The trumeau mirror over the sofa visually expands the space by reflection.
Apied-à-terre, defined as “a foot to the earth,” is a good descriptionofmy small condominium. It’s my piece of New Orleans, my peace of mind,my home away from home.
When our sons went away to collegeseveral years ago, my husband Matt Moseley and I sold our GardenDistrict home to downsize and moved into an apartment in the WarehouseDistrict. After two years in the Warehouse District, we gave theapartment up and we moved any family keepsakes to our country home onAvery Island and to storage. Matt and I had also decided to go away tocollege—at least for the football season to watch our son Marsh play atAmherst College in Massachusetts Over Marsh’s four years there, westayed at three different places in and around Amherst, traveled toout-of-town games with other parents and toured the Northeast. We grewto love tailgating, wearing the school colors of purple and white,playing against a college with a cow as a mascot (Williams College),the changing of the leaves—what color!—and even the early snows. What Irealized every time we returned to Avery Island, was how much Imissedthe city. When you move from the city to the country you rememberall those fun things you used to do, and even the things you did not dobutcould have done if you’d wanted, such as go to the Crescent CityFarmer’s Market every Saturday morning for fresh produce, visit withpeople you would not necessarily see very often, or go to CanalPlaceand see an “art flick”—at least that’s what I considered mostmovies played there that don’t make the “big screens” in the malls. Thelist could go on and on, but whatever the reasons I missed the city,and staying with friends and family just couldn’t cut it. And I feltlike Iwas wearing out my welcome anyway.
TheAsian red-lacquered console in the hall punches up the neutral palateused throughout the condominium. Josephine Moseley Brown did the nudesketch when she was studying art at Newcomb College.
Sowhen a one bedroom condominium became available in the Andrew Jacksonbuilding in New Orleans, Matt and I thought it would do just fine. Werenovated it and have become quite attached to it. The turn-keyapproach to life was just what we wanted in addition to our home inthecountry. The building has full-time security and the mostspectacular360-degree view of the city from the roof top.
We’vehad a great time furnishing the condominium with inherited pieces andsomethings that we found along the way. I have long known that the wayto make something feel new is to move it from one place to another.Some of our little treasures in the country were brought to the city.The bookcase we had designed for our apartment in the WarehouseDistrict,which was dismantled and in storage, was reconstructed in ournew digs.Its height pulls the eye up and gives a visual appearance ofhigher ceilings. We also looked for pieces that would work in a smallerscale space, finding a gateleg dining table in Atlanta. When the tableis open, it can seat eight, but when closed it does not extend too muchinto living space. The trumeau mirror placed over the sofa expands thedepth of the living room, and a rug in rust, beiges and browns definesthat room from the dining area. A console we use as a bar fitsperfectly inthe small space between the kitchen entrance and the hallto the bedroom.
Inthe dining area, the gateleg table can expand to seat eight.Thechandelier hanging above the table adds a beautiful glow whencandlesare lit. Small groupings of flowers and seed pods dance down thecenter of the table.
I have always enjoyed readingarticles about decorating small spaces and this condominium was achallenge. As much as I love to cook, I have found that I don’t need ahuge kitchen to do it in—we’ve had some pretty good meals to come outof the galley kitchen. I placed velvet partiers (curtains) at theentrance of the kitchen to close it off completely when we aredining.We purchased a sofa bed for our boys, who unfortunately rarelyvisit atthe same time. Other “found” pieces were an Asian coffee tableand ared lacquered console for the entrance. I love the red, whichpunchesup the rest of the neutral palette used throughout thecondominium.
In the bedroom, the bed’s headboard draws one’seye to the ceiling, and by placing the frame on risers, I haveadditional storage space under the bed. When the curtains and bambooshades are open we feel like we areliving in the trees! Coincidentally,we have a Western view out of ourwindows and now we can see the sky ofthe setting sun in New Orleans and Avery Island. This condominium wastruly meant to be to ourpied-à-terre in the city.
TheItalianate-style console is the perfect heightand length for the smallspace between the entrance to the kitchen and hall. The partiersareused to close off the kitchen when dining. The unsigned 16th- or17th-century Venetian painting was a find in Atlanta.
The trumeau mirror in the bathroom was designed specifically for that space.
A small dressing table is the perfect place to catch the natural light for make up.
Theupholstered headboard adds height to the scale of the room. Thelampfrom Petricia Thompson Antiques and sconces provide good light forreading in bed.
