Delightful Daybeds
New Orleans handmade furniture company, Doorman, has introduced the new Laurel Canopy Daybed Collection (starting at $3,150). Inspired by French Provincial iron daybeds, the collection features a modern iron base handcrafted in Doorman’s local workshop. The curved-canopy pieces are welded by hand and the bed’s silhouette is perfectly symmetrical from every angle. Additionally, founder Alex Geriner partnered with Sarepta Brown Cotton to produce Louisiana brown-cotton textiles (woven by Family Heirloom Weavers in Pennsylvania) in order to tell the story of Doorman’s southern-made modern aesthetic. The Laurel Canopy Daybeds are available through Doorman’s website, and the textiles are available through Sarepta Brown Cotton and Family Heirloom Weavers. doormandesigns.com; sareptabrowncotton.com; familyheirloomweavers.com
Rex in Effect
Dr. Stephen Hales released a new book, entitled “Rex: 150 Years of the School of Design,” ($65, Arthur Hardy Enterprises) to celebrate the Rex Organization’s 150th anniversary. The limited-edition volume provides a decade-by-decade account of a century and a half of colorful Rex history with a preface by noted New Orleans author Walter Isaacson. The book also features more than 800 illustrations and an extensive compendium documenting every king, queen, maid, duke, page, parade date, theme, ball venue and nearly 4,000 float titles. Proceeds benefit the Crescent City Carnival Museum Foundation and the Pro Bono Publico Foundation. Available at Garden District Book Shop, gardendistrictbookshop.com
Hail the King of Cakes
Author Matt Haines has released New Orleans’ first king cake coffee table book, entitled “The Big Book of King Cake” ($39.95, Susan Schadt Press), to celebrate NOLA’s sweetest tradition. The book features photography by Randy Krause Schmidt of more than 150 unique king cakes, plus stories from the bakers. Featured bakeries include Bywater Bakery, Café Reconcile, Dong Phuong Bakery, Piety and Desire Chocolate, and many more. Available at Octavia Books, octaviabooks.com
Better Living
The New Orleans Home & Garden Show returns to the Big Easy March 11-13 with a chef stage, an art market, seminars, pet adoptions and an array of exhibitors (such as Belle Danse Orchids and Tropicals and New Orleans Habitat for Humanity). Also be sure to catch the Bayou Battle of the Build in which area high school students plan, build and present a project to judges in the building industry. New Orleans Homes is a sponsor of this event. neworleanshomeshows.com
Architectural Award
Founder and CEO of Trahan Architects (which has offices in New Orleans and New York City), Victor F. “Trey” Trahan, III, was selected as the Laureate for The American Prize for Architecture (2021) by The Chicago Athenaeum: Museum of Architecture and Design and The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies. The award honors American architects, and other global architects, whose body of architectural work, over time, exemplifies superior design and humanist ideals. The Chicago Athenaeum additionally recognized two Trahan Architects projects for American Architecture Awards — the Ochsner Center for Innovation and the New England Mixed-Use Development. trahanarchitects.com
