Hotel Rebrands
Formerly known as the Ace Hotel New Orleans, the hip hotel located in the heart of the Warehouse District has been rebranded as The Barnett (and is now part of the JdV by Hyatt brand). The hotel will pay homage to the building’s rich history, which includes its longstanding tenure as Barnett’s Furniture Store. The 234-room property will feature enhanced guest rooms, services and culinary offerings, and it will continue to focus on music and culture at its core. The hotel’s culinary venues — including Josephine Estelle, Alto and Three Keys — will remain open and receive new brand identities. Seaworthy restaurant will remain under the same brand and culinary leadership. Meanwhile, Maison de la Luz also has been rebranded as Maison Métier and is now part of The Unbound Collection by Hyatt portfolio. While the 67-key hotel will continue to feature contemporary finishes, curated art and eclectic décor, upgrades include new twists on amenities and services, plus refreshed culinary concepts. Bar Métier — now named Bar Marilou — will maintain its posh interior design originally curated and designed by Paris-based Quixotic Projects. 600 Carondelet St., 900-1180; 546 Carondelet St., 814-7720, hyatt.com
Seeking Local Entrepreneurs
LIME Painting, a luxury home-painting franchise offering interior and exterior painting, coating and other restoration services, is currently looking to expand into the New Orleans market. As such, the company is seeking multi-unit operators to bring the brand’s high-end painting services to local communities throughout the Crescent City. Benefits include support to build a qualified team, marketing assistance (such as templated emails and social media posts) and access to the brand’s training program. The initial franchise fee is $60,000, and the total investment ranges from $125,000 to $201,000. limepainting.com
Leading the Charge
José Villeda, president and CEO of custom home-building company JLV Construction, has stepped down as CEO and is now taking on the role of president and director of operations. Meanwhile, the company has welcomed Kirk Williamson as CEO. In addition to a distinguished career in the United States Navy, where he served as a lieutenant commander in the Navy Supply Corps since 2006, Williamson also is the owner and president of locally based Chester Development (where he manages residential development projects). He also is a licensed Louisiana State Realtor, a board member of the Louisiana Home Builders Association and a graduate of local leadership programs such as the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute and the Bryan Bell Metropolitan Leadership Forum. 3400 Washington Ave., 533-9932, jlv-construction.com
Suite Stay
Copper Vine Wine Pub & Inn has opened its highly anticipated boutique inn as an extension of the restaurant. Located in the heart of downtown New Orleans on Poydras Street, the inn features a restaurant-forward approach to the guest experience along with 10 lofty guest rooms and a sweeping Terrace Suite. Designed in collaboration with Studio West, which also designed the restaurant, Copper Vine Inn flaunts custom-designed, locally made fabrics and handcrafted furniture from New Orleans-based millworkers as well as bespoke art pieces. While no two guest rooms are alike, each boasts floor-to-ceiling windows adorned with locally made blackout curtains from Pavy, plush linens and spacious bathrooms with a rainfall shower (some rooms also have an enormous soaking tub). Each room also has the fun touch of an alien-inspired work of art by Baltimore-based Angela Deane. Meanwhile, the Terrace Suite — located in what was formerly the attic space of the original 1800s-era building — flaunts exposed brick chimneys, dormer windows transformed into cozy reading nooks, a spacious wet room, a well-stocked kitchenette and a rooftop terrace with panoramic views of downtown. The best part though is the attentive innkeepers who ensure a personalized stay (with welcome drink, room service available via text and more). 1001 Poydras St., 208-9535, coppervine.com
A Study in Glass
A new exhibition, entitled “Sand, Ash, Heat: Glass at the New Orleans Museum of Art,” takes a look at artistic innovation in glass over the course of 4,000 years. Drawn entirely from the museum’s permanent collection (which includes nearly 5,000 works of glass), the exhibition of more than 250 works presents perspectives on how glass is connected to histories of scientific discovery, food ways, cultural exchange, and innovation across time and cultures. Objects on view include ancient Egyptian amulets, Venetian glass, examples from the 20th-century American studio craft movement (including work by former students and professors of Tulane University) and newly acquired works by contemporary artists (such as a monumental black glass chandelier by Fred Wilson). Be sure to check out what is likely the oldest object in NOMA’s collection — a cast blue glass ram’s head from the 18th dynasty of Egypt (1550–1292 BCE). The exhibition is on view in NOMA’s Ella West Freeman Galleries through Feb. 10. An accompanying 176-page catalogue — “Glass: Sand, Ash, Heat” — is available for purchase at the NOMA Museum Shop. 1 Collins C. Diboll Circle, 658-4100, noma.org
