NOLA fabulousness: Staying in the Garden District & Perch

I can hardly even describe my love of New Orleans, Louisiana.  It’s a city that is so unlike anywhere else in the country with it’s jubilant culture and breathtaking and unusual beauty.

I just returned from spending two weeks there for my sister’s and new brother-in-laws wedding, which was a wonderful event that brought together lots of family and friends.  New Orleans was the perfect setting for such celebration. 

   

We stayed in a adorable shotgun house in the Garden District (that my charm-seeking mother found on this rental site).  Some of New Orleanian friends debated whether this house actually was within the boundaries of the Garden District or not, but it suited us perfectly just the same!  It had fantastically orange shutters on full length windows that opened to the street,  12’ ceilings, huge moldings, Louisiana pine floors and brick floors (one of my favorite floors ever!)…. basically it oozed charm from every nook and cranny!  It was so nice to have a house for our entire immediate family to stay in together, and that was big enough to house parties and family gatherings. 

And the icing on the cake for this cutie of a house was that it was only a few blocks from the famed Magazine Street, home to numerous antiquarians and artisans.  If I had to pick one street to shop off of for the rest of my life, Magazine Street would without a doubt be it!

One of my first stops was to Caroline Robert’s store Perch., where I have to say I was a little blog-star struck when I met Valorie of The Visual Vamp in person.  It’s easy to forget that there are actual living people behind blogs!  She was so nice and I wish I could have stayed a little longer and bought oh, just about one of everything they had in the store!  I didn’t have my camera with me that afternoon, but I found some of my favorite things on Perch’s website, their blog, and Valorie’s blog…

 

The exterior of Perch is a preview of the eye candy to come… I adore the robin’s egg/tiffany blue of their shutters!  I saw this pretty shade many times around the city and it even inspired a DIY project at my youngest sister’s Uptown apartment!

 

Painted and Gilded Trumeau with a Dutch scene.  You can see some of the other pieces in the mirror’s reflection…

 

Here’s the trumeau again, isn’t it a striking piece?

 

 

My absolute favorite Perch find… the child’s Ghost Chair!  Just when you thought the original (adult size) Ghost Chair can’t get any better, it does.  How completely adorable are these?!?

 

  

Rogue Wave by John Michael Smith is just one of the modern art pieces at the shop.

 

Aqua glass tumblers with the symbol synonymous with the Crescent City, the fleur de lis.  Even though we’ve all seen these glasses at various stores already, they really are just so pretty and fun. 

 

Perch has some incredibly unique lighting pieces.  I love this metal “Claire”  chandelier and it’s play on tradition.

 

Another unique piece, this one by Viorel Hodre.  I’d say this piece is first and foremost a piece of art, second a lamp. 

 

A vignette of the shop showing the mix of antique and reclaimed pieces (they have some fantastic doors!) and modern ones.

 

 

This tablesetting was still up when I was there… it’s hard to see in this picture, but the silverware on the table even has a fleur de lis emblem on it.  You can find more oversized eggs, fleur de lis ceramic tumblers, and coral inspired vases on their website.  Actually, you can find all kinds of goodies on their website, and if you are lucky enough to be in or heading to NOLA anytime soon, I’m sure you’ll enjoy your visit there!

  

{Photos via Perch., the Perch. blog, and The Visual Vamp blog}

Serious Saturday Sale!

  

This was a dangerous day.  Sage Antiques, one of my favorite vintage shops had a massive and fabulous sale where everything was 40-50% off.  I told you, it was dangerous!  During my first trip there (there were two) I snagged two rusty metal baskets and a grain sack with a bold blue stripe (I caved and picked up some pink candles yesterday and threw them in the photo!).  My friend found a beautiful candelabra for a serious song… I’ll have to photograph next time I’m over at the cute historic district home she and her husband are restoring.

Day goes on… Enter Husband who loves one of a kind pieces almost as much as 50% sales.  We head back for Sage Sale Round 2.    While our Kitchen remodel is a few years off, we checked “Island” off the list today with this old worktable, which we’ll keep in the Entry for the time being. 

Originally from a warehouse in Long Beach, Ca it’s got drill holes and patina galore all over it.   When my parents bought an old farm table for their Kitchen, my grandfather looked at them incredulously and said, “You PAID MONEY for this???”  I don’t know if he would take this table if you PAID HIM, and I’m laughing just imagining what he would say over it!

 

Lastly, we found these metal lockers that we’ll use as a tool cabinet in our garage.  The chic tool cabinet idea pleased the Designer and the price pleased the Husband.  After realizing it was less expensive than the ones he’s been eyeing at Home Depot it took me all of maybe oh, a millisecond, to tell him to buy it!  I can imagine so many more great uses for it too… books in a study, toiletries in a bathroom, even in a Kitchen as a pantry!  Can’t wait for Round 3, where we pick up the pieces (no not more shopping!).

Do you have any vintage finds you’ve repurposed for your home?  Do share!