The House On First Street Is For Sale

Julia Reed and her husband John are selling their famous house on First Street in New Orleans. I say famous, because of the post Katrina memoir Julia wrote.

Photo by Sara Essex Bradley for New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles

The book blurb: "After fifteen years of living like a vagabond on her reporter's schedule, Julia Reed got married and bought a house in the historic Garden District. Four weeks after she moved in, Hurricane Katrina struck. The House on First Street is the chronicle of Reed's remarkable and often hilarious homecoming, as well as a thoroughly original tribute to our country's most original city."

The House on First Street is a wonderful read

So I guess with a track record of fifteen years of living on the road as a reporter, it seems to be time for Julia to move on again. It's going on eight years since Katrina. For one with wanderlust maybe a forever house has a shorter expiration date.

When I read the book (which I loved) I was so curious to see the inside of the house. I got a chance as an invited plus one to a party Julia and John hosted in their home. I was such a geeky blogger and fan, so of course I did a post about it HERE

The House on First Street is listed for $2,995,000.

I did a second post when the house was published in Elle Decor. I also had a chance to go inside the house again when I styled a photo shoot of Julia and John's kitchen (and wrote the story) for New Orleans Homes and Lifestyles.

Julia writes that the dining room went through a parade of paint colors. "Before it was all over we put at least ten coats of paint, including two shades of coral, one shade of gray, three shades of brown, and four shades of blue." She says, "We had already bought a dining table that seats twenty-four from Patrick Dunne."

I happened to by driving across First Street the other day and saw the "for sale" sign. I was amazed and a little sad. But on the other hand I am hoping that Julia and John are moving on to something even more fabulous in their lives.

A powder room

So I collected all the photos from the real estate listing, so we can have a last peek into The House on First Street. If you have read the book, you will really enjoy these photos.

The enclosed back porch is a pretty sun room.  A chintz called Floral Bouquet (2003101, $198 per yard, Lee Jofa) is very similar to what Julia uses on the arm chairs and pillows

Do you move house frequently? What's the shortest time you lived in one home, or the longest? It doesn't matter if you are a renter or an owner. A home is a home. We have been in our current home since 2004, a year before Katrina. So far we are blessed to be able to stay in it, and I think it has the feeling of forever. For now ha ha.

Another bathroom

The master? Note the Suzani on the bed and the Aubusson carpet

An upper balcony -A beautiful porch & this balcony overlook First Street

Another bathroom (there are five)

This looks like a guest room

The side yard - The garden house shed could be converted to a guest house

Julia uses a palette of white flowers with greenery

The brick driveway

A better view of the shed that could be turned into a guest house

There is a lawn too

And a slate patio

The kitchen that I called a soft renovation HERE

The famous front parlor - Julia says, "I'd been preparing for owning some house, somewhere, sometime for so long that I'd saved every World of Interiors and House and Garden magazine since I was twenty.
More than a year before I laid eyes on the house, I had bought (on the layaway plan at a local antique store) the pair of gilt Regency benches I now knew would go in the front parlor."

Julia Reed's New Orleans library with Claremont's Georges Le Manach Mortefontaine Gris fabric on a pair of armchairs - Read more in an article by Sara Ruffin Costello HERE

Here's a nicer photo of Julia Reed's chintz chairs by Paul Costello for the WSJ

From the listing: "One of the finest properties in the garden district. Exquisite home & yard. Magnificent architectural details-wonderful rooms for entertaining which open onto beautiful gardens which are perfect for outside entertaining"

I hope you enjoyed another look into The House on First Street.


Hover over any image to Pin it.

Please add my NEW address to your blog list:

http://thevisualvamp.blogspot.com
And please become a Follower again (or for the first time) on this newer VV blog