’ grandparents’ house during her childhood. She’s always loved it. The console is from an estate sale, and she loves the angular drawers without handles.

ELLIS’ FRIEND made her this 4-foot piece of art. It makes a statement above the porch’s bar.

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RENOVATIONS BEFORE & AFTER

BUILT UP

Andrew Moran transformed a dilapidated warehouse into a warm, rustic home BEFORE

BY RACHELE SMITH • PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE STEPPING INTO the living space above Mid City Handmade, it’s easy to spot the woodworking talent of owner Andrew Moran. Moran is the 30-year-old creative and founder of the reclaimed lumber furniture company, and true to his

calling, he crafted every wood piece in his apartment, including the steps leading to it. At slightly more than 1,000 square feet, the addition sits above a part of Moran’s workspace off Government Street. It’s a work/life combination that to Moran “just makes sense.” “Finding places like this where you live and work, there’s not much of it in Baton Rouge,” the Capital City native says.“But it’s coming.” When Moran first purchased the cinderblock warehouse building in 2011, the business it had once Andrew Moran with his girlfriend, Molly Taylor, and their dogs, June and Blu

housed, The Book Exchange, had been shuttered for decades. The corner-lot building came with a foot of mud, six dumpsters worth of trash, and even some small trees growing out of the dilapidated roof. “It was 30 years of mess,” he says. Ironically, it was just what Moran was looking for. “That’s what my family does,” he says. “My grandfather’s shop was an old building. He put a roof on it, fixed it up and got it to a point where they could work in it. My dad has also fixed up several old houses; it’s what I wanted to do, too.” Moran’s renovation of his old warehouse took 18

COURTESY AND REW MORAN

Accented by artwork, plants and a cowhide rug, the living space features a vaulted ceiling overlooking an antique pinewood floor.

months, and for the first six, “it was just shovels of dirt,” he says. Yet, even in the filth, Moran found treasures, including a 1969 phonebook, an old cash register and lots of good, reusable lumber— wood that he gave a new lease on life. Moran’s place, which he shares with girlfriend Molly Taylor—owner and designer of Beneath the Bark jewelry—is actually two buildings joined together. Before the two became The Book Exchange, one building housed an auto repair shop, and the other, a Cuban Liquor location. Moran decided to build his addition over the auto

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created antique pine flooring throughout the space. Moran also used reclaimed wood to trim all doors and windows and help build the vaulted ceiling in the living room. Showing his artsy side, he even used old book shelves and other scrap wood to transform the bottom panel of an ordinary breakfast bar. The geometric result is an instant conversation piece. But the real attention-grabber in that room is a Louisiana sinker

Issue Date: Spaces & Places Ad proof #1

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision Moran built an apartment above his Mid Cityrequests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject Handmade studio. BEFOREto production fees.

COURTESY AN DREW MORA N

repair shop, even though the roof was in disrepair. To fix it, and ultimately create the apartment’s floor, he split some of the 2-by-10-foot wood pieces he found and

cypress that sits on top of the bar. The wood’s edge shows the unique effects of the bayou’s rising and falling water levels. In the kitchen, Moran crafted cabinets from more sinker cypress harvested from Lake Maurepas, and in the bathroom, he repurposed steel-coated floodlights as lamps above the double vanities. Since finishing the apartment, Moran has enjoyed steady growth in his business, and after six months of debate, he and Taylor are opting for a bigger place. Moran admits he is surprised that after five years, he has outgrown the more-than3,000-square-foot shop that at one time seemed so big. “I don’t want to leave, but business-wise, it makes the most sense,” he adds. He is hoping to use the pro-

ceeds from the apartment’s sale to put down roots on a place with more acreage. It’s room he needs to continue harvesting, cutting, drying and storing more lumber, helping each tree he meets to “tell its own story.” midcityhandmade.com

Moran made a breakfast bar using Louisiana sinker cypress. The wood’s edge shows the unique effects of the bayou’s rising and falling water levels.

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Even the stairs leading to the two-bedroom apartment were crafted by Moran. For this project, he used lumber from a neighbor’s fallen tree.

Issue Date: Spaces&Places Ad2 proof #3

Looking into the kitchen, the breakfast bar makes a statement with its • Please by e-mail or tiny fax fiwith yourhanging approval minor revisions. eclectic mixrespond of salvaged wood. The gurines nearorthe ceiling • AD RUNand AS were IS unless aregrandmother. received within 24 hours. are fromWILL England passedrevision down to requests Taylor by her

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2016. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

Your Wife is HOT…

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. Carefully check this ad for: CORRECT ADDRESS • CORRECT PHONE NUMBER • ANY TYPOS This ad design © Louisiana Business, Inc. 2015. All rights reserved. Phone 225-928-1700 • Fax 225-926-1329

Experience Life in Luxury…

Come Home to Millennium Towne Center! 1, 2, 3 BeDroom Luxury apartments

Mention this ad and we’ll waive Application Fee

Our residents enjoy…

Shopping and Entertainment at their Doorstep

Tropical Landscaped Pool with Outdoor Kitchen

Access to 24 Hour Fitness Center and Theatre with Surround Sound

Business Center and Cyber Café

A space for every lifestyle: URBAN

Short term leasing options & Furnished Corporate Units available The Millennium Towne Center – uncommon luxury, impeccable service and the ultimate urban experience. Explore our incredible amenities and spacious floor plans at www.morgancommunities.com

Directions:

Stained Concrete Flooring Exposed Ducts in Living Area

TRADITIONAL Freesia Carpet 9-ft Ceilings

PENTHOUSE

Vinyl Wood-Planked Flooring Exposed Ducts in Living Area 10-ft Ceilings with 8-ft Doors

All Units Include

From I-10 Exit College Drive and head North. Turn right on Corporate Blvd. Continue approx. 3 miles turn left on Jefferson Hwy. Community is half mile on left.

Open Floor Plan with Private Patios or Balconies Spacious Walk-in Closets Washer and Dryer in Every Apartment Controlled Access Gate Detached Garages Available

6810 J efferson HigHway | 225.927.4170 26

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IDEAS STYLE

APARTMENT THERAPY Dress up a rental like you own the place BY AMANDA CAPRITTO

Living room ADHESIVE MURALS

Make a statement with largescale adhesive digital prints in pre-made or custom designs and photographs. WHERE TO GET THEM: eazywallz.com STARTING PRICE: $225 for a 6-footby-4-foot mural

Removable carpet tiles let you create unique area rugs, runners or wall-to-wall carpet quickly and easily. FLOR, a line of design-inspired carpet tiles, has a modular design that allows you to fit the tiles to virtually any space. WHERE TO GET THEM: flor.com, amazon.com STARTING PRICE: $10 per square for neutral colors

Unless your landlord is okay with you hiring an electrician to hardwire a chandelier, it’s easy as a renter to get stuck with boring light fixtures. Plug-ins for walls and ceilings offer easy, removable fashionable lighting. WHERE TO GET THEM: Abat Jour LLC Interiors in Baton Rouge, lampsplus.com, lightology.com STARTING PRICE: Approximately $15 for wall lamps

COURTESY EAZYWALLZ

QUICK-FIX LIGHT FIXTURES

CARPET TILES

Adhesive mural by Eazywallz

Bedroom Personalize bedrooms with snazzy patterns using removable, residue-free wallpaper. Temporary wallpaper designs come in everything from solid colors to faux wood paneling. WHERE TO GET IT: tempaperdesigns.com, amazon.com, most hardware stores STARTING PRICE: $56 for solid colors at tempaperdesigns.com

WALL DECALS

If wallpaper isn’t your thing, liven up a bedroom with decals. Decals are available from various companies in many designs and offer an easy way to create a statement wall. WHERE TO GET THEM: whatisblik.com (Blik Surface Adhesives) and amazon.com, or find small-scale versions at Target STARTING PRICE: $35

WASHI TAPE

Nothing says personalization more than paintings, posters and photographs pinned on the wall. But when your landlord doesn’t want walls with puncture wounds, Washi tape offers a spunky, affordable alternative to picture frames. Washi tape is made of a low-tack adhesive similar to masking tape. While results may vary, we’ve found that it’s easily removable and usually doesn’t leave residue. WHERE TO GET IT: Most craft stores STARTING PRICE: $3.99 at Hobby Lobby

MIRIAM BUCKNER

TEMPORARY WALLPAPER

Washi tape used as makeshift photo frames

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

IDEAS

Kitchen

STYLE

COURTESY TOP KNOBS

FAUX GRANITE COUNTERTOPS

MIRIAM BUCKNER

Top Knobs’ Barrington Collection “Channing” knobs and pulls, starting at $6.50

Transform dull laminate countertops into shiny marble or granite with thick peel-and-stick faux granite sheeting. The sheets are sold by various companies and come in a variety of forms: everything from ubatuba black and Venetian gold to chestnut, checkered pearl and white Italian marble. WHERE TO GET THEM: applianceart.com or amazon.com STARTING PRICE: $29.99 for a 3-by-3-foot sheet. Price increases by the yard.

SHELF PAPER

Cover worn kitchen drawers and shelves with stick-on paper. Shelf paper is available in many designs, sizes and degrees of adhesiveness. WHERE TO GET IT: chicshelfpaper.com STARTING PRICE: $2.50 per sheet

FAUX STAINLESS STEEL APPLIANCES

WHERE TO GET IT: Pottery Barn, Pier 1 Imports, applianceart.com STARTING PRICE: $29.99 for a peeland-stick dishwasher cover or $39.99 for a magnetic dishwasher cover at applianceart.com

CABINET KNOBS

One of the simplest and cheapest ways to add flair to a kitchen is to replace basic cabinet knobs with flashier hardware. Use them to add small pops of color to an otherwise neutral kitchen, or experiment with something metallic or embellished for a bolder look. WHERE TO GET THEM: Decorative cabinet knobs can be found at most hardware stores and some craft stores, but try places like Anthropologie and creativecabinethardware.com for more unique designs. STARTING PRICE: Knobs at hardware stores start at $1 each, and the price increases based on design and materials.

Mismatched appliances can ruin the most chic of kitchens. Stainless steel stick-on • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor Knobsrevisions. from covers give every kitchen gadget a sleek, • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are receivedAnthropologie within 24 hours. • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. uniform finish.

Issue Date: Space & Places Ad2 proof #2

Walter L. Comeaux

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Calvert Stone

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SPECIALISTS

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

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Bathroom TEMPORARY WOOD FLOORING

For the savviest of DIY-ers, modular decking is a fun and visually pleasing way to jazz up a drab bathroom floor. The pieces snap together for quick installation and are designed to lay over existing flooring. WHERE TO GET IT: ecowoodscalifornia. com, hardwoodhome.com STARTING PRICE: $7.99 per tile from Eco Woods Cover up a plain or not-so-pretty backsplash with tile tattoos, waterproof peel-and-stick decals designed to fit average 15-by-15-centimeter tiles. Sizes can be customized up to 12 inches. The tile tattoos are sold in packs of eight and come in various patterns and colors. WHERE TO FIND THEM: stickpretty.com STARTING PRICE: $16 for one pack

Issue Date: Spaces & Places Ad1 proof #4

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • ADSOURCES: WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. APARTMENTTHERAPY.COM, StickPretty’sfees. faux backsplash tile tattoos can be used in both kitchens and bathrooms. Pictured here in “Gingham Ribbons” DECOIST.COM, APARTMENTGUIDE.COM • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

IDEAS

LANDSCAPING

YARD WORK

BY MEREDITH WHITTEN

PHOTOS BY LINDSEY BROU / COURTESY MAKAIRA LANDSCAPE

For new homeowners, the idea of landscaping for a first time may seem intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be

Caladium, Shishi Gashira camellia, hydrangea, azalea and vitex trees all thrive in the Louisiana climate.

WHETHER YOUR THUMB is green or runs a different hue, landscaping your yard doesn’t have to be a daunting task. To create a plan for your yard, first decide what you want and what you want to use it for. In other words, think about both aesthetics and function, says Alex Anderson, a landscape architect with Makaira Landscape in Baton Rouge who works on residential projects of all sizes. “Do you want a real showstopper in the front?”

Anderson says. “Is it important to you to have a big open space in back?” Many landscape designers take their cue from the house or from existing features, such as trees, that a homeowner wants to feature. “If you have a traditional, Acadian-style house, you may want to have a formal design,” says Anderson, who adds that front yards tend to be more formal than backyards. After determining style and design, choose plants and other features.

California Closets creates the perfect storage solution for you and the way you live. Visit our showroom or call today to arrange for your complimentary in-home design consultation. M E TA I R I E

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californiaclosets.com 2/23/16 9:13 AM

they are so well suited to the “Hedges are a staple that south Louisiana climate. In can be used in both formal particular, Natchez white and informal designs,” crepe myrtles fit well with Anderson says. “We use a lot the current landscaping of boxwood and plant thick, trend of all-white. layered hedges.” Anderson also recomWith layered planting, mends vitex trees, which smaller plants go in front, “are more sculptured, with a with gradually larger plants purple cone-shaped flower,” behind them. and Japanese maples, which Anderson, a Baton Rouge are “a very vibrant red and native, also recommends go well up against a house azaleas and camellias. “One of my favorites is because they won’t get huge.” If you’d rather call a proShishi camellias,” he says. fessional than landscape on “It’s a shade-tolerant floweryour own, look for a landing plant, but it can take a bit of sun. It’s also a very slow scape architect or contractor grower, so you don’t have to who is trustworthy, licensed worry about it getting out of and insured, Anderson says. “There’s a lot of coordinacontrol.” Ground covers, such as tion involved, so you want someone who puts a lot of liriope and dwarf mondo effort in and pays attention grass, are a low-maintenance to detail,” Anderson says. alternative to grass. “YouAd want to hire Meanwhile, for trees, Issue Date: Spaces & Places proof #1someone you click with.” makaiAnderson says crepe myrtles • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • ADeverywhere WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. ralandscape.com are because

Due South

Agapanthus (also known as Lily of the Nile)

Plants that thrive in the south Louisiana climate

Apricot drift rose

Lantana camara

Boxwood, liriope and eagleston holly

• Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

Vitex trees

Annual vinca

Ask about our NEW Porcelain, Wood look Outdoor Pavers. outdoor living spaces

indoor/outdoor tile

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

6971 Exchequer Drive

Baton Rouge, LA 70809

Don’t worry. (We’ll do that for you.)

Call Alexandra today to discuss your next project and schedule an in-home consultation with one of our design teams.

Alexandra Michelle DeLee CLIENT + MEDIA RELATIONS

225.756.2777

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IDEAS

FIRST-TIME HOMEOWNERS

Vintage dining table and chairs were passed down to Andrus by her mom and aunt. She found the light fixture at consignment shop C’est Bon.

FEELS LIKE THE FIRST TIME

Making the leap from renting to homeownership can seem intimidating—but it doesn’t have to be. Local owners share their journeys BY MAGGIE HEYN RICHARDSON • PHOTOS BY COLLIN RICHIE JUST BEFORE HER 30th birthday, labor and delivery nurse Emily Andrus made a personal commitment. It was time to buy a house. She had a stable job at Woman’s Hospital. She knew exactly what part of town she wanted to live in. And, she and her rescue cat were feeling crowded and isolated in their small one-bedroom apartment near the Ascension Parish line. “It was close to work, but not to anything else,”

Andrus says. “And I really wanted to get on this side of town.” That meant the Garden District, close to the dinnerand-drinks venues that Andrus frequents with her friends. It’s where she now lives in her own three-bedroom, two-bathroom bungalow. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places and has hardwood floors, high ceilings and loads of natural light. The front Continued on page 36

A swing on the front porch is the perfect spot for drinks with friends.

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Andrus’ favorite place to sit and read is a window seat in her bedroom.

In her own words What made you decide to take the plunge? I thought I was ready to buy a few years ago, but I wasn’t 100% sure that I was going to stay in Baton Rouge. This time, I knew I was ready, and I knew where I wanted to live. Where was that? I was interested in the Garden District, Capital Heights and the Jefferson/Essen area. I also looked at a house in Webb Park. Along the way, did anything scare you about the process? I kept thinking about money. I wanted to make sure I didn’t get in over my head with my monthly note. How did you think through what you could afford—not just the note, but also the homeowners insurance and property taxes? I had a whole Excel budget [spreadsheet] done before I started looking, and I could adjust how much my house note was to see what I could afford overall. I shopped the homeowner’s insurance, and for the property taxes, I had a friend help me look them up so I’d have a good idea of what it would be. What piece of advice would you offer someone considering buying their first house? Get a realtor who knows the part of town you’re interested in, not just someone who can punch an addresses into a GPS. Sit down with a CPA or a parent, someone who knows a lot about money, and get them to help you figure out what you can afford. 225batonrouge.com

[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

IDEAS

FIRST-TIME HOMEOWNERS

porch is perfect for sitting, and a small private patio has the benefits of a backyard without the chore of lawn maintenance. When Andrus bought the 1,350-squarefoot home, it had already been renovated. That meant she could focus on furnishing it in a girly, DIY style that includes family handme-downs and budget finds. Overall, Andrus says, the home-buying process was surprisingly smooth and fast. She and realtor James Fogle found her home in less than a month. “I think this house is as close to perfect for me as it gets,” Andrus says. “It makes me feel like I’m really part of Baton Rouge.”

225.753.5296 angeloslawnscape.com Landscape Architects | Outdoor Builders | Grounds Management 36

[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

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ANDRUS FILLED a lucite chest with her collection of vintage encyclope-

dias.

SILVER-LEAFED bookshelves are covered with prized possessions: Andrus’ favorite shoes (Christian Louboutins), her collection of Gone with the Wind books, glassware, a vintage Chanel perfume bottle and a pink boom box she says she couldn’t live without. “I love to play early jazz music on it while I cook or clean around the house,” she says. Across the room, the sofa and a gold-zebra-striped cowhide rug are accented by hot pink and gold-leafed textured paintings she made herself. The coffee table was originally a black metal IKEA piece that Andrus covered with silver Rub’n Buff and decorated with oyster shells that she cleaned, painted and dusted with gold.

A MANNEQUIN Andrus has had since childhood wears a bra from the BUST Breast Cancer Bra Art Fashion Show.

AN ANTIQUE check protector that belonged to her late grandfather sits next to the couch. “I love having it in my house,” she says. “It reminds me of him every day I see it, and it makes me smile.”

Limited studio flats remain at 333 Flats, a gated living experience just steps from the south gates of LSU.

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

IDEAS

FIRST-TIME HOMEOWNERS

ABOUT TWO YEARS ago, newlyweds and young professionals Kristin and Steve Diehl were renting an apartment on Jefferson Highway and were eager to move to the pedestrian-friendly Perkins Road overpass area. The restaurant-rich area fit their lifestyles as food enthusiasts. Steve Diehl is a private chef who caters parties and holds cooking classes, and the couple enjoys dining out and entertaining at home. “We really loved the walkability of the area,” says Kristin Diehl, 31. But the search for the perfect house in their price range wasn’t easy. “We’d find things that were either built out, but still had too much left to be done, or that were too expensive per square& foot,” Spaces Places recalls Steve Diehl, 36. AD RUN AS IS SixWILL months after they started

looking, the couple’s agent, Jerry del Rio, spotted a new listing on the MLS (a suite of real estate information services for brokers) for a move-in-ready home on Lydia Street. It was the right fit and the right price, Kristin says. The couple made an offer immediately. Their 1,800-square-foot, three-bedroom, two-bathroom residence combines the charm of a historic neighborhood with the convenience of modern amenities, including a large master bedroom with ensuite bathroom and generous closet space. The open kitchen gives Steve enough room for developing and testing recipes for his sushi-centric boutique catering business. It shares space with a tidy den, where Kristin serves signature cocktails as Steve cooks. The#1 den leads to an outdoor patio and backyard enjoyed by the couple’s dog, Jost.

225.663.6845 | 1575 Lobdell Avenue

The Diehls spend a lot of time in their open kitchen, where Steve prepares dinner and tests recipes. It flows into a cozy sitting area where Kristin likes to serve cocktails.

225.293.2225 | 11840 Airline Highway

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The Diehls’ large master bedroom includes an ample seating area that’s perfect for reading and relaxing.

In Kristin’s own words How did you know this was the right house? It was exactly where we wanted to be, it was already renovated and it was in our price range. And when I saw the master closet, I was sold. Did you shop around for homeowners’ insurance? We have USAA insurance, so when it came time for our homeowners’, nothing else compared. It was an easy decision and was a very easy process. Did you budget for new furnishings or landscaping? With furniture, I’ve added a little bit at a time, and I spend a lot of time rearranging. I don’t want things to look too trendy. With the yard, we’re doing it in phases. We had to take out an oak in the backyard, so landscaping back there will come later.

The ensuite bathroom, one of Kristin’s favorite features, includes natural stone and large closets.

What piece of advice would you offer someone considering buying their first house? Get pre-approved for a loan. It saves so much time once you start looking. And use a mortgage calculator to find out what you can expect to pay per month.

Looking to buy a home for the first time? Meet with a financial advisor.

They can help you get pre-qualified for a loan and figure out how much you can afford for a monthly mortgage, realtor Jerry del Rio says. Your realtor and advisor can also help you account for HOA fees, insurance payments, closing costs and other hidden expenses that you’ll need to add to your budget. Figure out what part of town you want to live in. Think about where you spend time socially, what type of neighborhood you want to live in and schools in the area. A realtor can also help you watch out for areas at higher risk of flooding that will require pricy insurance, she says. Find a realtor you trust. They’ll guide you through everything, helping you stay within your budget and find a safe place that fits your needs. —JENNIFER TORMO

man cave

french doors

Home Loans from 888.769.8841

wood floors

To get a home with all of your “must haves,” check, check, check with us about a home loan with a competitive rate and flexible terms1.

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residential, commercial & development contractor

(225) 235-3661

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DOWNTOWN LIVING LIFESTYLE

DOWNTOWN

RISING With residential construction exploding in downtown Baton Rouge, is now a good time to move there? BY KACI YODER

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

COLLIN RICHIE

Fifth-grade teacher Brooke Stikeleather loves the convenience and low gas costs of living in 440 on Third.

DOWNTOWN LIVING LIFESTYLE

COLLIN RICHIE

Brooke Stikeleather admires the view from 440 on Third’s outdoor green space.

YOU’VE HEARD THE classic song by Petula Clark, but you still wonder—is everything really waiting for you downtown? In Baton Rouge, the answer is shaping up to be a resounding “yes.” As apartment buildings, restaurants, watering holes and boutiques spring up on every corner, downtown is booming more than it has in years. With a little planning, and maybe help from Uber or the Garden District Trolley, there’s practically no need to bring your car downtown for a night out. A bike or your own feet have become the transportation options of choice for a day

[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

spent along the levee or an evening among the bars and restaurants of Third Street. Every day, 29-yearold Damona Barnes and her 27-year-old husband Kenneth head downstairs from their apartment at 525 Lafayette and start their day. Damona walks from their door to Matherne’s on Third Street for a quick breakfast before making the block to her human relations job at Albemarle Corporation in the Chase Tower on Florida Street. Kenneth, a discrimination and civil rights attorney, often bikes to his office at the Smith Law Firm and grabs a bite at the nearby Spanish

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Town Market. On the way home, one of them will pick up fresh ingredients for dinner from a neighborhood market before both buzz back upstairs—never, in the course of the day, getting behind the wheel of a car. On the weekends, their routine isn’t much different. “When I have control over planning what I do with my friends or my wife, I always like to stay downtown,” Kenneth says. “We all go up to my house to relax first, then walk to the River Room or Blend or the Roux House, then walk back. It’s a lot easier and safer than anything else.” For young professionals

like the Barneses, downtown living means having a world of your own to explore on foot or by bike, with work, living and leisure all neatly arranged from block to block. “Everything’s within a block or two of the house, so it cuts down on the time you spend in the car” Damona says. “I feel like we spend more time with each other and with our friends by having everything close to us.” Brooke Stikeleather, a 34-year-old fifth-grade teacher, lives in 440 on Third, just four miles from her job at Buchanan Elementary. On Saturday mornings, she walks around

mix—has boomed thanks to swanky new housing developments and the revitalization projects at North Boulevard Town Square and the riverfront. The investment in bettering downtown in the past five years has topped $300 million, according to recent Downtown Development District reports, and it’s paid off with 2,200 residents settling into the area so far. With even loftier plans lined up for the next five years—the Water Cam-

pus, River Center Library and Downtown Greenway, to name a few—it seems 2016 is the time to beat the crowds by investing in a downtown residence. So what’s the return on that investment? How far has downtown living come, and where is it going? What’s really happening in planning committees and leasing offices? Check out the numbers, hear from some of the biggest players in downtown and figure out your relocation plans. Kenneth and Damona Barnes usually walk or bike to work from their apartment at 525 Lafayette.

THE STATE OF DOWNTOWN LIVING

One of the biggest game-changers to hit downtown recently is Matherne’s Market, tucked into the first floor of the apartment building 440 on Third. We asked Meghan Ogans, who manages properties at the apartment complex under Weinstein Nelson Management, about the present and future in the area. How intense is the demand for properties right now? There’s actually a pretty long waiting list, especially for a one-bedroom, so I would say that there is definitely a large demand for downtown living. What’s the biggest demographic flocking to downtown? A lot of people are coming here for work, so we definitely cater mostly to young professionals. Do you feel like there’s still a sense of neighborhood among your residents, even in an urban apartment building? I do. You leave your apartment and take the elevator down to the first floor to go get breakfast at the breakfast buffet in Matherne’s, and you’re running into your neighbors. Is there anything about living in downtown proper that people may not realize? It’s a lot more convenient than people think. There’s so much now that’s within walking distance that it’s almost to the point where you wouldn’t even need a vehicle.

COLLIN RICHIE

the corner to the Red Stick Farmers Market to pick up her groceries for the week. “I can go two and a half weeks without having to put a tank of gas in my SUV, which is a huge deal to me,” Stikeleather says. “People always want to come to you because there’s so much happening where you live, and you always know about what’s going on because the community’s so connected.” The residential population downtown—largely young professionals, according to landlords, but still a diverse

Do you think the smartest strategy for prospective renters is to get into downtown sooner rather than later? How is your company preparing? I would say so. There are already several more high-rise apartment communities just like ours coming open just in the next year, so I would expect [residential options] to at least double. I do think rent is going to go up in the area. I spoke with our owners, because I really want to make sure we’re not skyrocketing our prices just to keep up with our competition, because that’s going to help us maintain resident retention. I would rather keep a resident that’s been there for years and values their long-term residence with us than just see how much more money we can get out of them.

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[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

DOWNTOWN LIVING APARTMENT PRICES

Is downtown

IN YOUR BUDGET?

COURTESY THE COMMERCE BUILDING

WE’VE ROUNDED UP rent prices and amenities for apartments and condominiums throughout downtown to match with your price range, whether you’re in the market for a luxurious penthouse or a simple studio.

The Commerce Building apartment rendering

RENT PRICES

UTILITIES

PET-FRIENDLY?

PARKING

LAUNDRY

438 Main

1 BR: $842-$900 2 BR: $1,300-$1,380

Some utilities included

Small pets only

Some units

Washer/dryer included

440 on Third

1 BR: $809-$998 2 BR: $1,200

Some utilities included

Pet-friendly

Onsite parking

Washer/dryer included

525 Lafayette

Studio: $1,000-$1,500 1 BR: $1,800-$2,370 2 BR: $2,790-$2,873

Internet & DirectTV included

Pet-friendly

Onsite parking

Washer/dryer included

Arsenal Park

1 BR: $700

Utilities not included

Cats only

Off-street parking

Onsite laundry facility

Capitol View

Studio: $600 2 BR: $850

Utilities not included

No pets

Street parking

Onsite laundry facility

Commerce Building

1 BR: $1,200-$1,500 2 BR: $1,550-$1,950

Water included

Pet-friendly

Onsite parking

Washer/dryer included

INCOME RESTRICTED

Elysian

1 BR: $885 2 BR: $660-$985

Some utilities included

Pets up to 35 pounds

Onsite parking

Washer/dryer included

Kress Condominiums

1 BR: $1,450-$1,850 2 BR: $1,750-$2,200

Wi-Fi included

Pet-friendly

Off-street parking

Washer/dryer included

Lake Towers

1 BR: $725-$1,030 2 BR: $815-$1,020

Utilities not included

Pets up to 40 pounds

Onsite parking

Washer/dryer included

One Eleven

1 BR: $1,450-$1,600 2 BR: $1,650-$1,900

Internet & DirectTV included

Pet-friendly

Onsite parking

Washer/dryer included

River Palms

1 BR: $750 2 BR: $895

Some utilities included

No pets

Onsite parking

Onsite laundry facility

Riverview Condominiums

1 BR: $875 2 BR: $1,200

Some utilities included

No pets

Onsite parking

Washer/dryer included

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DOWNTOWN LIVING AMENITIES

The perks of

DOWNTOWN LIVING

What’s new downtown? And even more importantly, what’s next?

New additions If you went back in time five years, you probably wouldn’t even recognize downtown. The area has grown and changed drastically since 2010. Here are a few of the new additions. NORTH BOULEVARD TOWN SQUARE: Green space and gathering area for events like the Live After Five concert series, including the Galvez Plaza stage and jumbo screen on the Beacon MATHERNE’S MARKET: Locally owned grocery store and deli on Third Street

Issue Date: Spaces Ad1 proof #2

CREATIVE BLOC: Collaborative • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILL RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received within 24 hours. workspace for creative • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees. professionals on a

membership basis on Main Street FLORIDA STREET RIVERFRONT ACCESS: Riverfront access point at River Road and Florida Street, first component of the Downtown Greenway project to connect walking and biking paths to the riverfront and levee REPENTANCE PARK: Green space near the Old State Capitol, first component

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IT’S NOT JUST about packing up your boxes and hiring a truck. Choosing the moment to move to a new area of town requires just the right timing, and with the docket ahead of downtown, now could be the time. In case you missed any new amenities, here’s the present and future for downtown residents.

Matherne’s Market

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Pools

Residential

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of the Central Green connecting neighborhoods to the river

NEW RETAIL OPTIONS: 1010 Nic complex on Nicholson Drive

Room on Laurel Street, Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar on North Boulevard, Blend on Laurel Street and Restaurant IPO on Third Street to name a few. Magpie Cafe inside the Commerce Building and Driftwood Cask & Barrel on Third Street on the way.

NEW FOOD & DRINK: Ruffino’s Catering on Third Street, Fresh Bowls on Florida Street, Fresh Junkie in two locations, The River

NEW HOTELS: Hampton Inn & Suites on Lafayette Street, Hotel Indigo on Convention Street and Holiday Inn Express on North Boulevard

PRESCRIPTIONS TO GEAUX: Quick pharmacy on Third Street YMCA: Fitness center on Third Street

Coming by 2020

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Hampton Inn & Suites

The Water Campus

Issue Date: Spaces Ad proof #2

FILE PHOTO

THE WATER CAMPUS: A 1.6-million-square-foot riverfront facility that will include retail and residential spaces as well as offices for 4,000 scientists, engineers and researchers—all part of a new Baton Rouge skyline DOWNTOWN GREENWAY: Connecting walking and bike paths throughout the area TRAMLINKBR: Modern streetcar

system connecting downtown, Old South Baton Rouge and LSU RIVER CENTER LIBRARY: A $19 million library project that will house more than 80,000 books and hold seats for 800 people in meeting rooms, business pods, teen areas and more NEW HOTELS: Courtyard by Marriott on Third Street and Watermark Hotel on Third Street

BUILDING HOMES.

BUILDING

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DOWNTOWN LIVING LIFESTYLE

Where the living

IS EASY

and with obvious affection. As the man who spearheads almost every ambitious step forward for the area, Rhorer loves and believes in downtown.

COLLIN RICHIE

We asked two of downtown’s biggest advocates to tell us about what it’s like to live there

NOBODY KNOWS THE amenities of downtown quite like Davis Rhorer—after all, it’s his job to know. If you ask him a question about his turf, his answer comes quickly

Rhorer’s downtown digs

DAVIS RHORER, executive director of Downtown Development, shares his downtown experience

COLLIN RICHIE

Watching the progress downtown in the past few years, how do you feel about where downtown stands for residents? There’s a whole new wave of residents coming [into] downtown, particularly in the central business district where we have well over 200 units under construction right now and very cool living spaces that are more designed in current trends in housing.

Davis Rhorer outside his home downtown

What have been the biggest quality-of-life improvements for residents? We’ve worked on that from a lot of different angles. To live downtown, you now have green spaces you can go to, to enjoy living in an apartment or condo that doesn’t have a patio. You’ve got [North Boulevard] Town Square, you’ve got the riverfront, and we’re adding more with the Greenway.

Then you’re also in the center of activity for entertainment, restaurants, things like that—the Shaw Center, the River Center, and then for services, we have things like Lake Urgent Care, Prescriptions to Geaux and Matherne’s Grocery Store downtown— those components that are important, for wherever you’re living, to be able to walk to. In which parts of downtown do you enjoy spending the most time? Our office is located in the heart of the central business district, so I love to see that come to life. But then you go to the river, and you have a whole new different experience when you walk up and down the river. And then when you get into the neighborhoods of Historic Spanish Town and Historic Beauregard Town, you’ve got these eclectic pieces of architecture that

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DOWNTOWN LIVING LIFESTYLE

are pre-World War II that give you the front porches, the sidewalks, the community feel, the historic homes. There are a lot of different components I love.

Davis Rhorer’s day off WE ASKED Rhorer to walk us through his perfect weekend day downtown, from the moment he steps out the door of his home. First things first: Leave the car keys at home. “I like to walk a lot,” Rhorer says of his time spent downtown. “That’s how I wore these holes through my shoes.”

How many more housing options do you think residents will see added in the coming years? You’ll see several hundred more units coming into the central business district area, and then you’ll also see new residential developments that will emerge in what we’re calling downtown east, which is east of I-110. There’s already been one announced [in downtown east]—Elysian 2, which is 100 residential units. We’re going to see more opportunities for residential as the center and the downtown area continues to grow.

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E HI RIC

Stop #1

Red Stick Farmers Market to browse fresh, local produce and pick up a jar of Bocage honey or Red Stick Spice Company seasoning blends

FILE PHOTO

What is your vision for downtown five years from now? I see it as teeming with all sorts of different types of residential properties, and the housing structures can have price points from very upscale to very reasonable. I really like that, because we’re keeping it diverse. If you’re a college student five years from now, you might be taking a tram from downtown to LSU for classes. We’ll be teeming with people and additional support services, because we’ll have several thousand more residents living here in this downtown area, including downtown east. And there will be more office space as well. It’s going to become more vibrant and urban as we continue down the road.

IN COLL

Stop #3

FILE PHOTO

Shaw Center for the Arts to visit the latest exhibitions at the LSU Museum of Art and the Gallery at the Manship Theatre

Stop #6

FILE PHOTO

Stop #4

The River Center or Manship Theatre to catch whatever touring musician, play or performance has stopped by Baton Rouge

Louisiana Art & Science Museum and the USS Kidd for a dose of science and history

Stop #5 Dinner at one of downtown’s 64 restaurants. Stop #2 Issue Date: Spaces & Places Ad proof #2 With everything from sushi to fine cuts of North Boulevard Town Square to check out a

• Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. steak on hand, he says he’ll decide what he’s screening on the music on theareGalvez • AD WILL RUN AS Beacon, IS unless live revision requests received within 24 hours. • Additional requested fees.when the moment comes craving Plaza stage revisions or a run must downbeThird Streetand may be subject to production

Stop #7

Cocktails at one of the downtown hotels, like Hotel Indigo or the Hilton Capitol Center

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DOWNTOWN LIVING LIFESTYLE

SUZANNE TURNER, principal landscape architect of Suzanne Turner Associates Landscape Architecture, shares her downtown experience Turner’s dining room

Suzanne Turner has lived in the Beauregard Town neighborhood for 30 years.

THE COLORFUL, historic neighborhoods of downtown already have strong personalities, but sometimes the help of a few devoted residents can turn something old and storied into the most buzzed-about destination of the moment. Suzanne Turner, a 30-year resident of one such neighborhood, has done just that with Beauregard Town, from planting community gardens to master-planning the House on the Hill development, which aims to bring more residential life into the neighborhood.

PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE LANDRY

Tell me about the progress the neighborhood has made in the past few years. There are more families living here now. A big step forward was getting a grocery store downtown. It’s been hard to find a house in Beauregard Town in the past, but there are more options now [with more business properties being converted to residential], and it’s always getting better. What has been drawing people to downtown, and what’s going to keep them there? You need a critical mass of residents versus daytime workers in 225batonrouge.com

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DOWNTOWN LIVING LIFESTYLE

When I was in college, I lived in Boston one year. That was my first experience with urban living, and I swore I would never live in a suburb again. So I decided if I was coming back to Baton Rouge, I would live downtown. What were your favorite memories? For years, we would go back and forth to Christina’s [Restaurant], and there was a real sense of community there. Everyone knew each other. We brought our daughter up having breakfast there. We’d go down there, and Christina would comb her hair and put her to work as a little waitress.

Obviously you really believe in Beauregard Town. What drew you to it? My grandmother lived in the neighborhood and ran a boardDo you think that suburban flight ing house to put my dad through has started to reverse for young college, so I had visited her in the professionals? neighborhood. There were five of us I do. I just think people are finally children, and we often would spend understanding the convenience our weekends down there. That was of living close to where you work. before suburban flight, so we would There are so many more amenities Issue Date: Spaces Ad proof #1 than there used to be. The walk downtown to the Picadilly, and downtown • Please respond by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. there was RUN a little brick store downrequests are restaurants have24made • AD WILL AS IS unless revision received within hours.a huge difthe street where we could go.requested and may ference. The to Shaw Centerfees. has made • Additional revisions must be be subject production

STEPHANIE LANDRY

order for it to feel comfortable, and I feel like we’ve gotten a lot closer to having that critical mass now so that the streets aren’t deserted at five o’clock when everybody goes home. The Beauregard Town Civic Association has become much more active, and it’s made a big difference. They’ve got groups online to share information [and] keep the neighborhood in the know. So there’s a growing sense of community in these areas.

The interior of Turner’s home

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a difference. It used to be a fantasy that you would be able to walk to these places, and now you have choices of which ones to walk to.

Issue Date: Spaces&Places Ad proof #1

STEPHANIE LANDRY

What is unique about what Beauregard Town has to offer to potential residents? Visually and aesthetically, it’s much more interesting architecturally. The streets are walkable. There are porches that people actually sit out on and visit with neighbors or even people you don’t know. All of those seasonal events that happen, Fourth of July fireworks, things that happen in Town Square now, all of those things are attractive to young people. What’s ahead for Beauregard Town? I think it’ll only get better, because more and more residential conversions seem to be happening. People are going to begin to change ideas about parking. And hopefully there will be more small businesses in the neighborhood. I’d love to see a coffee shop, things that are family-owned and -operated. I hope those will happen more and more as we have more density. Turner’s Beauregard Town home

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SPACES

INTERIORS

SUCH GREAT HEIGHTS

Terrence Hill’s Third Street industrial apartment offers a unique view of downtown Baton Rouge

APARTMENT OWNER Terrence Hill often reads on his rooftop balcony.

BY JENNIFER TORMO • PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE LANDRY LONG AFTER LAST call is over, Terrence Hill is still at Boudreaux & Thibodeaux’s. But the 35-year-old is not interested in late-night drinks. Instead, he’s found solace in his apartment above the bar. Somehow, it feels worlds away from Third Street’s late-night energy. It’s the perfect environment for the low-key Hill, who loves nothing in the world more than sitting on his rooftop balcony with a good book. Today, he sits outside reading Influence:

Science and Practice by Robert B. Cialdini. As the sun sets on a Thursday afternoon, downtown workers can be seen walking to their cars in between bright, mural-covered buildings. A man in a neighboring apartment sits on his own rooftop balcony, watching the sky change colors. “I would say it’s quieter than people think it is,” Hill says of downtown, despite all the construction and changes the area is undergo-

ing. “It’s quieter here than in a typical neighborhood.” As peaceful as his balcony is, the apartment’s interior is his true sanctuary. Before he moved in last year, Hill, who is president of Hill Construction, had been planning on buying a home. But one look at the unique, industrial-style downtown apartment convinced him to stay a renter for a little longer. “There’s nothing like it,” he says, pointing to exposed

AN IRON bed frame and headboard align perfectly with the apartment’s industrial feel. The exposed brick wall was partially painted black for a charred look.

piping on the ceilings. Every inch of the apartment is covered with one-of-a-kind, salvaged materials: old doors with peeling paint, wooden window shutters, stained glass on doors and cabinet windows, architectural pulleys and steel, hand-welded chandeliers. The bedroom closet walls are made of galvanized tin, designed to look more like a mini shed than a typical closet. The apartment was built in 2007 by Danny McGlynn,

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SPACES

INTERIORS

high above the front door, who owns Boudreaux & for instance, or the peelThibodeaux’s and the Circa ing paint on the kitchen 1857 art and salvage shop, cabinets. among other businesses. Things that would look “Back in the ’80s, Danny out of place anywhere else, was collecting beams back such as big nails in the wall when everybody else was and rods sticking out of the collecting wallpaper,” Hill ceiling, look intentional says. “Danny did not miss a here. beat [with this apartment].” Hill added a few small McGlynn crafted several items of his own to the apartments above Bouapartment, including a big, dreaux & Thibodeaux’s that wooden mirror and an Arctic are move-in ready, each with brown sheepskin he found their own unique style. No at a shop during a hunting extra furniture or decoration trip to Alabama. shopping are required for But for the most part, he the apartments’ residents— lets the apartment speak for the details he added stand in itself. for art and décor. “I’m a commercial contracThe one Hill rents is tor, so I can appreciate all of the kind of place you can this,” says#1 of the apartvisit forDate: an hour and still not Issue Spaces&Places Ad he proof ment’s details. “People say, catch • Pleaseevery respondintricacy—the by e-mail or fax with your approval or minor revisions. • AD WILLbird RUN AS IS unless revision requests are received hours. ‘Th is fitswithin you24perfectly.’” rusted cage perched • Additional revisions must be requested and may be subject to production fees.

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THE GUEST bathroom features a clawfoot tub with a brass faucet and shower enclosure.

THE LIVING room is characterized by weathered wood flooring and exposed brick walls and ceiling beams. An old church pew provides seating.

AS SEEN from the rooftop balcony, the third floor of Hill’s apartment has a small, slanted-roof attic/loft space. Hill says he uses it occasionally to work out.

IN THE kitchen, a porcelain sink is offset by a brick and concrete backsplash. The upper cabinet doors are stained glass, while the lower cabinet doors are covered with multicolor wood panels. A butcher block cutting board is built into the countertop.

T H E L O F T S AT PE R KINS ROWE WHERE EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE AND EVERY DAY FEELS LIKE SATURDAY. Nothing else quite compares to The Lofts at Perkins Rowe. A vibrant social scene, unique street layout and meticulously designed spaces easily distinguish this address as one of Baton Rouge’s most ambitious condo developments. Live in high style among a host of trendy boutiques and great restaurants; within walking distance to ever ything you need. The Lofts at Perkins Rowe – Condos for Sale. For more information and current condo availabilities, 225-778-5288.

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A GALLERY wall above the sofa features Faircloth’s own paintings, including an abstract turquoise piece and a canvas she used as a palette when she was painting. “It wasn’t supposed to be a painting,” she says of the palette. “But it dried, and I liked it, so I hung it up.” The wall also includes photo booth pictures of her and her husband, a vintage Moulin Rouge drawing she got during a trip to Paris, an embroidery hoop with a Friday Night Lights quote and a geometric print.

FAIR LADY

Blogger Krystal Faircloth channels her style into a cozy, colorful space BY FAITH DAWSON • PHOTOS BY STEPHANIE LANDRY IF IT’S A woman’s prerogative to change her mind, then Krystal Faircloth clearly knows her rights. She’s a creative executive with a degree in graphic design and a side gig as the lifestyle blogger behind “A Pinch of Lovely,” and her love of design and great style spills

over into her Baton Rouge home, which she often changes to suit new ideas and inspiration. “I think a lot of times I have different personalities when it comes to decorating,” Faircloth says. “There are a lot of Craigslist finds that I just stumbled on and

redid myself. So there’s a doit-yourself aspect to some of the pieces, there are vintage pieces, and really modern elements.” Though Faircloth and her husband Jordan were not able to choose major elements such as floor plans or cabinets when they moved into their University Club house in 2011, it provided enough of a blank canvas to get started with experimenting. The couple started by painting the whole house white. In fact, much of the house is black and white, with dramatic colorful accents here and there.

Mixed in with the art is a pair of deer antlers her grandfather gave her that she painted white.

FAIRCLOTH MADE her own coffee table using a pallet she salvaged from Hobby Lobby. She painted it white and added wheels from Lowe’s. A Moroccan wedding blanket from Anthropologie is the star of the show on the couch, and a printed rug adds a pop of color to the room.

Faircloth’s favorite room is the master bedroom, where she repainted the white walls pale gray. She felt the color was a gamble—the lighting has to be just right for gray to look good, she says—but it turned out well, because the light that filters in gives it a bluish tint. The room also boasts an oversized mirror rescued from an old office bathroom and a dedicated shoe shelf. The frame canopy bed was a compromise between Faircloth and her husband, she says—he liked the industrial look of the matte black

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SPACES INTERIORS

iron, and she liked the gold accents. The nightstands were Craiglist finds that she painted black and gold. Faircloth, who works without the help of an interior designer, says she likes to shop for new pieces. Since her free time is limited, however, she looks for pieces that are both functional and budget-friendly, then puts extra time into updating them if they need it. She makes art, such as prints and wall hangings, herself. And she swaps pieces out fairly frequently, so the house is never actually “finished.” (One day, her husband came home to find her painting stripes on the bathroom walls.) Faircloth says that the longer she and her husband spend in the house, the 66

[225] SPACES & PLACES 2016

more she needs an occasional change. “I switch things out every once in awhile,” she says. She gets ideas from magazines, design newsletters and online, then figures out how to incorporate them into her home. These might include pieces from chain stores, Craigslist or other sources, or even heirlooms. “The hardest part is arguing with all the different ‘personalities’” to make different pieces work together, she adds. And if something doesn’t make the cut (for now, anyway), what happens to it? It goes in the attic until she’s ready for it again. Make no mistake, Faircloth must have the most well-appointed attic in Baton Rouge. apinchoflovely.com

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THE BEDROOM is a mix of repurposed vintage pieces and budget finds. The dresser and nightstands were Craiglist scores that she spruced up with paint and accents. The canopy bed is from CB2, and the Moroccan pouf and faux fur bench with clear legs are both from World Market. She used black masking tape to give the room its finishing touches: a black trim on the bedroom door and borders on the dresser drawers.

THE TOP three drawers of Faircloth’s dresser are dedicated to her jewelry collection, but she couldn’t resist putting her favorite pieces on display on top of the dresser. Necklaces hang from a vintage gold hand-towel holder she found at an estate sale, and bracelets and rings are tucked away in clear acrylic containers. Fashion prints and a large screen print made by one of her college professors occupy the wall space behind the dresser.

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