Few houses are time capsules. Most are born and reborn — as in the case of the Bayou St. John neighborhood cottage owned by Laura Carlisle and her husband Andy Farris. The current incarnation of the house (originally a double shotgun) began with a full renovation of the kitchen which was damaged by Hurricane Ida. Designer Betsy Hazard of House of Hazard Interiors designed the space with architect Lindsay Woolf of Woolf Architecture drawing the plans. That in turn led to a complete gut of the primary bath and ultimately to a refresh of the entire house with Hazard taking inspiration from the funky neighborhood, the owners (particularly Laura) and the design zeitgeist, which favors a broad mix over a matchy approach. The rebirth is a fun, youthful take on New Orleans’ love of eclectic interiors.
“What I like about this project is its ‘New Orleansness’,” said Hazard, who adds that the budget and breadth of the remodel gave her room to work her magic. “It’s a mix of antique and modern with everything living together well, it’s comfortable and inviting for guests and parties, and it’s a little quirky.”
Carlisle worked closely with Hazard and adhered to Farris’s request for “nothing white.”
“I like a look that’s not overdone or decorated, color but not heavy layers, a mix of antique and more modern,” said Carlisle.
“She already had good taste,” said Hazard of Carlisle. “I could tap into her brain and take [the design] to the next level.”
Other “givens” for the renovation were the couple’s wish to respect the house’s historic character and good bones, and their appreciation of color and art. Original windows, floors and fireplaces were retained and the wall colors already used in the living room and the primary bedroom were given the thumbs up by Hazard. Making the most of the cottage’s square footage (400 of its roughly 2,000 square feet are used as a separate AirBnB) was essential.
Because the project involved gutting kitchen and bath, the couple moved out for several months. In the dated kitchen, the layout was improved and the island enlarged and reoriented. A backsplash of custom hand-painted tile, and an azure custom case good piece are focal points in the new showstopping kitchen. In the primary bath, part of the footprint occupied by the AirBnB was reclaimed for a marble-clad shower with an arched doorway, an elegant solution to Carlisle’s desire for a shower with no glass, like one she’d seen at Hotel Peter and Paul in the Marigny.
The interior reads as naturally evolved, but the path to the organic result was intentional and detailed. Hazard added historic character with plaster ceiling medallions, combined fabrics that balance masculine and feminine, and brought together furnishings, lighting and appointments from multiple eras.
Throughout the interior Hazard’s clever pairings and visual compositions invite attention. A minimalist iron chandelier in the primary bedroom mimics the linear motif of the simple medallion from which it hangs. The gallery wall above the breakfast nook in the kitchen includes pieces that are special to both husband and wife. A boombox belonging to Andy is displayed with paintings by local painter Logan Ledford that riff on the circular shapes of the speakers.
Among the most impactful design moments in the house are the kitchen’s wall of blue cabinetry. The inset, floor-to-ceiling installation reads like a cross between a freestanding piece and a built-in and brings a modern edge to the traditional items in the room.
“I wanted the perfect blue that wasn’t too sweet boy or too navy,” said Hazard, who painstakingly chose the shade.
“I was unsure, but I trusted her, and it works,” said Carlisle.
At the same time, antique French fan-back chairs, and a reproduction Old Master style portrait that Carlisle found in Charleston keep the playful design touch from standing too far afield from the historic architecture.
The mood in the den is glam and retro. Hazard outfitted the room with a navy velvet sofa and chartreuse drum-shaped ottomans, and had her brother, Andrew Nixon of Andrew Nixon Millworks, craft a glossy aubergine parsons-style end table. Leopard wall-to-wall carpet covers the floor. Yves St. Laurent circa 1974 would not look out of place lounging with a cocktail.
Hazard took plenty of cues from the homeowners. The floral fabric on the headboard of the new iron bed in the primary bedroom was chosen to complement the existing greenish blue of the bedroom walls. And she used the greige color of the living room in the new kitchen. In a house with two German shorthaired pointers, Hazard also used performance fabrics that would stand up to daily wear and tear. But the secret to the success of this reborn bayou area classic really resides in the way designer and client expanded on and had fun with those original cues. Hazard brought something unexpected to the bedroom’s serene aquamarine with army green drapery and turned the parchment pink of the bath up a notch with a black and white awning-stripe shade, jewel-like deco sconces and an oval tub that mirrors the curve of the arched shower.
“I like eclectic, and I don’t like it to look matchy,” said Hazard. “It looks good if it’s a little off somewhere.”
“We love it,” said Carlisle. “It’s a great house, very comfortable. It feels much bigger than it is and it’s got very usable, livable space.”
