American Horror Story Houses in New Orleans

American Horror Story Coven was filmed in New Orleans, so I thought I would show you some of houses that were used, in honor of Halloween. If you haven't seen the show you can get the brilliant re-caps from Jenny Andrews at MFAMB Home, HERE and HERE

One of the houses featured is the LaLaurie Mansion in the French Quarter. It's on all the walking tours, and known as the most haunted house in New Orleans. It's at 1140 Rue Royal if you are in town. Nicholas Cage bought it in 2007, and lost it to foreclosure in 2009. It has recently been bought by Michael Whalen and decorated to the nines by the fabulous Katie Stassi-Scott. You can read a terrific article by Susan Lagenhennig HERE. The photos shown from that article are by Chris Granger.

New Orleans locations are used for American Horror Story Coven - Here's a shot (from MFAMB Home) of Kathy Bates who plays Madame LaLaurie, walking down Royal Street in the  French Quarter with Jessica Lange, who plays the head honcho witch Fiona

LaLaurie Mansion today - photo by Chris Granger

In the TV show they are using the exterior of the Gallier House in the French Quarter for shots of LaLaurie Mansion

 

The TV show is actually using the Hermann-Grima house for the LaLaurie interior scenes

The parlor of the Hermann Grima House where Katy Bates "lives" as Madame LaLaurie

In the episode’s opening scenes in Madame Lalaurie’s parlor, the Hermann-Grima’s yellow walls, red curtains and crystal chandelier are noticeable. This house is an 1831 Federal mansion, designated as a National Historic Landmark, and also operated as a historic house museum. The Hermann-Grima House has the only 1830s open-hearth kitchen and horse stable still in existence in the French Quarter and has been painstakingly restored to depict the lifestyle of an affluent Creole family in 1830s New Orleans. The house is open to the public for tours.

Kathy Bates as Madame LaLaurie in her mansion

Another great house used in the series is Maison Vitry a splendidly decaying manor located in the  Treme neighborhood. The house was built in 1855 by a free woman of color and features all the accouterments of New Orleans’ Golden Age: 14-foot ceilings, faux-bois treatments, cast ironwork and original moldings. The house is furnished with an eclectic mix of antiques, lots of gold-leaf and truly reflects the decaying splendor that is New Orleans. The house is available for rental at $350 a night, with a minimum three-night stay, and open for tours by appointment.

We’ve seen Maison Vitry in episodes 2 and 3 so far, when Fiona visits Marie Laveau at her salon/voodoo parlor and Cordelia does the same seeking help with her fertility problem.

This is another location in a fabulous house Maison Vitry aka Marie Laveau’s Cornrow City Salon
Corner of Dumaine and N. Prieur streets in Treme

Angela Basset plays Marie Laveau (and the owner of Cornrow City) in American Horror Story Coven

 Now let's take a look at the real LaLaurie Mansion as it today - Katie Stassi-Scott worked miracles:

The LaLaurie Mansion has recently  been renovated, and interior designer Katie Stassi-Scott did the interior decorating - Love this skull print fabric on the chair back - photo by Chris Granger

A parlor in the LaLaurie Mansion today -  Hard to believe it's haunted - photo by Chris Granger

The stairwell inside the LaLaurie Mansion

Detail of  a fabulous staircase  in the LaLaurie Mansion - photo by Chris Granger

Red lights illuminate the stairwell to the attic inside the LaLaurie Mansion - a nod to its sordid tragic past

Palette and spirit cleanse in this serene bedroom in the LaLaurie Mansion today - photo by Chris Granger

Red lips wallpaper in a powder room in LaLaurie Mansion - photo by Chris Granger

A beautiful moody bedroom in LaLaurie Mansion today - photo by Chris Granger

The interior doors are carved with intricate floral designs- photo by Chris Granger

An angel frieze in the dining room

Python skin covers the seats on the dining chairs - photo by Chris Granger

The dining room with those python covered chairs and that angel frieze - photo by Chris Granger

Modern wing back chairs, coffee table, and art with a fur rug in the parlor- photo by Chris Granger

Katie Stassi-Scott did the new interiors at the renovated LaLaurie Mansion, a home featured in American Horror Story Coven, and one of the most haunted houses in New Orleans - photo by Chris Granger - Read more HERE

Love her work! Katie Stassi-Scott

American Horror Story Coven is attracting big names actresses, Kathy Bates, Jessica Lange, and Angela Basset, joined with guest appearances by Mare Winningham, Patti Lupone and Christine Ebersole. It is a little gory, a little silly, a little disgusting, a little scary, and very entertaining.

Jessica Lange (Fiona) with her young charges walking in the French Quarter in front of  Hotel St. Marie, at the corner of Toulouse and Dauphine Streets

Onto the next house, The Buckner Mansion, walking distance from my house. It's located on Jackson Avenue in the Garden District.

Head mistress Jessica Lange (Fiona)

From Curbed New Orleans: The Buckner Mansion is the fictitious Miss Robichaux's Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies (witches in training, with head mistress Jessica Lange) on the show. The 20,000-square foot estate was built in 1856 for cotton king Henry S. Buckner and was home to the Soulé Business College from 1923 until the 1970s. Now? Of course, film crews flock to the site but it's also available as a vacation rental for, ahem, just $20,000 per month. American Horror Story has been filming around town since July and will stick around until January 2014.

The Buckner Mansion in New Orleans

The Buckner Mansion 1410 Jackson Avenue in New Orleans is used for a location in American Horror Story Coven

It was once a business school, and now it's a school for young witches

The Buckner Mansion as it is today

The dining room at the Buckner Mansion which is a rental now

A little connecting hall between parlors - I wish I could redecorate this house

Girl talk in the Buckner Mansion

Kathy Bates plays Madame LaLaurie and she is in the Buckner Mansion in this scene

Nice interior shot of the Buckner Mansion in American Horror Story Coven

A fabulous chandelier and a fabulous stunt at the Buckner Mansion in New Orleans

A hilarious scene in the Buckner Mansion where Kathy Bates aka Madame LaLaurie the worst racist has to wait on an African American witch student

A still of the Buckner Mansion from the American Horror Story Coven web site

A special effect of a levitating young witch from American Horror Story Coven filmed in the Buckner Mansion in New Orleans

You can see more locations in New Orleans for American Horror Story Coven HERE

Also check out a post from Nita at Mod Vintage Life about the Buckner Mansion.

So what do you think? Are there any famous haunted houses where you live?

Happy Halloween from Valorie Hart The Visual Vamp

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Two Fridas

Alberto and I love to costume for Halloween, Carnival season, and Mardi Gras. We have had some good ones over the years. Our collection of wigs and masks and costumes has taken up more and more space in our closet. We almost never have to buy anything new anymore.

This year I was inspired to dress us alike.

Frida Kahlo working on her painting The Two Fridas

 

 

Alberto is a good sport, and he has dressed up like a woman many, many times.  Among my favorites -  he was once Ugly Betty; we were a pair of tango dancing nuns; he dressed as me for a "Come As Your Favorite Woman" party. So when I asked him if he would be one of two Fridas this year he said sure.

Two Fridas

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I got the idea when I saw the idea for a little kids costume.

This little girl is adorable

So off to the Salvation Army store to find a couple of Mexicali Rose skirts and tops. We spent $10 for the two of us. Then off to Walmart where I got some fake flowers and a shawl for Alberto (which I will wear this winter). We had wigs in our costume closet. I recycled Alberto's Ugly Betty wig for him to wear, and for me I used a wig I had from a tango show we did years ago.  I added necklaces and bracelets from my jewelry box. A black eyeliner pencil and some red lipstick were the finishing touches.

Alberto in his Frida costume - Work that skirt!

Valorie in her Frida costume

Of course we got a lot of laughs. Sad to say some people had to be told who we were (one squealed "Oh look it's Carmen Miranda"), and who Frida was. But most people got it and loved it as much as we did.

We went to a party in the neighborhood, and had a wonderful time. When we got home we took these pictures. We tried to pose like Frida, who seldom smiled. She was an intense beauty.

Serious Frida

Frida Kahlo intense beauty

Channeling the self portrait of Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo self portrait

I know a lot of people back east missed Halloween this year, with so much more to deal with. If you are looking at this I hope our silly costumes made you smile. Things will get better.

With love from Alberto and Valorie

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