home & garden
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. most of us, this place is in his blood, and there’s no use fighting it. It was a different type of full-circle moment for Sonia when they moved here. Born in Chile, Sonia came to Louisiana by way of California. She also spent time in Brazil where she became a veterinarian and worked to develop vaccines for pets. Sonia describes her transition to living in this area as a sort of homecoming. “It is warm here, it is colorful, people are nice,” she says. “It reminds me of my time in Brazil when I was young.” During her years living and working in California, Sonia traveled extensively bringing home treasures from around the world. “In those days it was easier to bring things into the U.S. I used to get extra suitcases to bring things home!” A petite lady with a splashy presence, she has an impeccable green thumb. Sonia personally planted all the azaleas around the couple’s five-acre estate and added the central fountain in the front of the house. She has amassed an orchid collection over the years so big that it requires its own greenhouse; another greenhouse is dedicated to easy-care bromeliads. These tropical plants enjoy the summers outside in the gardens, adding color and pattern to the array of native plants that form the background of the estate. The classical styling of the house provides an ideal structure for the fullness of the gardens, which spill over into the interior with plants sprinkled throughout the living spaces. The traditional front entryway, with its mahogany door and marble tiled floor, gives way to a symmetrical arrangement of formal parlor with a French clock and silver tea set, and classical English library filled with books and a tiger oak cabinet from St. Joseph Abbey. In another full-circle experience, Dr. Marx was a student at the Abbey in his youth and was happy to welcome this piece in his home. Guests can retreat to the four upstairs suites and find themselves in total privacy, with access to the second floor balconies for admiring the view of the pond and creek. Even upstairs, no surface is unadorned. Mardi Gras memorabilia fills one suite. A countryside theme fills another. Oak flooring on both floors becomes a Continued on page 27 Sophisticated Woman | August 2017
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