Monday, June 28, 2010

A Sure Thing In New Orleans


I am always thrilled to see New Orleans featured in a major magazine! The July/August issue of Elle Decor features a beautiful New Orleans home decorated by Tommy Clements.

The family room: Victoria Hagen wing chair and antique Chinese table
Where have I seen this before Joni? Love the white slips and a lantern on the coffee table!

Another family room in the same vein by Joni Webb -
Hello Elle! Call Joni!!


Louis XIV armchairs in the family room upholstered in De Le Cuona linen

Tommy kept the palette neutral and the window treatments spare, using simple bronze rods hung with off-white linen.

Linen drapes on bronze rods

The owner is a New Orleans native, but wanted to stay away from a typical New Orleans look, which she thinks can be heavy on period French antiques, major chandeliers, family portraits, and gilt. Tommy agreed that "New Orleans can feel a little one note".

No family portraits, but rather a beautiful tortoise shell over an antique desk


Still there remains a sense of the city's heritage with a handful of French pieces.

In the living room, the bench in front of the window is actually lime green
The animal print on the stool is Ralph Lauren Home

To mix it up in the monochromatic palette, bursts of color are used in the living room via fabrics and art work.

Holly Hunt coffee table

The dining area is open to the kitchen, and there are three modern glass lamps over the table, a playful alternative to a formal chandelier.

Above: Three modern glass lamps instead of a formal French chandelier

Below: Dining room chairs upholstered in Ralph Lauren Home fabric
The bed in the master bedroom has the typical Uptown girl Leontine Linens

The master bedroom is huge and has a deep balcony that puts you eye level with the trees. The house backs up to Audubon Park, which is essentially the back yard.


Below: 17th century Italian bench in the master bath
and a Turkish Oushak carpet, part of a new collection the owner has acquired
The kitchen has marble counter tops and copper pots, and a striking yellow painting
Unfortunately the artist is not named in the article
The chrome stools are Knoll

Go out and get your copy of Elle Decor today. Blogs do not replace magazines! Especially with small scanned images like these! Blogs only entice you, and enhance what magazines tirelessly offer to us month after month. Nothing can replace the pleasure of holding a magazine or a book in your hands.

"A Sure Thing" is written by Julia Reed a fabulous writer and resident of New Orleans who knows a thing or two about doing up an old house here. So get the July/August issue of Elle Decor so you can read the entire article.

20 comments:

  1. What a gorgeous, gorgeous home!! So well done and serene. Why, oh why, must I fill my house with so much color and stuff!? Another good lesson for me. Off to find this issue of Elle Decor because of course, my subscription copy has not arrived. Thanks for a beautiful post - happy Sunday!

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  2. I love it - it is clean, sophisticated and not over done.
    Off to pick up my own copy of Elle Decor....
    pve

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  3. You do your city well! Lovely home. Understated yet elegant!

    Thanks for the tour....may have to get me the mag!

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  4. Patricia summed it up best, 'sophisticated'. I love the muted hues and the occasional pop of color. Val you are so right, nothing replaces the feel & joy of a magazine that you can hold in your hands. I asked my husband yesterday if I should toss out of huge collection of periodicals that I've saved for 10 years when we move. Thank god he said no, keep them. Now that's a man after my own heart!

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  5. Breathtakingly( is that a word? Is now!) lovely!

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  6. WOW! Just...Wow!

    New Orleans homes always have that je ne sais quoi!

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  7. I am waaaaiiiiittttinnnnng for my copy! :)
    It is lovely, BUT so looks like 'everything' else out there neutral. I understand it, but part of the charm of NOLA, is its rich heritage! I was just thinking the other day that we are seeing less and less of the different influences our country has, we all want to be the same, sad really. all THAT to say, that I do like it anyway!
    xoxo

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  8. I love how this all looks, but I'm quite sure I'd have to throw all my belongings out to get even close to this look. My problem, I love the pieces I have,even thought they me be out of date, I have no budget. I really rely on paint and fabric to redecorate. I'll need to think of a re-vamping (forgive me for "vamping). Thanks Valerie.

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  9. I looked throught the whole post...beautiful images, but I couldn't get my mind off of the coffee table in the first few pics. There is just something about the grace of the legs and the rich color of the wood, that I just love. I liked what Renae said...we should seek to be independent of some of the trends. After all, that's what makes it interesting. BTW, Valorie, I changed my header!

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  10. Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful sophisticated and rich

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  11. Gorgeous Val, love the lighting and clean lines of the window treatments. The art is fabulous of course!!

    Karena
    Art by Karena

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  12. Delicious.
    And the gorgeous french doors and high ceilings let you know you are in New Orleans...

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  13. Okay, all you had to say was "New Orleans" "deep balcony backing up to Audubon Park" and "Julia Reed".

    I'm buying it. Thanks for the heads up!!

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  14. new follower- love the blog...gorgeous post!

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  15. Welcome EmmyLou!

    And thank you everyone for your comments, and for buying Elle Decor!

    xo xo

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  16. These images are lovely....but have you seen the latest cover of House Beautiful? A la purple & red?? It reminds me of the little old lady purple/red hat society;)!

    Kelli
    http://houseofjoleigh.blogspot.com/

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  17. Beautiful rooms. I'm smitten by the crest type design on the back and front of the gray chairs. Is that already on the fabric or was it added later?

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  18. Clean and contemporary. Refreshing!

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