Home Feature: Cocktails & Conversation

WRITTEN BY JAN WINDHORST PHOTOS BY KIKI RANDON

WHAT SAYS "THE BIG EASY" more than sitting amidst local artworks in the parlor of your Creole cottage-inspired home, cocktail in hand, planning your next culinary adventure while listening to some of the best martini music ever recorded? To Paula and Rich Adamcewicz, building their dream home to exemplify the lively local lifestyle hails their love of all things New Orleans more exuberantly than a Gallier Hall toast on Fat Tuesday.

Always wanting to reside in the city, ‘one day’ became a reality when, on the way to their son Austin’s track meet at City Park, they spied a narrow lot perfectly proportioned for the shotgun-style, double-gallery cottage they had seen in Cottage Living Magazine years back. Fortuitously forward thinking, they had kept that issue as inspiration for the style that combines European and Caribbean influences and laid out the floor plan, only needing a draftsman to finalize their open-concept vision despite the narrow layout.

We love to SIT IN HERE with a glass of wine and FORGET OUR WORRIES. This room was just made for COCKTAILS AND CONVERSATION.

As French influence dictates, the airy entry parlor is designed to be welcoming and relaxing. “We included three large windows for light and to allow the outdoor surroundings to be an element of the timeless, New Orleans style,” says Paula. “We love to sit in here with a glass of wine after a hard day’s work and forget our worries. This room was just made for cocktails and conversation.” Vivid greenery contrasts the light color scheme which includes a chic, antique chest and custom antique settees, newly covered in linen with embellished fabric by Patti and Courtney Brondum of Southern Luxe Interiors. The mother-daughter team was called in to coordinate and refresh the interior of the build that began approximately five years ago.

Patti explains that both Rich and Paula work in the medical field and while both have excellent taste, they sometimes disagree. “We’re good mediators for them. We were able to do our thing during COVID while they were busy at work.” Patti continues that she and Courtney brightened the look with a light, soothing color palette and transitional style—classic with a little contemporary thrown in.

The parlor also parades the Adamcewicz’s personal flair. Along with Lilly, their little Maltese who conveniently matches the décor, the couple enjoys the white, gold and grayish blues of Ali Giles’ abstract art; a mixed-medium, white crystal piece by Amber Ivy; a rug of rectangular, colored cowhide in shades of gray to ground the room; and Aiden Gray’s distressed wood and metal chandelier entitled “Italian Wedding” as the crowning piece.

As guests progress through the hall on wideplank hardwood towards the kitchen, they’ll see an homage to the previous family home by artist Marc Hatfield and enter the realm of another of the couple’s passions—the local cuisine. Paula says that she and Rich embrace the area’s amenities by often walking to nearby restaurants and festivals, but with the pandemic, her husband has taken to cooking every day with the help of the commercial grade stove and full-sized refrigerator and freezer.

The cooking area is open and follows the established light color scheme with white cabinetry, gold cup pulls and two windows flanking the stove for sunlight, countertops of Carrara marble and elongated, irregular subway tile. The artwork here, however, grows more vivid and takes on a festive music and seafood theme. A white and gold crawfish on gray by Brad Budge representing Paula’s favorite food gives way to a fish painting in pastel blues and greens acquired on a trip to Dubrovnik, Croatia. Sentimental value Jazz Fest posters add more color and bold design, but the big fish resides in the dining area and is a Martin Welch painting in gold and shades of deep, bright blue entitled Happy Tuna.

Upstairs, the theme of color and materials continues with Carrara tile, a white claw-foot bathtub and family heirloom accents, such as an antique table adorned with dragon heads in metal. Southern Luxe kept with soothing colors but suggested furnishings that take on a more contemporary feel, including a modern chandelier of hanging shells in the bathroom and gold-framed artwork in the bedroom.

Amidst eclectic furniture and décor that all hold meaning, the item in the house that seems to garner the most affection is the parlor’s gold and mirrored bar cart. Perhaps, because it holds libations for which their beloved city is famous, and that help fuel lively conversations.

Maybe, because it holds a photo of Dean Martin, the longstanding embodiment of good music and good times and Rich’s favorite crooner. (Paula explains that the small photo was a compromise, and that if Rich had his way, Dino’s likeness would take up a whole wall.) Most likely, it’s a favorite because it mirrors the spirit of the home’s design and reflects, both literally and figuratively, the motto of the city—Let the good times roll!

Southern Luxe Interiors is located at 19380 N. 2nd Street in Covington. For more information, call 504-416-9825 or visit southernluxeinteriors.com.