Saturday, October 23, 2010

A Collector's Devotion




I recently had a great visual outing at the home of a collector of spiritual objects. It reminded me of the beautiful homes in the book The Divine Home by Peter Vitale. I have long been fascinated by decor using devotional objects HERE, so this home was a real treat for me.




This is a modest home in size in a lovely part of New Orleans called Old Metairie which is known for gracious living and grand tree lined streets. This house has been remodeled to contain an incredible collection of antiques, providing an aged looking backdrop.


A modest home in Old Metairie


Ordinary front doors have been replaced by a pair of French antique doors. The owners collect old architectural elements and retrofit them into newer spaces. In fact they have a business doing this for many homes in New Orleans.


An angel stands guard at the antique doors from France



The house does not have a large foot print, yet it feels expansive. Tricks like using flat fold Roman shades in linen in lieu of the more traditional silk drapes used in homes in New Orleans, keep the space feeling open.


The living room


Expert layering of objects and furniture is evident here. You feel interested but not overwhelmed.


Vignette in the living room


There are devotional objects come from Spain, France, and Italy. The home owners have lovingly collected them for years.


The angel head in the fireplace is gorgeous!


I snapped these photos on the fly. The house is unstyled as the owners really live it. The light is the natural light only. It deserves a much better magazine worthy photo shoot.


The simple Roman shades in the dining room


I just love getting these special secret glimpses into private homes, and I especially love sharing them with all of you. New Orleans has so many beautiful places behind closed doors and shutters, and walled courtyard patios.


Lovely French antique chandelier


A room used for an office
Fragment of antique fabric used for a valance



Antique angels flank the stove hood in the kitchen


Antique doors retrofitted over modern appliances


Old shutters are used as the pantry doors



A major altar piece from Spain in the wet bar



Butlers table


The family room - old beams were added by the owners



Lovely little soldier stands guard in the family room



Wonderful styling on the bookshelves


Nice trumeau flanked by chunky candle sconces



Gallery wall on stairway to the upstairs bedroom


There is only one bedroom in the house!


An antique bed from a convent


There is only one bedroom in the house. The kids' rooms were in what is now the pool house.


Shelf above the bed


There is a lovely pool and patio and garden. It is a small lot, but every inch of space is ingeniously used.


Antique doors lead to the garden


Lots of plants


Chess board patio - gravel has been removed and pavers will be added




Side yard leading to the street


Back of the house and pool



Loving all this! I hope you have too!


17 comments:

Nita Stacy said...

Thanks for the tour of this lovely New Orleans home. So many interesting things inside. I really loved the range hood. Oh....I want one of those. But there was photo after photo of rooms I admired.

Unknown said...

What a wonderful home! I love the un-styled and lived in quality. And your pictures are just fine.
Such relaxed atmosphere.
Thanks for your eye!

Dumbwit Tellher said...

I do! This house is truly blessed; blessed with a huge dose of charm, glamor and elegance. Valorie thank you for posting, really a thrill to take in. That is one divine wet-bar!

xo xo Deb

Carrie Waller Watercolors said...

Great virtual tour! Love the mix of old and new. Beautiful home!!

Irene said...

How unique. I think that's what I love about the homes you show us, they are homes, reflecting personalities. Thank You for sharing.

Anonymous said...

Oh, kiddo! Of course I read your EVERY single posting with my cuppa joe (or copa de vino, depending on the hour of day), but I rarely have time to comment anymore. This REAL home grabbed my heart and shook it bad. I can't decide if I most love the opulently fitted nun's bed, or the tabernacle in the bar! PERFECT juxtaposition of sensual sacred and wholly, holy secular. When I end up in the nursing home, I want both!
Loving you, and
Always living with humor in style,
Mo in KCMO

Hill House Ramblings said...

Wonderful tour Valorie..You always show us dwellings where the occupants are not afraid to be themselves and let their creativity flow. Such a fascinating mixture of styles and objects. That dining room chandelier is truly breathtaking. Thanks for the tour!

H.H.

helen tilston said...

Stunning home. So refreshing to see such originality. This gave me goosebumps. I paint religious art in both oils and encaustic. Beautiful, thanks for sharing and as Victoria Art pointed out, your pictures are great.
Helen Tilston

pve design said...

What an angel you are to share this with us. I love the mix, just enough and like you said, not overwhelming.
There is something to be said for "restraint" and then again for being hopelessly "devoted" - well that is the key to loving anything, right?
be well dear friend,
pve

Scribbler said...

I love this -- makes me miss New Orleans. What interesting people must live here!

Living It At Home said...

This really is a special home. Thank you for sharing it! I love everything about it! You can really see who lives there. I even love their burlap shades. Have a great weekend!

Katherine said...

What a lovely post. I really enjoyed my visit to your blog.I have been collecting angels since I was a young girl. I display a few at a time and rotate them every once in a while. Wishing you happiness, Katherine

Anonymous said...

wow! such a great house. and your photos are lovely and authentic. not styled up illusions.

couldn't help laughing, though. long ago and far away, i had a job (short term, you can imagine) selling rosary beads and crucifixes. business is all jews, of course. also sold chinese roast pork one school summer. never tasted the stuff--i kept kosher then, as did the guy i worked for.

i respect the devotional stuff and its place in the development of art and architecture. just don't love the stuff or want much of it around.

yesterday in one of the thrifts here i found a tiny little fold-out from the museo de coches in lisboa. great fun, and it is the folder i should have bought in 1968 when i was there. but, it found me, in bradenton. last month there was a guidebook to prospect park in $tree!

have alberto and you toured iberia? every city is a treasure house, but the trip was planned around a visit to a ruined cathedral at tomar, near fatima in portugal. i found pictures of it in 'everybody's thrift shop' on 59th and 2d. eero saarinen visited the site 6 months before he designed stiles and morse colleges at yale, and the fenestration and massing of forms is very similar.

my cousin juan david (aka howie david from los bronx) is an exporter of guitars from madrid to the u.s.

oy, i talk too much!

flights of angels...... m

michael/bagelbrookefarm

La Petite Gallery said...

A very interesting post, is that the area where the Morning call is? I'd like that littke cloisonne lamp in the living room. The front doors are fabulous. The Angel
would be pretty in the yard also.

yvonne

tinlizzie said...

This house speaks to me. I love every thing about it. Wow! I love New Orleans so much and I appreciate your blog showing us the inside of these charming homes.

martienn said...

amazing ;)


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Sarah Greenman said...

Wow - what a great place! Thanks for posting!