Years ago, when Maureen Stevens was working in the medical field in Austin, Texas, an interior design career in New Orleans might have seemed an unlikely future. But Stevens reached a point where she questioned her professional path and took a sabbatical – which birthed a design business. She began blogging about creative and DIY pursuits, did prop styling for photo shoots, and began seeing her work featured in local, regional, and national magazines.
“After that, somebody asked me to do a room, then it became two rooms and just evolved from there,” recalls Stevens.
A decade ago, Stevens and her family moved to New Orleans, a city whose style suits her “updated classic” tastes. “In Austin, everything is more urban and modern,” says Stevens, “but I always tried to get my clients to move toward more classic lines as well, to infuse it with modern design. New Orleans – this is the aesthetic I love.”
From her first local project in the Irish Channel to a Garden District Greek revival home, Stevens has drawn inspiration from the city’s architectural heritage. “When I go to each house or a new client, I look at the architecture,” she says. “You can see little details you’ve never seen before and wonder how they did it back in those days. I really take those into account and replicate, even in the juxtaposition of materials in a way where it’s not too matchy-matchy but with some symmetry and balance.”
Stevens also marvels at the city’s abundance of artisanal talent, from local artists to ceramicists, woodworkers, faux finishers, and plasterers, which makes bespoke design readily accessible: “Here, if I’m looking for something particular, I can find it.”
One of Stevens’ favorites spaces to highlight is the vestibule – a common feature in New Orleans homes that she considers underrated. “It’s almost like people don’t think about that space,” she says. “It’s just a pass-through, but it can wow people by connecting one space to the other very seamlessly or boldly.” And much like her own professional transformation, “The thing they see on the other side is not what they expect.”
