New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles Fall 2015

autumn 2015

new orleans

homes & lifestyles

AUTUMN 2015 / Volume 18 / Issue 4 Editor Sarah Ravits creative Director Tiffani Reding Amedeo associate Editor Melanie Warner Spencer web editor Kelly Massicot contributing editors Laura Claverie, Lee Cutrone, Valorie Hart, Pamela Marquis, Peter Reichard, Lisa Tudor, Margaret Zainey Roux Contributing Photographers Thom Bennett, Sara Essex Bradley, Cheryl Gerber, Jeffery Johnston, Marianna Massey, Craig Mulcahy, Eugenia Uhl

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Chief Executive officer Todd Matherne President Alan Campell Executive vice President/Editor-in-Chief Errol Laborde vice President of sales Colleen Monaghan DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND EVENTS Cheryl Lemoine distribution manager John Holzer ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Denise Dean subscriptions/Receptionist Sara Kelemencky

A Publication of Renaissance Publishing LLC Printed in USA 110 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Ste. 123 Metairie, LA 70005 (504) 828-1380

Art • Furniture • Lighting • Accessories • Gifts 3530 Magazine Street New Orleans 504.891.1575 www.shadesofblueinc.com info@shadesofblueinc.com

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

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.

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Copyright © 2015 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.

Tile & Marble Co. Inc

Kitchens & Baths 3622 Toulouse St | New Orleans LA | 504.488.1509 | www.pieritile.com

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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c o n t en t s

features

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40. New Build of the Year

Ross Karsen and Sarah Wiseman’s contemporary home complements a historic setting.

Written and styled by Valorie Hart

50. Luxe Life

Dianna Knost’s Bohemian carriage house

Written and styled by Valorie Hart

58. Divide & Conquer

Brian Bockman and Jack Forbes put their complementary design styles togood use at work and at home.

By Lee Cutrone

66. DESIGN MASTERS

10 of Our City’s Best and Brightest

By Lee Cutrone

98 in every issue

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12. Editor’s Note 14. Style 18. Artist Profile

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Ally Burguieres

Hard Sell Sourcing contemporary and antique hardware for your design project proves that details make the difference.

98. Home Renewal

Bacon Me Crazy How to give the old-fashioned grilled cheese sandwich an intoxicating new flavor.

The Post-K Way How far we’ve come

100. in the Spotlight Benge Lanscape (p. 98) Katie Koch Home (p. 99) Home Decor (p. 100) Mattix Cabinet Works (p. 101)

Composting

A “recipe” for how to do it right

24. Living with Antiques

104. Expert Advice

22. For the Garden

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

20. Gatherings

Pillow Talk Rebecca Vizard crafts high-quality pillows using a variety of fabrics.

26. Masters of Their Craft

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29. TrendWatch

Joy is Her Calling Card Liz Maute Cooke’s Lionheart Prints is Hallmark for millennials.

Tile in Style Flooring, tile and stone trends this fall

110. Resources 112. Last Indulgence

Going Green Add some low-maintenance plant life to your interior space with a terrarium.

editor’s note On the Cover

A Season Turns

T

he intersection of creative vision and determination is a magical spot to be.

As this issue hits newsstands, we will be done acknowledging the 10-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. We have reflected on the past decade and what it has taught us. New Orleanians – as diverse as we are – share an unparalleled sense of passion and community. Our city is rife with thinkers and doers who have helped New Orleans thrive.

It’s fitting then, that in this issue, we honor our annual class of Design Masters – the brilliant creative entrepreneurs who helped rebuild, renovate, restore, decorate and make our homes, and collectively, our city, beautiful and inviting (pg. 66).

Over the past decade we’ve also welcomed newcomers eager to join the efforts of making New Orleans great. One such individual is Liz Maute Cooke (“Masters of Their Craft” pg. 26) a business-savvy artist who pens and beautifies witty catch phrases as the ruler of her own company, Lionheart Prints.

Our New Build of The Year, styled and written by Valorie Hart (pg. 40), is owned by an artistic couple in the city’s Bywater neighborhood, an area that has seen incredible growth (and received national attention) over the past few years. This home is bright, colorful and eclectic, blending in contemporary elements that complement its historic setting.

We also showcase a stunning Bohemian carriage house in the Lower Garden District owned by Dianna Knost (pg. 50).

It’s been said countless times that New Orleans is a haven for visionaries. We celebrate this sentiment and hope that this continues as we move forward, and that you, our readers and residents, continue to be thankful and inspired by your surroundings and fellow passionate New Orleanians. n — Sarah Ravits, Editor

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

marianna massey photo

New Build of the Year: Ross Karsen and Sarah Wiseman’s colorful, contemporary home in the Bywater brings savvy design into a historic setting, p. 40 Photographed by Sara Essex Bradley

Editor’s Pick

brighten up

Ashley Longshore is beloved for her bold use of color and signature spunk. With a gallery on Magazine Street, Longshore also collaborated with Anthropologie on the design of this Archipelago Lamp, available at anthropologie.com.

STYLE Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux

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1. Scribbley Chic

3. Well-Rounded

After dabbling in watercolor and other mediums, local fashion designer Smith Sinrod played with Sharpie pens to create the colorful, intricate pattern on the Allen dress for her Fall 2015 collection. Allen’s split-neck collar and peasant style sleeves lend the viscose tunic a blousy, bohemian feel while its hand-drawn design shows off its more sophisticated side. bySMITH, bysmith.com

Equally dazzling in both modern and traditional settings, Arhaus’ versatile Poppy chandelier adds a touch of whimsy to any room.

Available in small and large sizes, its iron sphere-shaped base is swathed in an antique brass finish and features hundreds of handpolished faceted crystals. Arhaus at South Market District, 939 Girod St., 581-6684, arhaus.com.

2. Once Upon a Pillow (Pointed Leaf Press, $75)

4. Curve Appeal

From the embroidered metallic threads of ecclesiastical vestments to Venetian Fortuny draperies and Central Asian suzanis, Rebecca Vizard’s oneof-a-kind pillows present the perfect balance of art and material culture.

In her debut book, Once Upon a Pillow, Vizard recounts how her childhood fascination with textiles led to collecting forays abroad and ultimately to the launch of B. Viz Designs, one of Louisiana’s finest designer exports.

Reflecting the trademarks synonymous with her signature style and design mastery, interior designer Barbara Barry’s new upholstered forms embrace a more relaxed personality and verve. Her Piedmont Lounge Chair for Baker has a fluid, painterly like form that seamlessly blends tight upholstery with a low open back and exquisite exposed wood details. Barbara Barry for Baker Furniture, baker.com.

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

L OU ISIANA C USTOM C LOSETS Serving South Louisiana & Mississippi Gulf Coast

Imagine Your

Life

Well organized It’s easier than think to get your home organized any time of the year.

Call for Free Estimates | Experienced Designers & Installers 504-885-3188 • 985-871-0810 • louisianacustomclosets.com • Don Wise | Owner

STYLE

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5. Exotic Elixer

7. Rhapsody in Blue

This September, Jo Malone London spices things up with a new fragrance, Mimosa & Cardamom. Key notes of honeyed, golden mimosa and freshly crushed cardamom coupled with layers of creamy Tonka bean, smooth sandalwood and dusty rose give the home and body collection a warm and well-traveled sensibility.

Saks Fifth Avenue, 301 Canal St., 524-2200, jomalone.com.

Evocative of rich blue Tuscan leather, eighteenth-century rugs and musky Mediterranean labdanum, Annie Sloan’s Aubusson home fragrance captures the regal essence of rooms swathed in her coordinating “Aubusson” chalk paint. Candles and oils exude hints of thyme, Iris wood and cedar wood and are made in the UK from naturally farmed organic materials. Creative Finishes Studio, 20 E Rd., 909-9028, creativefinishes studios.com.

6. Artful Illusion

8. About Time

Two staggered marble tiers give the Tri-Leg end table the appeal of nesting tables but in a single, sturdy unit. Part of the Reworks home collection founded by New Orleans ex-pats Chotsie Gregson and Willem Sypestyn, the handcrafted iron piece is offered in customizable tops and finishes to suit any size, space or style. Gallery 3954, 3954 Magazine St., 376-4606, reworks-works.com.

Since 1917, the U.S. Navy has relied on the accuracy and durability of the Chelsea Deck Clock to synchronize its fleets. Now, through an exclusive for Best Made Company, the deck clock is being offered to the civilian market.

Peerless in its precision, timeless in its design, the Massachusetts-made timepiece is available in Quartz and Mechanical Options. Best Made Co., (888) 708-7824, bestmadeco.com.

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

A RTIST P ROFIL E

Ally Burguieres

By Lee Cutrone

W

ith multiple degrees – a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the University of Maryland, a masters degree in journalism from University of Oregon, a second masters in linguistics from Georgetown, and a Ph.D. in linguistics from Queens University in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Ally Burguieres would seem to have no shortage of career options. Yet it was painting, which began as an outlet for relaxation, that ultimately became her primary focus.

“I love learning and languages and culture,” says Burguieres, whose years in academia have included teaching media arts at Tulane University. “But after getting my doctorate, I pursued my passion for visual arts rather than staying on that path exclusively.”

Born and raised in Washington, D.C., and linked to New Orleans via her father, who was born and raised here, Burguieres brought her talents to the Crescent City in 2010.

Today, she owns and operates two French Quarter galleries devoted to her work, which is driven by her lifelong love of animals and her dedication to animal welfare causes.

Gallery Burguieres showcases Burguieres’ original paintings (including whimsical, colorful depictions and a black and

white series designed to look like notebook sketches), prints and giclees. Cocoally, named after Burguieres and her rescued, 6-year-old Chihuahua, Coco, is home to the artist’s line of wearable art and accessories, which includes T-shirts, coats, skirts, totes, wish beads and more. (Coco spends most of his time at the Gallery and loves to visit with customers).

Oct. 1 is World Vegetarian Day and Nov. 1 is World Vegan Day. But at Burguieres’ two eponymous businesses, every day is Vegan Day. “I’ve started to get more involved with veganism for ethical, environmental and humanitarian reasons,” says Burguieres, who like Coco adheres to a vegan diet. She attends “Veggie Fests” nationwide, is strengthening her online presence and has partnered with nonprofits including the Audubon Institute and the Louisiana SPCA to promote her wares and her message. She also supplied the animal-centric art for SEED, a vegan restaurant in the Lower Garden District, and plans to open another outpost of Cocoally next door to the animal-friendly eatery by late summer. “I feel like I’m living in line with my beliefs,” says Burguieres. “It’s very gratifying to be invested with something you care so much about and to feel like you have something of value to contribute.” n

find her work GalleryBurguieres.com | Cocoally.com

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

THOM BENNETT PHOTOGRAPH

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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gatherings

Bacon Me Crazy How to give the old-fashioned grilled cheese sandwich an intoxicating new flavor.

Produced By Margaret Zainey Roux

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

Eugenia Uhl Photograph

recipe Gruyere Grilled Cheese with Caramelized Apples and Bourbon Bacon Onion Jam 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 apple, chopped 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice 4 slices of bread 4 slices Gruyere cheese (or more for cheesier sandwiches) 1/4 cup Bourbon Bacon Onion Jam (recipe follows) In a saucepan over medium heat, melt together 1 tablespoon of butter and light brown sugar. Add the apple pieces, cooking until soft and caramelized (about 5 minutes). Stir in the lemon juice and remove from heat. On a plate, assemble the sandwiches by laying out two slices of bread and topping each with a slice of Gruyere cheese, 2 tablespoons of Bourbon Bacon Onion Jam and half of the caramelized apples. Top each slice with the remaining cheese and bread. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter. Carefully place both sandwiches in the skillet and cook until the cheese begins to melt (approximately 2-3 minutes). Use a spatula to flip the sandwiches over and continue cooking another 2-3 minutes until the bread has browned. Remove from the skillet. Slice diagonally and serve.

Bourbon Bacon Onion Jam 1 pound thick cut bacon, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped 1 shallot, chopped 1/4 cup light brown sugar 4 cloves garlic, chopped 1/4 cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 balsamic vinegar 3/4 cup bourbon In skillet over medium-high heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, move the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.

Pour most of the bacon grease into a heatproof container to save for another use, leaving about 1 tablespoon in the skillet. Add the onion, shallots, and light brown sugar to the skillet, cooking until tender and caramelized (about 10 minutes). Stir in the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Return the bacon to the skillet, along with the maple syrup, chili powder, instant espresso powder, and black pepper, cooking about 2 minutes. Pour in the balsamic vinegar and bourbon and let the mixture boil for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium-low, and allow the mixture to simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and allow the jam to cool for about 20 minutes. Put the jam in a blender or food processor and pulse the mixture a few times until you’ve reached your desired consistency.

Store in clean glass jars in the refrigerator. Â Original recipe by Meagan Burke. Meagan Burke is a French Quarter-based bartender and baker. Visit her blog, fandbdepartment.com, for more of her decadent (and often boozy) concoctions.

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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for the garden

Composting A “recipe” for how to do it right

By Pamela Marquis

M

y energetic Generation Z upstairs neighbors with whom I share a yard recently built a compost bin out of old wooden pallets. They were thrilled to show it to me as they drank from their stainless steel BPA-free water bottles and posted images of the bin on social media. But two weeks into the project, it became quite clear that this compost pile was merely a gathering place for flies, pesky pests and a wide variety of rodents and it smelled horrible. The neighbors were putting only their kitchen waste in the bin.

This backyard experience got me reminiscing of past compost piles during the golden age of my gardening in the ’70s. One pile in particular stands out. My then-husband brought it home after visiting a feed mill on a day they happened to be cleaning their silos. He’d loaded our pickup truck to the brim with a fermenting mixture of feed and

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

seed. For months that compost pile shimmered and steamed and its sickeningly sweet fetid scent wafted on every breeze.

It did eventually make the best compost ever but I learned that having a good recipe for compost is essential.

Some historians believe that Marcus Cato the Elder invented the first compost formula. In his book, De Agri Cultura, which was published around 214 B.C., he shared his compost recipe. It called for mixing oak leaves with animal manure and burying it in trenches around crops such as olive trees. In Colonial American times, recipes for compost involved mixing 10 parts “muck,” a mixture of mud and animal manure, with one part fish.

The rise of the industrial age saw many farmers forsake traditional compost recipes in favor of synthetic chemical fertilizers. However, chemical fertilizers have caused groundwater contamination, soil depletion and acidification jason raish illustration

tips Nitrogen can consist of: stable waste such as horse, rabbit, pig, goat or chicken manure; fishmeal; blood meal; cottonseed meal; legumes such as alfalfa and pea clover; green garden waste; algae and seaweed; coffee grounds and filters; algae; hair; kitchen vegetable scraps; grass clippings Carbon components can consist of: straw; dried leaves; sawdust in small amounts, (as long as it hasn’t been treated with chemicals); untreated wood chips in small amounts; shredded newspaper; shredded cardboard; dryer lint; corn stalks and corncob; shredded brown paper grocery bags; pine needles and pine cones; oak leaves; eggshells; peanut shells What NOT to add to a compost pile: bone; cat litter; diseased plants; pernicious weeds; charcoal; cooked food waste; dairy products; fatty, oily greasy food; peanut butter; meat; glossy or colored paper; inorganic materials such as aluminum foil, glass, plastics and metals.

and other grave environmental problems. Problems so serious that the United Nations has declared 2015 to be the “International Year of Soils.”

Fall is a great time to start composting, as there are plenty of ingredients available from your yard and garden and, of course, kitchen waste. So here’s my recipe for a backyard compost.

The ingredients are simple: nitrogen and carbon with a ratio of one part nitrogen to three parts

carbon. You will also need water, just enough to moisten the pile.

For the best results combine and layer all of your ingredients. Don’t keep adding ingredients to the bin. Every time a new ingredient is added to the pile, the decomposition process starts over. That’s why it is a good idea to have two piles going at the same time. Use one pile to collect the ingredients and a second pile that is engaged in the composting process.

Stir the pile about every five to seven days. Stirring replenishes foods and oxygen for the microorganisms that are hard at work breaking down the ingredients. You want your pile to have heat is because it helps the ingredients quickly decompose and it destroys disease-causing pathogens as well as pests, seeds and weeds.

There are also numerous compost bins at your disposals from homemade such as the one in my backyard to commercial bins. To make it easy to aerate the spinning compost bins can be helpful and if you have the income you can even get an automatic indoor composter or vermicomposter that uses worms.

Composting is well worth the effort when you consider that the average U.S. household generates 650 pounds of compostable materials each year and 60 percent of what we put in our landfills is organic waste.

Composting will save you money and it makes the world a healthier and greener space. n New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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L I V ING W ITH ANTI Q U ES

Pillow Talk Rebecca Vizard crafts high-quality pillows using a variety of fabrics.

By Laura Claverie

S

ometimes even the best decorators get stumped when looking for the perfect accent for a room. Such was the case when Rebecca Vizard was designing a home in 1994 for a Manhattan client. Vizard looked high and low for the perfect throw pillows and came up empty. Then she, quite literally, took matters into her own hands.

On a scouting trip to New York’s 26th Street Flea Market, Vizard stumbled on some vintage gold filigree border that once donned a pair of antique draperies.

The faded curtains had just the worn patina she was looking for. Vizard, who was an art major at Sophie Newcomb College, envisioned the draperies’ cording

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

on a velvet backing, and voila! A niche market design business was born.

Today, Vizard’s pillows punctuate some of the most elegant homes in America and have been featured in top decorator magazines. The simple designs incorporate clean lines, a respect for antique and vintage fabrics from all over the world, and the highest standards of craftsmanship.

“A beautiful throw pillow is like jewelry for your room,” says Vizard. “It can bring a whole room together in the way that a perfect pair of earrings can set off a ball gown.” And a throw pillow from B.Viz, her design business, does just that.

purchasing recommendations: Use throw pillows sparingly, unless you are going for a Bohemian look.

Throw pillows should add a finishing touch and not dominate the room.

Think of size and proportion. A long, oversize pillow belongs on a king size bed. Two small pillows can soften the edge of a sofa.

Pick a pillow from your heart. It is a work of art.

“The antique fabrics I use come from all over the world. I travel to Turkey to find embroidery from the Ottoman Empire, tapestries from France and Italy. I even have a supplier from Uzbekistan who sends me beautiful old Suzani fabrics.

Through each piece of fabric I find, I learn about the culture and people behind it,” she says.

Not locked into one signature look, Vizard’s pillows span the design spectrum. Her fabrics range from antique Fortuny Egyptian cotton and French Aubusson rugs to home spun antique linen.

Colors range from soft washed-out neutrals to vivid, eye-popping hues.

All pillows make the fabric the star, and there are no fancy fringes to detract from the elegance and simplicity of the textiles.

After more than 20 years of designing, she can look at a fabric and tell the story

behind each piece. “I look for fabrics that are slightly worn, and I’d never cut into an antique or vintage fabric that was perfect.

There’s a fine line between saving something old and destroying it,” she adds.

What makes her business most remarkable is that every element takes place in Vizard’s home town of St. Joseph, Louisiana, population 1100, a town so small she can’t buy thread in a local store. All of the exquisite handwork is done by area craftswomen, trained by Vizard. There are no industrial machines, rather all sewing is done by hand or on a traditional home sewing machine by skilled seamstresses. The process of creating a pillow is slow and laborious.

Cutting of fabrics and trim is often done with cuticle scissors. Stitching of the cording is done by hand. “My seamstresses love what they do and it shows,” she says. “These pillows have transformed their lives and mine.”

Vizard’s pillows can be purchased locally at Bremermann Designs on Magazine Street, in some of the best-known stores in the country and online at BViz.com. Her book about her textiles, “Once Upon a Pillow” will be published this fall. With prices ranging from $300-$3000 per pillow, they are created to last generations. Just like a treasured piece of art or jewelry, these pillows will add beauty to any setting and give the owner a lifetime of pleasure. n

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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M ASTERS OF THEIR C RAFT

Joy is Her Calling Card Liz Maute Cooke’s Lionheart Prints is Hallmark for millennials.

By Lauren LaBorde

“I

’m really good at getting fired,” Liz Maute Cooke laughs as her and a helper furiously package greeting cards, trying to fulfill orders before a much-needed vacation. She occasionally swats away a cat if one jumps on the dining room table, which today is doubling as an assembly line.

Being her own boss at Lionheart Prints, the graphic design studio known for cheeky hand-lettered greeting cards, can be challenging, but for Cooke it’s the only job for her.

“I’m very independent and very focused and directed with my work, but I need to be in control of it,” she says. “It’s been rare where I’ve had job opportunities that have been truly a fit.”

Before going full-time with her own company, Cooke had a series of jobs that paved the way for her current career.

In January 2013 she got what she thought was her “dream

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job” at a stationery shop (“I even made it Facebook official,” she says). However, her boss failed to tell her that she had only been hired as holiday help. Cooke was disappointed, but that experience gave her the push to start selling her own designs. She produced a handful of Valentine’s Day themed cards, and brought them to local stores for them to try selling.

That was the beginning of Lionheart Prints, but when an opportunity for a somewhat cushy corporate job came her way, she thought it might provide some comfort as she started her business. But the company, soon realizing that maybe her heart wasn’t in the job (it wasn’t), eventually let her go.

The severance was good timing: right around this time, she was fulfilling her first order for a huge client, retail giant Urban Outfitters, and capitalizing on the success of Marianna Massey photographs

her “Yeaux Leaux” design.

That design, taking the slang du jour “YOLO” (“you only live once”) and translating it through Cajun parlance, was the perfect recipe for viral success. It’s not uncommon to see bachelorettes parading around the French Quarter in “Yeaux Leaux” tank tops and go-cups.

“Yeaux Leaux,” a simple hand-lettered script surrounded by white space, summarizes Cooke’s style, which she calls “exuberant minimalist.” “I’m interested in making words look the way that they feel,” she says.

“I like space to let it breathe.”

Designs are funny, sometimes cynical sentiments – like one card that says “I Don’t Know Where I’d be Without You,” with “Probably Jail” written in pale yellow lettering in the background, like a selfdeprecating punchline – for the Tinder and Instagram age (one card says “I’d Double Tap That”). Cooke says she likes to “reown basic phrases” like “Literally Can’t Even” in some designs. It’s no surprise that many of Cooke’s ideas, written on Post-It notes that cover her home studio’s walls, come from birthday wishes she’s written on her friends’ Facebook walls. “If I feel that way about you, someone else is going to feel that way about someone in their life,” she says.

While her cards seem simple, Cooke loves special printing techniques like foil stamping, which gives hand-lettered phrases an iridescent quality. She outsources this job to a local company (she is able

to use local companies for all the production aspects she doesn’t handle) that uses foil recycled from old Carnival invitations. Cooke initially opted for that foil to help cut down on waste, but she has found the New Orleans touch to be a big selling point among national vendors. “This fuchsia-rainbow foil,” she says, showing me a card, “it’s 12-year-old foil from an Endymion invitation.

It’s rad.”

Another one-of-a-kind technique she employs for some of her cards is use of a Gocco printer. The Gocco, a slightly dangerous to use, out-of-production Japanese screen-printing system, imparts a marbled look on cards, with no two cards alike. “It’s this crazy thing that I do, and I’ve been saying every year when I have this printing push, ‘why do I do this again?’,” she says. “And the other part of me is like, ‘because you do hard things! And it’s cool!’”

Next on the horizon for Lionheart is a series of mugs with messages that are “funny, empowering or a little bit of both,” designing holiday cards (“You know, because it’s June,” Cooke deadpans) and – most critical – vacation. Even though Cooke sorely needs a break, she realizes she finally found her dream job.

For real this time.

“Every time someone buys one of these cards, it’s going to go to someone else and make them smile,” she says. “I make a living by spreading joy. That’s pretty fucking cool.” n New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

TREND W AT C H

Hard Sell Sourcing contemporary and decorative antique hardware for your design project proves that details make the difference.

By Lisa Tudor Photographed by Eugenia Uhl

Troubador Knob at Anthropologie at the Shops at Canal Place

These original white porcelain mineral knobs and antique surface mount rim locks manufactured through the 1800s were predominantly installed in low-income homes but are prized today for use in residential and commercial design at H Rault

Mother of Pearl Knob at Anthropologie at the Shops at Canal Place

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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Charleston Hardware Company lacquered brass reproduction Heron push plate from the Naturalist collection at H Rault

Polished brass and acrylic drapery hardware by Gretchen Everett Designs to order at Katie Koch Home: (from right) large rectangular finial with acrylic rod; companion curtain hook; saddle brackets for round and acrylic drapery rods.

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

Streamline brass hook at Anthropologie at The Shops at Canal Place

Sargent & Co. floral pattern doorknob and Mortise lock set manufactured in 1878 at H Rault

Small solid brass antique pantry knob and doorknob at H Rault

Reproduction Urn pattern push plate

by Charleston Hardware at H Rault

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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Gretchen Everett Designs hand-cut hand-polished nickel and acrylic curtain rods to order at Katie Koch Home: Circle drapery hooks, center bracket, round rod with ball disc finial, round acrylic rod

Hansgrohe Axor Citterio Cross Handle Volume Control and Axor Montreux chrome Trio/ Quattro Diverter Trim with Lever Handle at LCR The Plumbing Warehouse

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

Feather hook at Anthropologie at The Shops at Canal Place.

Atlas Inset Crystal Thin Pull at LCR The Plumbing Warehouse

Pennington brushed nickel 19 Ÿ-inch bar pull, tapered 7-inch bar pull, modern metro asymmetrical 3 ½-inch Pull, slanted 5-inch pull at Nordic Kitchens & Baths

Antique glass Waldorf knobs and antique crystal knobs fondly referred to as “Granny knobs� at H Rault

Glass Melon Knob and Rock Candy Handle at Anthropologie at The Shops at Canal Place

Don’t Just Dream It, Live In It!

NordicKitchens.com | 504.888.2300 | fax: 504.888.1911

“Like” us on

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facebook.com/nordickitchens

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

ARTISTIC TILE SPRING YELLOW MARBLE IN A RUNNING BOND PATTERN AND CUSTOM CUT HEX SHOWER FLOOR; BORDERED WITH AZUL MACAUBAS MARBLE AND SABLE ONYX.

Passages Antiques 3939 Magazine Street New Orleans, Louisiana 70115

STONE & TILE

Telephone 504.899.3883 www.passages-antiques.com Tuesday - Saturday 11:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

T h e B e s t o f a u t um n

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New Build of the Year

50

Luxe Life

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Divide & Conquer

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Design Masters

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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New Build of the Year Ross Karsen and Sarah Wiseman’s contemporary home complements a historic setting.

Written and styled by Valorie Hart

Photography by Sara Essex Bradley

The open floor plan on the first floor

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t’s hard to miss the house that architect Ross Karsen and his wife, artist Sarah Wiseman, built in the Bywater. The modern structure is dipped in eyecatching Creole colors. While contemporary, there is something familiar and comfortable that pays homage to the architectural vernacular of a historic residential neighborhood. It is a two-story structure with a pitched roof, shutters, and what would have been known as a dependency at the back of the house, used as Wiseman’s art studio. A secondstory deck bridges the main house to the studio, which is raised to second-story height. The space under the studio is open with no first floor.

The house is situated on a corner lot that had been vacant.

Karsen, who designed the home, says, “I was looking all over town, mostly on high ground. I was interested in working with a small lot within a historic neighborhood as a chance to respond and reflect on the historic housing styles, while exploring what a contemporary evolution of local vernacular might be.”

The Historic District Landmarks Commission put the owners through their paces, asking Karsen to defend erecting

a two-story structure. A bar occupied the site from at least 1850-1950. It burned sometime between 1950-1985. Ross Karsen tells us, “I have not met anyone who remembers what it looked like. Sanborn maps show it was a one-story building with an awning over the sidewalk, probably something like the building Markey’s [a nearby bar] now occupies.” In order to get approval from the HDLC, Karsen had to provide renderings of what two-story homes would look like on his block. After assuring them that his proposed home would respect the integrity of the neighborhood aesthetic, they let him proceed.

There was a building boom after Hurricane Katrina, with many new houses going up employing new construction techniques and designs. The modern versions of shotgun houses in the Ninth Ward cropped up in open fields where neighborhoods once flourished. Known as the “Brad Pitt” houses, they were innovative and startling. Tulane architecture students also designed modern homes that cropped up in other neighborhoods, streamlined versions of the old shotgun style. Many new built homes were replicas of hundred-year-old homes. Early thoughts on the use of

Left: The modern exterior highlights the architectural vernacular of New Orleans. Right: Traditional materials of wood and corrugated steel are used in a fresh modern way Facing page: The open floor plan on the main level has double height ceilings.

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Above: Gina Phillips is the artist of the wood piece that looks like an arrow above the couch. Facing page: Top, left: Windows span the entire height of the two floors. Top, right: The honeycomb shelves were custommade by Kyle Ingebretson. Bottom, left: The dining area opens to a deck through modern French-style doors.

Bottom, right: Metal and wire comprise a railing on the second floor where the office is located.

Above: The couple installed a curtain for privacy for the guest room on the main floor. Sarah Wiseman’s art piece above the guest bed is “Deluge.” Facing page: Top, left: The art studio is in a separate building that only has a second floor. Top, right: View from attic space. Bottom, left: The master bedroom and office on the second floor share sight lines. Bottom, right: Sarah, Ross and their dog, Gladys, enjoy the second-floor deck.

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prefabricated materials with new techniques being used post Katrina, were considered by Karsen, but in the end the tried and true classic wood framing won out. Both wood and metal cladding are utilized, a mixed use of standard finishes that is exciting and fresh.

Karsen and Wiseman spent two years designing the home and saving money, and then it took 15 months to build. The couple is still applying finishing touches.

You can read a detailed account of the building process from vacant lot to finished home on the blog Karsen kept, bywaterhouse.wordpress.com.

Everything is covered from permits and inspections, to breaking ground and material usage, costs and sources. Karsen acted as the project manager and it is fascinating to read his entire creative experience from plans to finished project.

The layout of the house has an open floor plan on the first floor, with a covered deck off the kitchen for alfresco dining. The open plan includes a guest room that can be made more private with a curtain that draws across the space. The second floor accommodates an office and the master bedroom suite. A wall-designed as an open honeycomb floor to ceiling bookcase divides the office from the stairwell.

The attic is a third floor flex space that has visual sightlines open to the main floor.

Furnishings in the soaring sightlines of the house are minimal but not cold. As a young couple starting out, big-budget items must come with time. Artwork, using both high end and modest priced furnishings, while incorporating a great use of color, create a cheerful, well-designed newly built first home. n

Above: The master bedroom suite is on the second floor with one side open to the first floor. The dressers in the master bedroom was custom-made by Kyle Ingebretson. Facing page: The kitchen is simple and streamlined.

Luxe Life

Dianna Knost’s Bohemian carriage house Written and styled by Valorie Hart | Photographed by Sara Essex Bradley

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ianna Knost came to New Orleans from Baton Rouge postKatrina, because, she says, “It fits me. New Orleans is home. It feeds my creative soul.”

She opened the shop A.K.A. Stella Gray, offering wares for the home in a design style that she calls “Bohemian luxury,” not focused on perfection, but by forging together a beautiful mix of pieces that, in the end, create a scheme reflective of being bold, creative and carefree. The most important elements are the incorporation of extraordinary textiles, rugs and pillows, along with relics of nature and the addition of artwork and utililzation of the mix of high and low and vintage and modern.

The laidback, easy-going style focuses on the use of unconventional arrangements to create settings that are stylish, eye-catching and somewhat offbeat. It’s a trend that is exceedingly popular in both fashion and interior design. In modern usage, the term “Bohemian” is applied to

Facing page: A vintage hutch combines living elements with relics of death; chair and lamp from A.K.A. Stella Gray. Left: A lamp fashioned out of a vintage birdcage stands alongside an antique bamboo-folding table used for dining.

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Facing page: Painting on display shelf by Nancy Rhodes Harper; painting on stair landing by Kevin Thibodeaux Above: The 1850s exposed brick wall is considered a work of art. All furnishings, accessories and artwork shown throughout are from A.K.A. Stella Gray.

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people who live artistic lives, much like the adherents of the Bloomsbury Group of the last century. As a style, it is a phenomenon in design where the trend is to bring back vintage styles for the modern era. Bohemian luxury combines organic, colorful, detailed pieces along with simple, modern pieces.

The most modern iteration of the Bohemian luxury style has been seen since the early 1990s and, although appearing to wane from time to time, has repeatedly re-surfaced in varying guises such as Boho Chic. For

Knost, it never went away. Many Bohemian elements became popular in the late 1960s, and some date back much further, being associated, for example, with preRaphaelite women of the mid-to-late 19th century. With her striking mane of auburn curls, Knost herself could easily be taken for a pre-Raphaelite beauty.

As a person with artistic or literary interests who disregards and reinvents the conventional standards of interior design, styling and decorating, she says, “I am self-taught, and I work from a purely instinctual

Top: Artwork by Louis St. Lewis Bottom: Skulls are a favorite that Dianna Knost uses in her unique design mix Facing page: Knost created her signature style using textiles through the use of rugs and pillows, along with relics of nature and adding in artwork, while utilizing the mix of high and low and vintage and modern furnishings.

place. Shaping a home feels the same as shaping a piece of art. I learned to listen to a space in order to determine what it might look like. As an artist at heart, this is the form my art has taken. I love nature and form, and I am constantly inspired by the world around me. I mix high-concept with street; local with global; living elements with relics of death.�

Knost recently downsized to an 1850s carriage house, where carriages were kept in the 19th century and cars were kept in the 20th, with small quarters upstairs for the carriage driver or chauffeur. The structure sits on a large property in the Garden District and has no street address. The quirkiness of

having no street address complemented the Bohemian aesthetic for which Knost is known.

Now renovated, the original brick was retained and exposed to create an interior wall much like a massive work of art. Knost has kept the furnishings (many of which come from her shop) pared down and stellar. A stenciled zebra hide is thrown on the organic slate floor. A velvet sofa adds sensual luxury.

Artwork is eclectic, and the objects chosen are conversation starters. Elements of nature are liberally scattered throughout.

On the second floor – where the carriage driver once slept – is a treehouse-like aerie containing a

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A romantic French-style bed has an antique Kuba cloth from Africa used as a coverlet. The large photograph on the dresser is by Morgan Miller from Gallery Orange.

large bedroom, ample closet and en-suite bathroom.

Knost combined a romantic French-style bed with industrial elements. The coverlet on the bed is an antique Kuba cloth handmade of African grasses and shells and dyed using roots. These are the design elements of Knost’s signature style. The feeling is both feminine and masculine. Antiques coexist with vintage and modern. The textural combination is alluring and a testament to the Bohemian luxury that Dianna Knost excels at creating. n

Top left: A bar set up on the hutch in the kitchen. Bottom left: A French-style bed is complemented by an industrial lamp. Right: The courtyard in front of the carriage house with no street address suits the Bohemian luxury style of Dianna Knost.

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The painting on the wall opposite the wet bar was purchased on a trip to Mexico.

Orange Washu chairs by Powell & Bonnell, painting entitled Fronteras by Mexican artist Liliana Basulto, Twiggy floor lamp by Foscarini.

The living room’s layered look includes vintage, contemporary and traditional elements. Ebanista velvet sofa, Missoni pillows, Poltrona Frau Pillow Chair swivel recliner with rechargeable battery, Lapchi wool and silk Vase rug, antique brass chandelier.

Divide & Conquer Brian Bockman and Jack Forbes put their complementary design styles to good use at work and at home.

By Lee Cutrone Photographed by Eugenia Uhl Styled By Lisa Tudor

W hen asked what it’s like to be partners in life and work, and how their individual design styles complement one another, designers Brian Bockman and Jack Forbes have a succinct reply that indicates that they’ve discussed this before. “Brian says we divide and conquer,” says Forbes, who is described as more exploratory in his work, while Bockman is characterized as the more pragmatic of the two. “Jack’s approach is more open-ended, while I tighten things up,” explains Bockman. “Jack’s a bigger dreamer; I’m more along the lines of making things work.”

The couple’s full-time city residence (they also own vacation homes in Bay St. Louis and Columbia, Mississippi), located in a historic Garden District home, is a good illustration of their urbane alchemy. The overall effect is rich and layered; a well-traveled, collected look that flies in the face of what the partners call “the vanilla look” purveyed by mass retailers and websites, no matter how high end their stock. “A lot of this design came from our past,” says Forbes, emphasizing the highly personalized nature of the space.

The building itself, built as a Georgian-style residence named Warwick Manor in the 1850s, features tall windows, restful porches and high ceilings and was Top: Brian Bockman and Jack Forbes worked around the existing cabinetry and ceramic floor tiles to remodel the kitchen.

Updated features include Monte Bello quartzite counters with hints of green, a glass tile backsplash, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, a bar and an icemaker. Bottom: Bockman seated in the living room’s Poltrona Frau recliner, which the homeowners describe as “The Ferrari of recliners.” Facing page: Classic window treatments and old-school paintings, in sync with the scale of the home’s 19th-century architecture, are juxtaposed with modernist touches such as the chrome pedestal table, 1960s chairs upholstered with Scalamandré’s Tigre velvet and vintage glass vessels displayed on the mantel.

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Bockman and Forbes created seating areas with sofas on both sides of the living room. Ebanista taupe velvet sofa with Missoni pillows; the green corduroy velvet sofa has pillows by Dransfield & Ross.

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subsequently used for a variety of purposes including a grade school, a dance school and an apartment house before being renovated in the 1980s. Bockman and Forbes, who met at Tulane School of Architecture and joined forces to form Bockman + Forbes Design more than a decade ago, saw the second floor condo while working on a client’s ground floor unit after hurricane Katrina. Drawn to its classical bones, and “all-day light,” they purchased the two-bedroom, two-bath property and renovated it fully.

“The tile on the kitchen floor, which is from a previous renovation, covered nearly every surface in the bathrooms and kitchen,” says Bockman. “We left the kitchen floor but gutted out everything else.” The partners, known for infusing a modernist sensibility into their work and for adeptly interpreting design trends ahead of the curve, worked around the existing cabinetry to install a new kitchen that counts among its updated features an icemaker, Sub-Zero refrigerator, quartzite counters tinted with subtle shades of green, and a backsplash of glass subway tiles. They also created the bar area with open shelving. Instead of restoring the Top: The master bedrooms custom headboard was inspired by the Fortuny Drapery made by draper designer Mary Tait. Ecologically friendly “Green” Opossum Fur blanket from New Zealand. Casa Colonial pillows from San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.

adjacent living area’s original wood floors, which proved unsalvageable, they added a sound-absorbing insulation membrane underneath new carpeting. The living room’s natural sea grass carpet lends an organic element to the many textures in the main living and entertaining area, where antique and vintage furniture, handmade rugs, animal prints, Missoni pillows, traditional and modernist oil paintings, vintage glass, sculpture and photography are all part of the mix.

The condo’s bathrooms were completely renovated, as well. The guest bath is a graphic interplay of vibrant green and jet-black tiles set against a backdrop of wool boucle walls accented with art. The master bath is masculinely clad in a blend of dark wooden cabinetry and Carrera marble, a classic material that lightens and visually enlarges the windowless space.

Inspiration for the project came from a variety of sources, including the building’s scale and natural light, the couple’s travels and items that they collect. Forbes collects paintings and photography and also is a painter and photographer himself; the vividly hued vintage glass vessels are collected by Bockman; the 17th-century Dutch paintings and taxidermied animals displayed prominently in the home are from Forbes’ family. A shared appreciation for Mid-Century Modern furnishings and art is

evident throughout. “When [the remodel] was all done and we first moved in, I sat on the bed and said ‘I feel like we’re in our parents’ bedroom,’” says Forbes, alluding to the notable presence of vintage modern. There are paintings and pottery from the couples’ frequent trips to Mexico and South America. Revolutionary design movements underway in places like San Miguel De Allende have nourished the designers’ creative spirits. Bockman and Forbes also took cues from unexpected details such as the fish scale pattern on the master bedroom’s Fortuny drapery. The scale motif was repeated in the custom nail head trim of the headboard and in the textural wainscoting of the wall. The partners’ friend, California artist Nic Valle, created both the embossedplaster wainscoting and the playful marine mural depicting

Left:The custom mosaic pattern in the guest bath’s shower was created with vivid green and black tiles. The walls are upholstered with a green wool boucle and accented with Paul Villinski’s butterflies. Pyrolave’s glazed volcanic lava stone tops the vanity with faucetry by Waterworks. Marble hexagon floor tiles. The graphic alligator textile is a cashmere scarf that Bockman already owned.

Right: Forbes designed the metal end tables on either side of the guest room’s bed. Red-dyed Mongolia fur pillows from Sotre, portrait of Bockman by Justin Forbes, vintage lamp with Donghia elliptical shade. Embroidery pillow by Leontine Linens.

fish above it. Both Bockman and Forbes designed custom furnishings for the home. Forbes created the metal bedside tables in the guest room, while Bockman designed the circular ottoman in the master bedroom. Used as both a footrest for a pair of Carl Hanson’s Heritage wingback chairs and a place to store linens, it’s a prime example of Bockman’s make-it-work pragmatism. “Everything was made multifunctional,” says Bockman.

This fall, Bockman and Forbes officially launch their second business, Suite 222, a full-scale architecture firm with new partner, architect Julie Ford. Their offices are fittingly housed at nearby K&B Plaza, a modernist structure designed in the 1960s. Suite 222 is already at work on a full roster of residential and commercial clients, including three Ralph Brennan restaurants: Ralph Brennan’s Jazz Kitchen in California, and both the Red Fish Grill and Ralph’s On The Park here at home. “It was time to step up the business and take it to a new level,” says Bockman, underscoring the momentum taking place in both the Bockman/Forbes partnership and the new undertaking with Ford. “As we design new projects, residential and commercial, we strive to continue our successful synthesis of old and new, creative and pragmatic sensibilities, expressing our individual points of view, while creating a cohesive whole.” n New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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design masters

by Lee Cutrone

photographed by greg miles

This year, New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles recognizes 10 Design Masters whose combined contributions span seven decades. From renowned architect Albert Ledner, who apprenticed under Frank Lloyd Wright and began designing landmark buildings in the 1950s, to design/build contractor Matthew Kohnke, who, more than half a century later, is working with the changing faces of local hot spots on Magazine and Freret streets, each has added an important component to the built environment. Whether born and raised here, or transplanted from another city or even another country, we are proud to call them all our own. They are part of what makes New Orleans so remarkable.

master of Kitchens

Chris Judge Huey Brown’s Kitchens Along with his parents, Hal and Karen Judge, who started ADDA Carpet nearly 40 years ago, Chris Judge has truly built the family business from the ground up. Today, the Judges own and run both ADDA Carpet and Huey Brown Kitchens, a complete, one-stop design center offering cabinets, appliances, cabinet hardware, and all types of carpet and flooring. Judge, who has a business degree and trained with an accomplished interior designer in Los Angeles, travels to product shows around the country to stay up to date with the latest trends.

He also works closely with Huey Brown’s in-house kitchen designers to help clients realize the kitchens of their dreams. In addition to a full roster of residential jobs, the business is currently working on an upscale condo development in the CBD. “New Orleans is such a cosmopolitan southern city,” says Chris.

“We have the opportunity to explore the gamut of design styles, which I think challenges us professionally.

Our business philosophy has always been rather straightforward: offer quality products to your clients and spend time with them in order to assess their needs and get a true sense of their design direction.”

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master of Interior Design

Valorie Hart When Valorie Hart brought her years of experience in the event planning field to the world of interior design, her distinctive approach was wellreceived. Clients embraced her use of vivid color and blending of vintage, antique and modern, while magazines, books and websites, (including Big Easy Style, Milieu and Apartment Therapy) published her fresh aesthetic. At the same time, Hart’s popular design blog (thevisualvamp.blogspot.com) became a launch pad for her work as a design writer. In addition to her ongoing contributions to this publication, she’s the author of House Proud: Unique Home Design, Louisiana (with photos by Sara Essex Bradley), published in 2013.

Her work also is included in It’s the Little Things, by Suzanna Salk, due out next year. “I have been in the business of creating beautiful spaces for many years,” says the designer, stylist and author. Hart credits both her “mission impossible” database of craftspeople, artists, vendors, contractors and other associates as well as the inspiration that comes from her visually arresting New Orleans environs as part of her success. “New Orleans is filled with a stunning array of talent and an amazing selection of materials to work with,” she says. “People in New Orleans really care for their homes and want them to be welcoming places that shine.”

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master of Custom Window Treatments

Blythe Wren Wren’s Tontine Shade & Design For 12 years, Blythe Wren has run Wren’s Tontine Shade & Design, a family owned and operated business since 1937. “I’m very proud to be the third generation maintaining [Wren’s] outstanding quality of service,” says the LSU graduate, who’s passionate about the business and design aspects of creating custom window treatments.

“I listen to all the needs of my clients, including financial, and present options for them to choose from. It also helps that I’m a people pleaser and will do whatever it takes to make you happy.” Wren says she’s frequently asked what “Tontine” means. The answer: it’s the waterproof, blackout material that Wren’s uses to make its spring roller shades. “These shades have been our bread and butter since 1937 and still are,” she explains.

Wren’s also offers shutters, blinds, woven-woods, drapery, shades and bedding. Wren’s jobs range from blinds for air traffic control towers, to CBD condos to The Omni Royal Orleans Ballroom drapery to custom residential work. “My favorite part of my job is seeing my clients’ faces so pleased with the finished product,” says Wren.

“I go on all my installations to insure everything goes perfectly.”

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master of Landscaping

Chase Mullin Mullin Landscape Associates Chase Mullin’s love of landscaping began in childhood. “I’ve always had the ability to understand colors, textures, shapes, etc.,” says Mullin, a native New Orleanian. “Even as a small child, my mother encouraged me to help select plants for our garden. My favorite was always petunias in the early spring.” Today, as owner of Mullin Landscape, Mullin works closely with Senior Landscape Architect Martin Romero and other members of his design team to create custom gardens, outdoor living spaces (including pavilions, outdoor kitchens and fireplaces) and swimming pools. “I truly could not think of a better place to design landscapes and outdoor living areas than New Orleans,” says Mullin, who regularly finds inspiration in the architecture of the city, the diversity of its neighborhoods and the broad range of plants that thrive in our climate. Though he’s often faced with the challenge of working with small spaces, he’s seen a recent shift toward greater emphasis on outdoor living areas. “Fortunately, many clients now realize how much more square footage can be added to a home or business when the outdoor space is properly designed,” he says.

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Green Design

Liz Davey Tulane University As Director of Tulane University’s Office of Sustainability, Liz Davey is an experienced member of Tulane’s ”Green Machine,” a large group of staff and faculty who have incorporated green building practices into the planning, design, construction and operation of Tulane’s buildings. Davey has worked on Tulane’s environmental sustainability programs for more than 15 years, collaborating with university departments, offices and student organizations that want to reduce their environmental impact or create learning opportunities for students in sustainability. “We have seen great dedication to green building practices and the LEED Green Building Rating system as the city has rebuilt after Hurricane Katrina,” says Davey. “There is a greater awareness of our vulnerability to environmental hazards, and a desire to rebuild in the best way possible.” Davey says that achieving high building energy efficiency in New Orleans’ hot, humid climate is a challenge. But Tulane’s strides are noteworthy. They recently completed a longterm plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and are in the process of constructing the River and Coastal Center, the home of the Tulane/Xavier Center for Bioenvironmental Research.

According to Davey, the energy cost is expected to be over 40 percent less than a baseline building.

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master of Design/Build

Matthew Kohnke MNK Design Build Born and raised in architecturally rich New Orleans, Matthew Kohnke found himself drawn to architecture and design at the age of 22. He’s worked in the field ever since. “I dreamed of living in a space that inspired me,” says Kohnke, whose first project 15 years ago was a small mid-century duplex. “Experience has been my education and training.”

Today, Kohnke owns MNK Design/ Build, which handles construction (renovations, restorations and new builds) of both residential and commercial properties. He especially enjoys the rewards of breathing new life into old spaces.

“Historic houses are my passion,” he says. “That’s where I really cut my teeth.” Kohnke recently completed a job as lead sub-contractor on the painstaking restoration of the former McDonogh School No. 16.

He’s also the designer/builder of craft cocktail bar CURE, which he co-owns. He stresses that working within the historic context of New Orleans requires a thoughtful balance of old and new; an ability to honor past and present ideas about how to live in a space. “There are some builders and designers that do one thing and one thing only really well,” he says. “We can go seamlessly into contemporary and historic and also combine the two.”

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master of Furniture Design

Shaun Wilkerson Wilkerson Row Native New Orleanian, Shaun Wilkerson, opened his first carpentry business, Plantation Mantels, in 1988. But it wasn’t long before the furniture he was creating to supplement his mantel stock, eclipsed his other offerings. He opened Wilkerson Row in 1991 and today, most locals who know Magazine Street, also know Wilkerson’s name. Whether designed with rustic architectural details, period characteristics or a clean modern aesthetic (such as the cypress dining table he fashioned for a Mid-Century Modern house), his furnishings are made with indigenous woods like cypress and rooted in Southern furniture making tradition. “New Orleanians are as demanding in their furniture selection and personal taste as they are with their food, so it represents quite a challenge creating and producing a product, which will meet their demands for style, individuality and most importantly price,” says Wilkerson. Current projects include the 19th-century inspired furniture and fixtures at Grande Krewe Fine Wines, and two new furniture collections. The Urban Spice collection combines old cypress furniture styling and contemporary furniture standards and finishes; the other, still unnamed, emulates 19thcentury southern Louisiana furniture.

Such pieces were made with hardwoods during the 19th century, but Wilkerson reinterprets them using cypress instead.

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master of Stone/Tile

Joe Pieri Pieri Tile & Marble Co Joe Pieri is a prime example of what a “master” of his craft should be – someone who honed his skills over many years in order to offer the best of the best. In 1956, Pieri left his home in the Abbruzzi region of Italy and came to New Orleans. He spoke no English and had no money.

With an interest in stonework and some previous experience, he found a job working with tile and stone, while learning English at night. He opened his own business in 1967 and says he’s been learning and updating himself on the latest techniques ever since. As principle of the business, Pieri Tile & Marble, he works with his daughter, Dina Pieri Chavalier, and with their junior associate Laura Hobbs.

“New Orleans is an older city with established homes, which need the old world craftsmanship that we bring to the table,” says Pieri, whose current projects include bathrooms, kitchens, patios and pool coping. “Coming to New Orleans has been good for me and I try to give my best back to New Orleans.”

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master of Lighting

Stephen Guepet Flambeaux Owners Dennis Calamusa, Vinnie Valenti and Stephen Guepet are the New Orleans natives behind the conception and success of Flambeaux Lighting. In business since 2002, Flambeaux designs and meticulously handcrafts custom electric and gas lights. The home-grown, Metairiebased company is best known for its French Quarter-inspired antique style copper lanterns, but they also offer brushed aluminum contemporary style lanterns, sconces, pendant fixtures, chandeliers and more – all made in New Orleans by experienced metal smiths using time-honored New Orleans metal working traditions. Flambeaux serves a network of national interior designers, design build firms and luxury home builders as well as commercial clients such as the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks in California and Florida and a new Tommy Bahama restaurant underway in Hawaii.

According to Guepet word about Flambeaux’ wares has spread quickly and the steady demand has meant that there’s often a wait time.

Customers find the product worth the wait and Flambeaux owners are proud to give their clients lighting with lasting appeal. “Although our business is international, New Orleans is where our heart is,” says Guepet. “It’s cultural architecture is our inspiration. We continue New Orleans’ history of timeless and sophisticated light designs.”

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master of Architecture

Albert C. Ledner AIA Emeritus 278 As a child, Bronx-born, New Orleans-raised Albert Ledner found an early form of artistic expression carving bars of soap – a mere hint of the creativity to come. At 91, the semiretired Ledner is internationally known for his contributions to Modernist architecture.

A graduate of Tulane’s School of Architecture and a veteran of World War II, he attended the Frank Lloyd Wright Fellowship in Spring Green, Wisconsin. In 1950, he was commissioned to design his first house (House Beautiful featured the Metairie house in June, 1953) and other commissions followed.

Ledner has designed residences, office buildings, churches, schools and commercial buildings. Among his best-known works are three landmark nautical-themed buildings originally designed for the National Maritime Union in New York City. His local legacy includes the Galatoire House, the Cointreau House and the Ash Tray House, all located on Park Island; the National Maritime Union Building on Tchoupitoulas Street (now the home of Camp Bow Wow) and the former Unitarian Church on Jefferson Avenue (now a private residence). He also has designed lighting fixtures and glass mosaic panels and invented and patented both a thermal gravity pump and a device that provides descent from high-rise buildings in case of emergency. Influenced by Wrightian Organic Architecture and aspects of the International Style, he experimented in form and ornamentation, creating structures and idiosyncratic landmarks that diverge from the work of his contemporaries. “The benefit of a lifelong architectural experience in New Orleans is having this wonderfully cultural atmosphere as an influence in the fascinating design process,” says Ledner.

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Abode 2114 Veterans Blvd.

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California ClosetsÂŽ 3211 N. Causeway Blvd.

Metairie 504/828-5705 californiaclosets.com

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Stafford Tile & Stone 5234 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/895-5000 4273 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225/925-1233 staffordtile.com

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Eclectic Home 8211 Oak St. New Orleans 504/866-6654 eclectichome.net

The Historic New Orleans Collection 533 Royal St. New Orleans 504/598-7147 hnoc.org/shop

Cable Lock Foundation Repair 504/828-2223 888/241-2225 cablelock-la.com

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Floor and Decor 2801 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-3005 4 Westside Shopping Center Gretna 504/361-0501Â flooranddecorneworleans.com

Garrett Haab Sculpture Artistry 504/430-1975 garretthaab.com

Louisiana Custom Closets 13405 Seymour Meyer Blvd #24 Covington 985/871-0810 louisianacustomclosets.com

Adda Carpet & Flooring 5480 Mounes St. Harahan 504-/736-9001 addacarpetsandflooring.com

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The Cutting Edge in Cabinets and Countertops

10920 East I-10 Service Rd. New Orleans East, LA . Phone: (504) 245-8288 800 South Clearview Pkwy. Suites 3 & 4. Harahan, LA. Phone: (504) 733-6955

Commercial • Residential

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shop Mattix Cabinet Works 415 N. Solomon St. New Orleans 504/486-7218 mattixcabinet.com

The French Mix 228 Lee Lane Covington 985/809-3152 shopthefrenchmix.com

Katie Koch home By appointment 1117 Josphine New Orleans 504/410-1450 katiekochhome.com

MLM Incorporated 3500 N. Causeway Blvd, Ste 160 Metairie 504/322-7050 mlm-inc.com

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Over 55 years of Beautiful affordable kitchens.

Marchand Creative Kitchens and Dura Supreme Cabinetry proudly host monthly cooking classes featuring Chef Duke Locicero of Cafe Giovanni in their Sub Zero/ Wolf live demonstration kitchen. *Call us to find out about upcoming cooking events.

Locations in Metairie and Mandeville.

2180 N Causeway Blvd Mandeville, LA 70471 985-892-2572

3517 Division Street Metairie, LA 70002 504-888-0695

mckitchens.com Like us on Facebook for a chance to win two seats to an upcoming Chef Duke Cooking Class.

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Mullin Landscape Associates 621 Distributors Row, Ste. F Harahan 504/275-6617 mullinlandscape.com

Modern Market | m2 studio 3138c Magazine St. New Orleans 504/896-2206 modernmarketlifestyle.com

NANO LLC 432 N Anthony St., Suite 303 New Orleans, 523 N. Alexander St. New Orleans 504/486-3272 Nanollc.net

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

Mandeville 985/892-2572 mckitchens.com

shop

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Fireside Antiques 14007 Perkins Rd Baton Rouge 225/752-9565 firesideantiques.com

Tyson Construction 504/905-1042 zach@tyson-construction.com tyson-construction.com

Sotre 3933 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/304-9475

Nordic Kitchens and Baths Inc. 1818 Veterans Blvd.

Metairie 504/888-2300 ext. 211 504/888-1911 nordickitchens.com

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Pieri Tile and Marble Co., Inc. 3622 Toulouse St. New Orleans 504/488-1509 pieritile.com

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Campbell Cabinets

Inside Northshore

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ome design is a task many welcome and others dread—but with so much available assistance offered across the Northshore, completing home renovations or undertaking a new build doesn’t have to be an intimidating process. The Greater New Orleans region offers both new and generations-old companies with helpful experts on everything

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from kitchen cabinets to appliances, fixtures, closets, interior design, tile, and more. Finding a resource for the latest trends, most efficient designs, and exquisite artistry is a manageable task for exceptional Northshore living. Find the contractor, designer, artisan, or supplier for your project among the following trusted home design specialists.

Located in Metairie, Harvey,

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

and Slidell, Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath Showrooms feature an outstanding selection of products that perform as well as they look. Functional bath and kitchen room displays showcase the latest in product design, innovation, and craftsmanship from some of the best manufacturers in the business. From sinks and fixtures to lighting, appliances, and hardware, Coburn’s showrooms provide outstanding selections for every

project—and every budget.

“With so many new products to choose from, making decisions can be overwhelming,” says Patrice Kononchek, manager of Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath Showroom in Metairie. “Our customers often spend several hours browsing the showroom to develop their style. Farmhouse sinks, pot fillers, vessels… we’ve got it all. Our goal is to understand the customer’s vision, and help them with

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the kitchen or bath of their dreams,” she says. For years, area contractors, builders, and plumbers have felt comfortable sending their customers to Coburn’s to select fixtures, cabinetry, knobs, lighting, and appliances.

For high-end luxury or affordable entry-level, a full remodel or a single replacement faucet, visit a Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath Showroom in Metairie, Harvey, or Slidell. For more information, visit Coburns.com.

For over 55 years, Marchand Creative Kitchens has provided Greater New Orleans with high-quality custom kitchens. From cabinets and countertops to appliances, lighting and

Coburn’s Kitchen & Bath Showrooms

other products, Marchand supplies everything you need for an indoor or outdoor cooking space.

With showrooms in Metairie and Mandeville, Marchand services the Southshore and Northshore, highlighting the latest trends with numerous kitchen vignettes at each location and a brand new Live Demonstration kitchen in their Metairie Showroom.

“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 provides the design and 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, including monthly cooking demonstrations, visit mckitchens. com, call 504-8880695 or 985-892-2572, and like Marchand on Facebook.

Famous for preserving Louisiana’s culture and heritage through furniture making, Mastercraftsman Greg Arceneaux builds furniture based on early Creole and Acadian

designs using traditional techniques and indigenous materials. Arceneaux specializes in 18thcentury joinery and uses a hand-rubbed oil finish topped with a French wax or his signature painted gold-leaf finish.

Examples of Greg’s work include chairs, benches, tables, bookcases, armoires, mantles, entertainment centers, and other custom designs.

Over the past year, Greg Arceneaux is proud to have worked with NYC-based Richard Keith Langham Designs on two significant projects, producing numerous custom pieces for the newly renovated Brennan’s as well as a Garden District home.

Visit GregArceneaux. com to view designs such as a Creole Cocktail Square Table, a Creole Bar Stool, and a Louisiana Side Board in Arceneaux’s online gallery of designs. If you would like to place an order, please contact his workshop, located at 17319 Norwell Drive in Covington, LA, by calling 985-8938782. For other photos and news, visit and “like” Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers on Facebook at Facebook.com/Greg ArceneauxCabinetmakers.

Whether you’re looking to do a small storage closet face-lift or a full-scale master suite project, New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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Louisiana Custom Closets

Greg Arceneaux

Ruffino Custom Closets

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 Americanmade 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. For a custom closet, pantry, home office, or garage, superior service is available in your Northshore neighborhood. Since 2003, Louisiana Custom Closets as been tailoring rooms, shelves, hampers,

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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 20 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 highest 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 Closets will find an affordable solution to your home needs. Visit LouisianaCustomClosets. com or call for a free estimate: 985-8710810 or 504-885-3188.

Since 1972, Campbell Cabinets has built a reputation as a reliable and responsive company that caters to the needs of professional contractors, remodelers, homeowners, and do-it-yourselfers. They specialize in meeting the

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The French Mix

demanding scheduling, delivery, and pricing requirements of construction projects, both large and small. With three locations spread across the Southshore, Northshore and Southern Mississippi, Campbell’s offers one of the largest selections in the region from respected manufacturers and at competitive prices.

Campbell’s supplies cabinets for any room and provides free, 3D computer design previews of each project. For budget-driven, short-turnaround work, they provide in-stock and quick-ship cabinetry that has been handpicked for quality.

“I’d venture to say we have the most experienced team of kitchen designers, too,” says BJ Farrell, Co-owner of Campbell Cabinets. “The designers at Campbell’s have been in the industry for a very long time.”

A community-minded business, Campbell’s only supplies Americanmade kitchen cabinets and encourages recycling of business materials by donating to various local organizations. For more information on their products, services, and locations, visit CampbellCabinets.com or call the Mandeville store

at 985-892-7713.

For nearly 70 years, Mattix Cabinet Works, Inc. has been providing top quality kitchen and bath designs, products, installation, and service. The company specializes in kitchen and bath cabinets and carries several of the nation’s top cabinet manufacturers with lines that include Shiloh, Wellborn, Echelon, Woodmont, and Smart. They provide entry-level cabinets as well as full custom cabinets and all levels in between.

A new kitchen starts with design, and Mattix Cabinet Works offers time-

tested, experienced, and talented designers who take on each job as though it were their own and with a desire to deliver the most artistic and efficient design possible.

Mattix is a family-owned company now guided by second-generation owners who began their involvement with Mattix over 40 years ago. There is no substitute for experience, and that of the Mattix Service staff is unparalleled in the region.

Mattix services both the Northshore and Southshore.

For more information, call 504-486-7218 or visit MattixCabinet.com.

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Mattix Cabinet Works, Inc.

Combining timeless appeal and modern influence, The French Mix in historic downtown Covington offers full service interior design as well as custom furnishings, hand-knotted silk and wool rugs, statement-making lighting, original art, custom window treatments, and chic transitional décor. So when «Ordinary Won’t Do,» visit their beautiful 3,000squarefoot showroom at 228 Lee Lane or contact Jennifer DiCerbo for an in-home design consultation.

Jennifer shops design markets in New York, Dallas, and High Point to find the perfect pieces

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for both her design clients and her store. To view her portfolio, visit ShopTheFrenchMix. com, and for new arrivals, “like” The French Mix on Facebook at Facebook.com/ TheFrenchMix. To schedule a design appointment, please call Jennifer DiCerbo at 985-590-9543.

Offering the broadest selection of artisan, decorative, and stone tiles on the Northshore and Southshore, Palatial Stone & Tile has experienced designers with the knowledge to take your residential and

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

commercial projects to the next level. In a market flooded with similarly styled products, Palatial Stone offers a boutique designer showroom filled with unique designs from Artistic Tile, Encore Ceramics, Tabarka, Lunada Bay Tile, Mosaique Surface, and others. Many are oneof-a-kind, handcrafted artisan tiles with coordinating stone.

Architects, designers, contractors and homeowners are invited to view all samples and products available at Palatial. Locally and family owned, Palatial Stone has

served the Greater New Orleans area for over 15 years, operating two fullservice showrooms in Harvey and Covington.

They offer fine custom countertops of natural stone, engineered quartz, and recycled glass fabricated in their Harvey warehouse.

They stock many stone products in Harvey, eliminating the need for extended shipping times.

For more information, stop by a showroom, visit their website, PalatialStone.com, and like them on Facebook.

Call 504-340-2229 (Harvey) or 985-249-6868 (Covington). •

HOME RENEWAL

The Post-K Way How far we’ve come

By Peter Reichard

I

t goes without saying that the levee breaks of aught-five marked a major turning point in New Orleans history. How much it changed us is still hard to say. But 10 years later, it has become clear that the big disaster changed the way we build and renovate – and thereby the way we live. Here are just a few of those ways.

We got higher. Hazard mitigation grants bought plenty of house lifts around town. Houses that once sat at grade now hover over their old foundations. New construction enjoyed a similar trend. Many new houses are built on mounds well above street level. Others deploy an old New Orleans trick: building on piers. In neigh-

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borhoods with a critical mass of new structures, the homes have a more regal bearing as a result – although a few people made the mistake of lifting their homes to an out-of-context extreme.

New construction got better. Many of the homes built in the New Orleans area in the years prior to Katrina were comparatively cheap looking or looked like they could be built in Anywhere, U.S.A. The new construction, in general, benefits from a greater appreciation of classic New Orleans architecture and a better understanding of to replicate it: getting proportions right, installing high-quality windows, using naturallooking materials, etc. To be sure, many new homes leave something to be desired, but the overall trend is positive.

Jason Raish illustration

Lakeview came back bigger. In many respects, Lakeview became like a new subdivision in a prime location. I grew up running the streets of Lakeview, so I can attest that it has never looked as healthy. The houses are also a heck of a lot bigger than they used to be. Kids are crawling all over the place. It’s a happy place again.

Renovators conquered new frontiers. During the past decade, neighborhoods like Mid-City, the Irish Channel, and parts of the Freret Street corridor and Central City have transformed. Major changes are also afoot along St. Claude Avenue. And there seems to be a new residential development announced in the CBD and Warehouse District every couple of weeks.

With the passage of time, it is becoming increasingly apparent that New Orleans’ historic neighborhoods are national treasures.

Newcomers to the city are dazzled and charmed, and many of them are becoming renovators.

Modernism was reborn. In the midst of all the old New Orleans nostalgia, the city caught a bit of a national trend in its appreciation of modern architecture and design.

Some new construction is modern through and through. Some mid-century modern houses have been rehabbed. And some renovators have put thoroughly modern

interiors under classic New Orleans skins.

Energy-efficient technologies took hold. Homeowners have begun experimenting with spray foam and other types of insulation.

Bolstered by some of the nation’s most generous subsidies, solar panels have become a fixture on many a New Orleans rooftop. And, casting aside space-wasting hot water heaters, renovators have embraced the more-efficient tankless variety.

Driveways got creative.

Two trends cropped up as people built new driveways. One was to apply dyes and patterns to the concrete to give driveways a natural stone or brick look. Another was to limit the concrete altogether and use pervious materials, such as gravel. The latter approach gained a following as citizens became increasingly concerned about the need to recharge the water table and slow subsidence.

Every little bit counts.

New trees took root. The disaster of 2005 did heavy damage to the local tree canopy. Volunteers and individual homeowners undertook the massive effort to restore it. To my eye, planters have put special emphasis on native trees, such as cypress. But, regardless of type, there are baby trees everywhere. I look forward to seeing how they look 10 years from now. n New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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Benge Landscape Tommy Benge

By Pamela Marquis

B

enge Landscape understands that outdoor aesthetics are as important as interiors. The company has grown over the years from a two-person operation into a full staff of professionals able to meet every landscaping need from design to maintenance. Owner Tommy Benge says, “Homeowners aren’t just putting in gardens anymore; they’re putting in elaborate pools, outdoor kitchens, fire pits and more. They are truly expanding their living space to include the backyard. Those are fun projects to be a part of building.”

Benge says his relationship with his clients thrives because of the way he works with them to achieve their dream yards: “In our initial visit, I listen for their wants, needs and dreams,” he says. “Those are the basis for our design.

Once I hear the customer, I design around those ideas. ” He says customers achieve results in a professional, timely and affordable manner.

Curb appeal is important, he notes. “It sets the tone for the home. Having a beautiful garden, intimate lighting, and relaxing water feature really sets the stage for the rest of the house. For the homeowner, it is satisfying to have a well designed and maintained garden for your home.”

He says the biggest mistake homeowners make is “not completing the project...We urge customers to consider irrigation and maintenance to their design. I have experienced several customers that spend good money on a landscape project but think they can save money by not installing an irrigation system or invest in a maintenance program. A year later, we are back out there fixing dead and overgrown gardens.

Irrigation and proper maintenance does save in the long run – plus your garden looks great, year-round.”

1720 Mayan Lane | Metairie | 309-2574 | bengelandscape.com

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Craig Mulcahy photo

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Katie Koch Home Katie Koch

By Pamela Marquis

K

atie Koch sources products from places all over the globe, including Amsterdam and Paris, and prides herself on her ability to custom-design interiors based on clients’ individual wants and needs. For 16 years, the New Orleans native has been designing and engineering hand-sewn window treatments; however, over the past five years, she’s expanded her business to include a design showroom with an extensive fabric library and a curated inventory of vintage furniture with an emphasis on Mid-Century modern pieces.

“I get my inspiration from a desire to cultivate products that evoke a sense of awkwardness,” she says. “That may sound a tad silly, but I love to find the oddball piece in the room – the gawky and the awkward. These pieces continually make your question your thinking and ensure you never tire of them!”

In her showroom, Koch has created a space for clients to connect with new, emerging designers from around the world. “I believe that today, more so than ever, people are searching for unique products that tell a story, not just about the artist behind them, but also the culture and history that influenced its design.”

Offering fabrication is important, she says, “because it allows me to design and create products from start to finish that I love. I also can safeguard the process and ensure the production is in line with my own values by working with a team of local seamstresses who are paid fair wages and enjoy what they do. We are like a family ... On top of that, it allows me to take creative risks and ensure that the final result maintains the same quality as the fabrics I began with.”

1117 Josephine St. | 410-1450 | katiekochhome.com Craig Mulcahy photo

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Home Décor Kitchen & Bath Lisa Lin

By Pamela Marquis

H

ome Décor – Kitchen & Bath was founded in 2005, and since its beginning, it has offered the area fine wood cabinets, gleaming granite countertops, vanities, faucets, stainless kitchen and bar sinks and more.

Lisa Lin, principal, says when she meets clients she likes to discuss the following: the style they are interested in – whether it’s contemporary or traditional; their budget for the cabinets and countertops; their color choice for others things in the kitchen. “We need to consider many things such as paint color, floor color and wall color for the best color coordination,” she says.

What sets the business apart, she says is that “Not only are we able to create and suggest new trendy kitchen styles to each customer, but we can also duplicate any style that interests our customers.

Customized hoods are one of our specialties.”

Lin says she and her staff are especially excited about the new Monroe Cream Glaze cabinets: They are in a “beautiful off-white color.” She also notes that the Shaker White cabinets have been one of the company’s top sellers. “They have have attracted customers nationwide. In addition, our new Cunningham Grey, which are gray cabinets, will be available by September.

We know they will be a big hit.”

10920 East I-10 Service Rd | 733-6955

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Craig Mulcahy photo

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Mattix Cabinet Works Manson and Paul Mattix

By Pamela Marquis

L

ocally owned for three generations, Mattix Cabinet Works started 70 years ago building cypress shutters for French Quarter homes. Now it offers in-house design, including a wide selection of cabinets, countertops and appliances (and installation). In addition, they use 20/20 kitchen designing software, which allows customers to see their new rooms prior to making any purchases. Manson and Paul Mattix, their families and staff know and appreciate the importance of their deep local roots.

“Because of the eclectic tastes of the customers in and around New Orleans most of our jobs are ordered custom, “ says Paul Mattix. “We offer a vast variety of door styles, wood species, paint, stains and other finish techniques so we can satisfy our customers’ specific tastes and styles. Our customers are wanting creative design, unique storage solutions and quality American-made products,” the Mattixes say.

The company is excited to be a dealer for Wellborn Cabinets, a well-respected national manufacturer that produces a wide range of product in every quality and price category. They also take pride in their offerings of Shiloh All-Wood Cabinetry with inset doors in almost any wood or finish you could imagine.

These experts say that custom cabinets make absolute sense when the “design desires, color schemes,and unique features required cannot be obtained from a stock product or semi-custom product. If you can draw it, we can likely get it manufactured.

415 N. Solomon St. | New Orleans |486-7218 | mattixcabinet.com 68425 Hwy. 59 Suite 1| Mandeville |(985) 893-2355 Craig Mulcahy photo

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EXPERT ADVICE

Adda Carpet & Flooring

Floor & Decor

Tile in Style Flooring, tile and stone trends this fall

By Andrea Blumenstein

N

ew Orleans is a port city that straddles the Mississippi River, creating a distinct set of conditions that influence construction in a region where much of the land is below sea level. Because of this situation, New Orleans proper and its surrounding neighborhoods enjoy a variety of home designs as historic structures and modern construction intersect to create the landscape of the Gulf South. The myriad architectural designs create an interesting palate for both renovations and for

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those creating new structures, and the flooring options for these projects are no exception.

As the Crescent City approaches its 300th anniversary, the creativity and diversity of floor covering is evident as new homes and businesses are constructed amid the breathtaking creations of the past. Regardless of old or new, when it comes to selection flooring, the union of function and form heavily influences decisions.

Laura Hobbs, Sales Associate at Pieri Tile & Marble Co., notes that the most popular products

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in the store at the moment are uniquely shaped tiles.

“Using an arabesque or a standard square or rectangles in a new way to create a pattern appeals to many of our buyers.”

Similarly, at Stafford Tile & Stone, owner Peggy Stafford explains how people love custom mosaics from brands like Walker Zanger and New Ravenna.

“Another local favorite that I carry,” she says, “are these wonderful handcrafted, patterned terra cotta tiles.”

As buyers move away from natural wood, porcelain planks that resemble wood flooring are growing in popularity.

Chris Judge of Adda Carpet & Flooring attributes this popularity to the fact that “The looks of these planks can vary dramatically, from classic mahogany or cherry, to aged and distressed barnwood.”

For traditionalist, the classic white never goes out of style, as evidenced by the continued popularity of items such as Bianco Carrara marble or basic white ceramic subway tile that continues to be the front-runner for home owners, builders and house flippers shopping at Floor & Decor.

Tile continues to be a mainstay for areas of high traffic as they can endure a lot of wear and tear and are incredibly easy to clean. Stafford Tile & Stone promotes inlaid large format porcelain tiles selected from their array of hand-made local products.

“Some new patters can be done with water jet on the

porcelains,” says Stafford, “So you get not only a durable product, but also something unique and interesting.”

At Palatial Stone & Tile, “Customers have been drawn to our hand painted terracotta tiles and new cement tile lines, both can be customized to your unique color scheme and design. White marbles such as Calacatta, Carrara & Thassos are also very popular right now, their beauty is timeless,” says Audrey Manning, design specialist.

Kitchens are notorious for heavy traffic but are also growing as the “hearth” in homes where families and friends gather. For this reason, the open kitchen is a priority for many embarking on a renovation, with the floor as a key component.

“I typically favor porcelain tile for kitchens and other high traffic areas,” says Judge, “There are so many colors and textures to choose from – some terrific natural stone looks.” For a more contemporary look, Judge suggests an ultra-large porcelain tile as they have fewer grout lines effectively making a “seamlessly stunning appearance.”

For those seeking value, the best bang for your buck at Floor & Decor also comes in porcelain. “We’ve got an awesome selection of porcelain penny tile starting at $2.99 each that can’t be beat!” says Swenson.

“So much style for so little money. We also have a white arabesque mosaic that’s super trendy right New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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Pieri Tile & Marble Co.

now for only $3.79 each.”

Stafford recently traveled to hand-select pallets of marble tiles. Although this might not traditionally be considered among the list of “bargain” products, Stafford explains how the best value at Stafford Tile & Stone is currently Calcatta marble tiles in 18-by-18 inches and veined Cararra tiles in 20-by20-inch sizes. “These are great because it is often difficult to get the best, cleanest look for a very good price.”

“A great value is the use of remnants,” says Hobbs, “but this is not a real possibility for flooring.

For flooring, ceramic tile is the product your are looking for.Tile floors will give you the impact you are looking for at a lower cost per square foot.”

A softer look is possible with carpeting. Carpet is economical and boasts several advancements in current times. Pet-proof carpeting is one of these advancements, and when installed with pet-proof padding it is a smart choice for either pet spills or other liquids like wine. “I really love the delustered, low-pile carpets that are a twin for wool, but are much

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Stafford Tile & Stone

more economical and easier to care for,” says Judge.

For a permanent investment, Pieri Tile & Marble Co. offers stone flooring. “They will always be in style,” says Hobbs. “A great pattern or unique shape will help the floors stand out. A hexagon is a classic pattern that we are seeing a lot more of these days.”

Manning at Palatial Stone says, “Natural stone floors can last a lifetime. No two pieces are alike and its beauty is unparalleled...Natural stone also adds excellent resell value to your home. Stone floors can be vacuumed or dust-mopped frequently to remove debris from the surface. Natural stone should be cleaned with neutral p.H cleaners; stone cleaners should never contain acids as they will etch and eventually damage the surface.” She also suggests sealing your natural stone if you go that route, because it provides stain protection and acts as a moisture barrier. “The lifespan of sealers varies from product to product, so it’s always best to reference the manufacturer’s literature for specific duration of protection.”

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Floor and Decor sells a line of Dupont sealers that are top of the line. As market trends continue to reinforce the fact that natural stone increases value, homeowners will do well to take the time for proper maintenance.

“Cleaning with a stone specific cleanser so you don’t prematurely strip off that sealer is paramount,” says Swenson. “Resealing every three to five years, depending on the product you sealed with, is nonnegotiable…[Natural stone] is a bit more work, money and maintenance, but nothing man-made will truly give you the look and feel of natural stone. It’s well-worth the investment.”

Regardless of new or old construction, the appeal of Old World Southern is undeniable. At Adda Carpet & Flooring, this effect can be achieved in the entire house by installing smoked oak woods with a hand-waxed polish, suggests Judge.

“If money were no object,” shares Stafford, “I would choose the new Aurora Collection in my showroom. This mosaic line delicately details with 24 carat gold accents with strips of Mother of Pearl.

With this line, a customer could even design their own pattern of mosaic and fulfill a very personal dream of their own.”

As many people move toward greener living, engineered wood is a viable substitution for traditional hardwood.

Also called composite or man-made wood,

these planks are created from fusing the scraps of fibers and particles of a variety of woods with adhesives to make a new product.

Stafford Tile & Stone also boasts a variety of LEED certified products that are very eco-friendly.

Notably, the glass tile line from Oceanside Glasstile is fantastic for those committed to sustainability and recycling as they use 80 percent post consumer waste in many of their glass tile products.

The internet enables even a novice designer to envision their dream home. “Houzz is an extremely useful site for gathering design ideas,” shares Judge, “thousands of pictures are posted from around the world…including some of my own.” A customer recently made an impression when she walked into the Adda Carpet & Flooring showroom with a Houzz picture of a natural stone tile shower. “She asked if I knew where to find this gorgeous tile … and out of literally thousands of pictures posted she had chosen a photo I just posted of my own master bath renovation.”

Working with customers to bringing their dreams to life is a part of her job that Laura Hobbs embraces, and the rise of social media and Pinterest is a great way for many to find their voice. Whatever your desire, with a little research and some help from experts, the perfect flooring is within reach. n New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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Advertising Resource Directory

building materials Adda Carpets and Flooring 5480 Mounes St. Harahan 504/736-9001 addacarpetsandflooring.com Palatial Stone 2052 Paxton St. Harvey 504/340-2229 2033 N. Highway 190, Suite 9 Covington 985/249-6868 palatialstone.com Pieri Tile & Marble Co. Inc. 3622 Toulouse St. New Orleans 504/488-1509 pieritile.com Strong Shied Siding 26 Hickman St. Kenner 504/575-3217 sidingmyhousenow.com financial Gulf Coast Bank & Trust 3221 Behrman Place New Orleans 504/599-5747

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sarafernandez@gulfbank.com 1825 Veterans Blvd.

Metairie 504/556-4232 marcialeone@gulfbank.com

M L M Incorporated 3500 N.Causeway Blvd.,Ste.160 Metairie 504/322-7050 mlm-inc.com

gardening/landscape Benge Landscape 1720 Mayan Ln. Metairie 504/309-2574 bengelandscape.com

Tyson Construction 504-905-1042 zach@tyson-construction.com tyson-construction.com

Exterior Designs, Inc 2903 Octavia St. New Orleans 504/866-0276 exteriordesignsbev.com Mullin Landscape Associates LLC 621 Distributors Row Ste F Harahan 504/275-6617 mullinlandscape.com Home Builder Landcraft Homes 200 Academy Drive 985/651-3007 landcrafthomes.com

New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

home furnishings & accessories Abode 2114 Veterans Blvd.

Metairie 504/266-2135 shopatabode.com Eclectic Home 8211 Oak St. New Orleans 504/866-6654 eclectichome.net Fireside Antiques 14007 Perkins Road Baton Rouge 225/752-9565 firesideantiques.com

Greg Arceneaux Cabinetmakers, Inc. 17319 Norwell Dr. Covington 985-893-8782 gregarceneaux.com JADE 324 Metairie Rd. Metairie 504-875-4420 jadenola.com Katie Koch Home By appointment 1117 Josphine St. New Orleans 504/410-1450 katiekochhome.com Mignon Faget 3801 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-2005 The Shops at Canal Place New Orleans 504/524-2973 Lakeside Shopping Center Metairie 504/835-2244 mignonfaget.com

a d ver tisin g

Modern Market 504/896-2206 3138c Magazine St. New Orleans modernmarketlifestyle.com M2 Studio 504/258-0464 8200 Hampson Street, Suite 320 New Orleans ModernMarketLifestyle.com/ Studio NANO, LLC 432 N. Anthony St., Ste. 303 New Orleans 504-486-3272 nanollc.net Passages Antiques 3939 Magazine St New Orleans 504-899-3883 passages-antiques.com Shades of Blue 3530 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-1575 shadesofblueinc.com Sotre 3933 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/304-9475 sotrenola.com The French Mix 228 Lee Lane Covington 985/809-3152 shopthefrenchmix.com The Historic New Orleans Collection 533 Royal St. New Orleans 504/523-4662 hnoc.org Wilkerson Row 3137 Magazine St. New Orleans 504-899-3311 shaunwilkerson.com Wren’s Tontine Shade & Design 1533 Prytania St. New Orleans

504/525-7409 wrenstontine.com

985/643-5262 coburns.com

504/897-0535 poydrashome.com

HOME IMPROVEMENT Cable Lock Foundation Repair 504-828-2223 Toll Free-888-241-2225 cablelock-la.com

Home Décor 10920 E. I-10 Service Road New Orleans 504/245-8288 hd-kitchenandbath.com

specialists Bayou Closets 2537 North Rampart St. New Orleans 504/944-8388 Rob@BayouClosets.com

Hunter Douglas Window Fashions 800/937-STYLE hunterdouglas.com

Kings Marble and Granite 11 5th St. Gretna 504/366-6680 kingmarbleandgranite.com

SolaTube 11451 Cedar Park Ave. Baton Rouge 225/771-8654 acola.requests@gmail.com Southern Refinishing, LLC 708 Barataria Blvd Marrero 504-348-1770 southernrefinishing.com Insurance LCI Workers’ Comp 1123 N. Causeway Blvd.

Mandeville 985/612-1230 lciwc.com kitchen & bath Cameron Kitchen & Bath Designs Inc. 8019 Palm St. New Orleans 504/486-3759 cameronkitchens.com

Marchand Creative Kitchens 3517 Division St. Metairie 504-888-0695 2180 N. Causeway Blvd Mandeville 985-892-2572 mckitchens.com Mattix Cabinet Works 415 N. Solomon St. New Orleans 504/486-7218 68425 Hwy 59 Suite 1 Just North of I-12 in the Alamosa Business Park Mandeville 985/893-2355 mattixcabinet.com Nordic Kitchens & Baths Inc. 1818 Veterans Blvd.

Metairie 504/888-2300 nordickitchens.com

Campbell Cabinet Co. 220 Hord St. Harahan 504/733-4687 4040 Hwy. 59 Mandeville 985/892-7713 campbellcabinets.com

Stafford Tile & Stone 5234 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/895-5000 4273 Perkins Road Baton Rouge 225/925-1233 staffordtile.com

Coburn Kitchen & Bath Showrooms 3215 28th St. at Causeway Metairie 504/834-8688 1821 Commercial Drive Harvey 504/348-2042 359 Pontchartrain Drive Slidell

retirement living Lambeth House 150 Broadway New Orleans 504/865-1960 lambethhouse.com

California Closets 3211 N. Causeway Blvd.

Metairie 504/828-5705 californiaclosets.com/metairie Davie Shoring Inc. 3 Veterans Blvd.

Kenner 504/464-4712 davieshoring.com Floor & Décor Design Gallery 2801 Magazine St. New Orleans 504/891-3005 4 Westside Shopping Center Gretna 504/361-0501 flooranddecorneworleans.com Garrett Haab- Sculpture Artistry 504/430-1975 garretthaab.com Louisiana Custom Closets 13405 Seymour Meyer Blvd. #24 Covington 985/871-0810 louisianacustomclosets.com Ruffino Custom Closets 110 Campbell Ave. Mandeville 985/809-7623 ruffinocustomclosets.com Russell’s Cleaning Services 3401 Tulane Ave. New Orleans 504-482-3153 3704 Robertson St. Metairie 504-832-1546 russellcleaning.org •

Poydras Home 5354 Magazine St. New Orleans New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles.com

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RESOURCES The area code is 504, unless otherwise noted.

pg. 40

pg. 50

Artist Profile, pg. 18 Ally Burguieres 736 Royal St., (240) 994-0851, galleryburguieres.com Living With Antiques, pg. 24 B. Viz, 195 Locustland Road, St. Joseph, (318) 766-4950, bviz.com Masters Of Their Craft, Pg. 26 “Joy Is Her Calling Card” Lionheart Prints, lionheartprints.net Trendwatch, pg. 31 “Hard Sell” Anthropologie, 333 Canal St., 592-9972, anthropologie.com; H. Rault, 3027 Magazine St., 895-5346; Katie Koch Home, 1117 Josephine St., 410-1450, katiekochhome.com; LCR The Plumbing Warehouse, 1995 Gentilly Blvd., 940-6402, plumbingwarehouse.net.

“New Build Of The Year,” pg. 40 Gina Phillips, ginaphillips.org “Luxe Life,” pg. 50 AKA Stella Gray, 4422 Magazine St., 208-2300, akastellagray.com; Nancy Rhodes Harper, nancyrhodesharper.com.

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New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles Autumn 2015

pg. 58

“Divide & Conquer,” pg. 58 Bockman+Forbes Design, bockmanforbes.com; Powell and Bonnell, powellandbonnell.com; Foscarini, foscarini.com; Dransfield and Ross, dransfieldandross.biz “Design Masters,” pg. 66 Chris Judge, 5480 Mounes St., Harahan, 736-9001, hueybrownskitchen. com; Valorie Hart, valoriehart.com; Blythe Wren, Wren’s Tontine, 1533 Prytania St., 525-7409, wrenstontine.com; Chase Mullin, Mullin Landscape, 621 Distributors Row, 275-6617, mullinlandscape.com; Liz Davey, green. tulane.edu; Matthew Kohnke, MNK Design Build, 5500 Prytania St., #538, studio.mnkdesignbuild.com; Shaun Wilkerson, 3023 Chartres St., 208-7998, shaunwilkerson.com; Joe Pieri, Pieri Tile & Marble, 3622 Toulouse St., 488-1509, pieritile.com; Stephen Guepet, Flambeaux Lighting, 614 N. Causeway Blvd., Metairie, 799-8443.

“Expert Advice,” pg. 104 “Tile in Style” ADDA Carpet & Flooring / Huey Brown’s Kitchens, 5480 Mounes St., Harahan, 736-9001, hueybrownskitchen.com; Floor and Decor, 2801 Magazine St., Suite A, 891-3005; 4 West Side Shopping Center, Gretna, 361-0501, flooranddecor.com; Pieri Tile & Marble, 3622 Toulouse St., 488-1509, pieritile.com; Kings Marble and Granite, 220-9276, 11 5th St., Gretna, 777-3710, kingsmarbleandgranite.com; Palatial Stone, 2052 Paxton St, Harvey, 340-2229, palatialstone.com; Stafford Tile & Stone, 5235 Magazine St., 895-5000, staffordtile.com. n

LAST INDULGENCE

Going Green Add some low-maintenance plant life to your interior space with a terrarium.

By Sarah Ravits

H

ouseplants improve air quality and can reduce stress levels.

If you’re looking for a lowmaintenance yet creative way to incorporate houseplants into your interior décor, consider making or purchasing a terrarium: an enclosed, clear container used

for growing plants. They provide proper conditions for establishing young or small plants or for allowing snipped parts of plants (to take root and grow.

The shapes, sizes and variations are limitless, and you can place them anywhere in your space that’s in need of a little greenery. n Eugenia Uhl Photograph