Chocolatey Comfort
Last year, trendspotters noticed the interior design color palette trending away from the gray neutral base that has dominated home landscapes since the late aughts. Designers and trendsetters around the world — and Instagram — were flocking back to the browns many GenXers recall from their 70’s childhoods, that was then revisited via the earth tones of that generation’s high school and college years in the 90’s. We say “back to,” because earthy, grounding brown clearly comes back in cycles — and we’re here for it. Cue Pantone with its 2025 Pantone Color Institute Color of the year, Mocha Mousse (Pantone 17-1230). This rich, chocolatey hue imbues a space with luxe elegance. We are pleased to see a familiar pairing with cornflower blue, but other floral tones, including Pantone’s “Viola” and “Rose Tan” are recommended by the color institute’s experts. Organic, cozy and sophisticated interiors are always in style.
Capturing the Culture
Photographers have flocked to New Orleans since the dawn of the medium, producing works that celebrate, document and otherwise expose the city’s culture, charm, mystery, decadence and decay. In The Ogden Museum of Southern Art’s “The Unending Stream: Contemporary New Orleans Photography Chapter I,” viewers can see the city through the eyes of New Orleans photographers. The exhibition is inspired by the work of Clarence John Laughlin through the 1930s and 1950s, and named after a photograph in the museum’s permanent collection that bears the same title. The exhibition features the work of six contemporary photographers: Trenity Thomas, Kevin Kline, Jacob Mitchell, Brittany Markert, Thom Bennett and Tiffany Smith, and runs March 8 through June 8. ogdenmuseum.org
Fabulous Florals
Nothing signals spring like the New Orleans Museum of Art’s annual Art in Bloom. The exhibition, presented by First Horizon Bank, is March 27 through 30 and this year’s theme is “Blooms on the Bayou.” View creations from area floral designers, garden clubs and other talented groups and individuals amid art in the museum’s galleries. Catch the see-and-be-seen patron and preview cocktail party on March 26; take in lectures, a luncheon and a fashion show on March 27; and get in on the action via the silent auction from March 24 through March 31. Visit noma.org for additional details and tickets.
Sprouting Community
The last time you were on the Lafitte Greenway, you may have noticed a colorful addition. At the end of 2024, Tulane School of Architecture students partnered with the Albert and Tina Small Center for Collaborative Design and Sprout NOLA to design and build a shade pavilion and outdoor classroom. The “Sprout House,” as it was dubbed, is a hub for urban agriculture in New Orleans, enabling Sprout to further its mission of establishing, developing and supporting farmers in the community. For educational and volunteer opportunities, events and more, visit sproutnolafarm.org.
Home Inspo
Get inspiration for days and meet local home industry professionals during the 68th annual New Orleans Home and Garden Show, March 28 through 30 at Caesars Superdome. Access to experts in every area of home design, repair and restoration, as well as cooking demonstrations, pet adoption from local agencies, gardening and storm preparation seminars are all on tap. New to the lineup this year, attendees can catch a hot air balloon ride in the Superdome. A portion of the proceeds from the balloon rides goes to, N.O.E.L., an organization that repairs the property of low-income elderly New Orleans-area homeowners. neworleanshomeshows.com
