Mary Lou Eichhorn

A fresh bouquet of flowers centered on the kitchen island relays the heartwarming tones of Jacques and Kristie Poirier’s home, which lies among others in Lafayette’s Walker’s Lake development. “We really liked this area of Lafayette,” Kristie says, “and decided to build our new home near our former location.”

Along with the location, Kristie had definite ideas about how the floor plan and furnishings would meld with their lifestyle. With their daughter, Ashlyn, 3, and soon-to-be-born baby girl in mind, a family-friendly atmosphere was her goal.

By implementing traditional décor with colors that include black, green and shades of brown accessorized with red and orange hues, the 3,000-square-foot home displays the clean lines she sought. Leather furniture adds a durable but elegant feel while abstract art renderings play well in the simplicity of the surroundings.

“I also didn’t want to do anything that would eventually be dated, so I was careful that my choices befit out needs,” Kristie explains.

The flooring was also selected to play into the kid-friendly vibe – with travertine in the entrance laid diagonally with a small inlay of contrasting deep-brown marble. Rich wood in the living room meets tile in the kitchen, breakfast and keeping rooms. Arched openings separate ceilings with 10- and 12-foot heights and allow great family interaction among each.

Adjacent to the foyer is the formal dining room, complete with an ironwork chandelier embellished with cut-glass teardrops. Table guests can also view the similar but smaller version hanging in the faux-finished barrel ceiling in the entry.

Kristie was assisted by her interior decorator, Stacie Guidry of Décor des Amis in Arnaudville, but she was personally instrumental in purchasing many of the window, bed and bath treatments throughout the home. “I wanted a custom house without the custom price, so during the year before construction, I shopped online and at local department stores with all of the ideas I had gathered,” she says. Together, they furnished the three bedrooms and three baths, integrating ready-made with designer offerings. The results proved successful: The master bed and bath mirror the earth tones and style of the main section, but the girls’ rooms, along with the playroom, appear festive and fun. “A little girl’s room has a different aspect in that combining paints and fabrics with bright colors befits their age in a traditional way,” Kristie says.

An equal amount of thought and consideration went into the planning of the 600-square-foot pool house. Accessed from either the garage or the pool itself, the pool house features a full kitchen and a flat-screen television along with ample seating. A door opens to a small room that could serve as a bedroom – their plans took a look into the future, and they hope to accommodate any changes or additions that may occur.
       
A covered veranda with a kitchen can be viewed from the interior. Depending on the time of  year, Jacques, Kristie and Ashlyn may be enjoying special moments in the pool, socializing on the comfy patio or just spending quality time together inside.

And every week Kristie replenishes that vase on the kitchen island with assorted flora, keeping a family custom alive in the Poirier home.