New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles Spring 2013 by Renaissance Publishing

spring 2013 myneworleans.com

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Volume 16 Issue 2 Editor Eve Kidd Crawford Art Director Tiffani Reding associate Editors Haley Adams, Sarah Ravits contributing Editors Laura Claverie, Lee Cutrone, Valorie Hart, Pamela Marquis, Ian McNulty, Peter Reichard, Lisa Tudor, Margaret Zainey Roux Contributing Photographers Thom Bennett, Theresa Cassagne, Sara Essex Bradley, Cheryl Gerber, Jeffery Johnston, Eugenia Uhl interns Elizabeth Heideman, Caroline Malouse

sales manager Aimee Arceneaux 504/830-7240 or Aimee@MyNewOrleans.com Account Executive Brooke LeBlanc 504/830-7242 or Brooke@MyNewOrleans.com sales assistant Erin Maher Azar

production/web manager Staci McCarty production designer Sarah George

Chief Executive officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive vice President/Editor in Chief Errol Laborde Executive assistant Kristi Ferrante distribution manager Christian Coombs subscriptions Erin Duhe

A Publication of Renaissance Publishing LLC Printed in USA 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Ste. 123, Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380 New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles, ISSN 1933-771X is distributed four times a year and published by Renaissance Publishing LLC, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005; (504) 828-1380. For a subscription visit on line at www.NewOrleansHomesandLifestyles.com. Periodicals Postage Paid at Metairie LA and Additional Entry Offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles, 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Suite 123, Metairie, LA 70005. Copyright 2013 New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the consent of the publisher. The trademark New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Magazine is registered. New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photos and artwork even if accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. The opinions expressed in New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the magazinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; managers or owners.

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contents in every issue 6. Editor’s Note 12. Style Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux

16. Artist Profile Molly McGuire aka Magwire By Ian McNulty

18. Gatherings The Clean Plate Club This chicken salad is so tasty, you’ll eat the bowl. By Margaret Zainey Roux

20. For the Garden Making Scents Scented gardens are an easy, inexpensive way to indulge your senses. By Pamela Marquis

22. Living with Antiques Young Blood Antique and vintage furnishings hold a growing appeal for young New Orleanians. By Laura Claverie

24. Masters of Their Craft A Strong Finish Cat Kennedy, entrepreneur and artist, enhances homes with elegance and style. By Sarah Ravits

27. TrendWatch Garden Variety Go beyond boring terra cotta pots and ugly garden shoes to embrace a nice, clean look while getting your hands dirty. By lisa tudor

84. Home Renewal Modern Love

features

Bringing home the romanticism of modernism By Peter Reichard

36. Compact Living for a Big Life

86. Resources

Decorative painter Bekye Fargason chose a small living space to allow for a big studio, but it certainly doesn’t feel like a sacrifice.

88. Last Indulgence

By valorie hart

45. The Junior league of new orleans kitchen tour By elizabeth heideman

60. the secret gardens Tour 4 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

Bloody Delicious Spring is the perfect time for brunch, and Bloody Marys are the perfect drink! By Eve Kidd Crawford

editor’s note

seasons change Seasons blur together in New Orleans. Spring and fall are painfully brief, summer is painfully long, and winter is pretty much indistinguishable except that we celebrate the holidays somewhere in there. In my house, we have birthdays to help mark the seasons, conveniently spaced three months apart: My husband’s and mine are six months apart, his in March and mine in September; my older daughter’s and stepson’s are also six months apart, hers in December and his in June. (In the mix now, we also have my younger daughter’s birthday at the very end of May.) In between, we have the stuff that everyone has: weddings and funerals, christenings, recitals. School and work and parties. Casseroles and Lunchables and field trips to the zoo. Deadlines. Homework. Laundry. But life in New Orleans could never be called monotonous, no matter how lulled we get into a routine. There is always something happening somewhere to snap us out of it, whether it’s Carnival or Jazz Fest or hurricane evacuations or football. And for me, another seasonal highlight is the Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour every spring.

My mom and I have a lot of shared interests: bad mystery novels, Law & Order: SVU, discount shopping, cooking, modern art. But touring fancy kitchens isn’t really her cup of tea, which means that the kitchen tour has become a tradition that I get to share each spring with my fabulous motherin-law, Libby Peyton. Every year I tell her that I’ll pick out the best kitchens for us to see, and every year we go to all of them because they are all so wonderful. This year is no exception. Although the number of kitchens on the tour or the neighborhoods in which they are located might vary from year to year, the quality of the kitchens is never anything less than absolutely top-notch. The 12 that we preview in these pages are a perfect blend of sleek and modern, fun and funky, formal and elegant. I hope you’ll enjoy seeing them here – and will also come out to see them in person and support the JLNO on April 20. Another spring tour that I look forward to every year is the Secret Gardens Tour. This year, the tour is on March 23 and features 11 private Uptown gardens, as well as the unveiling of the SGT Serenity Garden, which will be open to the public year-round at the Milton H. Latter Memorial Library on St. Charles Avenue.

On the Cover: Bekye Fargason silver-leafed the shade on this vintage Murano lamp. A decorative artist, she has put her personal stamp on many items in her home.

Also in this issue, we showcase the amazing loft-like residence of decorative artist Bekye Fargason. Fargason’s home might be small in terms of square footage, but it is absolutely exploding at the seams with style, character and creativity. Fargason has put her personal touch on everything from the throw pillows on her bed to the chairs in the living room to the exposed beams on the ceilings. The end result is a unique, colorful space that makes the most of every inch. We also have some space-maximizing tips for anyone else who might be living in cramped quarters – tips that I appreciate very much now that we’re trying to fit a crawling baby into our already full Mid-City apartment. This issue offers, among other things, a light but filling recipe for delicious chicken salad, advice on how to create a scented garden and a gorgeous array of garden accessories. And we’re celebrating the things that are always in season: art, antiques and of course Bloody Marys! Spring doesn’t last long in New Orleans, but it’s a glorious season while it’s here, and we want to help you make the most of it, whatever your passion may be. n — Eve Kidd Crawford, Editor

Photographed by Sara Essex Bradley

theresa cassagne Photograph

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on the web NewOrleansHomesAndLifestyles.com

MyNewOrleans.com check it out! MyNewOrleans.com has received a big makeover! We’ve redesigned our website to make it easier to read on your tablet, smartphone and desktop computer. Read the latest blog posts, find top events and search lists of New Orleans’ top doctors, dentists and more. You can also flip through the New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles issue archive.

award-winning blogs: n

Haute Plates: Our very own gastronome, Robert Peyton,

offers the real dish on local dining. Happy Hour: The yang to Mr. Peyton’s yin, Tim McNally, acclaimed wine judge and food writer, expounds on wine, cocktails and other draughts. n

n After Hours: Nightlife savant and New Orleans Press Club award-winner Ian McNulty gives us the scoop on what to do when the sun goes down. You know, when he can get out of bed to write about it.

The Editor’s Room: Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde’s take on the Big Easy was named “best blog” by the Press Club of New Orleans. n

n Joie d’Eve: Editor Eve Kidd Crawford, who has won awards from the Press Club of New Orleans and the Society of Professional Journalists, writes about what it means to be a family in New Orleans.

NOLA NEWBIE: MyNewOrleans.com Web Editor and new New Orleans resident Haley Adams chronicles her adventures and mishaps in the Big Easy. n

keep up-to-date! Get the latest articles from New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles and other Renaissance Publishing titles delivered to your inbox daily when you sign up for our e-newsletter. Visit MyNewOrleans.com to sign up.

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what are you thinking? Send feedback about this issue to Editor Eve Kidd Crawford at Eve@MyNewOrleans.com.

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style

Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux

Houses with Charm: Simple Southern Style (Rizzoli, $39.95) Celebrating the warmth and easy elegance of traditional Southern architecture and interior design, Susan Sully’s Houses with Charm: Simple Southern Style showcases homes’ old-fashioned grace while highlighting the talents of some of the region’s finest design professionals. Dating from the 18th century to the present, the houses featured exemplify historic styles that evolved in response to their natural settings, inviting generations of families to live in harmony with their surroundings.

Green with Envy Since Pantone deemed it the must-have hue for 2013, the world has gone gaga for emerald green. Chunky and chic, these mid-century enameled candlesticks offer the perfect pop of color for a mantel, coffee table or any space needing a boost. Malachite, 3806 Magazine St., 754-0066, malachitehome.com

Tree Hugger

Give yourself a gift this Earth Day, April 22. Hand-carved from the root of a teak tree, this primitive bowl lends organic appeal to both traditional and contemporary interiors. Spruce Eco-Studio, 2043 Magazine St., 265-0946, sprucenola.com

Sitting Pretty Furniture-like features give this English-style outdoor bench an indoor feel. Although the Uptown Park Bench looks like weathered wood, it’s composed of a blend of cement and fiberglass to withstand the heaviest spring showers. The French Mix, 228 Lee Lane, Covington, 985/8093152, shopthefrenchmix.com

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select photos by sara essex bradley

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style Haute for the Home From acclaimed designer Bunny Williams’ BeeLine Collection, the Mini Skirt Drinks Table is high fashion for the home. The carved walnut table looks like delicately draped fabric but offers the durability of hardwood. Bunny Williams Home, 212/935-5930, bunnywilliamshome.com

Beauty Rehab

Skin and Bones

No one knows the “skinny” on local fashion quite like NOLA Couture. Best-known for its punchy, preppy neckties, the brand is showing its darker side with its trendy black-and-white Pirates Alley skinny tie. At only 3 inches wide, it’s the first of its kind in the NOLA Couture collection and puts a youthful spin on the historic French Quarter site. NOLA Couture, 2928 Magazine St., 319-5959, or 524 St. Peter St., 875-3522, nolacouture.com

Fresh Scents Blending citrus fruits, jasmine and lily with fragrant cassis, Golden Cassis is the newest member of the Agraria family. The invigorating, contemporary scent from the country’s oldest luxury home fragrance line is being simultaneously introduced with the 7-ounce woven crystal candle glass inspired by the woven palm leaf cases of Agraria candles from the early 1980s. Agraria Home, 800/824-3632, agrariahome.com

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Raise your glass to a fabulous face. Unlike its intoxicating counterpart, Hard Night Good Morning’s Facial Cocktail Serum helps tired, thirsty skin recover from the late nights of Mardi Gras and the long days at Jazz Fest. The award-winning aloe vera-based formula lifts, tones, tightens, smoothes and soothes skin while keeping makeup in place. Hard Night Good Morning Facial Cocktail Serum, 800/3600988, hardnightgoodmorning.com

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artist profile

molly mcguire aka magwire By Ian McNulty

Each summer during Molly McGuire’s childhood in Ontario, a traveling carnival would unfurl its tents in a lot right behind her family’s home. The annual spectacle made a lasting impression, but she never did run away with the circus. Instead, it was rock ‘n’ roll that put her on the road – first to New Orleans and then to Los Angeles and all points

on a touring band’s compass and finally, in 2008, back to New Orleans. “The first time I came here, everything clicked,” McGuire says. “New Orleans was one-stop shopping for me. It was the first place where I didn’t feel like an outcast. After 20 years of straight touring, now I’m back where I can concentrate on my first love, which is art.” She works under the name Magwire, and her art today is a little bit carnival and a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, informed along the way by a nomadic lifestyle and dashes of her past gigs painting business signs and movie sets. It’s also as varied as this artist is prolific. McGuire manages the Bywater Art Lofts, and her work stretches across the common areas and offices

of this garment-factoryturned-artist-apartments. From wall to wall, her art takes the form of large circus banners, which are by turns retro, mysterious and satiric; papier-mâché portraits of quirky midway characters; and collages exploring the portability and durability of the notion of home. There are paintings of mellow New Orleans scenes and darkly whimsical dollhouse sculptures based on the famous sporting houses of Storyville. Fittingly, a recent exhibit at 3 Ring Circus’ Big Top Gallery showing a range

of representative pieces was titled Splintered Personalities. “It looked like 17 different artists had contributed to the show,” McGuire says with a laugh. “In order to excel at something, I think you need to be able to walk away from it for a while,” she says. “Every time I take on a new medium, I learn something I can apply back to my other work.” McGuire has been on quite a roll lately. Commissioned work appears in the nine27 Apartments in the Warehouse District and the Standard Life Building in Jackson, Miss., and you’ll find McGuire’s tent of circus banners at this year’s New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. n

Prints are available at Antieau Gallery on Royal Street, and you can see more of her work online at magwireart.com.

THOM BENNETT PHOTOGRAPHs

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gatherings

the clean plate club This chicken salad is so tasty, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll eat the bowl. By Margaret Zainey Roux

Eugenia Uhl Photograph

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It has long been the sandwich of choice for ladies who lunch, but if you swap the sourdough for a ripe red beefsteak tomato, chicken salad becomes a serious meal that will satiate even the manliest of appetites. Fast, fresh and full of flavor, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perfect for impromptu entertaining and savory down to the very last bite.

recipe Chicken Salad in Tomato Bowls 1 skinless rotisserie chicken, meat shredded or diced 1/2 small red onion, diced 1 shallot, chopped 2 tablespoons freshly chopped tarragon leaves 1 celery rib, chopped 1 cup slivered almonds 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 3/4 cup mayonnaise 3 cups halved seedless red grapes Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 6 large beefsteak tomatoes 1 head butter lettuce

R Mix the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. R Core the tops of the tomatoes with a paring knife, and use a melon baller to scoop out the insides.

R Lay a leaf of lettuce in each tomato so that it peeks out of the top.

R Fill the tomatoes with a large scoop of the chicken salad, and serve. Serves 6. Recipe courtesy of Pat and Gina Neely.

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for the garden

Roses

making scents

Scented gardens are an easy, inexpensive way to indulge your senses. By Pamela Marquis

I was 30 years old before I truly experienced the enthralling scent of a rose. Now I’d experienced hundreds of roses before that time, but it was early one morning, standing in Ruby Browning’s rose garden, that I experienced the deep and full sensuality of a rose’s perfume. So many of our modern plants are no longer fragrant. They have been bred to be full and bushy or disease-resistant or perpetually blooming – at the sacrifice of scent. Ruby’s roses were not long-stemmed beauties loaded with elegance and unmatched grace – they were rambling, rugged rose bushes with rather anemic-looking

blooms – but the fragrance knocked my socks off. And from that day forward, I knew that all my future gardens would always, always contain the beautiful aromas provided by scented plants. Historical records indicate that the first scented gardens were planted more than 2,500 years ago within the enclosed courtyards of Persian palaces. These gardens were constructed primarily to provide spiritual sanctuaries: The ancient gardeners believed that the perfume of flowers was God’s breath on earth. There is a rich luxury in the perfumes of the garden,

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a luxury that is within the reach of everyone. So here are a few tips on strategically adding scent to your garden. First, you need to remember the reason the

plants have scent in the first place. They use fragrance as a part of their reproductive function, attracting insects to distribute their pollen. Keeping this in mind, consider that the more fragrant the plant, the more insects it is likely to attract. If someone in your household is allergic to insect bites, you will have to locate the garden farther from your house. But if bugs do not bug you, I certainly suggest planting your scented garden close to you, maybe right beneath your bedroom window. The reflected heat from a wall or patio can intensify the odors from many plants. If possible, try planting in an enclosed space such as a courtyard, which will allow the fragrance to collect and intensify. A few perennial plants to consider are lilies, soapwort, creeping phlox, dianthus, sweet violets and peonies. Annuals include petunias, Dahlberg daisies and Nicotiana. And don’t forget about plants with fragrant leaves such as lavender, catmint, rosemary, Russian Petunias

Peonies

sage, lemon verbena and scented geraniums. If it is at all possible, plant a sweet olive. It offers evergreen foliage and sweetly scented, delicate white flowers. The heavenly fragrance is quintessential New Orleans, full of the promise of romantic nights and sensual interludes. Many flowers emit their fragrances in the late evening and on into the night. These are typically the night bloomers, such as the moonflower vine, the evening primrose, jasmine and the night-blooming cereus. If your night-scented garden needs a shrub, consider the mock orange. The sweet, lingering scent resembles orange blossoms. Some patience is required when choosing a mock orange shrub, however: They can take three to five years to reach mature bloom state. Nonetheless, the ethereal aroma is well worth the wait. “Scent is the most potent and bewitching substance in the gardener’s repertory, and yet it is the most neglected and least understood,” says Stephen Lacey in his book Scent in Your Garden. “The faintest waft is sometimes enough to induce feelings of hunger or anticipation or to

transport you back through time and space to a longforgotten moment in your childhood. It can overwhelm you in an instant or simply tease you, creeping into your consciousness slowly and evaporating almost the moment it is detected. Each fragrance, whether sweet or spicy, light or heavy, comes upon you in its own way and evokes its own emotional response.” Lacey’s Scent in Your Garden is an excellent resource as it introduces the fundamental aspects of design with fragrant plants. It’s a comprehensive catalog that describes more than 1,000 scented plants. Helen Keller once observed that people were surprised that she could enjoy nature. It was really they, she said, who were blind, “for they have no idea how fair the flower is to the touch, nor do they appreciate its fragrance, which is the soul of the flower.” In our everyday life, the average human draws about 23,000 breaths a day. You owe it to yourself to make some of those breaths transport you from your hectic world to the tranquil peace only the garden can provide. Breathe deep! n www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 21

living with antiques Holly Mabry

young blood

By Laura Claverie

Antique and vintage furnishings hold a growing appeal for young New Orleanians. Ever since she was a child, which wasn’t that long ago, Holly Mabry has had a love affair with antiques, particularly French antiques. “When I was really little, maybe 7 or 8 years old, I’d visit my neighbors, Janet and Tommy Favrot; and walk around their antique-filled house; and think, ‘Wow, I really like this,” says Mabry, 25, a speech therapist who works with the elderly. Her interest grew when her parents renovated their Fairway Drive home and purchased some beautiful French antiques. By the time she was a teenager, she was asking her parents for antiques for birthdays and

Christmas, and a collection was born. “My first piece was a country French armoire, which is now in my living room and houses my television set,” she says. It was followed by a vaisselier, which is now in her dining room, and a bonnetiere, which is used as a pantry in her kitchen. Along the way she has bought two trumeau mirrors; a buffet à deux corps; and some smaller pieces such as antique confit jars, some olive oil and vinegar cruets and a World War II basket once used for gun shells that now holds ivy in her kitchen. Mabry is one of the many young adults who are

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investing in antiques for their apartments and homes. This new guard of collectors is finding that there are advantages to buying old rather than new. “Young antique collectors are fairly specific in what they are looking for,” says Ashton Thomas, president of New Orleans Auction Galleries. He and his colleagues have seen an uptick in young buyers. “Generally they are ‘mission shoppers’ – that is, they are looking for a certain piece of furniture or art to fill a space in their home. But they want something unique, not mass-produced.” Thomas has found that the young collectors are looking

for good-quality furnishings and art but are also looking for a deal, which they can often get at auctions. Likewise, Caroline Robert, owner of perch. on Magazine Street, is finding that her young clients are showing an interest in mid-century modern pieces, such as Murano lamps and glass, and they are realizing that fine antiques and vintage furnishings are good investments. A subset of young collectors prefers older pieces because they are environmentally conscious. “An antique or vintage piece is something that has been on earth 50 to 100 years,” she says. “No cheryl gerber photographs

new trees have been cut to make it, no energy is used in its creation, and there are no big trucks or gasoline used to get it here. It’s the ultimate recycling.” Many new young collectors are a little tentative about buying antiques and vintage furniture and art, and Robert recommends they begin by creating their own “look book.” “Take photos of pieces that you like in local stores, and clip photos from magazines,” she advises. “Paste them in a book or in a file. Eventually, you’ll see trends in what you like, and that will get you started. Plus it will build confidence in your taste.” For Mabry and many young collectors, shopping in local consignment shops, going to auctions and estate sales or puttering around Royal and Magazine streets offers a world of opportunities. “Ask questions of local merchants,” Mabry says. “They love to share their knowledge. Learn about

different periods of antiques, different woods and ways you can use a piece. And buy one piece at a time. Don’t try to fill your house with a bunch of new things that will fall apart or you’ll get tired of.” When Mabry needs advice, she often turns to her mother, Nell, who has collected antiques for decades. Nell, a well-known abstract artist, often makes suggestions on how she can use a piece in a new and innovative way or how to update a finish. Over the years the two have used architectural pieces to enhance the millwork in Mabry’s Uptown cottage or to serve as art forms. And they have moved antiques from one room to another to serve different purposes. “I’ve found that by purchasing one good piece a year or so, I’ve been able to fill my house with lasting furniture that I will love forever and will never go out of style,” Mabry says. “Plus, I really love the hunt.” n

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masters of their craft

a strong finish Cat Kennedy, entrepreneur and artist, enhances homes with elegance and style. | By Sarah Ravits Decorative artist Cat Kennedy, despite owning a home studio, says she spends most of her time at clients’ houses. She creates custom decorative finishes for both furniture and walls. Using glaze, metallic paint, gold leaf, stains, oils and lacquers, she enhances their homes with an elegant style that has been perfected over the years. Growing up in nearby Houma, Kennedy says, “I loved painting and basically any hands-on creative activity.” Her interest in art magnified when she graduated from high school in New Orleans and pursued

her higher education at the prestigious Bowdoin College in Maine. She then moved across the country to Washington State University, where she earned a master’s of fine arts degree. This helped her develop a more personalized style and trust in her own artistic instincts. “While we were using some of the same materials as in fine art, I was learning how to use them in a very different way,” she explains. “Rather than trying to visually represent an object or express an emotion, decorative finishing uses materials in an artful

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way that adds elegance and beauty to a space. This more practical application was really exciting to me.” After obtaining her master’s from WSU, Kennedy moved to Portland, Ore., where she got a job working with one of the city’s most accomplished decorative finish companies, R. Wagner Co. “From the moment I stepped into that studio, I absolutely loved working there,” she says. “I loved that I got to paint every day.” Working for R. Wagner allowed Kennedy to hone her wide range of skills, as they had a consistent stream of high-end projects. From

gold-leafing a client’s dining room ceiling to Venetian plastering the walls of an Italian restaurant to working with industrial-size paint sprayers, Kennedy says she gained valuable experience. She learned to go above and beyond: “Rather than buying pre-mixed paint from the paint store, we mixed our own pigments in the studio. This taught me a great deal about the use of color – a very beneficial skill in the trade.” During this time, she also taught college art classes, which helped her master color theory and design concepts. Eventually she cheryl gerber photographs

met an “adorable Irish guy” and moved to Ireland after they were married. Kennedy, who’s now also the mother of two young sons, says she finds inspiration “everywhere I look in this city. There is a rich abundance of magnificent buildings, a lush beauty to its decaying structures. I try to capture some of that worn elegance in my finishes.” She extols New Orleanians for their “cultural sophistication that comes from mixing the old with the new.” She believes it makes them exciting to work with. “There is also a respect for art

and creativity, which makes it a comfortable place for an artist to live,” she adds. Her most popular items to work on are dark-wood furniture. She uses light tones, in classic French or Gustavian style. She notes that in terms of wall décor, current trends include all-over stencils with geometric and damask patterns. She also says that antique glazes, gold leaf and metallic paints are constant requests. As the projects vary, Kennedy says it can take anywhere from one day to two months to finish. But no matter how big or how small the project is, she devotes time and passion to her work. “A well-designed home is an expression of one’s self. I enjoy working with a client and feeling that I can contribute to their space in a way that makes their home more enjoyable to them and brings some style or sophistication to their living space,” she says. Her work can be seen on her website, catkennedystudio.com. n

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trendwatch

garden variety Go beyond boring terra cotta pots and ugly garden shoes to embrace a nice, clean look while getting your hands dirty. By Lisa Tudor Photographed by Eugenia Uhl Editorial Assistant Chloe Stoller

Cozy Campfire Willy Guhlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fiber cement Loop Chair, left, made in Switzerland, combines the durability of concrete without the weight. EcoSmart Fire Stix lightweight outdoor fireplace is the design solution for modern hearth-lovers. Using clean-burning bioethanol fuel, this modern campfire will keep you comfortable and captivated for up to eight hours. Both items are available from Spruce Eco-Studio.

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Mid-Century Perfect The iconic Spindel planter, designed in 1951 by Anton Bee and Willy Guhl, is made of fiber cement, a recyclable material, and remains an icon of modern design. Its classic hourglass figure makes a striking statement alone or in groups, and it is available in large and small sizes. Pictured is the large 5-gallon size in gray from Spruce Eco-Studio.

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Tools of the Trade Clockwise: Vintage olive basket from The Porch at The Shops at 2011; goatskin gloves, part of the For the Rose Lover gift set (sold with pruners, not pictured) from The Garden Gates; classic Hunter boots from Jeantherapy; and comfort grip soil scoop and angle weeder, both from The Garden Gates.

Patio Teatime The 24-inch Floreal folding table and classic bistro chair are both from the French-fabulous Fermob Bistro Collection of garden and patio furniture and are available in an astounding array of styles, sizes and brilliant colors from The Garden Gates. The table is set with a hand-thrown tea set by local artist Alex Williams of Potsalot Pottery, available from Spruce Eco-Studio. The hat is the Ms. Melissa natural straw cloche from Goorin Bros. Hat Shop.

The Potting Spot Clockwise: Vintage bird cage from The Porch at The Shops at 2011, a variety of tillandsia and succulents nestled in a vintage wooden tray from Dunn & Sonnier Flowers, a recycled glass terrarium with a rope attached from Spruce Eco-Studio and a Lilith cloche from Goorin Bros. Hat Shop

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the best of spring

Compact Living for a Big Life (p.36) The Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour (p.45) The Secret Gardens Tour (p.60)

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compact living for a Decorative painter Bekye Fargason chose a small living space to allow for a big studio, but it certainly doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feel like a sacrifice. Written and styled by Valorie Hart Photographed by Sara Essex Bradley

FACING PAGE: The corner chair in the living room has a seat cushion painted by the homeowner. The vintage toy dog was the first antique Fargason ever purchased at the flea market in Paris when she was 11. The green ceramic lamp, chevron pillow and orange felt pillow are from the shop of Chet Pourciau.

big life N

ot too many shopkeepers live above the store anymore, but in a throwback to another era, artist and decorative painter Bekye Fargason lives above the garage behind her gallery and place of business on Magazine Street. Fargason has traveled the world and has lived in homes that were both big and small, grand and humble. At this time in her life, she felt that she needed a large studio space more than a big house, so she has chosen more compact and convenient living quarters. Her smaller loft-like space is certainly big in style and large with creature comforts. She proves that with good design, a space can feel as big as you want it to regardless of its square footage. As you climb the stairs to her elegant aerie, you are reminded of turn-of-the-century Parisian artist garrets. The space was once the office for a doggie day care facility (now the current gallery and studio space below), seemingly uninhabitable. But Fargason saw that the bones of a good usable space were there, and the landlord was willing to make upgrades, including a new wood floor and a new kitchen and bathroom. He also skim-coated the cinder block walls, giving Fargason a blank canvas to do some masterful decorative finishes for herself.

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The walls now have a beautiful wash of color that looks like Venetian plaster, and Fargason also did an amazing faux bois paint job on the generic ceiling beams above, a difficult project that is truly stunning. She added off-the-rack shutters from a big-box home improvement store to let the light in. Using shutters instead of drapes or curtains is a space-saver both visually and physically. One of the chief joys of small-space living is not having too much stuff and knowing exactly where it all is. Editing her furnishings, Fargason chose to live with things she really finds useful. She advises, “Only keep what you can’t live without.” Every piece of furniture serves a purpose. Chests and armoires are not only beautiful pieces for display but are also filled with everyday items. Vintage suitcases are tucked under the bed to hold bed linens. Pretty baskets all around the apartment contain myriad household items. Collections of artwork are grouped together gallery-style on the walls and displayed on the stairwell ledge. The tops of kitchen cabinets serve as storage space for large pitchers and tureens. A clever floor-to-ceiling pot rack was fashioned from an iron gate. Countertops hold trays of bottles of cooking oils and jars of spices. The main room is an open floor plan with the living area at one end. There are beautiful silk-screened toss pillows by New York fashion designer JoAnn Berman on the apartment-size couch. Fargason transformed the mid-century coffee table with a painted tortoiseshell finish. A pair of antique corner tête-à-tête chairs got the touch of her paintbrushes on the seat cushions. Near the kitchen, Fargason used an iron folding table to create a dining area/study. The table can be used as a desk or a place to read, and when guests come over, it can be set with a beautiful collection of antique linens and china for a cozy meal. The table can be also be folded and tucked away. The space has the luxury of having a lovely separate bedroom, where once again

TOP: A gallery-style grouping features a photograph by Debbie Willson Richardson. Fargason gilded the chair herself, and the seat fabric was done by JoAnn Berman. LEFT: A ledge in the stairwell is used to display large paintings. FACING PAGE: The shutters and iron folding table are two space-saving tricks.

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Fargasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s handiwork imbues the room with glamour. She silver-leafed the bed her mother had custom-made for her when she turned 18. A nightstand, an antique French chair and the lampshades on a pair of vintage Murano lamps also got the silver touch. The antique coverlet on the bed was a recent Christmas gift from her sister-in-law, who just had to bring it home from the Paris flea market when she saw the initials BF embroidered on it. Fargason also did the cheerful handpainted pillows and quilt on the bed, taking the color cues from the watercolor hanging over the bed by Mississippi artist Ann Carruth Jackson. The gallery/studio below her glamorous garret is an extension of the living space above. Besides hosting gallery openings, Fargason also uses it for her larger dinner parties and even recently held a baby shower for a friend there. Fargason has a big life. Born in Laurel, Miss., she left to study art and decorative painting in

TOP: Fargason displays culinary items in lieu of storing them. LEFT: Trays on the kitchen countertops hold bottles and spices. FACING PAGE: TOP LEFT: The armoire is used for storage in the compact apartment. The orange silk-screened pillows are by JoAnn Berman. TOP RIGHT: Using mirrors and reflective paint finishes can expand the visual effect of a smaller space. The antique glassware is from Crown & Colony antiques, etc., an antique shop owned by Fargasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brother in Fairhope, Ala. BOTTOM LEFT: Fargason is always hard at work in her Magazine Street studio. BOTTOM RIGHT: Family pieces are included in the well-edited space.

New York. She made ends meet with some modeling jobs until her son was born. When he turned 13, she decided it would be best for him to grow up outside of New York City. She settled them in New Orleans, attracted to all the good things the city had to offer and its proximity to her mother in Mississippi. World travel is in Fargason’s wheelhouse, and she has been endlessly and artistically inspired by countless trips to Europe and Turkey. Her recent jaunts have taken her to Colorado, where she recharges with mountain hikes and long bouts of reading, dreaming and relaxing. Currently she is preparing a three-woman show called Atchafalaya Reflections: She is doing a collection of large canvases, Louisiana photographer Debbie Willson Richardson is presenting a collection of black-and-white photographs encased in her handmade nichos, and Fargason and Monique Munoz are launching a line of handpainted pillows and fabrics. You can find Fargason in the studio every day. Music will be playing. She sings along and sometimes breaks out into a dance move while she’s at her easel working on a canvas or making hand-painted pillows or doing one of her signature decorative paint finishes on a piece of furniture. Fargason says, “If it can be painted, I can do it.” n

TOP: The antique French chair features a decorative finish by Fargason and hand-silk-screened fabric by JoAnn Berman. LEFT: Fargason gave the vintage coffee table a faux tortoiseshell finish. FACING PAGE: The colors in the watercolor above the bed by Ann Carruth Jackson inspired the hand-painted pillows that are sold in Fargason’s gallery. The vintage suitcases under the bed are not only decorative but are also used for linen storage.

Five Take-Aways for Compact Living 1. Make storage pretty so it can be out in the open. Use vintage suitcases, baskets, chests and armoires. 2. Use a wall-mounted pot rack in the kitchen. Julia Child used a pegboard, but Fargason uses an iron gate to hang pots. 3. Use mirrors and reflective surfaces. Fargason applied silver leaf to several large key pieces of furniture. 4. Install shutters instead of bulky drapes or curtains. Let in the light to create the feeling of space. 5. Use the same table for a desk and a dining surface. Fargason uses a pretty iron outdoor folding table.

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44 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

Junior League of New Orleans promotional Section

JLNO kitchen tour saturday, april 20, 2013

by elizabeth heideman Photographed by Sara Essex bradley

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JLNO

kitchen tour

Photo on the left: Kitchen Tour and Cocktails & Cuisine chairs and committee members Front Row, from left: Heather Johnson, Tesa Bossetta, Christy Dirks, Caroline Kearney, Margaret Roux and Alicia Corcoran. Second Row, from left: Sudie Joint, Candice Wright, Kris Fortier, Mary Scott McKinnon, Valerie Gernhauser, Alex Kless, Laurie Martin, Meredith Maxwell, Susan Kliebert, Courtney Garrett. Third Row, from left: Jennifer Cheatham, Meredith Beers, Catherine Hales, Anna Schaefer, Mary Katherine Taylor, Kendall Hales, Giselle Hecker, Erin Fontenot, Rebecca Clary. Fourth Row, from left: Heidi Dugan, Alicia Joint, Nicole Armbruster, Caroline Avegno, Kim Nguyen, Kirby Messinger. Not Pictured for Kitchen Tour: Meg Baldwin, Kristy Charvet, Jill Hecker, Shauna Johnson, Kelly Kittock, Marcell Mouledoux, Caroline Rittiner and Jill Siemssen. Not Pictured for Cocktails & Cuisine: Coleena Wolfe, Jenny Thomas, Stacey Stanfield, Emily LaRene Roberts, Laney Robein, Jennifer Mackey, Jennifer Macias, Mary Lorenz, Elizabeth Hill, Christy Commiskey and Kate Bruce. Photo on the right: Front Row, from left: Tesa Bossetta (KT chair), Christy Dirks (KT vice-chair), Caroline Kearney (KT chair) and Margaret Roux (KT chair). Second Row, from left: Heather Johnson (C&C chair), Amber Beezley (Council Director/JLNO), Brandy Whisnant (JLNO president), Valerie Gernhauser (C&C chair), Jeanne Boughton (JLNO president-elect) and Alex Kless (C&C chair)

1. Jeannie & Jubi Hillery 571 Audubon St. 2. Beth & Jimmie Colon 1566 Calhoun St. 3. Carolyn Elder & Walter Christy 1553 Calhoun St.

4. Kit & Rob Stumm 6019 Hurst St. 5. Donna & Paul Flower 1230 Calhoun St. 6. Elly & Merritt Lane 1619 Arabella St.

7. Sherry & Douglas Charles 4834 St. Charles Ave. 8. Laura & Philip Claverie 1521 Pleasant St. 9. Michael Murphy II 2912 Prytania St.

10. Lise & Richard Montgomery 1134 Eighth St. 11. Stephanie & Clay Spencer 1225 First St. 12. Mamie & Richard S. Favor 2027 Carondelet St.

Special thanks are given to all our preferred partners and sponsors, including:

cheryl gerber photographs

JLNO

kitchen tour

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour Saturday, April 20, 2013 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Junior League of New Orleans Eighth Annual Kitchen Tour is a self-guided tour of 12 beautifully appointed kitchens in the Uptown and Garden District neighborhoods. The JLNO Kitchen Tour supports community efforts to help rebuilding in New Orleans, improve children’s well-being and education and encourage healthy families. Revenues generated from the Kitchen Tour and the Cocktails & Cuisine Kick-Off Party are invested in the JLNO’s volunteer-supported community projects, which include Lafayette Academy Charter School, Samuel J. Green Charter School’s Edible Schoolyard, Freret Neighborhood Outreach, Power Ties, PRC’s Rebuilding Together, Safe Sitter, Second Harvest’s Fresh Produce Program, Kids in the Kitchen and Strength of Relationship. The funds also support the JLNO Community Assistance Fund, JLNO Senior League and the JLNO Get on Board Nonprofit Board Training program. More than 1,000 people attended the JLNO Kitchen Tour in 2012.

Tickets: Individual Kitchen Tour tickets • $35 in advance/$40 at the door Cocktails & Cuisine Kick-Off Party tickets • $100 individual/ $150 pair in advance Starting to Simmer! $225 • 2 Cocktails & Cuisine Kick-Off Party tickets • 4 Kitchen Tour tickets A Rolling Boil! $425 • 4 Cocktails & Cuisine Kick-Off Party tickets • 6 Kitchen Tour tickets Now You’re Cookin’! $675 • 8 Cocktails & Cuisine Kick-Off Party tickets • 8 Kitchen Tour tickets Tour in Style! $1,000 • Tour the kitchens in style with seven of your friends in a chauffeured limousine! Package includes eight Kitchen Tour tickets, lunch, wine and more! To purchase tickets: • Go online to jlno.org/kitchentour. • Call 891-5845. • Purchase at each home on the day of the tour. As with any charitable donation, please consult your tax adviser for tax advice and the deductibility of the ticket packages. According to Internal Revenue Service guidelines, only contributions over the value of dining are tax-deductible. For all Cocktails & Cuisine Kick-Off Party categories, the estimated nondeductible value of dining is $50 per ticket. In the event of any cancellations, please consider your ticket purchase as a donation. No refunds will be given.

cocktails & cuisine Kick-off Party Thursday, April 18, 2013, 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. New Orleans Board of Trade This year’s Cocktails & Cuisine Kick-Off Party features live and silent auctions, as well as an exclusive raffle by Wellington and Co. Fine Jewelry. Some of the auction items are courtesy of Audubon Dermatology: Deirdre Hooper, MD, and Sarah Jackson, MD; Audubon Nature Institute; Beachhouse30a.com; Blue Frog Chocolates; Bookoo Bounce; C. Collection; Houmas House; Imagination Movers; Louisiana Cookin’ Magazine; Love Swimming; Myrtles Plantation; National World War II Museum; Newman-Dailey Resort Properties; Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital; Perlis; Save Our Cemeteries; The Blues Jeans Bar; Villere’s Florist; and Wren’s Tontine Shade & Design

Delicacies by Pigeon Catering and music by Groovy 7 Please contact the Junior League of New Orleans with any comments or questions about this section at 891-5845 or jlno.org.

JLNO

kitchen tour

Jeannie & Jubi Hillery 571 Audubon St.

f you ask any serious cook and entertainer what his or her dream kitchen would look like, chances are it would look something like the kitchen of Jeannie and Jubi Hillery. With the renovations complete in January 2012 on their historic Audubon home, which sits on a quarter-acre of land, the Hillerys’ luxe kitchen features both great design and great hardware, including a Sub-Zero refrigerator, freezer and ice-maker and a

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six-burner restaurant-quality range by Wolf. Other top features of the Hillery kitchen include a custom-designed and -manufactured hood, a stainless-steel sink built into the spacious island in the center of the room and a KitchenAid warming drawer. This item ensures that every dish prepared is served hot and satisfying, no matter the wait time, and it is a chef’s delight. Not only can this space produce gourmet-quality meals, but it also makes guests actually feel like they are in a gourmet-quality restaurant. The space is

set off by beautiful Holiday beaded inset cabinets in Winter, supplied by Cameron Kitchen & Bath Designs. The inset style lends a modern and sleek air to the room that nicely complements the powerful stainless-steel appliances. The Hillerys’ renovation project was overseen by Cameron and Crane Builders. Sara Hillery oversaw the kitchen design, as well as the custom hood, along with Gerald Johnson of Cameron. Kitchen sponsored by Cameron and Crane Builders

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kitchen tour

uring Hurricane Isaac, as power outages lasted weeks throughout the Greater New Orleans area, Beth and Jimmie Colonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exquisite kitchen remained cool and inviting thanks to 30 solar panels the couple installed during the renovation project on their circa 1890s home in 2011. This kitchen can outsmart a hurricane and is also the perfect mix of technology, tradition and modern style. The original pine flooring was preserved and finished with a custom stain, a dark charcoal. The rest of

the snowy-white design elements include Calacatta polished marble countertops on both the main counters and the spacious island, with room for both seating and meal prep. The cabinets are Brookhaven I Springfield Recessed cabinets in Nordic White supplied by Cabinets by Design. They create an up-to-date, elegant sense of style. The Colons purchased only deluxe stainless-steel appliances, including a Thermador 48-inch range with a double oven, a 24-inch refrigerator and freezer, a Whirlpool reverse osmosis water purifier and

Beth & Jimmie Colon 1566 Calhoun St.

a V-Line Beverage Center. Some top design features include a stateof-the-art sound system that seamlessly integrates with an iPhone or iPad and a unique backsplash that features slab marble with a curved/radius wall covered in waterjet-cut oval marble mosaic, supplied by Stafford Tile & Stone. Kitchen sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone and Cabinets by Design

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kitchen tour

Carolyn Elder & Walter Christy 1553 Calhoun St.

contemporary kitchen with artistic flair, Carolyn Elder and Walter Christyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 240-square-foot space has enough room for meal preparation and also some creativity. The kitchen was renovated in 2011 and is a breath of fresh air, both to the 1895 home itself and to guests entering the room for the first time. The octagonal-shaped layout of the room wonderfully enhances the stylish and cheerful atmosphere, with a white-and-tan palette and 50 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

a pale blue-green accent. Both the countertops and backsplash are made of a luxurious Calacatta gold marble, while the backsplash is specially arranged in a custom marble design by Randy Bustamante. Floor-to-ceiling maple cabinets with raised panel doors in Antique White from Artisan Kitchen and Bath are the highlight of this kitchen. The tan porcelain tile flooring with rectified edges for a seamless look is supplied by Stafford Tile & Stone, creating a magnificent foundation for the rest of the space while everso-slightly moderating the luminous tones of

the cabinets and countertops. The stainless-steel appliances include a luxury Jenn-Air refrigerator, freezer and cooktop. A special design element in this space is the captivating custom-designed glass mural, adding a splash of cool blue-green and brown and featuring a nature scene suggestive of Oriental-style art, designed by Stafford Tile and constructed in New York. The renovation project was overseen by designer Kerry Flanagan of Artisan Kitchen & Bath. Kitchen sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone and Artisan Kitchen and Bath

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kitchen tour

ob Stumm, an architect and kitchen designer, knows how to create beautiful kitchens, and for his own, he created a final product as excellent as any of his clients’. Rob and his wife, Kit, renovated their magnificent 320-square-foot kitchen last year, outfitting it with top-of-the-line appliances and top-ofthe-line design. The kitchen boasts a Sub-Zero refrigerator, freezer and ice-maker and a professional 48-inch range by Dacor. The main countertops are white Caesarstone, and the ample island is made of famous

Carrara marble, used for centuries in fine art and architecture and quarried in Tuscany, Italy, in a stunning shade of white. The Stumms’ custom-designed white Seattle Door cabinets, whose clean and sleek design lends the space a modern and classic sense of style, were a collaboration between Rob Stumm and Gerald Johnson of Cameron Kitchen & Bath Designs. Top design features include a flat-screen TV above the range for catching the Saints game or gathering some inspiration from the Food Network, a deluxe wine cooler from Sub-Zero and a delicately designed

Kit & Rob Stumm 6019 Hurst St.

backsplash. The backsplash is by Stafford Tile & Stone and is a beautiful mosaic of Arctic white oval glass. The kitchen is covered with hardwood flooring that contrasts nicely against the white of the other design elements. Carriere-Stumm LLC provided contracting services for the Stumms’ kitchen renovation. Kitchen sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone and Cameron

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Donna & Paul Flower 1230 Calhoun St.

he home of Donna and Paul Flower is special because from the beginning, the couple dreamed, planned and built it from the ground up. With the help of George D. Hopkins Jr. and Steven R. Quarls of The Hopkins Co. architectural firm, contractor Woodward Design + Build and designers Patricia Brinson and Louis Aubert, they were able to realize their vision of a spacious and contemporary home, which was completed in May 2010. The Flowersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kitchen is equally impressive.

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Styled in a cream-and-beige palette, this approximately 900-square-foot kitchen and breakfast area is striking, with plenty of natural light from the enormous windows framing the room, perfectly complementing the light neutral tones. The clean and delicate lines of the maple cabinetry, supplied by Classic Cupboards in the shade Eggshell, wonderfully guide the eye around the room and balance well with the Italian porcelain tile flooring, supplied by Stafford Tile & Stone, that adds a wonderful sheen throughout the space. The Flowersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kitchen boasts deluxe appliances for creating a deluxe dining

experience, including a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a stainless-steel cooktop and oven and a GE Monogram freezer conveniently located in the pantry. Top design features include a custombuilt island with a sink, a chandelier and plenty of seating by Woodward Design + Build as well as a handmade glass mosaic backsplash by Stafford Tile. The island was crafted out of Louisiana cypress that was reclaimed by Woodward. Kitchen sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone, Classic Cupboards and The Hopkins Co.

JLNO

kitchen tour

lly and Merritt Lane know style, as anyone who has visited their exquisite Uptown home knows. Every detail of their classic and contemporary kitchen was exclusively customized and designed for them, by them, with the help of architectural designer Marie Palumbo. As guests enter the Lanes’ kitchen, the view is stunning, with an elegant whiteon-white color scheme and ultramodern accents throughout. The room’s original hardwood flooring was restored with a sophisticated dark stain, while a pair of polished drop pendant lights accentuate the large island in the center of the room.

The ample cabinetry and storage includes floor-to-ceiling cabinets with a ladder-andrail system, inset cabinets with a uniquely designed door style, a built-in pantry with touch-close pullout shelving and a butler’s pantry featuring doors that match the kitchen’s lovely decorative windows and antique mirror. The cabinets also boast small puck lights for illumination. The extensive countertops are crafted from Calacatta marble and house a 48-inch gourmet-quality cooktop. The Lanes purchased all stainless-steel appliances in addition to the cooktop, including a 24-inch refrigerator, freezer,

Elly & Merritt Lane 1619 Arabella St.

pullout wine cooler and a steamer/ convection oven, making their kitchen perfect for anyone who appreciates great design in conjunction with great cooking. Top design features include a custom glass-and-marble mosaic backsplash that adds a vivid and artistic pop of color to the space, as well as a media and recycling center with a pullout television. Kitchen sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone

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JLNO

kitchen tour

Sherry & Douglas Charles 4834 St. Charles Ave.

omeowners sometimes find it difficult to achieve that perfect balance of elegance with warmth, but Sherry and Douglas Charles have accomplished just that. With the help of designer Missy Howell of Southport Custom Cabinetry, their magnificent 600-square-foot kitchen is also pleasant and inviting. This atmosphere, paired with state-of-the-art appliances, makes this space a haven for the serious cook as well as the honored guest. The Charlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; space is laid out in a rich

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color scheme of cream, beige and deep earth tones, while the off-white maple inset cabinets that are stacked from floor to ceiling highlight the enormous dimensions of the room itself. The cabinets are supplied by Southport Custom Cabinetry. There is also a multilevel island and bar in the center of the space, crafted from genuine cherry wood, finished with a glaze for sheen and coupled with intricately detailed bar stools. The deep tones of the cherry play off the brightness of the cabinets wonderfully. Along with hardwood flooring and granite countertops, the Charlesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kitchen features

a luxurious honed Portuguese limestone backsplash with a custom-designed mural of stone, porcelain and glass mosaic by Meredith Grover of Stafford Tile & Stone. One of the top design features is the custom-made hood that adorns the cooktop and highlights the centerpiece of the backsplash. Gracefully curved with delicate millwork, the hood continues the linear design elements echoed in the inset cabinets. Kitchen sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone and Southport Custom Cabinetry

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kitchen tour

e weren’t the only ones to notice Laura and Philip Claverie’s beautiful taste in home design – and more important, their stunning home. After their home was exclusively featured in New Orleans Magazine in August 2012, their impressive blend of traditional and modern style got everyone talking. The Claveries’ kitchen is part of a magnificent open floor plan that connects it to both the den and the terrace that overlooks the pool. The space is designed in a bright and neutral palette with the walls and countertops in a rich off-white

that provides a lovely contrast with the darkness of the floors, which are antique pine in the French Walnut shade. The Coppes Napanee cabinets, an American staple since before World War I, are part of the home’s original 1960s layout, and the Claveries have expertly restored them by sanding, painting and outfitting them with updated hardware. The countertops on both the island and main space are a lovely shade of white quartz, which is continued as part of the backsplash, and they are so vast they seem to last for days.

Laura & Philip Claverie 1521 Pleasant St.

Perhaps one of the most impressive features of the Claveries’ kitchen, which is a central part of their lives as serious cooks, is that all the appliances are professional restaurant-quality by Wolf; they also have a Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer. Other top features include a wine cooler and bar area. Michael Carbine oversaw the kitchen renovation.

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JLNO

kitchen tour

Michael Murphy II 2912 Prytania St.

ichael Murphy II realized the beauty of his Garden District neighborhood when he began renovations on his circa 1850s home, so he remodeled his kitchen to include an amazing 250-square-foot porch addition to soak up the sights and sounds of Prytania. Equally impressive is the 450-squarefoot kitchen itself, finished in a bright neutral palette. Murphy purchased luxury appliances from Nordic Kitchen & Bath, including a refrigerator, freezer,

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dishwasher and coffee system, all by Miele. The sleek appliances provide a stunning contrast to the elegant wood cabinetry, custom-made from cherry and maple. The pure neutral color scheme continues to the floor, countertops and backsplash, which are made of three luxury varieties of marble, lending the space not only a unified but an otherworldly feel, as well. Stephen R. Quarls and George Hopkins Jr. of The Hopkins Co. served as chief architects of the project, helping

to seamlessly blend Murphyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s kitchen and porch together, creating balance between indoors and out-. The Hopkins Co. has a vast portfolio, including Southern plantation-style designs and homes for the ultramodern. Michael Haase, certified kitchen designer, designed the kitchenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interior. Top design features include a foot-pedal faucet and a 60-inch restaurant-quality range and hood, making this kitchen perfect for serious cooks and serious eaters alike. Kitchen sponsored by The Hopkins Co.

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kitchen tour

hen Lise and Richard Montgomery decided to renovate their late-1800s Garden District home, they knew which of the home’s original details were special and which ones needed an update. They preserved the original pine flooring and kept their windows, floors and ceilings crown-molding-free, highlighting their stunning 12-foot ceilings. The color palette is white-on-white, creating a crisp atmosphere. The kitchen boasts a quartz island and countertops in a sleek and modern waterfall style. The

backsplash, made of Starfire glass by Haro Glass backpainted in Benjamin Moore white, is another modern design element. The Montgomerys’ space isn’t lacking in technology either. The kitchen is fully equipped, making it the perfect place to entertain. The kitchen is complemented by plenty of light, with well-placed black steel Euroline windows straight from California and LEDs placed underneath the open shelving units. The clean and delicate lines of the

Lise & Richard Montgomery 1134 Eighth St. Brookhaven I cabinets, a mix of shades Nordic White Satin and Nordic White High Gloss by Cabinets by Design, provide a great balance to the kitchen’s stainlesssteel Thermador appliances. The Montgomerys’ stunning kitchen renovation was overseen by designer Nomita Joshi-Gupta of Spruce Eco-Studio. Kitchen sponsored by Cabinets by Design

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kitchen tour

Stephanie & Clay Spencer 1225 First St.

tephanie and Clay Spencer’s stunning kitchen exudes a sense of sophisticated Old World charm, but most important, this cherished home that has been in the family for many years has played host to special memories, including Stephanie and Clay’s wedding reception. This 450-square-foot kitchen is the epitome of warmth and style. The beautiful Olde English porcelain tiles supplied by

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Stafford Tile & Stone offer a rich and colorful base for the rest of the room’s design elements. The handmade ceramic backsplash in a bone colorway is also by Stafford Tile. The Old Manor House cabinets are in the shade Churchill Wheat and are highquality wood with thick 1-inch stock, inset doors and mortised hinges, supplied by Lagarde’s Kitchen and Bath Design. The cream of the cabinets and backsplash contrasts strikingly with the deep richness

of the soapstone countertops. The Spencers’ kitchen is fully equipped with two Sub-Zero refrigerators, including a 48-inch model with a glass door and an ice-maker; a Miele dishwasher; and a bar area. Top design features include two 19thcentury chandeliers and a La Cornue oven and hood retrofitted into the home’s original coal-burning fireplace. Kitchen sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone and Lagarde’s Kitchen and Bath Design

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kitchen tour

hile renovating their home, Mamie and Richard S. Favor played an active role in the design process, and the mix of antique, European and contemporary elements makes their new 510-square-foot kitchen worth seeing. Ordered and installed by Rene Bouche, the luscious Calcutta Gold marble completes the countertops and backsplash and is dazzling when combined with the creamy custom-mixed shade of the cabinets, which together create a sense of unity

in the overall color scheme. The exquisite cabinets were designed by Mrs. Favor herself, featuring well-chosen hardware and handmade antiquing, supplied by Cabinets by Design. The flooring is original pine from 1895. An antique chandelier hangs above the island, and two sleek and modern versions by Villa Vicci allow this kitchen to preserve design elements that are original to the house while incorporating tastefully updated fixtures. Some of the most unique features of the

Mamie and richard S. Favor 2027 Carondelet St.

kitchen include a custom-painted hutch in mustard yellow – color-matched to two sconces framing the fireplace – that houses the microwave, toaster and coffee maker and hidden spice racks alongside the range. The renovation was overseen by architect Wendy Kerrigan, and Monique Poché Bennett provided kitchen design services. Kitchen sponsored by Villa Vicci and Cabinets by Design

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saturday, march 23 featured gardens 1424 Bordeaux St. Carol & Ken Boudreaux 4618 Carondelet St. Sue & Charlie McMahon 1684 Soniat St. Lorrie & Michael Guiza 4521 St. Charles Ave. Academy of the Sacred Heart 4605 St. Charles Ave. Frank Wharton & Paul Dutreil 4621 St. Charles Ave. Susan & Charles Mayne

secret gardens tour the

Ever try to peer through a garden gate to see the wondrous garden that lies behind or jump to see what is over the wall? The 2013 Secret Gardens Tour is a chance to take a peek at New Orleans’ hidden gardens and meet the landscape professionals behind their beauty. The tour will include guided and self-guided tours of 11 private gardens open to the public for one day only, as well as the unveiling of the long-awaited SGT Serenity Garden, open to the public year-round and located at the Milton H. Latter Memorial Library where the tour starts. The gardens are a fantastic mix, ranging from grand to small, natural with splashes of color to formal and structured with a limited palette, and will appeal to

4631 St. Charles Ave. Virginia & John Ernst 4730 St. Charles Ave. Betsy & Gary Laborde 5018 St. Charles Ave. Rita & Anthony Lama 1635 Valence St. “Lorrie’s Garden” 1720 Valmont St. Gretchen & Peter Howard

garden enthusiasts and the simply curious alike. In the United States, 1.7 million people sustain traumatic brain injuries annually, and while no statistic is available, thousands more acquire brain injuries through strokes, heart attacks or any other instance when the brain is deprived of oxygen and nutrients. Some work toward recovery, toward jobs. Many can’t attain either or manage to live on their own. Since 2003, the Secret Gardens Tour has been working to provide resources for brain injury recovery in the Greater New Orleans area. Based upon the premise that nature is healing, SGT hosts an annual garden tour and fundraiser revealing the hidden gems of Uptown New Orleans. eugenia uhl photographs

tour & ticket information Self-Guided Tours

Tickets

F Saturday, March 23, 2013

F 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., every half hour; last tour leaves at 11:30 a.m.

F 12 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. (ticket sales end at 4:30 p.m.)

Discounts are available for advance purchase online or by check for groups of 10 or more. Advance purchasing closes March 20 at 5 p.m. The tour begins at 5120 St. Charles Ave. where full-price and will call tickets will be available.

Private Guided Tours

F $60 per person F Exclusive previews of gardens with designers; includes free admission to the self-guided afternoon tour! F Contact Julie Lazur to schedule your tour at 215/378-7014 or secretgardensNOLA@ gmail.com F Discounted tickets are available for groups of 10 or more if purchased by 5 p.m. on March 20.

F $25 per person in advance online through 5 p.m. March 20 / $30 at the door F Gardens open to the public; go at your own pace and as often as you like! F Student tickets available for $20 per person with current school ID F A wide variety of private gardens open for the first time in Uptown New Orleans, starting at the Milton H. Latter Memorial Library at 5120 St. Charles Ave.

F Online: SecretGardensTour.org F Call: 838-3098 F Email:Â SecretGardensTickets@ gmail.com F Send checks to: SGT Tickets, 5500 Prytania St., #640, New Orleans, LA 70115

directory

resource

advertising

78 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

Doors of Elegance 3100 Kingman St., Suite 107 Metairie 504/887-5440 68433 Highway 59, Suite 1 Mandeville 985/893-0057 doorsofelegance.com After 25 years of business, Doors of Elegance attributes their success to providing their customers with the highest-quality doors, affordable pricing and to their continued commitment to outstanding customer service. Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery 901 S. Labarre Road, Suite 205 Metairie 504/849-3060 ferguson.com Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery offers an unparalleled selection of lighting, appliances, bath and kitchen faucets, fixtures and accessories. HECKER RIDGE TILES LLC 47177 Conrad E. Anderson Drive Hammond 504/733-8550 800/248-4537 heckerridgetiles.com Hecker Ridge Tiles will give you that finished look; whether re-roofing or building new, our ridge tiles will add that “old New Orleans” look. Jefferson Door 1227 First Ave. Harvey 504/340-2471 jeffersondoor.com Providing high-quality doors, windows, cabinets, molding and more, with excellent customer service, to the New Orleans area since 1959.

PALATIAL STONE 2052 Paxton St. Harvey 504/340-2229 2033 N. Highway 190, Suite 9 Covington 985/249-6868 palatialstone.com Specializes in designing kitchens, baths and interiors with natural stone of all sizes, shapes, patterns and textures. Pieri Tile & Marble Co. Inc. 3622 Toulouse St. New Orleans 504/488-1509 pieritile.com Pieri Tile & Marble Co. Inc., the premier stone fabricator and installer in the New Orleans area for more than 40 years. culinary Audubon Nature Institute 6500 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/212-5301 auduboninstitute.org/events/ private Fabulous events at Audubon’s Tea Room, clubhouse, zoo and aquarium. Your special event is our expertise. Ralph Brennan Catering & Events 111 Veterans Blvd. Metairie 504/539-5511 ralphbrennancatering.com Full-service off-site, in-home or in-restauarant catering; pick-up and drop-off party platters. We work. You play! custom home builders Clayton Homes LLC P. O. Box 81 Belle Chasse 504/433-5659 nelsonclaytonhomes.com Specializing in custom residential building, your plans or ours. Guidry Custom Homes 618 Central Ave. Jefferson 504/218-5455 GuidryCustomHomes.com

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Guidry Custom Homes is a local home builder with a reputation for building elegant custom homes of exceptional quality and style. financial FIDELITY HOMESTEAD SAVINGS BANK 800/220-2497 fidelityhomestead.com Founded in 1908, Fidelity Homestead Savings Bank provides a full array of banking services, including commercial, consumer and residential loans, with high integrity and personalized service to communities throughout Southeast Louisiana. For more information, please visit www.fidelityhomestead.com, call Fidelity’s 24-hour fast line at 800/220-2497 or visit your nearest Fidelity branch. Jefferson Financial Credit Union 7701 Airline Drive Metairie 504/348-2424 JeffersonFinancial.org The future of banking is Jefferson Financial. We offer great rates on accounts, investments and loans! gardening/ landscape Artscape Land Design 2401 Metairie Road Metairie 504/838-7766 artscapelanddesign.com Landscape architecture firm that designs, plans and installs outdoor spaces including landscaping, patios, pools, outdoor kitchens, lighting and irrigation. Exterior Designs Inc. 2903 Octavia St. New Orleans 504/866-0276 exteriordesignsbev.com Exterior Designs Inc. is a design/ build company that incorporates all phases of a front or rear yard renovation. Landscape design and installation are the key elements to complete the New Orleans courtyard or pool area.

Louisiana Landscape Specialty Inc./Specialty Pools Co. 1701 Belle Chasse Highway Gretna 504/391-1800 lalandscape.com/specialtypoolsco.com Our goal is to create the oasis of your dreams by developing a plan to include a custom-built pool and landscaping. Mullin Landscape Associates LLC 558 Hickory Ave. Harahan 504/275-6617 mullinlandscape.com Comprehensive design build firm offering an array of services from landscape architecture, site planning, planting, irrigation design and landscape maintenance. home furnishings & accessories ABODE 2114 Veterans Blvd. Metairie 504/266-2135 shopatabode.com Boutique home store offering fabulous finds of unique furniture, custom upholstery, lighting, artwork, rugs, accessories and gifts. Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sunday, 12 p.m.-4 p.m.

briansfurniture.com Largest selection of sugar kettles, bronze fountains and New Orleans-style patio sets in the South! Worth the short drive to Historic Downtown Port Allen! Eclectic Home 8211 Oak St. New Orleans 504/866-6654 Eclectichome.net Amazing furniture, custom upholstery, lighting, accessories and gifts. Gallery 3954 3954 Magazine St. New Orleans 828/273-2935 gallery3954.com Gallery 3954 brings to Magazine St. a collection of George Marks’ and Julie Silvers’ fine art, Fifi Laughlin’s exquisite hand-blown glass lighting, Kathy Slater’s table collection, and a selection of Niermann Weeks furniture and lighting. Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers Inc. 17319 Norwell Drive Covington 985/893-8782 gregarceneaux.com We handcraft a line of early Creole- and Acadian-style furniture using 18th-century joinery and indigenous materials.

Blue Easel Club Uptown New Orleans 504/256-1588 BlueEaselClub.com Come learn to draw from life with the Blue Easel Club-Atelier of Carol Peebles. Happy drawing!

Guy Lyman Fine Art 3645 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-4687 guylymanfineart.com From classic to contemporary, great art at affordable prices! Jon Vaccari Antiques and Design 1912 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans 504/899-7632 JonVaccariDesign.com New Orleans’ finest selection of 20th-century antiques and design accessories. Mignon Faget 3801 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-2005 The Shops at Canal Place New Orleans 504/524-2973 Lakeside Shopping Center Metairie 504/835-2244 Mignonfaget.com New Orleans artist and designer Mignon Faget creates unique home accessories reflecting the nature and architecture of her native environment. ORIENT EXPRESSED 3905 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-3060 www.orientexpressed.com

Blueswood Inc. 4904R Magazine St. New Orleans 662/609-5473 blueswood.com Unique handcrafted furniture constructed from antique cypress harvested from the Mississippi Delta. Brian’s Furniture 515 Court St. Historic Downtown Port Allen 225/346-0896

Pieri Tile & Marble Co. Inc. www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com Architects: The Hopkins Company

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 79

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advertising resource directory Orient Expressed offers an exclusive collection of children’s clothing and exciting home decor and gifts. perch. 2844 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-2122 perch-home.com Perch. offers a spectrum of styles for the home: 19th-century pieces co-exist with avant-garde contemporary. Modern lines merge with antique objects. The New Orleans look redefined. Rivers Spencer Interiors 4610 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/609-2436 riversspencer.com Rivers Spencer Interiors is a carefully curated collection of fine home furnishings, including name brand antique reproductions, private-label upholstery, gifts, original art and design services.

Rug Chic Home Decor 4240 Highway 22 Mandeville 985/674-1070 rugchic.com Featuring a beautiful array of fine hand-woven rugs in today’s colors, unique accessories, local art and fine upholstered furniture by Lee and Baker. SHADES OF BLUE 3530 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-1575 shadesofblueinc.com Interior designer Mary Lou Fewell heads up this design firm with a focus on window coverings, furniture, art and accessories. TALEBLOO ORIENTAL RUGS 2015 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/581-9700 talebloorugs.com Talebloo Oriental Rugs offers the finest selection of traditional Persian carpets in addition to the finest selection of the rarest most exceptional and decorative pieces available. The French Mix 228 Lee Lane Covington 985/809-3152 shopthefrenchmix.com Stylish and chic home interiors, custom furnishings, slipcovered Rug Chic Home Decor

furniture and interior design services.

painting, glass, decorative arts and much more.

THE LINEN REGISTRY 204 Metairie Road Metairie 504/831-8228 thelinenregistry@bellsouth.net Find beautiful linens for the bed, bath and table. Also available are down products, lingerie and gift items. Bridal registry available.

The Historic New Orleans Collection 533 Royal St. New Orleans 504/523-4662 hnoc.org See the elegant charm of French Quarter living with THNOC’s Williams Residence Tour. Offered Tuesday-Sunday. Admission $5.

The Shops At 2011 2011 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/407-0499 theshopsat2011.com A collection of artists and designers offering a varied and unique selection of goods in a marketplace setting. Wren’s Tontine Shade & Design 1533 Prytania St. New Orleans 504/525-7409 wrenstontine.com Third-generation decorating shop that specializes in window treatments. Well-known for the high-quality shutters, roller shades, and bamboo woven-wood Roman shades. inspiration Longue Vue House and Gardens 7 Bamboo Road New Orleans 504/488-5488 longuevue.com Sophisticated home and garden gifts, botanical education, art exhibitions, teas and tours, all with more than 70 years of local history. NEW ORLEANS MUSEUM OF ART IN CITY PARK New Orleans 504/658-4100 noma.org The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) and the Besthoff Sculpture Garden provide inspiration and relaxation with a vast and varied permanent collection that includes

80 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

kitchen & bath CABINETS BY DESIGN 5201 Tchoupitoulas St. New Orleans 504/899-2300 cabinetsbydesign.com Our long history of designing beautiful kitchens and baths reflects our design experience and dedication to our clients. With a large selection of quality products including cabinets, appliances, plumbing fixtures, decorative tile and decorative hardware, we can assist you with every stage of your project…from conception to completion. For a closer look, visit our new website. Cameron Kitchen & Bath Designs Inc. 8019 Palm St. New Orleans 504/486-3759 cameronkitchens.com Design, furnish and install custom cabinets and fixtures for kitchens, baths, bookcases, etc. CAMPBELL CABINET CO. 220 Hord St. Harahan 504/733-4687 4040 Highway 59 Mandeville 985/892-7713 campbellcabinets.com Since 1972, Campbell Cabinet Co. has been offering homeowners, designers, and contractors the very latest in kitchen and bath products at affordable prices. Campbell’s specializes in kitchen and bath cabinets, countertops, decorative hardware, appliances and sinks.

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advertising resource directory Classic Cupboards 5809 River Oaks Road S. Harahan 504/734-9088 classiccupboards.com Specializing in kitchen design and offering quality custom cabinetry and appliances for more than 30 years. Your dream, our expertise! HOME DECOR 10920 E. I-10 Service Road New Orleans 504/245-8288 hd-kitchenandbath.com Home Decor has a reputation for quality products, service and pricing that allowed us to establish a firm position to be one of the most prestigious cabinet and granite providers to builders, dealers and consumers. We welcome you to visit one of our showrooms for more information. Marchand Creative Kitchens 3517 Division St. Metairie 504/888-0695 mckitchens.com

Kitchen design and dales of cabinets, appliances, and countertops.

windows, radius millwork and custom moldings for homes and businesses.

NewBath 5400 Pepsi St., Suite H New Orleans 504/529-1300 newbathnow.com One-day bathroom remodeling and walk-in tubs.

real estate Dorian Bennett Sotheby’s International Realty 2340 Dauphine St. New Orleans 504/944-3605 dbsir.com At Dorian Bennett Sotheby’s International Realty offices, sellers and buyers alike can find representatives experienced in offering exceptional homes. Our agents understand that a home, regardless of its price range, reflects the incalculable value of the life within.

Nordic Kitchens & Baths Inc. 1818 Veterans Blvd. Metairie 504/888-2300 nordickitchens.com Kitchen design and sales of luxury products including cabinetry, appliances, outdoor kitchens and grills. Stafford Tile & Stone 5234 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/895-5000 staffordtile.com Custom water-jet glass mosaic in aquamarine and dusk. Available exclusively through Stafford Tile. Call for a custom quote. Northshore Millwork LLC 1750 South Lane, Suite 2 Mandeville 985/867-1813 northshoremillwork.com We specialize in high-quality custom cabinetry, built-ins, doors,

Marchand Creative Kitchens

retirement living Lambeth House 150 Broadway New Orleans 504/865-1960 LambethHouse.com Situated next to Audubon Park and the river, Lambeth House offers active, carefree retirement living, plus the security of LifeCare. specialists Authentic Air LLC 6049 Vermillion Blvd. New Orleans 504/421-2647 authenticairllc.com Licensed and insured - central A/C and heating installation, maintenance and repair - air duct replacement and cleaning commercial ice machines for sale or lease. Bayou Technology Group LLC 4224 Houma Blvd., Suite 450 Metairie 504/229-0808 BayouTechnology.com Discover the comfort and security of managing your entire home from anywhere in the world. California Closets 3211 N. Causeway Blvd. Metairie 504/828-5705

82 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

californiaclosets.com/Metairie California Closets has been serving South Louisiana since 1984, providing custom storage systems for all areas of the home. Davie Shoring Inc. 3 Veterans Blvd. Kenner 504/464-4712 davieshoring.com Foundation repair, house elevation, house moving contractor. Floor & Décor Design Gallery 2801 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-3005 flooranddecorneworleans.com Tile, wood and stone all in stock at the lowest prices! Free design services! Louisiana Custom Closets 13405 Seymour Meyer Blvd. #24 Covington 985/871-0810 louisianacustomclosets.com Louisiana Custom Closets designs and installs custom shelving and cabinets for closets, pantries, laundry rooms and garages. RUSSELL’S CLEANING SERVICES 3401 Tulane Ave. New Orleans 504/482-3153 3704 Robertson St. Metairie 504/832-1546 russellscleaning.com Provides customers with quality cleaning services, area rug cleaning, drapery cleaning, upholstery and carpet cleaning. Plus they clean beaded gowns, furs and feathers. Tassin Integrated Systems Metairie 504/488-9664 tassinsecurity.com Your local alarm and integration company with local alarm monitoring. •

home renewal

modern love Bringing home the romanticism of modernism | By Peter Reichard Because I was born in the early 1970s, it’s difficult for me and others of my age to grasp the optimism that preceded us. We were born in the shadow of the assassinations and strife of the 1960s, grew up in the years of Watergate and Carter’s malaise and on through the excesses of the 1980s. In fact, you would have to go back to the days before John F. Kennedy’s assassination to find what you might consider an optimistic era in American history. The so-called Greatest Generation

had endured the Great Depression and the most horrific war in world history and emerged triumphant. American soldiers brought home their demons, to be certain, but they also brought home a sense of possibilities, the feeling that a new and better world could be created. That was certainly true in New Orleans, which was rapidly growing under a reform mayor. It was widely seen as the most forwardlooking and open-minded city in the South. The significant architecture of

84 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

the time reflected that. Which brings me home. Since I first left my childhood stomping grounds in Lakeview 20 years ago, I’ve lived in a string of antique houses across the city, with the oldest being the 1840s Plauche cottage in Tremé and the newest being a 1936 split-level in Mid-City. All of those houses had an organic, romantic, neighborhoodoriented feeling to them. But I was recently seduced into a post-war home, a rather textbook example of mid-century modernism.

The beam-on-post construction supports vaulted ceilings that lead down to clerestory windows in every room. The remaining fenestration unites on the north side to capitalize on the “good” light and connect the inside of the house to the backyard. And the allocation of space favors the public areas. There’s a wide-open bowling alley of a living/dining space, which splits off into a kitchen. The living room looks out on an atrium, which provides still more entertaining space. Back in 1955, such houses would have been considered futuristic. In certain respects they reflect the optimism of the age and a romanticism about how people should live – thus the emphasis on space for entertaining: in case you wanted to invite Frank Sinatra over for a cocktail or simply have plenty of communal space for your family. Of course, such thinking (minus Sinatra) continues to resonate in residential architecture today. No architect tells his client, “Let’s carve up all this open living space into a series of parlors.” I recently met with Lee Ledbetter to discuss some of the principles of modernism. Ledbetter ranks among the most significant architects on the local scene today, perhaps best-known for the Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden in City Park. During our chat, I discovered we have something in common: We both live in houses designed by Tulane archi-

tecture professors back in the mid-1950s. His emerged from the pen of John E. Dinwiddie, Tulane School of Architecture’s dean at the time and an influential West Coast modernist. Like me, Ledbetter originally had lived in and loved traditional historic New Orleans dwellings. But with a nudge from a Realtor friend, he was lured into one of a cluster of mid-century gems near Loyola Law School. The house was not in pristine condition, but why would an architect want it so at the outset? There was fun to be had in revitalizing it. To that end, Ledbetter employs a mantra: “Always be true to the architecture of the house.” Examples of renovators’ failures to do so abound. During a recent car ride, I came upon a spectacular example of mid-century architecture in Lake Terrace – spectacular, except that someone had placed decorative shutters on either side of the windows and hung a faux-Victorian door at the front. This is akin to installing aluminum windows and vinyl siding on a real Victorian house. “If you don’t want a modern house, don’t buy one,” Ledbetter suggests. That advice applies to interiors, as well. If you have terrazzo floors, don’t cover them with wood unless they’re in bad shape. Ledbetter also advises against, say, Georgian cabinets for the kitchen and bathrooms of a modern home. “Some of the biggest sins happen in the kitchens and bathrooms,” he says. Ledbetter is known for both architecture and interior design and is no doctrinaire in either arena. In his own house,

he declined to adhere rigidly to the furniture choices that have become so identified with mid-century modernism – the standbys from Eames or Le Corbusier or Mies van der Rohe. “That is such a yawn,” Ledbetter says. “I’ve gotten tired of seeing this completely predictable furniture by architects. … At some point, it becomes a cliché.” Ledbetter recommends exploring the modern appointments designed by furniture designers rather than the better-known furniture designed by architects. He mentions that designers such as Billy Haines, T.H. RobsjohnGibbings, Greta Grossman and Edward Wormley produced furniture that was “often warmer” than that of the mid-century standardbearers. “Their furniture tends to relate more to the human body than to principles of geometry,” he says. And Ledbetter doesn’t limit himself to modernism. Although he says it would be unsettling to walk into a modern house filled with Louis XVI pieces, he likes to throw a few antiques or Oriental rugs into an otherwise modern room. Ultimately, whether you’re bringing modern pieces into a historic house or just decorating a modern house, it is critical to think in terms of colors and materials, Ledbetter says. So it becomes critical to study up on the seminal furniture designers and what they produced and to study up on the evolution of architecture. That way, you can know your home’s architecture and be true to it, whether it be a Creole cottage or a post-andbeam glass house. n www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 85

resources The area code is 504, unless otherwise noted.

Home Renewal, p. 84

Artist Profile, p. 16 Bywater Art Lofts, 3725 Dauphine St., 945-1883, bywaterartlofts.com; 3 Ring Circus’ Big Top Gallery, 1638 Clio St., 569-2700, 3rcp.com; nine27 Apartments, 927 Poeyfarre St., 528-2927, 927nola.com; Antieau Gallery, 927 Royal St., 304-0849, antieaugallery.com

Living With Antiques, p. 22 “Young Blood” New Orleans Auction Galleries, 801 Magazine St., 566-1849, neworleansauction.com; perch., 2844 Magazine St., 899-2122, perch-home.com

Masters of Their Craft, p. 24 “A Strong Finish” Cat Kennedy Studio, 985/709-1507, catkennedystudio.com

TrendWatch, p. 27 “Garden Variety” Spruce Eco-Studio, 2043 Magazine St., 265-0946, sprucenola.com; The Garden Gates, 2918 Metairie Road, Metairie, 833-6699, thegardengates.com; The Shops at 2011, 2011 Magazine St., 407-0499, theshopsat2011.com; Jeantherapy, locations

citywide, jeantherapy.com; Potsalot Pottery, 3818 Magazine St., 899-1705, potsalotpottery.com; Goorin Bros. Hat Shop, 709 Royal St., 523-4287, or 2127 Magazine St., 522-1890, goorin.com; Dunn & Sonnier Flowers, 2138 Magazine St., 524-3235, dunnandsonnierflowers.com

“Compact Living for a Big Life,” p. 36 Bekye Fargason Gallery/Studio, 3436 Magazine St., 388-1342, bekyefargason.com; Chet Pourciau Design, 3652 Magazine St., 522-CHET (2438), chetpourciaudesign.com; Crown & Colony antiques, etc., 24 S. Section St., Fairhope, Ala., 251/928-4808, crownandcolony.com

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour, p. 45 Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour, p. 45

86 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Spring 2013

Cameron Kitchen & Bath Designs, 8019 Palm St., 486-3759, cameronkitchens. com; Crane Builders, 3807 Magazine St., 891-5461, cranebuildersno.com; Cabinets by Design, 5201 Tchoupitoulas, 899-2300, cabinetsbydesign.com; Stafford Tile & Stone, 5234 Magazine St., 895-5000, or 4273 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge, 225/9251233, staffordtile.com; Artisan Kitchen and Bath, 5243 Tchoupitouas, 891-8884, artisannola.com; Carriere-Stumm, 4034

Tchoupitoulas, 891-8833, carriere-stumm. com; The Hopkins Co., 3045 Ridgelake Drive, Suite 300, Metairie, 838-8700, or 106 Park Place, Suite 302, Covington, 985/8933348, hopkinsco.com; Woodward Design + Build, 1000 S. Jefferson Davis Parkway, 822-6443, woodwarddesignbuild.com; Louis Aubert, 39 Neron Place, 861-0968; Classic Cupboards, 5809 River Oaks Road S., Harahan, 734-9088, classiccupboards. com; Marie Palumbo, 5418 Magazine St., 621-7187, mapalumbostudio.com; Southport Custom Cabinetry, 1508 Edwards Ave., Suite NN, Harahan, 733-7764; Michael Carbine, 911 Constantinople St., 895-9016; Nordic Kitchens & Baths, 1818 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, 888-2300, nordickitchens. com; Spruce Eco-Studio, 2043 Magazine St., 265-0946, sprucenola.com; Lagarde’s Kitchen and Bath Design, 800 Metairie Road, Suite T, Metairie, 830-3440, lagardes.com; Villa Vici, 4112 Magazine St., 899-2931, or 736 E. Boston St., Covington, 985/871-6122, villavici.com; Wendy Kerrigan, Eskew + Dumez + Ripple, 365 Canal St., Suite 3150, 561-8686, eskewdumezripple.com

Home Renewal, p. 84 “Modern Love” Lee Ledbetter & Associates, 1055 St. Charles Ave., Suite 320, 566-9669, leeledbetter.com n

last indulgence

bloody delicious Spring is the perfect time for brunch, and Bloody Marys are the perfect drink! By Eve Kidd Crawford

Although my friends who work in the service industry universally despise brunch, I just can’t get behind that. Bad tippers, demanding customers, late hours: I can sympathize. But brunch? I love brunch. And nothing goes with my favorite meal better than a Bloody Mary. Although some people revere it as a hangover cure, I look to it more as an ideal pairing with eggs Benedict, every bit as complex as a wine pairing but with less swirling and sniffing. I enjoy this combination so much that I even ordered Virgin Marys with brunch when I was pregnant (in Australia, a Virgin Mary is called, much more appropriately in my estimation, a Bloody Shame). The drink is improved by vodka (what isn’t?), but the non-alcoholic version still provides that spicy tang that I love. Like all cocktails, the origins are fuzzy and the variations are endless, but I think my favorite Bloody Mary in town is at Russell’s Marina Grill by the lake. Nothing says spring to me quite like brunch and a Bloody Mary on the patio at Russell’s. When you add in the Vitamin C and lycopene from the tomato juice and the vegetables from the garnish, you can almost even justify it as a superfood! So whether you’re pre-gaming for any of the numerous festivals this spring or just having an al fresco brunch with friends, mix up a batch of Bloodies, and drink to your health! n