Located in the heart of historic New Orleans, our design studio is skilled at the painstaking restoration of old homes, as with this one in the French Quarter. This 1830s carriage house and townhome, previously a boarding house and subsequently allowed to deteriorate to the point of being in a state of ruin, has been restored to its former glory.
The design features a cozy main bedroom on the third floor, and the ground floor has been converted to a stylish library and living room. We exposed the main roof truss of the third floor bedroom and original brickwork throughout in a sensitive way to create open spaces that celebrate the building’s rich history. Plasterers were employed to revive mouldings and burnish Venetian plaster on the ground floor. Our historic-style specialty millwork fits perfectly into gaps where necessary.
Inside the carriage house, a new circular stair bridges the second and third floors, providing functionality without compromise in charm. The ground floor has a paneled library, a perfect refuge for reading and reflection. The then-breathtaking twisting staircase is now restored with sensitivity in the main residence and connects the new and old sections from the ground floor to the third floor. Frameless glass has been incorporated in the arched windows at the rear to ensure everything pays respect to the past but provides comfort such as air-conditioning. This rehabilitation is a testament to our commitment to preserving New Orleans’ architectural heritage and was recognized for outstanding achievement by the Vieux Carre’ Commission.