Shop Keepers Homes 4 - Caroline Robert Owner of Perch New Orleans

This edition of Shopkeepers Homes is my favorite, because it is the home of Caroline Robert the owner of Perch in New Orleans, the shop in which I lovingly work.


Her home is a grand old dame, a classic Uptown New Orleans beauty.
The house is filled with old and new things, very much in the way Caroline stocks the shop with beautiful wares. It is a family home, for the Roberts, with three children, and three dogs. It is home well lived in.


The hall table is antique, the painting vintage, the accessories of an ancient angel wing and a bowl of fresh picked apples is lovely.


To one side of the front door is the study. The house is well over 100 years old, and has some of the most beautiful original plaster work, which is offset by Caroline's signature color: Blue.


There ae a couple of grand old gilded mirrors around the house.


Off to one side in the study is this little antique settee under the striking portrait, flanked by the sumptuous blue silk drapes made in the workroom of Perch. And look at that plaster work! It looks like a wedding cake!


There's a handsome white ceramic dog too, unlike any I've ever seen.


Across the hall is the living room. Don't you love the ceiling! I spy a pair of vintage Murano lamps that Ed from Swank Lighting would die for!


Here's another view of the living room. The juxtaposition of the transitional sofa with the antique settee, and modern coffee table with a very cool vase holding yellow tulips, is so typical of the way Caroline designs interiors.


Nestled in a corner is a sophisticated contemporay chair, and in the background you can see a classic French antique table. And the bouquet of coral roses is just the perfect grace note. Do you notice the very pale antique Oriental carpet? As much as I love sea grass, it just wouldn't work in this room.


The original marble mantle looks great with a piece of modern art flanked by antique torcheres.


To one side of the mantle is an antique English campaign chest, and the dark wood tone is a great contrast to the lighter pieces in the room. The painting is done by the head designer and manager of Perch, Jack Mayberry.


I love the stack of books with the ancient Roman foot resting on them. And check out the detail of the frame of the painting, how Jack incorporates the frame making it an important element of the painting.


Now we're moving into the expansive dining room, a place the Roberts gather in regularly for huge dinner parties with friends and family. The breakfront looks original to the house, but it's really a more recent piece Caroline acquired from Tara Shaw. And note the uber dental molding!


The French antique chandelier spoils you - no reproduction can truly capture this kind of beauty!


Across the hall is a room for the man of the house, a classic billiards room, done in a dark and sexy palette reminiscent of an English gentleman's club.


Moving down the hall is the kitchen. Painted cabinets, soapstone counters, and brick floors are a nice departure from the cookie cutter SGG kitchen. I spy some nice oyster plates hanging on the wall.



The modern paper mache artichoke lamp looks great in the kitchen.


Old kitchen windows, overlooking the garden.


Across the kitchen is the breakfast room. More drop dead gorgeous drapes, a French wood turned chandelier, and a zinc clad dining table all add up to a welcoming spot. I love baby Eli's little cradle in this room!


Here's a better look at the precious cradle, and you can also see the fantastic brick floor that runs throughout the kitchen, breakfast room, and family room.


And here's a little peek of the family room: White slips on the sofa, great art work including a lamp by the artist Viorel.


Off the kitchen are doors leading to the garden. Of course there's a classic New Orleans courtyard with a beautiful fountain!


The patio is set up for lounging. I love this tropical print on the furniture.


And this super rustic table is the spot to be for alfresco dining.


There's a yard big enough for the dogs and kids.


And a guest house over the garage too.


And a lovely swimming pool that is well used by this family during the long months of hot weather in New Orleans.


We've seen most of the first floor. There are three floors of the house. I did not photograph the guest room (it was occupied) or the older kids rooms.
We're moving to the second floor. Don't you love the old leaded glass windows and this window seat on the stair landing! Caroline likes to read here.


The master bedroom has a magical and romantic bed. Simple elegant bed coverings with luxe monogrammed pillows are so pretty.


But the real star of the second floor is baby Eli's new nursery. The painting above the crib was done by Caroline for her new son.


The room is very large, and there's a queen size bed in there, ready for Eli to grow into. The canopy above was suggested to Caroline by Jack. It's an antique piece from an old church. I spy some very cute owl lamps. Doesn't baby Eli look darling on his big boy bed!


The linen drapes are from Perch, as are the zinc clad dresser (used as a changing table) and the zinc clad frame. The soft gray tones of the weathered zinc work so well with Caroline's signature palette of blue. And the grasshopper rocking toy is a fabulous folk art accent.


The vignette with white peonies is understated and so pretty.


There's a little round turret off the main room of the nursery, just large enough for mommy's chair to rock baby in. The lamp is Kartell. The Roman shades are made from the same linen as the draperies.


There's a great bookcase in the nursery, filled with more animals. The animal theme sort of evolved with a collection of things Caroline had: an antique carousel horse, a paper mache snail, butterfly prints, and one special yellow toy on the left side of the shelf which was a gift to Eli from Jack. It was Jack's baby toy! And I spy the baby Philippe Starck Lou Lou Ghost Chair!


There are many wonderful paintings in the house, and I love this portrait of Caroline. She had it done as wedding present for her husband Andre, telling him "what you see is what you get."


And here's Caroline! She arranged the luscious bouquet of peonies in the breakfast room.


And here's her mom Mrs. Elaine Smith, or Miss Lainie as we call her, with baby Eli in the living room.


Here's handsome Mike, Caroline's dad in the kitchen. Happy Fathers Day to Mike and all the dads out there!


And here I am with Caroline, my boss, my mentor, and my friend.
I was at her house taking snap shots while her home was being photographed for CUE Magazine coming out on the newsstands, Sunday June 21. I will be posting this editorial next week on the Perch blog, and I'm sure you'll see better pictures, and read a wonderful story too.