Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Case Study: A New Orleans Traditional Home Is Updated

The living room the day I came to have a look
Things that I could not change: recently painted walls, and floor color
Everything else could go


A customer walked into perch., the home furnishings store I work in (in New Orleans), and asks for me. She's heard I revitalize rooms with a certain New York, rock and roll glam edge. She asks me to pay a house call, telling me she needs to update her traditional French inspired look she did ten years ago. She told me we could throw everything out and start over.

While the rooms were a little lackluster and dated, there was still alot of good stuff there, and I tell her we are not throwing anything out. We will reupholster and move things around to other parts of the house, and add a some things from perch.

I am doing the 95% of the house, and today I am starting with showing you the front living room. It is a room used mainly for entertaining. There is a family room, a room the husband loves as -is, and in actuality it is very nice, and I decide to keep him happy and leave well enough alone.


The living room today
I gave it my signature New York, rock and roll glam


The first thing I did was edit the contents and rearrange the furniture. Already the client said she could breathe. The pieces I kept were the mirror, the antique settee, the couch, and a little stool. The arm chair is covered in a gorgeous discontinued Bergamo fabric and got moved to a guest room I call "the French woman's bedroom." In fact most of the furnishings moved to this room, including the investment drapes. I just removed the brush fringe to update them a little. The lamp with the half slip left too, but for the moment it was the only light source (other than the windows) in the room.


The furniture was rearranged and edited
The fabulous arm chair covered in Bergamo went upstairs
Note the color of the floor - it inspired the new drapery color

The sad lamp with the half slip was the only light in here
We moved the crystal chandelier from the dining room here
It is original to the house
The dining room is getting a Mouille chandelier



We moved quickly. The project started in the third week of September and the bulk of it was done by December 15th. I have a gift for instantly envisioning a room completely done, and make confident decisions quickly. The client was a dream, trusting me instantly, and able to move quickly as well. Three rooms were done, and a large bar area, and one son's bedroom got an instant update for his homecoming from college. I am now working on a another son's room and the guest bedroom, and some small things in the lady's office.

Furniture from perch. came in right away, and everyone there helped push the project as fast as we wanted to go.

As I said, the lady of the house has two children one aged 8 and one in college, just to give you her age range. She is stylish and very savvy. She loves mid-century modern, color, and metallic, and asked to use chrome somewhere, which I did in other rooms. I took the metallic cue and ran with. We purchased the zinc side tables from Restoration Hardware - they are actually garden pedestals. I placed a pair of gilded French antique lamps here that were moved from the dining room sideboard. I updated them by having the center pole raised and adding a modern shade.


Zinc "side table" is a garden pedestal


Two side chairs from perch.
I reupholstered the seats in vibrant turquoise, a color the client loves
The photograph is from perch. - "Jane Doe" by Lisa Conrad
I decided to keep the sea grass rug



I removed the over stuffed down cushion from the settee
It was reupholstered in white metallic ultra suede -
All fabrics I used come from perch.
Note when we do custom work like this
We "retire" the fabric in New Orleans - we cut it out of the sample book
New Orleans is a small city
perch. wants its customers to truly have one-of-a-kind work


A side table with a built-in lamp was added from Hazelnut
We loved it's mid century vibe
Check out the apricot silk swatch of the drapery fabric
No matter what, the girls in New Orleans want silk drapes from perch.


A metal sculpture was added from perch.
I thought about a sconce, but the scale had to be large
The oversize ottoman is also from perch.
I called Nicole Cohen to make us a large Lucite tray HERE

And the chandelier is in it's new home


A custom painting done by Jack Mayberry from perch.
The colors are inspired by the decor


Painting by Jack Mayberry


The Lucite tray designed by Nicole Cohen arrives!
Silver chrome studs give it rock star edge
A custom green silk pillow from perch. replaced the furry beasts


Detail of custom pillow
I chose this luscious fabric from perch.
The perch. fabric room has a half a million samples



The stairs are the first thing you see when you come in the front door
They had ten year old sea grass on them
I replaced that with an antelope pattern carpet runner
The window had a foofy balloon shade that had to go
I replaced it with an apricot silk Roman shade

Jack's painting hangs next to this window

There is no room for an entry table

The stairs, the shade, and the painting become an important focal point



Elegant antelope print carpet stair runner from perch.


Key elements include:
An infusion of color
Visual Vamp glam
Apricot silk drapes from perch.

Luxe fabrics and furnishings from perch.
(check out the little stool recovered in leopard raffia)

A mix of old and new

Interesting art work

Mixed metals


If you like, I'll show you another room from this house next week.

I am so blessed to have a stylish client seek me out with a project like this, and colleagues, Caroline Robert and Jack Mayberry at perch. I have never been happier!

Call us at perch.
There are three of us there doing the design chores, and you are bound to click with one of us!
504 899 2122

Please take a look at Susan's weekly feature Metamorphosis Monday HERE

36 comments:

  1. I would never leave...I would want to throw a big party!
    Seriously. How fab is that place..you sure infused some life ---very Happy home.
    pve

    ReplyDelete
  2. Love, love, love it! Wow! I love the color you brought into the space with the curtains and other fabrics. Did I mention that I love it! I would love to post a few of the pictures on my blog with your permission.

    Thanks,
    Courteney
    http://designbebe.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  3. Love it!! The colors are fabulous!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. This is really beautiful with little punch and clarity. I think this is exactly how design is moving...away from all the gray, toward a chic elegance with some lively color. Those apricot curtains are the best. Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Just saw my typo on my previous comment. I meant to say "a little punch and clarity". It is a wonderful space.

    ReplyDelete
  6. V—looks fantastic! I bet she feels like she has an entirely new house.

    Also, I love that Perch retires fabrics—reminds me of a designer making sure socialites don't show up to the ball in the same gown!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Love it, you have a wonderful talent!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Absolutely LOVE the apricot silk panels, two turq print side chairs and that FAB over-sized lucite tray!!! You definitely "rocked the house!!" VV!!

    :D Lynda

    ReplyDelete
  9. Diggin' the apricot! It is fearless and inspiring. Keep it up Valorie ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Those draperies !!
    That did it ... I have to do that .. fabulous room !

    ReplyDelete
  11. Love it! Your style is always so fresh and exciting. I know the homeowner must be all smiles when she walks in the door. Congrats on such a great job!

    ReplyDelete
  12. YOU are a rockstar! You know I love this... I think you hit it out of the park!

    ReplyDelete
  13. You have every right to be happy! The room is beautiful! I'm so glad to see you using color. This room makes me smile! Great job!

    ReplyDelete
  14. WOW! fabulous Valorie!! tres chic!

    xoxo

    Kit

    ReplyDelete
  15. WOW! fabulous Valorie!! tres chic!

    xoxo

    Kit

    ReplyDelete
  16. Just love the energy and spunk that the injection of color adds to this space. Great work! I know your clients are thrilled.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Valorie, you are absolutely amazing! You have breathed new life and color and verve into this place. You are quite a formidable decorating force! xo

    ReplyDelete
  18. Love for you to be part of my "February Love" - care to share this room or something you love....that you are working on...
    pve

    ReplyDelete
  19. Valorie-The doings in your blog right now are nothing short of Delicious! Strong work!!
    Robin Case

    ReplyDelete
  20. so major. i am absolutely DYING over those stairs.
    and the peachy orange curtains..yum.

    ReplyDelete
  21. On this dreary winter day I really could use some rock n roll or maybe a little hip-hop vibe to my decor. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  22. Valorie, You did an amazing job! All of the added special elements including superb works of art add the unique glam.

    Oh and love the color palette!

    Be sure to enter my amazing Giveaway from Splenderosa!

    xoxo
    Karena
    Art by Karena
    !

    ReplyDelete
  23. Love the antelope print stair runner!!
    metal studded lucite tray...Jack's painting...etc etc.
    Glad to see you having fun!!
    xoxo
    Jesssica

    ReplyDelete
  24. Valorie- What a refresh! This house looks stunning! The orange drapes and amazing.

    Loretta

    ReplyDelete
  25. Mz V......WOWOWOW Girlie...you did a fabo job infusing your style and bringing life to the tired room! Love love love what you did!
    xo

    ReplyDelete
  26. Totally amazing! Truly love the elegance of the tufted bench (so Monroe) with the studded lucite tray (so VV Rock Queen)! Also love the pop of pink tied to the drapes with the floral motif.. VV just keeps on rocking! xoxo Linda

    ReplyDelete
  27. you
    NEVER cease to amaze me.

    you are amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    GORGEOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    i can't wait to see the dining room wiht the light fixture - genius!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  28. this is truly gorgeous, Your use of color is spot on. Love all the texture, What a lucky lady to have you on board!! Kathysue

    ReplyDelete
  29. ... Valorie, I thought the FIRST pic was something I was supposed to "LIKE", and I almost GASPED out LOUD in "shock"!!! Luckily tho, I "stayed with it", and WOW! WHAT A DIFFFFFERENCE you've made for these homeowners, Valorie!!! Absolutely STUNNING changes~ LOVE them!!!

    That'll teach ME to try to watch a movie with Jim ANNNND look at blogs at the same time!!!!!!!

    NICE GOIN', GIRLFRIEND!!!!!!!

    Linda in AZ *
    bellesmom1234@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
  30. miaow, valorie!

    i admit i sorta liked the old lady parlor you started with, and even the bloomers on the lamp, but you did such a great job with the new look that it is a different world, and yet the same lovely room. magic!

    hello to alberto, and aarrff to cholo. m

    michael/bagelbrookefarm

    ReplyDelete
  31. I am seriously, seriously awe-struck. This is so totally what I am trying to do in my oh-so traditional and antique-laden home. I look at the pieces you've added and I can say to myself, "of course, that's it...!" but I can't get there myself...

    thanks a million for the inside look. so much to take away.

    and of course, we want MORE.

    you rock.

    donna

    ReplyDelete
  32. What a wow. I am swooning over here.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I wouldn't say this is New York or Rock and Roll, but beautiful, vibrant girly glam. Who wouldn't die to live here?! Gorgeous!!!

    ReplyDelete
  34. OH! MY! GAWD! My hair is blown back!! Such an incredible update I cannot catch my breath! That stair runner, the lucite tray [she is a genius] and Jack's art, along with the drapes, the pillow, moving the chandy, update on the lamps...I am STILL trying to take it ALL in. Do I want to see more? Hell YES!! but please don't make me wait until next week!!! Completely STUNNING, Valorie...COMPLETELY!!!

    ReplyDelete
  35. Absolutely incredible! So gorgeous! I want to move right in!!!
    Lucky person who lives there!

    xoxo V.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Somehow I missed this post when you first put it up. I love what you have done this room and the other you posted today. You made the rooms exciting. it has your touch all over it. I want to see more of this home. I would have never thought that the color of those curtains would be the way to go ...but they are. I really love that huge ottoman. I'm so wanting one of those. Beautiful work.

    ReplyDelete