New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles Fall 2012

autumn 2012 myneworleans.com

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Volume 15 Issue 4 interim Editor Sarah Ravits Editor Eve Kidd Crawford Art Director Tiffani Reding associate Editor Haley Adams contributing Editors Laura Claverie, Lee Cutrone, Pamela Marquis, Ian McNulty, Jenny Peterson, Peter Reichard, Lisa Tudor, Margaret Zainey Roux Contributing Photographers Thom Bennett, Theresa Cassagne, Sara Essex Bradley, Cheryl Gerber, Jeffery Johnston, Eugenia Uhl interns Gabrielle Bethancourt, Taylor Burley, Annie Weldon

senior Account Executive Katie Palazzo sales assistant Erin Maher

production/web manager Staci McCarty production designer Sarah George

Chief Executive officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Editor in Chief Errol Laborde Executive assistant Kristi Ferrante distribution manager Christian Coombs customer service Amanda Mele

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 2012 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 magazines’ managers or owners.

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contents 22 in every issue 6. Editor’s Note 10. Style Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux

14. Artist Profile Alan Gerson

By Ian McNulty

16. Gatherings “Hot Diggity Dog!” A great American classic goes gourmet.

20

By Margaret Zainey Roux

18. For the Garden “Planting the Seedlings” Local kids get first-hand experience with educational garden programs.

25

By Pamela Marquis

20. Living with Antiques “Furniture, Freshened Up” Painting an old piece of furniture can revive it – and make it beautiful.

By Laura Claverie

22. Masters of Their Craft

16 features 32. A promise kept Simon and Rebecca Finger’s Uptown Colonial Revival home blends modern, vintage and antique styles with stunning results.

By lee cutrone

42. of the first water Stellar kitchens and spectacular baths By jenny peterson

“Labor of Love” Inspired by science fiction, fairy tales, poetry and art, designer Niki Fisk creates one-of-a-kind jewelry.

By Sarah Ravits

25. TrendWatch “Pop Art ” Trinkets and knickknacks make a playful appearance this fall, blending contemporary and whimsical designs.

14

By lisa tudor

76. Home Renewal “Olfactory Overload” How to deal with unsavory smells

By Peter Reichard

78. Resources 80. Last Indulgence “True Brew” Not just for college keggers anymore – beer has come into its own!

By Eve Kidd Crawford

4 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

editor’s note

welcome back Coming back from summer vacation is never easy, and for me, it was especially hard – my summer flew by in a blur of nighttime feedings and diaper changes for my daughter, Georgia Ruth, who was born on May 30, and a flurry of camp field trips, sunscreen and water wings for Ruby, my 5-year-old.

And now, all too soon, I am back at work and Ruby has started kindergarten – real school! – at Morris Jeff Community School. For Ruby, the transition was made easier by a brand-new Rapunzel backpack and matching lunchbox; for me, it was the joy of coming back to pages upon pages of absolutely top-notch kitchens and bathrooms.

If the constraints of the real world weren’t an issue, I would probably spend my days floating back and forth between kitchen and bathroom – baking a loaf of bread, taking a long bath, making some pasta, taking another long bath, pouring a glass of wine, taking another long bath….

My own kitchen and bath would be perfectly suitable for this plan, but the kitchens and baths we’re featuring in

this issue are truly the stuff fantasies are made of!

Although the kitchen and baths in Simon and Rebecca Finger’s home are definitely noteworthy, we couldn’t leave out the rest of their gorgeous Uptown Colonial Revival. The Fingers purchased the home, which was badly in need of renovation, after Katrina, and worked with their friend and designer Jill Dupré to strike a perfect balance of traditional and modern that also accommodates their three young children. Between my two girls and my stepson, I also have three kids in my home, and so I know just how difficult it can be to maintain any semblance of style with kids around – the décor of my own home can best be described as a mishmash of Barbie, Disney, Nerf, Fisher-Price and My Little Pony, under a thin veil of cookie crumbs, chocolate milk stains, Capri Sun pouches and baby spit-up. And that’s on a good day!

The other thing cheering me up right now is the dual promise of cooler weather and football season.

To that end, we have a delicious game-day recipe for grilled sausages in

On the Cover: This whimsical bathroom is a perfect example of the fun yet functional décor in Simon and Rebecca Finger’s home. p. 32 Photographed by Sara Essex Bradley

Gatherings, and Last Indulgence pays homage to beer, the ideal accompaniment to both grilled sausages and a Saints game.

Although spring is generally thought of as the time of rebirth, Living With Antiques features an easy and inexpensive way to bring your faded antiques back to life. For the Garden gets into the back-toschool spirit by exploring educational gardening programs for kids, which can have long-lasting positive impacts on many young lives, and Home Renewal tackles an unpleasant but useful topic: how to rid your home of lingering bad smells.

We also have our usual fill of art, crafts and trends to help inspire you as you adjust to the end of summer.

Letting go of the long, hot days of summer is never easy, true, but at least in New Orleans, at least for me, there is always something to be thankful for.

And autumn is absolutely the perfect time for that! n — Eve Kidd Crawford, Editor

theresa cassagne Photograph

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www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 7

on the web NewOrleansHomesAndLifestyles.com

MyNewOrleans.com check it out!

MyNewOrleans.com is your portal to articles and images from New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles, as well as articles from other magazines and exclusive online content. Blogs, event calendars and other content are updated daily.

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

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. n

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

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. n

keep up-to-date!

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8 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

­­what are you thinking?

Send feedback about this issue to Editor Eve Kidd Crawford at Eve@MyNewOrleans.com.

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 9

style

Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux

Raw Beauty Painted on reclaimed wood collected near construction sites in Lakeview, local artist Jennifer Rodrigue’s oyster paintings celebrate the marvelous mollusk shape to create appetizing artwork that’s always in season.

Julie Neill Designs, 3908 Magazine St., 899-4201, www.jenniferrodrigueart.com.

…And Everything Nice Local jewelry designer Lauren Eckstein Schonekas is giving vintage jewelry a refreshingly modern look. Featuring lime glass beads and smoky chains connected by two vintage gold-plated pendants, her Sugar and Spice necklace looks sweet paired with a white flouncy blouse or sexy on top of a little black dress.

Construct Jewelry, 812-7675, www.construct-jewelry.com.

Bespoke Blend

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Dunn & Sonnier Antiques and Flowers has partnered with Nouvelle Candle Co. for an exclusive candle that looks as lovely as it smells. Poured into a reusable clay cachepot, the candle features a unique blend of notes including gardenia, leather and sweet tobacco. Dunn & Sonnier Antiques and Flowers, 2138 Magazine St., 524-3235, dunnandsonnierantiques.com.

Stylish Swigs College football just got classier. Leontine Linens’ 16-ounce flasks with linen cases make the perfect tailgating accessory and are made to order in your choice of colors, fabrics and monogram styles. Leontine Linens, 3806 Magazine St., 899-7833, www.leontinelinens.com.

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select photos by sara essex bradley

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style

History Lesson Constructed from 18th-century Italian fragments, these down-filled pillows are hand-sewn with metallic threads to bring a bit of Old World charm into today’s home. St. Romain Interiors, 209 St. John St., Madisonville, 985/845-7411.

Q

Pink Lemon-Aid During the month of October, Agraria will donate 35 percent of proceeds from all Lemon Verbena beauty products sold on the company’s Web site to aid the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. The luxe line – including bath salts, body wash, scented lotion and more – will leave the body invigorated and the heart full. Agraria Beauty, www.agrariahome.com.

Going Greek The Josef chest combines aesthetic schools of thought to transcend the constraints of era exclusivity. A sumptuous white overlay references Hellenistic Greek columns and casts a dramatic shadow against rich, swirled mahogany reminiscent of the art deco style. Councill Furniture, www.councill.com.

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Fortuny Interiors (Gibbs Smith, $75) Manufactured in Venice, Italy, textiles

by Fortuny have borne the standard of quality and excellence for a hundred years. In his recently released book, Fortuny Interiors, author Brian Coleman highlights the sumptuous textiles that have been decorating Old World and new-world homes for generations and offers a sneak peek into a host of contemporary condos and historic homes that all wear Fortuny in high style.

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artist profile

alan gerson

By Ian McNulty

Alan Gerson’s upcoming exhibition at LeMieux Galleries is titled Children’s Garden, though this collection of new paintings is no walk in the park.

Sure, if you glance quickly at them, their bold colors and big, bulbous shapes can give a friendly, almost whimsical impression. But look closer, and there seems always to be a dark side seeping in from the edges, a note of discord or unease humming below the surface. You see a small figure walking among a cluster of topiary and wonder if he’ll get lost in their dark huddles. When another canvas shows a boy sitting on a window ledge, you’re aware of how far a fall it would be should he teeter.

This is Gerson’s style all over. It’s a slice of magical realism that treads the dream world with one eye over its shoulder and a dark, sometimes twisted sense of humor urging it on. When Gerson paints a rose, the thorns are as prominent as the red petals.

“A lot of these themes are working out my ideas of the real world and the dream world, the happiness we all hope for and the failures we all face,” Gerson says.

Gerson is part of a family that once ran dry goods and clothing stores along Dryades Street and Tulane Avenue when those stretches were bustling shopping hubs. He thought he’d go into business, too, but a persistent habit of sketching out his ideas and visions eventually led to

serious art study, especially in etching and printmaking.

He later spent what he describes now as “three long, horrible years” working as an attorney. Though jurisprudence didn’t suit him, the stint did inspire a whole vein of artwork as he satirized courtroom scenes in watercolor like allegorical editorial cartoons.

Children’s Garden follows a line of earlier exhibitions featuring a recurring, semiautobiographical character

Gerson calls his “goofy guy,” a figure dropped unmercifully into the unusual situations the artist envisions.

“It’s a continuation of the idea of the unreachable land of childhood that you can never get back to,” he explains. “When you’re young, you don’t understand things; everyone is a giant; the world becomes a magical place because that’s the only way you can understand it.” n

g Children’s Garden opens at LeMieux Galleries (332 Julia St., 522-5988) on Oct. 6 in conjunction with Art for Art’s Sake and runs through Oct. 27. See more of Gerson’s work at alangerson.com.

THOM BENNETT PHOTOGRAPH

14 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

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gatherings

hot diggity dog!

A great American classic goes gourmet.

By Margaret Zainey Roux

Eugenia Uhl Photograph

16 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

Let’s be frank: There’s more to football season than just the game, namely the tailgate.

Friends, fans and flasks abound, but it’s another “F-word” that’s at the heart of this favorite fall pastime, and that’s “food.” A good ol’ hot dog smothered in mustard and relish may be a game-day favorite, but this season, take it to the next level with a sophisticated yet savory variation that will leave your taste buds cheering.

recipe Grilled Sweet and Hot Sausage with Grilled Onion Marmalade and Red Peppers 3 red onions, sliced in half 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 clove garlic, finely chopped 1 small jalapeño pepper, finely diced 1 cup red wine vinegar 1/4 cup crème de cassis 1/4 cup grenadine 1/4 cup red wine 1/4 cup coarsely chopped parsley 2 red peppers, grilled, quartered and seeded 1 pound hot Italian sausage, sliced in half vertically, then quartered 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, sliced in half vertically, then quartered 4 hoagie rolls

R Preheat grill. Brush the onions with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and grill until lightly browned. Remove from the grill, and slice thinly. Heat the remaining olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onions, garlic and jalapeño, and cook for 1 minute.

Add the vinegar, cassis, grenadine and red wine, and reduce until the liquid has almost evaporated. Remove from heat, add the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Grill sausages and peppers.

R Serve at room temperature. Each sandwich gets sausage, red pepper and marmalade on a hoagie. Serves 4.

Recipe courtesy of Bobby Flay.

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for the garden

planting the seedlings Local kids get first-hand experience with educational garden programs. | By Pamela Marquis For centuries educators have known the importance of introducing children to the wonders of gardening. In 1906 the United States Department of Agriculture estimated that there were more than 75,000 school gardens. During the Great Depression, youth participated in relief gardening programs, and during World War II, Victory Gardens swept the nation. But sadly, after that, school gardens became the exception, not the rule.

Thankfully, in the past few years, there's been a bit of a resurgence in programs that connect our youth to the land.

Participating in such programs helps students learn a multitude of things, from how to measure properly to what insects can be beneficial.

In addition, gardening provides opportunities to learn such positive social qualities as nurturing life and accepting responsibility. Thousands of evaluations have been done, and the results clearly show that school-based gardening programs have very positive impacts, such as teaching students about nutrition and increasing their fruit and vegetable intake and their willingness to try new foods.

Founded in 2006, Edible Schoolyard New Orleans, or ESY NOLA, is one of New Orleans' best-known school garden programs. This onethird-acre garden is on the campus of Samuel J. Green Charter School and yields more than 3,000 pounds of produce a year.

18 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

The garden includes a composting station, an outdoor classroom, a wetlands area, a citrus grove, seasonal row crops, a butterfly garden and a spacious greenhouse. And now ESY NOLA has gardening programs at five FirstLine public charter schools.

In a corner of City Park, nestled next to a peaceful bayou, is an exciting new garden program that builds on what ESY NOLA and other programs have accomplished with younger students. Grow Dat Youth Farm creates job opportunities for high school students in the field of urban agriculture. “The centerpiece of our program is to nurture the student's leadership potential through the meaningful

work of growing food,� says Leo Gorman, Grow Dat farm manager.

This winter the Grow Dat youth will sell their produce from their farm site and their mobile farm stand. Their plan is to sell 60 percent of their food in such places as markets, restaurants and corner stores and donate 40 percent to various locations, including hunger-relief agencies.

Now venture into the Lower 9th Ward, and you'll discover Our School at Blair Grocery.

It's an independent alternative school. With the teenagers in their high school and neighborhood after-school program, the organization operates an experiential curriculum that incorporates sustainability thinking with GED cheryl gerber photographs

preparation. These youth also sell their produce to many high-end restaurants in the New Orleans area.

Nat Turner, founder of Our School at Blair Grocery, knows that there is much more going on at the farm than just growing and selling produce.

“Some of our kids come from unpredictable and traumatic homes where there is a great deal of instability and not much structure,” he says. “From one moment to the next, they don't know if they'll be beaten or hugged. The garden is a calming place that offers them some much-needed structure.”

Several years ago, I had the

to 12, where their food really came from and that they could grow some of their very own food. It was an enriching experience for her, and it had another great bonus.

“The kids really seemed to love it,” she says. “When we planted lima beans, they were so excited just seeing their plants grow.”

After this experience, Imani, an 8-year-old camper, thinks she just might grow up to be a farmer.

“I love gardening,” she says. “It was so much fun and a nice thing to do. I wish I had a garden at my house.”

If your child's or grandchild's

pleasure of working at Warren Easton High School helping students tend a small courtyard garden. I never heard a single complaint about working in that garden. They joked about whose tomato plants had the most tomatoes and who had the tallest sunflowers.

And though I've had many memorable meals at such places as Antoine’s, one of my top dining experiences was sharing the harvest from that little garden. The kids truly beamed as they offered up the rewards of their labor.

Rachel Speck spent her summer teaching gardening to campers at Harmony Oaks Apartments and the Iberville Housing Projects. She wanted to show the children, ages 3

school doesn't have a garden, think about what you can do to get one started. The city is full of resources. A good place to start is with LSU AgCenter's agent Russell Harris at (504) 483-9471. He'll supply you with great information and many helpful tips. Or schedule a visit to the Edible Schoolyard – the 45-minute tours are a great opportunity to meet other people interested in edible education. Tours are held regularly, but reservations are required. ESY NOLA can be reached at (504) 267-9053.

Influential British horticulturist and garden designer Gertrude Jekyll sums it all up pretty succinctly: "The love of gardening is a seed that once sown never dies." n www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 19

living with antiques

furniture, freshened up Painting an old piece of furniture can revive it – and make it beautiful. | By Laura Claverie There it sat: the beautiful antique bergère chair that once graced my mother-in-law’s living room, its mauve Napoleonic bee fabric faded after nesting in a climate-controlled storage unit for several years.

The bones of the chairs were graceful, and the wood was in perfect condition. I knew that it would make a stunning addition to our new living room – but not in its present condition. What could I do to perk it up?

“Paint it. Then add a bold, unexpected fabric,” suggested a friend whose taste I love. I rid myself of a few preconceived notions that antiques shouldn’t be altered, voices from the past, for sure. Then I called decorative artist Diane Killeen, whose work I’d admired.

Killeen recommended we paint the chair’s frame with a soft translucent milk paint, allowing some of the rich wood to peek through.

She accented the curves with a muted gold wash, a historically correct touch that ironically made the chair seem more youthful.

A vibrant coral print silk

After

Before

upholstery was a courageous addition.

The chair came alive.

Painted antiques are quite in vogue today. If done correctly, they can punctuate rooms in dramatic ways.

In the hands of a master, a painted piece can revive the most forlorn antique.

Killeen, a New Orleans native and Hollins College art graduate, is certified by the City & Guild of London’s North American program, with a practicum at the famed Biltmore Estate in Asheville, N.C. Her workshop is filled with treasures she has restored or will soon restore – furniture, frames,

20 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

plaster molding.

“Painting a piece can make it look unique, one-of-a-kind,” she says. “It’s good to think outside the box with an antique and still maintain its integrity. Paint, properly applied, can turn an everyday piece into a work of art.”

Indeed. She points to a once-boring pine chest now painted a soft Swedish blue.

A water-damaged armoire was resurrected when she matched the wood finish with a painting technique called faux bois, or “false wood,” on the faded half of the armoire. An antique demilune table is painted with layers of creamy milk paint and trimmed in 23-karat gold trim.

Likewise, decorative artist Bekye Fargason has saved more than her share of antiques and vintage pieces. In her Magazine Street workshop, she paints pieces she has found in the Paris Flea Market, at estate sales and even on the side of the road.

She recently began collaborating with New York-based textile artist JoAnn Berman, who custom-designs vivid one-of-a-kind silks and cottons for each piece.

“I think of each antique as my canvas,” Fargason says. “Often it will tell me what it needs.” She points to a mid-century modern coffee table she restored by painting layers of tortoiseshell squares and edging cheryl gerber photographs

Before

After

with gold, a process that took months. Today, it is a beautiful focal point in a small room.

A Duncan Phyfe sofa’s wooden frame is silver-leafed.

Berman’s black fabric – with large figures reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel’s depiction of God – are silkscreened in bold hues. It’s a daring look for a piece that could have been tossed. A Louis XV chair is silver-leafed and whitewashed and then covered with one of Berman’s signature fabrics.

Fargason, a native of Laurel, Miss., trained at The Finishing School and worked in New York for 20 years but is mostly self-taught. Her work has been showcased in all Junior League of New Orleans show houses since 1993, where her faux marbled walls and floors are highly sought after.

Both artists have been featured in magazines and work for top decorators.

Killeen does only custom work, whether it be an individual’s antique piece, an elegant powder room or the plaster restoration at the Roosevelt New Orleans Hotel.

While Fargason still paints walls and ceilings for clients, she prefers custom work

on individual antiques. She sells pieces and her fine art from her Magazine Street gallery.

Almost any antique or vintage piece can be painted if it is in decent shape and the wood is of good quality.

Consider where your piece will be placed in a room and if painting it will add or detract from the overall setting. Research decorative artists to see what they will recommend and look at their work. Find out what the artist knows about paint chemistry and historical renovation. And know that if done correctly, a beautifully painted antique can add just the “pop” you want to a room.

“Painted furniture goes back thousands of years, when all an artist had were pigments made from minerals from the earth,” says Killeen.

“Today decorative artists know these techniques and are true preservationists of the decorative arts. It’s more than just adding a layer of paint to a piece of furniture.

It’s breathing new life into your beloved chair or chest.

It adds value to the piece and your room.” n www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 21

masters of their craft

labor of love The reality of being your own boss is that you don’t have to “clock in,” but it’s difficult to really ever “clock out,” says local jewelry designer Niki Fisk.

But Fisk – who majored in religion and taught prekindergarten until 2005 – says her job is a labor of love, incorporating literary inspiration into her unique jewelry designs.

“I am an avid reader; my guilty pleasures are science fiction and fantasy,” she says.

“I am particularly moved by Ray Bradbury, Neil Gaiman, Lewis Carroll and Roald Dahl.”

It’s no surprise that her work crosses boundaries

Inspired by science fiction, fairy tales, poetry and art, designer Niki Fisk creates one-of-a-kind jewelry.

By Sarah Ravits

when it comes to creativity, as these writers are all known for their outside-the-box ways of thinking.

At her home studio on Freret Street, Fisk designs and hand-fabricates jewelry, one piece at a time. Her pieces are full of imagination and take several steps to complete.

“I start by doing a design on paper,” she says. “The images I want to etch are transferred onto PCB paper, then transferred to the metal, which I then etch with acid.

For the other layers,

I glue the paper directly onto the sheet of metal, and I cut each piece out by hand with a jeweler’s saw frame – no lasers, no electric saws – just me and a saw blade, by hand. After I get the pieces etched and sawed out, I clean the surface of the metal

and rivet the pieces together with spacers and wire using my torch. I make the findings (hooks and fasteners, beading pieces) out of wire and solder with my torch; then I attach the chains to the finished pieces, solder all my jump rings shut and then apply a patina to the background to darken it.

When I’m finished, I run them through a tumbler and finally clean them with a brush.”

Her sterling-silver heirloom-quality accessories tell their own stories. For example, her Shadowbox collection, which features multidimensional pieces cheryl gerber photographs

22 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

(a back piece, middle layer and frame), depicts animals or symbolism and “usually resonate[s] with people immediately,” says Fisk.

Many of her clients select her jewelry not just for its physical appeal but also for what it stands for – they assign their own meanings to Fisk’s work.

For example one of her friends wields a “dragon-slayer” necklace on a daily basis to remind her of a difficult battle with – and her ultimate defeat of – pancreatic cancer.

Another one of Fisk’s customers recently purchased a necklace depicting a

Like the literature, music and art that inspire her, Fisk wants to leave a lasting impression with her jewelry.

“The not-so-obvious things that make me really love what I do is that I create something that will endure long, long after I am gone,” she says. “My jewelry is made to last. My sister in-law ran her necklace through a riding lawn mower, and she still wears it! I sometimes imagine an archaeologist digging it up a thousand years from now.

The very best thing is seeing someone’s eyes light up when they find the piece that was

carousel with a trio of horses for his wife. On their first date, they rode a carousel together, and now they have three children. “They are totemic by the nature of their design, and when someone sees a piece that speaks to them, it’s pretty cool,” says Fisk. “Fairy tales, fables and legends are a recurring theme I always go back to. I love to listen to audiobooks while I’m working. I have pieces inspired by musicians that range from David Bowie to June Carter Cash.

Victorian illustrators, like Rackham and Doré, are always inspirational, as well as playing card backs.”

destined for them or hearing the reason someone is gifting it to another. Then my stories begin to take on stories of their own.”

Fisk’s jewelry can be found at Palmer Park Art Market, which is on the last Saturday of every month. She also travels to art shows and hosts trunk sales. She has a Facebook page and a Web site that will be launched soon, www.nikifisk.com. She also sells her work at Gogo Jewelry, 2036 Magazine St., and at Rocket Science Beauty Bar, 640 Elysian Fields Ave. There is also a retail location in Charleston, S.C., called One Love Design at 478 King St. n www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 23

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trendwatch

pop art Trinkets and knickknacks make a playful appearance this fall, blending contemporary and whimsical designs.

By Lisa Tudor Photographed by Eugenia Uhl Editorial Assistant Chloe Stoller

Striking realism unites this offbeat collection of stark white 3-D sculptures, making them thoroughly modern and irresistible. Offset by a repurposed wooden frame and chalk-blue set, these arty and affordable dĂŠcor items pop off their perches. Honoring true tchotchke tradition, any inadvertent utilitarian function is an afterthought.

Cast-resin roller skate at perch. and repurposed locally crafted wood frame (used throughout) available in sizes and to order at Little Miss Muffin

Glazed ceramic pineapple canister at Eclectic Home

Alabaster resin stag at perch.

Cast-resin piglet bank at Pied Nu

Locally crafted rosary of clay, rope and hand-carved wood at Little Miss Muffin

30 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

the best of autumn

32

42 A Promise Kept (p.32) Of the First Water (p.42)

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r a promise kept

Simon and Rebecca Finger’s Uptown Colonial Revival home blends modern, vintage and antique styles with stunning results.

r

By Lee Cutrone Photographed by Sara Essex Bradley

ebecca and Dr. Simon Finger were friends with interior designer Jill Dupré before they were clients. As soon as they saw Dupré’s home, they knew that one day they would be clients as well. “We were trying to figure out our style,” says Rebecca of the couple, who was starting their family and living in a ranch-style cottage on Slidell’s Bayou Liberty at the time. “We went to a party at Jill’s, and it was like lightning struck. We immediately fell in love with her trademark graphic, whimsical style. We approached her and asked her to promise that one day when we renovated our house, she’d help.”

Katrina changed the Fingers’ plan of eventually renovating their Slidell house.

After the storm, they sold their home and moved Uptown, where they’d met and where their children already attended school. By the end of the year, they’d found a house that spoke to them. But before signing on the dotted line, they called Dupré to see if she was available to lend her particular brand of magic. “Once she said yes, we made an offer, and she has been involved in every decision since,” says Rebecca. “Jill introduces us to things we’ve never thought of.”

FACING PAGE: Comfortable sofas with washable slipcovers from Shabby Slips provide seating at both ends of the rectangular living room. The chairs are from One Beach Road in Los Angeles, and the plants are from the Plant Gallery. ABOVE: Wolfie, the Fingers’ 10-month-old Maltipoo, snoozes on the porch, which was designed to look as if it extends over the pool. The outdoor sofa is by Smith & Hawken, and the weathered Indonesian temple column was purchased in Salt Lake City. www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 33

TOP LEFT: The Fingers found the antique mirror over the living room mantel on 1st Dibs. TOP RIGHT: The open floor plan of the family room and kitchen provides for easy interaction among the busy family. The kitchen chairs are reproduction Saarinen designs. The antique table was found at Renaissance Interiors in Metairie. RIGHT: A modern white chair accompanies the piano, echoing the black and white of the piano itself. Rebecca’s father is a recreational musician, and all three of the Finger children play piano. FACING PAGE: The family room’s furnishings incorporate some of the homeowners’ favorite things: contemporary Italian designs (sofa, chair and ottoman), vintage pieces (chrome chairs) and accents from Simon’s native South Africa (the zebra rug and basket). The 1970s modern chrome-andleather chairs were found on 1st Dibs, and the antique Chinese cabinet is from One Beach Road in Los Angeles.

34 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

ABOVE: Rebecca and Dupré worked with Michael Haase of Nordic Kitchens & Baths to design the kitchen, which has black granite counters, white cabinets and a Calacatta Gold marble backsplash.

The chalkboard above the stove is one of Rebecca’s favorite features. To change the quote written on the board, Rebecca challenges her children to come up with something she likes better. FACING PAGE: The dining room table was purchased in Florida, the chairs are by Ralph Lauren Home, and the collection of white ceramics on top of the table includes two hands by Jonathan Adler and pieces by Rebecca. Above the table hangs a George Nelson saucer light fixture; below it is a rug by Merida. The mirror against the wall is by Antiques on Jackson, and the paintings are by Dupré.

36 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

When the Fingers purchased their circa 1920s Colonial Revival house, it was a virtual shell. Over the years, a series of renovations, including one in the 1950s that replaced columns across the front porch with wrought-iron lacework, had muddied the style of the architecture. The last owner had started renovating the interior of the house and then stopped, and the property, gutted down to its studs and subflooring, subsequently sat empty for five years.

Working with architect Davis Jahncke of Jahncke & Burns, the Fingers wanted to return the house to its traditional origins and juxtapose that foundation with Dupré’s cutting-edge aesthetic.

At the same time, they wanted the house to reflect their personalities and function well for a busy family of five. “It was the potential we loved,” Rebecca says. “When we looked at it, we didn’t see what was there; we saw what was going to be there.”

In order to make sense of the confusing floor plan they’d inherited, the homeowners went back to the drawing board with Jahncke. On the first and second floors, they extended the rear of the house so that the family room and master bedroom would have additional square footage.

They reconfigured some of the existing spaces, added first- and second-floor porches, remodeled the façade of the house to more closely resemble what it would have looked like in the ’20s and completely redesigned the back yard – with a stylized garden and a pool that sits dramatically below the porch – to take full advantage of the deep lot and create pleasing views inside and out. With three children – 11-year-old Jack, 9-year-old Ana and 5-year-old Charlie – the couple also turned a third-floor attic into a whimsical playroom that Jack describes as “epic.”

Architecturally, only the new kitchen, the bathrooms and a striking fireplace of glossy black tiles can be described as contemporary.

Elsewhere, the progressive spirit of the house comes largely from its furnishings and art. During the design process, Rebecca worked closely with Dupré to blend contemporary, antique and vintage pieces.

“Jill is a great teacher,” she says.

“I gradually began to understand how to approach each room as a composition, and it was like completing a puzzle or a check list.

We try to figure out what’s missing and then fill in the blanks. You know when you’ve achieved the right balance. It just feels comfortable.”

Arriving at the balance that now exists was not without challenges.

The first renovation was completed in 18 months. But unforeseen construction problems required that a second extensive renovation be tackled on the heels of the first. The upside was that the Fingers used the undertaking as an opportunity to tweak a few of their earlier decisions.

It was then that they added a large master closet, the family room’s arresting fireplace and an outdoor kitchen. They also turned the thirdfloor playroom’s half-bath into a full bath and added a king-size bed nook so that the space could double as

FACING PAGE, TOP LEFT: An African stool sits next to the master bath’s Agape bathtub. The vanities are custom-made, the sconces are by Oly Studio and the contemporary chandelier is by Workstead. FACING PAGE, TOP RIGHT: Nine-year-old Ana’s bathroom combines several circular mirrors with circular mobile Componibili storage units from Kartell. FACING PAGE, BOTTOM LEFT: Custom polka-dot tiles that look like bubbles enliven the shower in the boys’ bathroom.

FACING PAGE, BOTTOM RIGHT: To balance the cost of the artistic tile used in the boys’ bath, Dupré and Rebecca used inexpensive sinks, cabinetry and a light fixture by IKEA. The stool is a flea market find. TOP LEFT: Art on the wall of the master bedroom is a combination of things representing Rebecca’s and Simon’s roots. Vintage photos of Rebecca’s family in Houma are hung next to a group of African baskets. TOP RIGHT: The master bedroom’s leather upholstered bed is by Oly Studio, the sconces are by Artemide, and the ghost chairs by Gervasoni are from Malibu Market & Design. The table on the right of the bed has a top made of shell, and the painting above the chest is by South African artist William Kentridge. www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 39

ABOVE: Five-year-old Charlie’s room includes wallpaper from Anthropologie, a bunk bed from Duc Duc and a road rug found online. The reproduction Saarinen chair was purchased on eBay, and the Flock mobile is from Bookhou at Home. FACING PAGE, TOP: An antique needlepoint rug, a gift from her grandmother, anchors the design of 9-year-old Ana’s room.

The bed is from Duc Duc, and the papier-mâché pendant lamps are by local artist Kaki Foley.

FACING PAGE, BOTTOM: The wall mural in 11-year-old Jack’s room is from DesignYourWall. com, and the labyrinth rug is from IKEA. Dupré made the custom bedding herself.

40 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

a guest suite. As they had before, they painted walls white to provide a neutral environment for their art. But this time, a five-step process was used to make the walls on the first floor and on the landing ultra-smooth and glossy. “We love the way it reflects the abundant natural light from all of the huge windows on the first floor,” Rebecca says. “It feels very modern but mimics the appearance of the smooth finish of old plaster. It is also very durable, which is something we always have to keep in mind with three young kids.”

Against the background of sleek white walls and warm heart-pine floors (wood salvaged from a plantation in Picayune, Miss., was used to match the original floors where rooms were enlarged), they brought together things they love and married them with the nontraditional flair that is Dupré’s forte. “It was very complementary,” says Simon of the couple’s collaboration with their friend. “Jill didn’t just come in and take over. She really helps you develop your own sense of style.” In addition to favoring Italian contemporary furniture, the Fingers treasure antiques and art from Simon’s native South Africa. Raised in Johannesburg until the age of 9, he still has strong family ties there, including an aunt who founded the internationally renowned Goodman Gallery. The gallery has been the source of some of the most important works in their home, as have Simon’s parents, who live in Los Angeles and have been collectors for many years.

Rebecca’s own upbringing in Houma figures into the mix in the form of large black-and-white family photos displayed like fine art. The Fingers, who are also passionate about collecting art by locals, credit Dupré with the placement of the art and with the interplay between the art and the colors used throughout. But it’s clear that in taking a house from what she once described as “raw material” to a polished showplace, Rebecca has left her stamp, as well. “Growing up in a small town, my passion was art and all things creative, but I never imagined the possibility of a career in visual arts,” she says. “My focus shifted, and I got away from my creative side while studying business in college and graduate school. But this project has led me back.” n

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46 a touch of blue

48 inside and out

mask-tastic

of the first stellar kitchens and 42 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

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52 a team effort

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room with a view

small world

water spectacular baths by jenny peterson photographed by jeffery johnston

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 43

a touch of blue When a total home renovation allowed interior designer Grace Kaynor to design her dream kitchen, she chose the style of old New Orleans restaurants, with a signature patterned tile floor.

The splash of blue color on the tile floor stands out in the Uptown home as an homage to an iconic restaurant “It constantly reminds me of the fond memories of sharing meals at Casamento’s with my sister, parents and grandparents,” Kaynor says.

The kitchen underwent a complete renovation, and the family combined the old kitchen’s space with another smaller room to add a bar as well as a separate pantry and laundry room.

The tile floor, the standout feature, was designed in great detail. The floor tiles were all hand-dyed, and Kaynor worked on the customized color scheme, paying special attention to seamlessly blending the gray and white patterns.

To tie in the floor, she added Carrara marble countertops and light fixtures resembling old New Orleans streetlamps, the perfect complement to evoke the style of the famed New Orleans restaurant.

Other unique features include the bar backsplash, in etched mirrored tile from Stafford Tile & Stone, and a French 19th-century block island that was originally in her husband’s family farmhouse in Connecticut.

“It is a great space to cook, and I like the generous amount of work space,” she says. In keeping with typical New Orleans tradition, she adds, “My family spends more time in this room than in any other.”

A Viking stove, a Frigidaire refrigerator and separate freezer and a GE Profile oven all line the walls of this chef’s kitchen. A white table and island paired with modern chrome chairs add a playful contrast to the room’s elegant tile.

“I like that the eclectic elements all work together,” Kaynor says. “I’m happy and excited to cook in this wonderful room and be with my family.”

Table by Rick Golemi Construction

GE Profile

Circa

Refrigerator and freezer by Frigidaire

Viking

Stafford Tile & Stone

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 45

Wolf

inside and out The vision behind the renovation of Pia Ehrhardt’s City Park home was to feature the natural beauty of the outdoor landscape – the handsome tree-lined street and the lush, landscaped backyard.

For the kitchen, the vision was achieved by converting the rear screened-in porch into a breakfast room. A separate bar area was added adjacent to the dining room and was configured to take in prime views of the backyard.

Natural elements, including bamboo plywood, were used in the kitchen for a seamless transition from outside to inside. The studioWTA-customized wood was fabricated by Hal Collums Construction.

“It allows the greenery of the backyard and streetscape to be a highlight, underscoring the strong connection to the exterior,” says Toni DiMaggio of studioWTA. The space is both comfortable and functional. The fixtures and appliances were modernized and laid out to be more conducive for cooking. They included a Sub-Zero refrigerator, freezer, ice-maker and beverage cooler; a Wolf range and oven; and a large kitchen island.

“Our kitchen is the heart and soul of the house, and the ease of using the Wolf range and griddle has expanded our cooking repertoire,” Ehrhardt says.

“Fixing dinner for each other is an adventure, and we’re quick to entertain at home.”

Ehrhardt still marvels at the transformation of her home from a cramped boarding house to a bright, light-filled portal to the outside.

“Every morning we wake up and walk around, make coffee, get dressed, and we’re re-introduced to these thoughtful, lovely rooms,” she says.

Artistic Tile Ironworks in copper from Stafford Tile & Stone 46 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

Miele from Nordic Kitchens & Baths

Custom Plyboo bamboo plywood, designed by studioWTA and fabricated by Hal Collums Construction

Houzer Zero Radius

Paramount Calacatta round tiles from Stafford Tile & Stone

Axor

Cambria quartz in Whitehall, fabricated and installed by Marques Countertops

Sub-Zero

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 47

mask-tastic Sisters and New Orleans mask-makers Ann and Laura Guccione renovated their split-unit Marigny home to include a bright, open kitchen fit for entertaining.

The front unit of the 1830s Creole cottage had been used as everything from a boarding house to a recording studio. It’s rumored that Bob Dylan once lived there.

By removing the bathroom in the front unit, the sisters, working with designer Dean Kageler of Axis Construction, not only increased the space but also discovered a window that, when exposed, brought an abundance of natural sunlight into the room.

Their overall vision was to create an inviting atmosphere that stayed true to the style of the house. Kageler helped convert their ideas into a gleaming reality.

One of the most noticeable features of the new kitchen is the ceramic floor tiles, which were found at Home Depot; the style is appropriately named French Quarter.

The handcrafted cabinets, made by Kageler, achieve maximum use of the space and were milled to reach all the way to the top of the tall ceilings. A horizontal line of display cabinets was added to the very top of the wall.

“They have eye-appeal and provide a huge amount of storage for our extensive collection of kitchen and entertaining supplies,” Ann says.

As the former owners of the mask shop Little Shop of Fantasy in the French Quarter, the sisters provided a fascinating collection of renderings and sculptures that lines the counters and display cabinets.

A collection of tchotchkes fills the display shelves above the sink, allowing the sisters to add their unique sense of style to the room.

Walnut cabinets and a wood island complete the comfortable and welcoming environment.

“We wanted something that blended in with the style and architecture of the house,” Ann says.

“We also wanted something bright and inviting.”

They achieved both.

Walnut undercabinet drawers

Ceramic tile from Home Depot in the French Quarter pattern

Custom cabinets by Dean Kageler of Axis Construction

Walnut table, designed and built by Dean Kageler, to match the countertops

Custom countertops in walnut and concrete

Tile from Home Depot

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 49

a team effort The addition of a small alcove made a big difference in the look and feel of the master suite in the Uptown home of Jan Katz and Jim Derbes.

It was just one of several smart design moves the husband-and-wife renovation team employed in transforming what was a cramped space into a roomy, light-filled oasis.

In 2010, the couple decided to renovate a large portion of their Robert Street home, which was designed by architect Emile Well, after it sustained damage from a fire next door. The home, originally constructed in 1905, had experienced no major renovations in more than a century.

Katz and Derbes did all the work themselves using experts at Stafford Tile & Stone for the vanity anchor piece and Helm Paint for the color palette.

Meticulous attention was given to the bathroom from top to bottom, and Katz and Derbes were surprised that the addition of the small alcove made the floor space appear twice as big.

They replaced the original bathroom door with two half-doors, milled to resemble the original, which also added a sense of more space.

Recessed lighting and clear glass shelving above the vanity maximize the space even further, while natural light plays off the soothing color palette to achieve a comfortable, peaceful atmosphere.

Katz, who owns Studio 137, a craft and vintage print shop in Woodville, Miss., selected fixtures and decorations that add her particular taste to the new space.

The home’s original porcelain tub was kept, re-plumbed and revitalized with a contemporary trim.

Seashells and rocks collected from trips around the country line the shelves of the vanity.

The intricate gold chandelier with flower embellishments also adds charm. It comes from the home of Katz’s late mother-in-law.

Thrilled with how they breathed new life into the space, Katz describes the room as calming and serene.

“I look at it sometimes and think it just can’t be real – it’s so beautiful,” Katz said. “It makes me feel happy.”

Handmade English ceramic tile

Artemide Melampo mini wall lamp

Southland Plumbing Supply

Tile from Stafford Tile & Stone

Drawing by Paul Ninas with LeMieux Galleries

Interior Designs Inc.

Calacatta marble with Sea Grass insets

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 51

Cambria quartz in Whitehall, fabricated and installed by Marques Countertops

Artecnica Icarus light

Toto

room with a view Pia Ehrhardt’s home near City Park used to be a boarding house for jockeys from the Fair Grounds and consisted of an assortment of bedrooms and shared bathrooms.

As part of a total home renovation, Ehrhardt, a writer, teacher and co-owner of the Ehrhardt Group, worked with Wayne Troyer Architects and Toni DiMaggio at studioWTA on the renovation. Together, they carefully selected which walls to remove in order to give the home full sight lines of the park from north to south.

“Wayne opened our house up to the verdant beauty of City Park,” Ehrhardt says.

One of its original bathrooms was an awkwardly shaped room at the front of the house. In its original state, it didn’t take advantage of the lush green views of the park or the brilliant natural light that poured through the windows.

It was moved entirely to an adjacent room and designed to put the city’s natural beauty on display.

The new bright open space includes two large windows where sunlight comes in and still complements the historic fabric of the house. By keeping the windows understated, they act as framed wall paintings displaying the natural landscape of the city.

Lightweight materials and colors for the floors and shower help complete the relaxed, effortless look, along with soft Cambria quartz that was used for the window sills and trim.

Above the free-standing bathtub hangs a stunning white Artecnica Icarus light fixture, a design that has cascading layers meant to resemble a bird’s wing.

The peaceful and relaxed atmosphere – and the perfectly consistent feel from outside to inside - is what Ehrhardt says she enjoys the most about the space.

“It’s modern, elegant, bright, uncluttered,” she says.

“It’s feminine without being girly. I love every minute I spend in there.”

WETSTYLE Ove Tub with Axor freestanding tub filler

Artistic Tile Ironworks from Stafford Tile & Stone

Tile in Miles Mod Coltrane Cream with gold

AKDO Ephesus Dune from Stafford Tile & Stone

Designed by Wayne Troyer of Wayne Troyer Architects

Axor shower controls

Duravit with Axor faucet

Custom vanity and wood countertop designed by studioWTA and fabricated and installed by Hal Collums Construction www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 53

Paneling Factory cabinets with Home Depot appliqués

small world A stained-glass window, almost the length of the entire wall, makes a dominating first impression in the bathroom of Bessie Derby’s corporate rental, an 1870 Garden District home.

It also reveals a special connection between past generations.

In unique New Orleans fashion – the quintessential big/small town –Bessie and her mother’s home grew from a typical renovation job to a spiritual connection among generations.

Giuseppi Pieri, whom Bessie had asked for a bid for the renovation, recognized her surname and asked Bessie if Roger Derby was her father. When she answered yes, he told her the story of how Mr. Derby gave him his first tile job 60 years ago when he came to America as an Italian refugee from World War II. “I was in no less than mystical wonderment,” Bessie says.

Pieri began work on the house, adding luxurious Italian marble flooring to the bathroom.

The designer used creative ways to keep his work affordable, as he insisted on staying within the Derbys’ budget.

The tile was bought on discount from Jefferson Tile; the unfinished cabinets came from the Paneling Factory and were embellished with a decorative finish.

Pieri’s design called for the bathtub to be the focal point. That lent itself to the installation of the stained glass, which Bessie found at The Bank.

Carpenter Bill Holliday milled the casing for the frame, adding a slight curve in order to enhance the window’s design. Helm Paint helped choose the complementary wall colors to make the bathtub and window stand out.

Bessie says she’s pleased with the outcome but the best part of the bathroom is the special meaning behind it. It’s a piece of history coming full circle in a wondrous city where bewilderment can be found behind every door.

Stained-glass window from The Bank

Kohler from Southland Plumbing Supply

Tile from Jefferson Tile

Paint from Helm Paint chosen to accentuate the bathtub www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 55

56 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 57

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Shop Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath Showroom 139 Plantation Road Harahan 504/733-6300 1821 Commercial Drive Harvey 504/348-2042 www.coburns.com Stairway Shop 5632 Salmen St. Harahan 504/734-1315 www.stairwayshop.com

Wren’s Tontine Shade and Designs 1533 Prytania 504/525-7409 www.wrenstontine.com

Stafford Tile & Stone 5234 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/895-5000 www.staffordtile.com

58 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

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Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights 521 Conti St. New Orleans 318 Royal St. New Orleans 504/522-9485 68467 Highway 59 Mandeville www.bevolo.com

California Closets 3211 N. Causeway Blvd.

Metairie 504/828-5705 www.californiaclosets.com/metairie

Dunleith Designs and Antiques 1537 Metairie Road Metairie 504/272-0879 www.dunleithdesigns.com

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery 901 S. Labarre Road, Suite 205 Metairie 504/849-3060 www.ferguson.com

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 59

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Shop Marchand Creative Kitchens 3517 Division St. Metairie 504/888-0695 2180 N. Causeway Blvd.

Mandeville 985/892-2572 www.mckitchens.com

Tuscan Stone Imports 720 S. Galvez St. New Orleans 504/837-1511 www.tuscanstoneimports.com

Southland Plumbing Supply, Inc. 2328 N. Arnoult Road Metairie 504/835-8411 68443 Highway 59, Suite 6 Mandeville 985/893-8883 www.southlandplumbingsupply.com 60 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

Artisan Kitchens 5243 Tchoupitoulas New Orleans 504/891-8884 www.artisannola.com

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 61

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Shop Nordic Kitchens and Baths 1818 Veterans Blvd.

Metairie 504/888-2300 www.nordickitchens.com

A Plus Marble & Granite Designs 355 Iris Ave, Suite A New Orleans 504/304-6562 504/298-5005 www.aplusmarblegranitedesigns.com

Palatial Stone 2052 Paxton St. Harvey 504/340-2229 2033 N. Highway 190, Suite 9 985/249-6868 www.palatialstone.com

Jon Vaccari 1912 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans 504/899-7632

62 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 63

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Shop Adda Carpets & Flooring Huey Brown’s Kitchen And Appliances C. Inc. 5480 Mounes St. Harahan 504/736-9001 www.addacarpetsandflooring.com

Nancy Robbins 816 Asbury Drive, Suite A Mandeville 985/727-4565 985/789-5770 www.nancyrobbinsinteriors.com

Perch.

2844 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-2122 www.perch-home.com

Floor & DĂŠcor design gallery 2801 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-3005 4 Westside Shopping Center Gretna 504/361-0501 www.flooranddecorneworleans.com

64 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 65

advertising resource

directory

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66 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

architects Montgomery Roth Architecture & Interior Design LLC 400 Poydras St, Suite 1720 New Orleans 504/568-1240 www.montgomeryroth.com Montgomery Roth is the go-to firm for architecture, interior design, custom furniture and lighting design, purchasing and installation.

Specializing in both the residential and commercial design, no project is too large or too small. building materials A Plus Marble & Granite Designs 355 Iris Ave, Suite A New Orleans 504/304-6562 504/298-5005 www.aplusmarblegranitedesigns. com All custom fabrication and installation. We are committed to delivering the highest quality of craftsmanship in the countertop industry. 10-plus years of a familyowned and -operated company!

Diniz Design Inc. 11962 Lakeland Park Blvd.

Baton Rouge 225/755-0114 www.dinizdesign.com Diniz Design is a full-service natural stone and design company offering the highest-quality materials and superior craftsmanship for every job. Whether you need granite, quartz, marble or travertine, we have it all.

Jefferson Door 1227 First Ave. Harvey 504/340-2471 Jefferson Door supplies a full range of millwork products including interior and exterior door units, windows, moldings, columns, cabinets, shutters, hardware and other custom products.

Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery 901 S. Labarre Road, Suite 205 Metairie 504/849-3060 www.ferguson.com At Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery you’ll find an unparalleled selection of high-quality choices from today’s most-recognized manufacturers.

Palatial Stone 2052 Paxton St. Harvey 504/340-2229 2033 N. Highway 190, Suite 9 Covington 985/249-6868 www.palatialstone.com Specializes in designing kitchens, baths and interiors with natural stone of all sizes, shapes, patterns and textures.

Pieri Tile & Marble Co. 3622 Toulouse St. New Orleans 504/488-1509 www.pieritile.com Sells porcelain; ceramic; glass; and all types of natural stone, including granite, marble, travertine, limestone, flagstone, soapstone, slate – all in tiles and in slabs. Provides the materials and the installation for floors, walls, countertops, fireplaces – interior and exterior in all areas of the home. Pieri’s goal is to maintain its current reputation of being the best in the industry.

Stairway Shop 5632 Salmen St. Harahan 504/734-1315 www.stairwayshop.com Providers of stair parts, spiral stairways and stairway kits.

Tuscan Stone Imports 720 S. Galvez St. New Orleans 504/837-1511 www.tuscanstoneimports.com

a d v er t i s i n g s e c t i o n

Tuscan Stone Imports has become one of the Gulf South’s largest importers of natural stone products (slabs and tiles). Whether you are building a new home, renovating an existing home or simply want a new look, our sales team is here to help.

Let Tuscan Stone Imports bring your dream to reality.

Tyson Construction P.O. Box 741 Luling 504/236-3838 504/905-1042 www.tyson-construction.com Tyson Construction is a proud member of Southern Living’s Custom Builder Program. We strive for excellence in every aspect of the building process, whether new construction or renovations.

Paddison Builders and Associates 3200 Andover St., Suite A Jefferson 504/836-0465 www.paddisonbuilders.com We have 32 years of superior craftsmanship, renovations, restorations, new construction, custom millshop, small job division and lead paint specialists with commitment to excellence in all phases of the construction process. culinary Audubon Clubhouse Cafe 504/212-5282 AudubonInstitute.org/ events/private AudubonInstitute.org/ visit/clubhouse-cafe Audubon Clubhouse Café is open to the public and located in Audubon Park. This casual and comfortable atmosphere offers delicious fare of salads, sandwiches and specialties.

Serving Tuesday-Sunday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

www.ralphbrennanevents.com Full-service off-site, in-home or in-restaurant catering; pick-up and drop-off party platters. We work.

You play! financial Fidelity Homestead Savings Bank 800/220-2497 www.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 800/2202497 or visit your nearest Fidelity branch. home furnishings & Accessories Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights 521 Conti St. & 318 Royal St. New Orleans 68467 Highway 59 Mandeville 504/522-9485 www.bevolo.com Handcrafted copper lanterns that are truly the jewelry for your home.

Now featuring The Bevolo Collection furniture, lighting and antiques.

Blueswood 838B N. Rampart St. New Orleans (by appointment only) 662/609-5473 www.blueswood.com Scattered throughout the Mississippi Delta are classic structures representing a space in time that sings the blues. The antique cypress used in constructing the barns and tenant houses of the Delta is a beautiful medium for furniture. We call it Blueswood!

Ralph Brennan Catering & Events 504/539-5511 www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 67

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advertising resource

directory Carol Peebles www.carolpeebles.com www.BlueEaselClub.com Join The Blue Easel Club: Carol Peebles’ drawing atelier founded in the classical realist tradition. Learn how to draw from life: classes and workshops. Happy drawing!

by chance, and every First Saturday Artwalk from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Recognized as one of the leading contemporary painters of the Southern landscape, Bonin is known for the melting mistiness of her bayous, sparkling Spanish moss and calligraphic vines over water.

Dunleith Design and Antiques 1537 Metairie Road Metairie 504/272-0879 www.dunleithdesigns.com Offering 3,000 square feet of English, French and American antiques from the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. Come in and also find decorative accessories, fine home furnishings and interior design services.

Nancy Robbins 816 Asbury Drive, Suite A Mandeville 985/727-4565 985/789-5770 www.nancyrobbinsinteriors.com Design studio that carries furniture, art, accessories, Oriental rugs and lighting in stock and by custom order.

Also designs renovations, lighting plans and furniture floor plans.

Guy Lyman Fine Art 3645 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-4687 www.guylymanfineart.com Guy Lyman Fine Art features paintings and drawings ranging from the 1800s to modern/ contemporary, chosen for offering fine value.

Jon Vaccari 1912 St. Charles Ave. New Orleans 504/899-7632 In addition to a carefully edited selection of fine European and American antiques, Jon Vaccari Design is the exclusive New Orleans source for both Baker and McGuire furniture.

Melissa Bonin Fine Art 3714 Magazine St. New Orleans 337/380-6927 www.melissabonin.com Gallery viewings by appointment,

NOLA Rugs 3944 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-3304 www.nolarugs.com The South’s most exquisite collection of hand-woven carpets including antique Oushaks and traditional Persians and an exclusive line of Tibetan and Afghan refugee rugs.

Orient Expressed 3905 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-3060 www.orientexpressed.com Eclectic gift shop that specializes in unique and enticing gifts for the home, individual and bride. Collection includes antiques to accessories.

Perch.

2844 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-2122 www.perch-home.com Visit perch. to find stunning and unique pieces for your home.

Along with interior design services

68 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

including window treatments and bedding, perch. offers everything from antique and vintage items to contemporary pieces and art.

The Linen Registry 204 Metairie Road Metairie 504/831-8228 Find beautiful linens for the bed, bath and table. Also available are down products, lingerie and gift items. Bridal registry available.

Williamson Design La Vieille Maison 3646 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/899-4945 www.williamsondesigns.net Hal Williamson’s chic Uptown shop offers fine custom upholstery, furniture and drapery as well as elegant antiques, handmade rugs and decorations. It has been featured in House Beautiful, Southern Accents and on HG-TV. Wren’s Tontine Shade & Design 1533 Prytania St. New Orleans 504/525-7409 www.wrenstontine.com Third-generation decorating shop that specializes in window treatments. Well-known for the high-quality shutters, roller shades and bamboo shades. inspiration The Historic New Orleans Collection 533 Royal St. New Orleans 504/598-7147 www.hnoc.org Discover the history of French Quarter property with THNOC’s Vieux Carré Digital Survey, which offers maps, site plans, property records and photographs for every block. kitchen & bath Adda Carpets & Flooring Huey Brown’s Kitchen And Appliances C. Inc. 5480 Mounes St.

Harahan 504/736-9001 www.addacarpetsandflooring.com With more than 70 years combined experience in the cabinet, flooring, home decorating and appliance business, our knowledgeable staff can assist customers with every need from selecting flooring and appliances to designing their dream kitchens.

Artisan Kitchen & Bath 5243 Tchoupitoulas St. New Orleans 504/891-8884 www.artisannola.com Where cutting-edge design meets the explosive flavor of New Orleans!

Features SieMatic cabinetry; CornuFe ranges; and an elegant selection of countertops, hardware and appliances.

Cabinets by Design 5201 Tchoupitoulas St. New Orleans 504/899-2300 www.cabinetsbydesign.com Specializing in custom kitchen and bath designs featuring Wood-Mode and Brookhaven cabinetry. A wide selection of appliances, countertops, plumbing fixtures, decorative tile and hardware is also available.

Cameron Kitchen and Bath Designs 8019 Palm St. New Orleans 504/486-3759 www.cameronkitchens.com Gerald Johnson, certified kitchen and bath designer, is your experienced specialist, designing kitchens, baths and more since 1970. Quality custom cabinets and professional installation complete the full-service package.

Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath Showroom 139 Plantation Road Harahan 504/733-6300 1821 Commercial Drive Harvey 504/348-2042 www.coburns.com

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advertising resource

directory Planning to build a new house or remodel your home? You’ll find everything you need at Coburn’s fullservice Kitchen & Bath Showrooms.

Marchand Creative Kitchens 3517 Division St. Metairie 504/888-0695 2180 N. Causeway Blvd.

Mandeville 985/892-2572 www.mckitchens.com Marchand Creative Kitchens is a thirdgeneration kitchen dealer specializing in cabinets, appliances, countertops and kitchen design. We have been in our current location on Division Street in Metairie since 1961.

Nordic Kitchens and Baths Inc. 1818 Veterans Blvd.

Metairie 504/888-2300 www.nordickitchens.com Appliances, cabinets, countertops, faucets and fixtures to add a touch of elegance to your kitchen or bathroom.

Luxury-brand appliances: Sub-Zero, Wolf, Gaggenau, Siemens, Viking, Miele, Heritage and more.

Northshore Millwork LLC 1750 South Lane (off Highway 59) Mandeville 985/867-1813 www.northshoremillwork.com We specialize in premium cabinets, custom built-ins, high-quality doors and windows and offer the finest craftsmanship available.

Southland Plumbing Supply 2328 N. Arnoult Road, Suite 6 Metairie 504/835-8411 68443 Highway 59

Mandeville 985/893-8883 www.southlandplumbingsupply. com Kitchen and bath design centers with plumbing supplies, including leading brands such as Kohler, Delta, Rheem, Moen, Danze, Elkay and Julien.

Stafford Tile & Stone 5234 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/895-5000 www.staffordtile.com Sells and designs with custom stone products and handmade tiles from all over the world. Maintains exclusive lines of tile that are unique to this area. real estate Money Hill 985/892-3300 www.moneyhill.com Money Hill Golf and Country Club in St. Tammany offers 18-hole championship golf, 4.2-mile nature/hiking trail, swim/tennis club, 150-acre lake and more. retirement living Lambeth House 150 Broadway New Orleans 504/865-1960 www.LambethHouse.com Beautifully situated next to Audubon Park and the River, Lambeth House offers active, carefree retirement living, plus the security of on-site care, if ever needed. specialists Bayou Technology Group New Orleans 504/229-0808 Baton Rouge 225/331-3001 Lafayette 337/447-4744

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www.bayoutechnology.com Home control, surveillance, audio/ video: Control your entire home with a single remote. Your smartphone or iPad can operate lights, door locks, thermostats and every TV and speaker in the house!

California Closets 3211 N. Causeway Blvd.

Metairie 504/828-5705 www.californiaclosets.com/ Metairie California Closets has been serving South Louisiana since 1984, providing custom storage systems for all areas of the house including closets, home offices, garages and utility areas.

Ferris Land Design LLC 11854 Bricksome Ave. Baton Rouge 225/292-6838 Ferris Land Design specializes in designing outdoor environments for today’s lifestyles. From pools and water features to courtyards and outdoor kitchens, we provide personal design services to suit your style and taste.

Floor & Décor 2801 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-3005 4 Westside Shopping Center Gretna 504/361-0501 www.flooranddecorneworleans.com Floor & Décor has the largest in-stock selection of tile, wood and stone in New Orleans, all at the lowest prices every day.

Louisiana Custom Closets 13405 Seymour Meyer Blvd., Suite 24 Covington 985/871-0810 504/885-3188 www.louisianacustomclosets.com Louisiana Custom Closets designs and installs custom shelving for closets, garages and utility rooms.

The company’s No.1 priority is

customer service and customer satisfaction, provided by professional and experienced designers, installation crews and office staff. Louisiana Custom Closets offers free in-home consultations, with designs on state-of-the-art computer programs.

This service is offered at a most competitive price.

Pontchartrain Construction Services 310 Huey P. Long Ave. Gretna 504/366-8325 www.pontchartraincs.com Pontchartrain Construction Services is your place for renovations, restorations, design and build. They have been servicing the Orleans and Jefferson parish areas since 2001.

Ruffino Custom Closets 110 Campbell Ave., Suite 1B Mandeville 985/809-7623 www.ruffinocustomclosets.com Ruffino Custom Closets is a custom closet and storage solution company, specializing in organization and design and complete closet and garage systems.

Russell’s Cleaners 3401 Tulane Ave. New Orleans 504/482-3153 3704 Robertson St. Metairie 504/832-1546 www.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.

THE PLANT GALLERY 9401 Airline Highway New Orleans 504/488-8887 www.theplantgallery.com The Plant Gallery is a singular resource for “lifestyle” products and services. We provide landscape design, florals, rentals and a Garden Center and showroom. •

Come join the celebration and see why over 300,000 homeowners turned their houses into their dream homes at the Pontchartrain Home Shows! Over 5,000 home products and services will be on display. Showcasing the newest ideas and latest technology for every room in your house. From decorating a room to complete remodeling. You will find the companies and products to bring your ideas to life.

As always, the Pontchartrain Home Show offers so much more! It’s cooking shows, live demonstrations, children’s activities, prize drawings – a place for fun and entertainment for the entire family. Plus – featuring the Louisiana Outdoorsman Show! Bring your entire family and friends. Enjoy all of the latest in hunting, fishing, boating, and more.

There’s something for everyone at the Pontchartrain Home Show! Bring your family and friends and celebrate with us for a few hours, a day, or the entire weekend!

pontchartrain

1.800.776.4220 | www.jaa sp ro .c o m

HOME SHOW pontchartrain center | kenner

advertising section

Northshore Living T

he Northshore is full of thriving, growing communities.

With a boom in housing comes a boom in home services. For families in search of the perfect home or looking to update their current space into a modern dream home, the following Northshore-friendly designers, suppliers and services are here to help. From tile and plumbing knowledge to antiques, lighting and ambiance, you can find a showroom or design expert ready to take on the challenge. Find financing at a local Northshore bank and consider a premier residential neighborhood – let the experts guide you in your quest to find ideal Northshore living.

Interior Design Your home is the place that most reflects your lifestyle – comfort and taste, your way of living. Whether you are designing a new home or renovating your current one, the design process is most important for ensuring your personal comforts and satisfaction. Attention to detail is the specialty of Nancy Robbins, designer and owner of Nancy Robbins Interiors. Robbins offers a tailor-made service specific to the desires of each client. With years of experience in pre-construction design, renovations, lighting plans and furnishings, Robbins knows the ins and outs of exacting and creating the atmosphere that you want for living, entertaining and relaxing.

Before planning the design of your new home or updating that old kitchen or bath, before you freshen up your furnishings and paint selections, schedule a consultation with the Northshore’s premier interior designer. For Nancy Robbins, communication is key in determining the perfect fit for you and your family. For more information or to schedule a consultation, visit NancyRobbinsInteriors.com or call 985/727-4565 or 985/789-5770 (cell).

Closet Design For a custom closet, pantry, home office or garage, superior service is available in your Northshore neighborhood. Since 2003, Louisiana Custom Closets has been tailoring rooms, shelves, hampers, hutches and more to fit the needs of residents in South Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast. Don Wise, the company’s founder, has been designing closets for more than 18 years. Wise has an unparalleled commitment to customer service, sometimes spending hours listening to the unique wants and needs a client has for the space in his or her home.

Louisiana Custom Closets uses leading technology and software for design, providing clients with computer-generated images. They use high-quality materials and custom-build each closet in their warehouse – from the slanted shelves for shoes and the various rods and valets for hanging clothes to the spacious hutch drawers and cubicles for purses, sweaters and more. With competitive pricing, Louisiana Custom 72 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

Closets will find an affordable solution to your home needs.

Visit LouisianaCustomClosets.com or call for a free estimate: 985/871-0810 or 504/885-3188.

Whether you’re looking to do a small storage closet face lift or a full-scale master suite project, Ruffino Custom Closets has the experience and resources to help you organize your life in style. From your initial consultation, the owners of Ruffino Custom Closets personally oversee the design, manufacturing and installation of your closet. Their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction is the cornerstone of their business philosophy.

Ruffino Custom Closets custom-manufactures their Classic Collection melamine locally, exhibiting their commitment to the region and quality American-made products. They aim to provide the best possible spatial solutions, as exemplified by their vast array of design and color options. With some of the most competitive pricing on the market, Ruffino will help you find an affordable way to organize your home. View their online gallery of closets and garage spaces and request a consultation by visiting RuffinoCustomClosets.com. You can also call 985/809-7623 or visit their Mandeville facility at 110 Campbell Ave., Suite 1B.

Kitchen Design For more than 50 years, Marchand Creative Kitchens has provided the Greater New Orleans region with high-quality custom kitchens. From cabinets and countertops to appliances,

advertising section lighting and other products, Marchand supplies everything you need for an indoor or outdoor cooking space. With showroom locations in both Metairie and Mandeville, Marchand services both the Southshore and Northshore and highlights the latest trends with numerous kitchen vignettes at each location.

“We sit down with each customer to find out what they like and don’t like about their current kitchen so the new kitchen we design serves them in a way that fits their lifestyle,” says Chris Licciardi, certified kitchen designer and third-generation owner. Marchand Creative Kitchens provides the design and the products and can install some or all of your new kitchen.

“Our designers train constantly, so we’re able to stay up to date on the latest products and trends. You’re not just buying cabinets or a countertop, you’re buying a Marchand Kitchen, one that fits your needs and your budget.”

For more information, visit mckitchens.com or call 504/8880695 (Metairie) or 985/892-2572 (Mandeville).

Stone & Tile Offering the broadest selection of stone and tile products on the Northshore, Palatial Stone & Tile has the knowledge and experience to take your floors, countertops, pools and backsplashes to the next level. In a market flooded with similarly styled products, Palatial Stone offers only unique designs, many of which are hand-crafted artisan tile with matching, accompanying stone tile. They specialize in stone, custom mosaics, decorative ceramic and porcelain tile, newer glass products and mosaics. Their Northshore showroom is consistently updated, and their knowledgeable sales staff is always available to help. Architects, designers and homeowners are invited to enjoy their extensive samples and the luxury of the Artistic Tile brand.

Locally and family-owned, Palatial Stone has served the Greater New Orleans region for more than 10 years, operating full-service showrooms in Covington and Harvey. A purveyor of fine custom countertops, they fabricate granite, marble, quartzite, travertine, engineered quartz, onyx, geode crystal and glass countertops from their Harvey warehouse. They stock many stone products in Harvey, eliminating the need for extended shipping times, and installation is available. For showroom locations and more, visit palatialstone.com or call 985/249-6868.

Plumbing & Lighting For nearly 50 years, Southland Plumbing Supply has provided the Greater New Orleans area with top-quality plumbing products and friendly service. A family-owned business, Southland Plumbing Supply was founded by John Vinturella in 1967 and has grown into a multi-generational wholesaler and retailer with two premier Kohler showrooms and a new lighting division. From bathtubs, faucets and shower systems to ceiling fans, landscape lighting and track lighting, Southland Plumbing Supply has all of your plumbing and lighting needs, offering competitive pricing that will accommodate any budget.

Find what you’re looking for by visiting one of Southland’s advanced design centers. Their knowledgeable, friendly staff will assist you in finding the perfect faucet for your kitchen sink or bathroom vanity. Need a chandelier to complete your foyer or dining room? Let their lighting division shed some light on your options. Visit their Mandeville showroom at 68443 Highway 59, Suite 6, or stop in at their Metairie location, 2328

N. Arnoult Road. Visit SouthlandPlumbingSupply.com or call 504/835-8411 for more information.

Lighting & Antiques Bevolo Gas & Electric Lights has an array of both indoor and outdoor gems tucked away at their two French Quarter locations. Since 1945, Bevolo has cast a romantic glow and graced every street in the French Quarter as well as historic landmarks, courtyards and restaurants. Bevolo is known for handcrafting copper lanterns throughout the world in 50 states and 29 countries and is a Louisiana-based company. They also house the Bevolo Collection of antiques. From chandeliers, tables and benches to mirrors, sconces, sugar kettles and statues, Bevolo’s wide selection of antiques and reproductions will help spruce up courtyards, doorways and lawns, as well as foyers, dens and bedrooms.

Bevolo is located in the New Orleans French Quarter at 521 Conti St. and at 318 Royal St. In Mandeville, they are located at 68467 Highway 59. For more information, call 504/522-9485 or visit Bevolo.com.

Residential Communities Combining the splendor of a beautiful Northshore setting with the convenience of the most modern amenities, the award-winning Money Hill Golf and Country Club has set the bar for residential communities. Nestled amid 3,500 acres of nature preserves, the community has been recognized nationwide for its natural beauty and its cutting-edge, environmentally conscious design. This fall, tour a furnished “idea” home for a glimpse at the beautiful lifestyle change experienced by Money Hill residents.

Located north of I-12 near Abita Springs, the private community bustles with activity. Top-ranked public and private schools along with parks, playgrounds and organized family activities make Money Hill ideal for young families. A championship 18-hole golf course, a full-service Pro Shop, private golf lessons at the Rob Noel Golf Academy and a 30-acre practice area delight retirees and avid golfers. The sparkling swimming pool, tennis courts and more than 4 miles of hiking trails are enjoyed by all, along with the spectacular sunsets over the 150-acre spring-fed lake that’s great for fishing.

For more information call Michelle Pittari at 985/892-3300, extension 200 or visit moneyhill.com.

Financing Rooted in the Louisiana communities they serve, Fidelity is a local bank owned by its customers. Since its founding in 1908, Fidelity has grown with the community’s changing needs to offer a full array of banking services, including commercial, consumer and residential loans.

They are focused on quality personal service, competitive rates and strong local ties, following a relationship banking philosophy that looks beyond transactions and numbers.

Fidelity handles custom mortgages every day at every branch, with local decision-making, extraordinary service and fast turnaround times.

Fidelity is proud to serve the Northshore with locations in Covington, Hammond, Mandeville, Ponchatoula and Slidell. For more information on Fidelity, please visit www. fidelityhomestead.com, call Fidelity’s 24-hour Fast line at 800/220-2497 or visit your nearest Fidelity branch. • www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 73

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home renewal

olfactory overload How to deal with unsavory smells

By Peter Reichard

During my brief career as a landlord, with as many as five apartments at one point, I fought some unexpected battles. One enemy in particular visited again and again in various guises: the stink devil.

The following article is not for the weak of stomach.

Some of the smells I had to deal with were run-of-the-mill, like a dead rat in the wall.

There’s little to do about that but pop open a bunch of air fresheners and let Mother Nature take her course.

On one or two occasions, the musty smell of a slob’s lease-term seeped into the carpeting. Nothing a cleaning service couldn’t handle.

Other smells were more of a challenge. Take the case of the cute young couple whom I asked to leave following a domestic spat that involved a hunting knife. The lovebirds left not only the boyfriend’s blood all over the walls but also the smell of the cigarettes they had been smoking in violation of their lease.

Smoke can be a real estate killer. I remember when

an elderly neighbor I had gotten to know decided to sell his house. He was a cigar-smoker. As he showed me around the property, I was gasping. The brownish walls oozed with the fumes of stogies puffed dating back to 1972. To be livable, the house would need a thorough gutting.

In the apartment of that young couple, I had to repaint everything, including the kitchen cabinets, to tamp down the stale smoke smell. I ripped out the carpets and replaced them with wood floors. Mission accomplished.

A smelly house not only hurts the property value but also can cramp a resident’s style. One of my brothers once lived in a basement apartment with a moldy smell that got into your clothes and followed you out the door. We took to calling his place the “corpse-partment,” so intense was the smell. But somehow, while living there, my brother couldn’t smell it. I’ll never forget the look of consternation that flashed across his

face when I gave him the facts of the situation. Gazing into space, he murmured: “No wonder I haven’t been getting girls to go on any second dates.”

But none of the above prepared me for the utter olfactory defilement of one of my apartments.

The first blow came with Katrina. After returning from evacuation, I had to tape up the tenant’s refrigerator, like my own, and get a friend to help me haul it to the curb. But unlike my refrigerator, his had a smell of such terrifying rancidity that it haunts me to this day.

I shuddered to imagine what could be inside. Whatever

it was, once we hauled that maggoty sarcophagus of secret horrors into the backyard, my friend and I both ripped our masks off and gagged into the grass.

But as it turned out, that refrigerator wasn’t the biggest problem. When the tenant moved out six months or so later, I discovered that he had not been taking good care of his dog – which is to say, the apartment was his dog’s toilet. The dog had just been letting the wood floors have it, day after day, year after year.

The entire apartment had to be repainted, the stove replaced, the bathroom jane sanders illustration

76 | New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2012

completely renovated. I put new floors in the bathroom and kitchen. I had the wood floors throughout the house sanded and refinished. I even replaced all of the light fixtures. It seemed to work.

But every now and then, out of the corner of my nose, I caught a wispy whiff of that refrigerator or of that dog.

I’m not sure if it was real or just a passing ghost of smells past.

Smoke, mold and pet odors all have a way of haunting a house.

Preventing smoke and pet odors requires only the most common of sense: smoke outside only, walk the dog, bathe and brush him regularly, change the cat’s litter box. For odors that have already taken root, you can paint the walls, steam- clean the carpets and use Pine-Sol and a whole lot of vinegar and water on wood floors. If that doesn’t work – and believe me, it might not – you may have to take the sort of drastic measures I did.

Mold is a more insidious matter. It can creep in with an undetected leak or, as many of us well know, from flooding. It not only stinks; it can cause health problems.

Mold can emerge from one of several air conditioning system issues.

A central A/C system is designed to remove the moisture from the air. If that excess moisture isn’t draining properly, the drain pan can retain water or overflow. Also, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, if the air conditioning unit is too big

for the house, it may cycle on and off too frequently, allowing moisture to build up. The system must be designed to manage condensation effectively.

Beyond the old bleachand-water treatment, there are a number of ways to attack mold and the smell that comes with it.

Air cleaners (or “purifiers”) help by removing mold and other allergens from the air (though not settled places).

They suck in animal dander, as well.

Ventilation is especially important in moisture-rich environments such as the kitchen, the laundry room and the bathroom. Avoid using carpets in such environments, and paint the walls with mold-inhibiting additives.

Dehumidifiers yank moisture out of the air and deposit it into a tank.

Mold, mildew and various allergens need moisture to thrive and stink up the place. A damp house is a musty house. The Centers for Disease Control recommends keeping indoor humidity levels between 40 and 60 percent.

Air-duct cleaning sounds like an appealing approach, but according to the EPA, there is no evidence it is as important to reducing allergens as, say, regular service or replacing air conditioning filters in a timely manner.

If nothing else seems to work, there is one last, surefire way to get the offending smell out of your nostrils: Find somewhere else to live. n www.neworleanshomesandlifestyles.com New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles | 77

resources The area code is 504, unless otherwise noted.

For the Garden, p. 18

TrendWatch, p. 25

“Planting the Seedlings” Edible Schoolyard NOLA, Samuel J. Green Charter School, 2319 Valence St., 267-9053, esynola.org; Grow Dat Youth Farm, 150 Zachary Taylor Drive, 377-8395, growdatyouthfarm. org; Our School at Blair Grocery, 1740 Benton St., 718/415-0890, schoolatblairgrocery.blogspot. com

“Pop Art” perch., 2844 Magazine St., 899-2122, perch-home.com; Little Miss Muffin, 766 Harrison Ave., 482-8200, and 244 Metairie Road, Metairie, 833-6321, shoplittlemissmuffin.com; Eclectic Home, 8211 Oak St., 866-6654, eclectichome.net; Pied Nu, 5521 Magazine St., 899-4118, piednuneworleans.com

Living With Antiques, p. 20

“A Promise Kept,” p. 32 Jill Dupré, 908-3539, jdesignsalon.com; The Plant Gallery, 9401 Airline Highway, 488-8887, theplantgallery. com; Renaissance Interiors, 2727 Edenborn Ave., Metairie, 454-3320, yourrenaissance.com; Jahncke & Burns Architects, 3516 Magazine St., 899-6271,

“Furniture, Freshened Up” Diane Killeen, 400-6994, dianekilleen.com; Bekye Fargason, 3436 Magazine St., 388-1342, bekyefargason.com

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jahnckeburns.com; Nordic Kitchens & Baths, 1818 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, 888-2300, nordickitchens.com; Antiques on Jackson, 1028 Jackson Ave., 524-8201; Anthropologie, 333 Canal St., 592-9972, anthropologie.com; Kaki Foley, kakifoley.com “Of the First Water,” p. 42 Stafford Tile & Stone, 5234 Magazine St., 895-5000, staffordtile.com; Rick Golemi Construction, 54 Lisa Ave., Kenner, 443-1799; studioWTA, 1119 Tchoupitoulas St., 593-9074, studiowta.com; Hal Collums Construction, 2610 Second St., 283-3669, halcollums.com; Nordic Kitchens & Baths, 1818 Veterans Blvd., Metairie, 888-2300,

nordickitchens.com; Marques Countertops, 401 Magistrate St., Chalmette, 276-1627, marquescountertops.com; Axis Construction, 601 France St., 945-9500; Southland Plumbing Supply, 2328 N. Arnoult Road, Metairie, 835-8411, and 68443 Highway 59, Mandeville, 985/893-8883, southlandplumbingsupply.com; LeMieux Galleries, 332 Julia St., 522-5988, and 200 Metairie Road, Metairie, 837-4044, lemieuxgalleries. com; Interior Designs Inc., 3814 Magazine St., 895-5110, interiordesignsnola.com; Paneling Factory, 4124 Tchoupitoulas St., 899-5674, panelingfactory. com; The Bank, 1824 Felicity St., 523-2702, thebankantiques.com; Helm Paint, locations citywide, helmpaint.com n

last indulgence

true brew Not just for college keggers anymore – beer has come into its own!

By Eve Kidd Crawford

There’s nothing that says “spring” to me more than the sight of my fingers, orange and greasy with crawfish fat, wrapped around a cold, sweaty bottle of Abita Strawberry Harvest.

Likewise, there’s nothing that says “fall” to me more than drinking a few beers with some jambalaya while watching a Saints game.

Beer is indeed a versatile beverage, and it’s also one of the world’s oldest; earlier incarnations contained fruit, honey and spices but not hops.

The U.S. is the leading beer importer, but with so many great local breweries here in Louisiana, it’s hard to imagine why anyone would need to drink imported beer when they could drink Abita Amber or NOLA Brewing’s cleverly named Hopitoulas. In fact, many people are keeping it even more local these days; home-brewing is on the rise, with folks crafting their own special blends.

Although no one wants to end up with a beer belly, moderate beer consumption has the same health benefits as other moderate alcohol consumption. And if you can’t think of beer as a sophisticated drink, if you can’t drink it without thinking of frat boys doing keg stands, playing beer pong or crushing empty cans on their foreheads, consider this: As the interest in craft beers has been increasing, beer dinners, in which beers are carefully paired with each course, have become more popular, and some restaurants now employ beer sommeliers, also known as cicerones, to help customers make informed choices about which beers would go best with their meals.

So whether you’re frequenting the biergarten at Oktoberfest or just sipping some suds with your friends on a lazy Sunday afternoon, don’t forget to savor every last drop. n