New Orleans
HOME + STYLE + DESIGN J U LY 2 0 2 0
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ALL ABOUT THE CURVES // WALL CANDY // PARLOR MAGIC // FOR THE LOVE OF WOOD // SUMMER LINENS
Contents VOLUME 1 | NUMBER 2 |
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July 2020
ALL ABOUT CURVES Rounded edges take the spotlight
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PU BL I SH E R
Jeanne Exnicios Foster S E N IOR V IC E -PR E SI DE N T,
PARLOR MAGIC A pair of Bywater art enthusiasts turn a former tattoo shop into the home of their dreams
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S A L E S A N D M A R K E T I NG
Sara Barnard A DV E RT I SI NG DI R E C T OR
Sandy Stein C R E AT I V E S E RV IC E S DI R E C T OR
WALL CANDY Sweet your Zoom space with local decor
Dora Sison SPE C I A L S E C T ION S E DI T OR
Sarah Ravits
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SUMMER LINENS Bring the sunshine into your home with these fresh finds
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FOR THE LOVE OF WOOD How Greg McGavran turned his passion for woodworking into a sustainable business
C ON T R I BU T OR S
Zana Georges Shelby Simon PR E -PR E S S C O OR DI N AT OR
Jason Whittaker GR A PH IC DE SIG N E R S
Maria Boué Catherine Flotte Tiana Watts
A DV E RT I SI NG I NQU I R I E S
504.483.3150
ON T H E CO V E R:
G O T A T I P ? GE T I N T OUC H:
Joy Wilson’s Bywater dining room
sravits@gambitweekly.com
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P H OTO B Y J OS H B R A S T ED
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HOME + STYLE + DESIGN
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Curves ALL
Contemporary series dome pendant | $325 from Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights (521 Conti St., 504-522-9485, www.bevolo.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY BEVOLO GAS & ELECTRIC LIGHTS
ABOUT
Rounded edges take the spotlight
Beatriz Ball Vento Bloom large bowl |
Vase |
$185 from Hazelnut (5525 Magazine St., 504-891-2424, www.hazelnutneworleans.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY HAZELNUT
Dahlia placemats | $10.50 each from Sotre (3933 Magazine St., 504-304-9475; www.sotrecollection.com).
$174 from Little Miss Muffin (244 Metairie Road, Metairie, 504-833-6321; 766 Harrison Ave., 504-482-8200; 3307 Severn Ave., Metairie, 504-455-1444; www.shoplittlemissmuffin.com).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SOTRE
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LITTLE MISS MUFFIN
Druggist eye vase |
$298 from Jonathan Adler (www.jonathanadler.com).
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY JONATHAN ADLER
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Arne Jacobsen Paris chair |
Amethyst Perle bowl |
$1,500 from Sunday Shop (2025 Magazine St., 504-342-2087; sundayshop.co).
$26 from Hazelnut.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUNDAY SHOP
PHOTO PROVIDED BY HAZELNUT
Live edge cypress coffee table | $695 from Dop Antiques (300 Jefferson Highway, Building 1, 504-373-5132; www.dopantiques.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY DOP ANTIQUES
Velvet blue cozy swivel chair |
L’Objet Haas Djuna coffee + tea pot |
$899 from West Elm (2929 Magazine St., 504-895-2469; www.westelm.com).
$425 from Friend and Company (7713 Maple St., 504-866-5433; www.friendandcompany.com).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY WEST ELM
PHOTO PROVIDED BY L’OBJET
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20,000 Square Feet of fine Antiques, Furnitu niture, re L e Desssign ign Lighting, Accents & Custom Furniture
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Curves ALL ABOUT
Fanned-out large vase | $390 from Sotre. PHOTO PROVIDED BY SOTRE
Vietri hibiscus cobalt bud vase | $48 from Hilltop Shoppe (3714 Magazine St., 504-533-9670, Instagram @hilltopshoppe). PHOTO PROVIDED BY HILLTOP SHOPPE
Baldwin bar cart | $575 from Judy at the Rink (2727 Prytania St., 504-891-7018, www.judyattherink.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK
Creole Collection chair | pricing available upon request from Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers (17319 Norwell Drive, 985-893-8782, www. gregarceneaux.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY GREG ARCENEAU X
Herend raspberry doughnut | $135 from Friend and Company.
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY FRIEND AND COMPANY
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Nambe Harmony chip and dip bowl | $99 from Friend & Company. PHOTO PROVIDED BY FRIEND AND COMPANY
Annieglass votives | $63 each from Judy at the Rink. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK
Curves ALL ABOUT
Annieglass ruffle chip and dip bowl | $200 from Judy at the Rink. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK
Anne Bentley trinket trays | $10 each from Hazelnut. PHOTO PROVIDED BY HAZELNUT
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Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers, Inc. 17319 Norwell Drive, Covington | 985-893-8782 | gregarceneaux.com
2727 P R Y TA N I A S T • (504) 891-7018 • WWW.JUDYATTHERINK.COM
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ParlorMAGIC
By SARAH RAVITS Photo by IMOTO / Provided by JOSHUA ATTERBERRY
A pair of Bywater art enthusiasts turn a former tattoo shop into the home of their dreams.
Passers-by in the depths of the Bywater neighborhood frequently pause to admire the home of Joshua
Atterberry and Gary Gerdes. The unmistakable double-sided Creole cottage, with its bright purple, green and yellow exterior, is colloquially referred to as “the Mardi Gras house.” Originally built in 1910, the home served as a tattoo parlor before Gerdes and Atterberry purchased it. One side is the couple’s personal residence; the other serves as a vacation rental, crash pad for visiting friends and family, and gallery space — where Atterberry and Gerdes plan to host parties and pop-up events in the fall, or early next year, featuring the local artists whose pieces adorn the walls. The decor and furnishings of the home are eclectic and well-appointed, showcasing the creativity of the owners
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Joshua Atterberry designed the wallpaper himself, wanting to incorporate a tribute to the house’s history as a former tattoo parlor. “It has a bit of a Sailor Jerry look,” he says. Opa Signs & Graphics printed the design. Atterberry’s stepfather built the coffee table out of an old railroad cart, which especially suits the home, as it is located across the street from train tracks.
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The inviting kitchenette incorporates down-to-earth furnishings and local photography, including a vintage Storyville portrait and Atterberry’s own shot of nearby Studio Be.
Pictured on their front steps of their colorful Bywater home, Gary Gerdes and Joshua Atterberry had visited New Orleans for years, dreaming of one day moving here.
Due to its festive exterior paint colors, the home is often referred to as “the Mardi Gras house.” Atterberry says that all the previous owners of the house had left behind a bed, which Gerdes converted into an exterior bench. “It’s a staple of the house that’s been here forever,” says Atterberry. The couple incorporated lush, tropical plants into the courtyard from Harold’s Plants and the Ninth Ward Nursery.
“WE STARTED MAKING MANY VISITS WHEN WE FIRST STARTED DATING AND FELL IN LOVE WITH THE CITY.”
— Chicago transplants — and their enthusiasm for their adopted city. Gerdes, who works remotely from New Orleans as the building commissioner for the city of Evanston, Illinois, has a background in contracting. Atterberry, a graphic designer, photographer and art director, oversaw the aesthetic process. (“It worked out great,” he quips. “I just buy things.”) “We started making visits when we first started dating and fell in love with the city,” Atterberry says. “Back in 2007, we visited for New Year’s Eve and made the proclamation that one day we would move here.” It took several years to make that a reality, but some of the home’s mystical, magical decor perhaps reflects their chosen fate. The “Stevie Nicks room” for example, features darker tones and “witchy” elements, such as books on the supernatural and tarot-themed art. Atterberry wanted to pay tribute to the iconic Fleetwood Mac singer he has long adored. “She has a song called ‘New Orleans,’” he says. “I had just flown back to Chicago after a job interview, and I was listening to Stevie on Spotify. The song came on and it was cool timing. I’ve always just loved her.”
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The guest bathroom is decorated with art from thrift stores, local galleries and pop-up shops. The couple favors works from Studio Be, Frenchmen Art Market, Skull Paradise in the French Quarter and Secondline Arts and Antiques
A portrait of knuckle tattoos by Brent Walker of The Hidden South graces the walls of the former tattoo parlor.
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The home celebrates local art, history, authors and artists.
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The room, inspired by Fleetwood Mac’s iconic Stevie Nicks features “witchy” elements, Mardi Gras masks and other celestial art. “I’m not into witchcraft,” clarifies Atterberry. “But I love reading about it.”
THE HOUSE ADDITIONALLY CELEBRATES OTHER ASPECTS OF NEW ORLEANS CULTURE THAT DREW THE COUPLE HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.
The couple says they wanted this bedroom to “encapsulate the feel and colorful vibe of New Orleans.” Southern and mystical elements are prominently on display in the home.
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Other portraits and tributes to musicians who have an affinity for New Orleans grace the walls of the home. The house additionally celebrates other aspects of New Orleans culture that drew the couple here in the first place, including Carnival parades, Mardi Gras Indians, literature and music festivals. But above all, Atterberry says, what struck the loudest chord was the sense of community in New Orleans. He and Gerdes embrace Southern hospitality and hope that its welcoming, imaginative atmosphere is reflected in their home.
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WallC
ANDY
SWEETEN YOUR ZOOM SPACE WITH LOCAL DÉCOR “Cebu” print | $35 from Marianne Angeli Rodriguez, 323 N. Columbia St., Covington, 985-238-0842; www.marianneangelirodriguez.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARIANNE ANGELI RODRIGUEZ
“Let’s Parade” | pricing available upon request from Logan Ledford (225-907-3420, www.loganledford.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY LOGAN LEDFORD
“Evangeline Vase” | by Anna
Koeferl, $125 from Sunday Shop (2025 Magazine St., 504-342-2087; sundayshop.co).
Matte finish Jolie Paint | $37.99 from
Nola Gifts and Decor (5101 West Esplanade Ave., 504-407-3532; www.nolagiftsanddecor.com).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY SUNDAY SHOP
PHOTO PROVIDED BY NOL A GIFTS AND DECOR
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Cody Foster & Co. peacock wall mount |
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$70 from Perch (2844 Magazine St. 504-8992122; www.perchneworleans.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY PERCH
Champagne bottles |
by Cynthia Kolls, $500-$625 from Judy at the Rink. PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK
Abstract art | by Sarah Thorne Davis, $900 from Judy at the Rink (2727 Prytania St. 504-891-7018; judyattherink.com).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK
Bird art by Rayne Bories | hummingbird, $85; blue heron, $125; and white egret, $135 from Judy at the Rink.
“Untitled (65)” | by Shawn Hall, pricing available upon request from Cole Pratt Gallery (3800 Magazine St., 504-891-6789; www. coleprattgallery.com).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK
PHOTO PROVIDED BY COLE PR ATT GALLERY
“Color Tricks II” print | $1,365 from Eclectic Home (8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654, www.eclectichome.net). PHOTO PROVIDED BY ECLECTIC HOME
“Golden Light” |
$900 from Anne Blenker (www.anneblenker.com; Instagram: @anneblenker).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MARIANNE ANGELI RODRIGUEZ
“Muscle Shoals Candi” |
by Douglas Bourgeois, $9,000 from Arthur Roger Gallery (432 Julia St., 504-522-1999; www.arthurrogergallery.com). PHOTO BY SAR AH R AVITS
“Desire” | by Aman-
da Stone Talley, $900 from Studio Amanda Talley (1382 Magazine St., 504-595-3136; www. amandatalley.com).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY AMANDA TALLEY
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$35 from Marianne Angeli Rodriguez.
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“Safari stacked wings” print |
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ummer SLINENS
Iris Apfel pillow |
$30 from Coco Schramel (www.cocoschramel.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY COCO SCHR AMEL
Bring the sunshine into your home with these fresh finds Lettermade cocktail napkins |
Juliette embroidered bedding |
pricing available upon request from Leontine Linens (3806 Magazine St., 504-899-7833, www.leontinelinens.com).
$48 for set of four from Hilltop Shoppe.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LEONTINE LINENS/LISA HENDERSON INTERIORS
PHOTO PROVIDED BY HILLTOP SHOPPE
Le Jacquard Francais Paris melon tea towel |
$22 from Hilltop Shoppe (3714 Magazine St., 504533-9670; Instagram: @hilltopshoppe).
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY HILLTOP SHOPPE
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Yorkie dog pillow |
Storyland toile baby quilt |
$124 from Alice & Amelia, (4432 Magazine St., 504-502-6206; www.aliceandamelia.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY ALICE & AMELIA
$15 from Little Miss Muffin (244 Metairie Road, Metairie, 504-8336321; 766 Harrison Ave., 504-482-8200; 3307 Severn Ave., Metairie, 504-4551444; www.littlemissmuffin.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY LITTLE MISS MUFFIN
Butterfly embroidered dinner napkins | pricing available upon request from Leontine Linens. PHOTO PROVIDED BY LEONTINE LINEN S
Amanda Talley cocktail napkins |
$110 from Judy at the Rink (2727 Prytania St., 504-891-7018; www.judyattherink.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY JUDY AT THE RINK
Mercedes Salazar escargot placemats | $175 for set of two from Moda Operandi, (www.modaoperandi.com).
Custom pillows |
pricing available upon request from Fairfax Fabric Company (3613 Magazine St., Studio F, 504-309-9503; www.fairfaxfabriccompany.com).
PHOTO PROVIDED BY MERCEDES SAL AZAR
PHOTO PROVIDED BY FAIRFA X FABRIC COMPANY
Peonies tablecloth |
$200 from Sotre (3933 Magazine St., 504-304-9475; www.sotrecollection.com). PHOTO PROVIDED BY SOTRE
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FOR THE
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OF
WOOD
How Greg McGavran turned his passion for woodworking into a sustainable business By SHELBY SIMON | Photos provided by VISION WOOD
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Woodworking is a lifelong passion that took form during Greg McGavran’s childhood, when he helped his
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father, a surgeon, build handmade toys. Now, as the founder of Vision Wood (6010 Magazine St., 504-265-8983; www.visionwood.com) McGavran’s favorite activity has brought him into numerous New Orleans homes, venues and restaurants — and even to Hollywood and beyond. “Without wood, New Orleans would not be New Orleans,” McGavran says. “Drive down St. Charles [Avenue] or most any street. What you see is wood exemplified — and not only the exterior of homes. The shade of the parks and our streets — imagine them without trees.” In high school, he honed his skills in wood shop classes, and after he finished college, he opened the hardwood flooring company Custom Wood Floors with his uncle in 1981. He then switched gears and opened Firebird Industries in Harahan in the ’90s, before becoming an agent and importer. Vision Wood began to take shape just three years ago. “I was walking down Magazine Street in 2017 and [the building] was available for rent,” he says. “I spent the next two years designing and creating the gallery and the business.” Vision Wood now has a local following and an international customer base. Equal parts art gallery and resource library, it provides a community space where curious browsers can peruse the creativity and mastery that goes into woodworking. The showroom provides a presentation of wood as art by way of products in flooring, decking, paneling and furniture. Components of every piece were constructed in the space, where viewers also can discover artistic expressions in tables, benches, desks, vanities, mirrors, frames and sculptures. “We hope our clients, first and foremost, smile [to know] that wood can be so good,”
Greg McGavran says the first thing clients look for is color. Mostly the varieties of colors they work with are all natural. The gallery at Vision Wood also serves as an event space.
The French Quarter brasserie Justine features products from Vision Wood.
Vision Wood offers an array of designs, colors and products for both commercial and residential projects.
Greg McGavran and his staff worked on this home Uptown.
McGavran says. “It’s a wonderful expression of ‘all things wood’ — we want all to come in and enjoy.” When Vision Wood opened its doors, he thought the space would simply cater to wood enthusiasts, but it has been so well-received that clients have also booked it as a venue for birthday celebrations, corporate events and engagement parties. For potential and returning customers interested in purchasing products, all of the wood shown in the gallery is available in small swatch samples. Clients can take them home to see what matches or complements their cabinets, baseboards and color schemes. Then, they can collaborate with the Vision Wood staff
members, who answer questions, solve any problems and create custom designs. The first thing clients usually look for is color, McGavran says — and mostly, the colors featured in the gallery are from natural woods. From there, clients select the format and grade of wood and figure out what works best with their budget. “The challenge that we have in the gallery is that we look too good and clients think we will be the most expensive,” McGavran says. “Then they are surprised when we are the most affordable and the highest value.” Vision Wood says they can out-compete pricing at chain stores because they manufacture and import the materials themselves. PAGE 18
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FOR THE
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Vision Wood is featured at the bar of Sazarac House, an event space and exhibit dedicated to the famed cocktail.
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Vision Wood installed the flooring at the Ogden Museum of Art. A highlight of this Uptown home is the natural wood table from McGavran and his staff.
“IT IS THE MOST NATURAL MATERIAL AVAILABLE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF AIR, WATER AND SUNLIGHT.”
love
OF
WOOD
“WOOD IS LITERALLY EVERYWHERE AND SO UBIQUITOUS. YOU CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT WOOD.”
A light-filled bedroom is complemented by Vision Wood flooring.
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Vision Wood also sources its materials from sustainably managed forests and other areas. And some of their most popular products are reclaimed from existing structures. “We are part of a life cycle of the trees and forests,” McGavran says. “True wood is environmental — it is the most natural material available with the exception of air, water and sunlight.” In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vision Wood team has remained intact and even expanded its staff at the end of March even as stay at home orders remained in place. The business has made adjustments during mandated shutdowns to accommodate physical distancing measures implemented by officials. For example, the business sent potential clients wood samples through UPS and FedEx, the gallery was open by appointment only, and the staff made house calls. Vision Wood is now open regular hours, after New Orleans moved into Phase 2 in mid-June. Visitors to the shop must wear masks. Vision Wood’s work also is displayed at the New Orleans Museum of Art, the Ogden Museum of Southern Art, the Sazerac House and Justine restaurant. The company also has tackled some big projects around the country, including installation of wood flooring at Netflix’s sprawling headquarters in Los Angeles. McGavran says Vision Wood also will provide custom work for Apple’s new media office, also in Los Angeles. For McGavran, dedication to his craft comes from a belief that wood is an essential part of life. “Wood is literally everywhere and so ubiquitous,” he says. “You cannot live without wood. Toilet paper, boxes for shipping and U.S. [Postal Service] would not exist without wood. Don’t take wood for granted. We hope to share, so that [everyone] can just gain some gratitude and appreciation for all the good things wood offers.”
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Uptown New Or leans
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