New Orleans Architecture
I had the good fortune of visiting New Orleans a few weeks ago. The city had been on the top of my US cities to visit list for years for a variety of reasons, one being the architecture. I was not disappointed!
I want to share some photos with you to offer a small peek of the wealth of architectural styles you can find in New Orleans. While the architecture in the French Quarter – two to four story brick buildings with wrought iron balconies and galleries – is what usually comes to mind when New Orleans is mentioned, there is so much more. There are the Creole cottages and shotgun houses and raised center hall homes.
The Garden District and Uptown offer a huge variety of architecture, from Greek Revival to Art Deco, with a few modern designs thrown into the mix. If you’re an architecture buff, taking the St. Charles street car all the way to the end is a must.
Victorians on St. Charles
Here are some of my random thoughts about New Orleans architecture.
Stained Glass Palm Trees
Stately Entrance
I love the stained glass windows depicting palm trees. This house is in the Garden District and is one of the last houses in the area to be renovated. This area wasn’t greatly affected by Katrina, so the house is in disrepair from general neglect.
It seemed that with many houses, the architect couldn’t decide what style to use, so he/she put some Victorian touches here and some Colonial touches there. The photo to the right is one such hodge-podge. But I think it works.
This house has it all!
Wrought Iron Corn Fence
Many of the houses have double balconies. What struck me was that the support columns on each level were a different type of column. In the left photo, you’ll notice Ionic columns on the first floor and Corinthian columns on the second floor balcony.
The vast array of designs in the wrought iron fencing and railing is incredible. I was told the Corn Fence in the photo to the right was selected because it was the most expensive design available, and the home owners wanted to impress.
Boston Design Center – BDC To Go
I got a sneak peek of the new open-to-the-public showroom while I was at the Boston Design Center today. BDC To Go is called a showroom – but it’s actually a store – a store that sells home furnishings and decorative items from the trade showrooms in the design center.
BDC To Go is a permanent “treasure hunt”, an event the Boston Design Center used to hold semi-annually. Now, anyone can go to the design center anytime throughout the year and actually buy furniture.
The inventory consists of “samples” from the various showrooms. The pieces are floor models or incorrectly-ordered or over-ordered or discontinued items. All the items are priced at least $1 below the net price and are automatically marked down every 30 days (reminiscent of the original Filene’s Basement). If an item isn’t sold after 90 days, it’s either returned to the showroom or donated to charity.
There were some interesting pieces, and, considering it’s in the design center, many of the prices were reasonable. While most of the pieces are for homes, there are some items that can be used in offices or other commercial spaces.
There’s also a BDC To Go online store; there’s some overlap between what’s online and what’s in the showroom.
BDC To Go is a brilliant idea. Check it out. Perhaps you’ll find the perfect piece of furniture or accessory!
Small Apartments, Small Spaces
On today’s boston.com site, there’s a photo gallery of some Boston area (and some Manhattan) small spaces apartments that are currently available for rent. Each of these examples is 500 sf or less.
A few of the photos and descriptions offer some excellent ideas on how to best use these small spaces. A fabric screen, tautly suspended between the ceiling and floor, separates the bedroom from the living room in one photo. In another, a counter peninsula separates the kitchen from the living room; the chairs at the counter can be used for dining or can be turned around to provide additional seating in the living area.
Strategically placing a large mirror can make a space seem larger. It gives the illusion of more space, and all the light it reflects will make the room feel airier.
Another suggestion from the gallery is to have a built-in wall bed. I’ve discussed an interesting wall bed option in an earlier post.
For more small space tips, click on the “Small Spaces” category on this blog’s sidebar or just click here.
Charles & Ray Eames, American Masters
PBS’s American Masters series has debuted an excellent documentary, Charles & Ray Eames: The Architect and the Painter, about the lives and work of Charles and Ray Eames, true American Masters.
I watched the film last night. As a Mid-Century/Modern fan and an ardent admirer of the Eameses’ work, I thought the film would only rehash what I already knew. Yes, it covers their designs, projects, films, etc., but the film also offers an extremely insightful and candid look at their personalities and personal lives.
Here is a 2:17 minute clip to whet your appetite…
To watch the documentary in its entirety, it may still be showing on your local PBS station. Or you can watch it online .
Interior Design Blog Back From Hiatus
After being on hiatus for a period of time, I’ve resumed posting on my interior design blog. I plan to ramp up my blogging about new finds, design tips, and other interesting design and architecture information.
My design blog has been fully integrated into the newly-renovated On The Move Interiors’ website. Just like your home or office, after a while, websites begin to look dated and don’t accurately reflect a business’s evolving life. As On The Move Interiors approaches its sixth anniversary, a website renovation was definitely in order.
On the newly-updated site, you’ll find images of a sampling of our projects, showing the variety of aesthetic styles we’ve worked with and the breadth of our design services. If you’re inclined to linger on the site, you can read some of the back-story for each example. By hovering over any photo on the Portfolio pages, you can click on the “More Info” icon to see more photos and information about the selected project. In many cases, you’ll also see Before and After shots.
Enjoy browsing the new website and this interior design blog. Come back often for new blog posts.
And of course, contact On The Move Interiors for all your residential and commercial interior design needs. We provide à la carte interior design services customized for each of our client’s unique needs and tastes.
