Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children’s Education

Junior League of New Orleans in partnership with Cabinets by Design
Kitchen Tour for Children’s Education
Saturday, April 4, 2009 •  10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Kitchen Tour is a self-guided tour of 10 amazing kitchens in the fabulous Audubon Park and Faubourg St. John neighborhoods.

The JLNO Kitchen Tour for Children’s Education continues to support community efforts to improve children’s education and to better the New Orleans community. Revenue generated from the Kitchen Tour and Patron Party will be directly invested in the JLNO’s volunteer-supported community projects and grants, including Samuel J. Green Charter School, Lafayette Academy Charter School, KIDsmART’s Plate Project, Power Ties career-development program, Get On Board –– Nonprofit Board Training, Rebuilding Together, Louisiana Children’s Museum and Kids in the Kitchen/SoFAB. Last year, more than 1,000 people attended the JLNO Kitchen Tour, raising more than $33,000, which was invested in these community projects.

A Letter from the JLNO President-Elect Erin Luetkemeier and 
JLNO President Leah N. Engelhardt

Welcome to the Junior League of New Orleans’ Kitchen Tour for Children’s Education on Saturday, April 4, 2009. The Junior League of New Orleans’ Kitchen Tour will feature a self-guided tour of 10 remarkable kitchens in the Audubon Park and Faubourg St. John neighborhoods. Here in New Orleans, where food and cooking on all culinary levels are woven into the fabric of our lives, culture and city, there is nothing better than an insider’s peek at some of the kitchens where these things are celebrated best. Each of the 10 tour kitchens varies in style, structure, materials, innovation and layout and offers something for everyone. Whether you like to cook, eat, design or just enjoy a Saturday activity, our Kitchen Tour is sure to please.

Join us in kicking off the 2009 Kitchen Tour at the Kitchen Tour Patron Party on Thursday, April 2, 2009, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the celebrated Emeril’s Delmonico restaurant. The Patron Party will feature New Orleans delicacies — including chef demonstrations that evening — spirits by Bacardi USA and unique auction items that are sure to inspire!

The Junior League of New Orleans is a nonprofit organization of 2,000 women volunteers committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable. Revenue generated from the Kitchen Tour will fund the Junior League of New Orleans’ community initiatives supported by financial resources and member-provided volunteer hours in its focus area of children’s education. These initiatives currently include partnerships and dedicated programming with Samuel J. Green Charter School; Lafayette Academy Charter School; the Louisiana Children’s Museum; Safe Sitter, in connection with The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital; Plate Project with KIDsmART; Rebuilding Together with the Preservation Resource Center; Get On Board — Nonprofit Board Training; Power Ties with New Orleans Outreach; and Kids in the Kitchen, in partnership with the Southern Food and Beverage Museum. During its 85 years of dedicated training of women volunteer leaders and community programming, the Junior League of New Orleans has supported well in excess of 100 community projects, contributed more than $5 million in direct community assistance funding and provided more than 2 million volunteer hours in the New Orleans community.

Today, the Junior League of New Orleans is the 11th-largest league of 292 Junior Leagues in communities across the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom. Many of this region’s most effective and enduring organizations and community programs were originated, developed, funded and staffed by the Junior League of New Orleans, including the Louisiana Nature and Science Center, The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital and the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans.

We extend our sincere thanks to our many sponsors and to the homeowners who opened their homes to make the 2009 Kitchen Tour unique, exciting and a great public event. We are most grateful to our member volunteers and Junior League staff who have worked to plan and support this impressive event and make it what it is today.

Join the Junior League of New Orleans and Cabinets by Design for the 2009 Kitchen Tour, featuring beautiful homes and innovative and expertly designed kitchens. Your support is greatly appreciated and serves to keep the Junior League of New Orleans’ community efforts cooking!

Kitchen Tour

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

1. Richard and Terri McCormack
      398 Broadway St.
Sponsored by Cabinets by Design and Source.

Richard and Terri McCormack reached the perfect balance between form and function when they completed their kitchen renovation in November 2006. Nestled inside their beautiful Broadway Street home, the 390-square-foot space also features a large sitting area, great for entertaining guests. With the help of certified kitchen designer Monique Poché Bennett of Cabinets by Design, Terri of Source. created a dining area with a rustic but finished feel, opting for hardwood flooring in lieu of traditional tile. The space has plenty of light, thanks to large French doors and minimalist fixtures from Lighting Inc. The walls and ceiling are neutral pale tones of Sherwin-Williams Alabaster and Kilim Beige, respectively.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

2. Hal and Debbie Tabb
      401 Broadway St.
Sponsored by Cabinets by Design

After a nearly one-year renovation period, the Tabbs created a beautiful French Provincial-style kitchen. The large floor plan of 700 square feet allowed the couple to feature a central granite island with seating for three and a custom-created travertine bowl on the bar from Mediterranean Marble and Tile. Side shelving on the island lets the Tabbs display beautiful porcelain and pottery. Maple cabinets, glazed in a light hue from Cabinets by Design, create an airy, open and welcoming vibe, flowing perfectly with the ornate mosaic backsplash created by Stafford Tile & Stone. The Tabbs kept it modern, however, by including all stainless steel appliances and ceramic tile flooring in Natural Copper.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

3. Andy and Cathy Burka
      1539 Exposition Blvd.

The Burkas took a do-it-yourself approach when it came to overhauling their kitchen in 2008. In order to create their tranquil and equally approachable space, the couple executed most of the subcontracting work themselves, with some outside help from Michael Carbine for cabinetry as well as other odds and ends. The traditional kitchen features fabulous pine flooring, recovered by Carbine from an old warehouse in Pointe a la Hache. The kitchen’s island is also planked in wood salvaged from the same locale. Almost all of the appliances are GE Monogram from Kitchenology, with the exception of a Wolf range. Jackson Cabinetry created the cabinets, tailoring them precisely to Cathy’s vision: a beautifully distressed finish in a pale shade of gray-green.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

4. Pierre and Allison Stouse
      1433 Exposition Blvd.
Sponsored by Cabinets by Design and Worner Hardware

As many Uptown homeowners know, maximizing tight spaces can be an arduous task. Pierre and Allison Stouse conquered this hurdle with their ultra-luxe kitchen, a remodeling project that spanned three months and was assisted by Leslie Lomont-Relayson of Cabinets by Design. Completed in January 2006, the contemporary design can be attributed to slick mid-century touches, such as honed limestone countertops, Toast-hued oak veneer cabinets from Cabinets by Design and bright curvy stools from Design Within Reach. Allison is an architect herself, and she and husband, Pierre, own Edifice Builders. Their skills came in handy when they created a custom island in the center of the 255-square-foot room, finished in the same warm limestone as the counters and backsplash.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

5. Peter and Catherine Freeman
      6039 Coliseum St.
Sponsored by Cabinets by Design and Stafford Tile & Stone

To highlight the light-filled dining room of the Freemans’ Uptown home, the couple decided an open kitchen, adjacent to the room, would be just the thing to create a welcoming space. In lieu of painted walls, the Freemans chose to cover the kitchen walls in an intricate lattice-style tile, courtesy of Stafford Tile & Stone. The custom mosaic of Crema Marfil, Lagos Gold and Lagos Azul creates a stunning crosshatch across a wall of Brookhaven Maple cabinets, finished in Antique White with a pewter glaze by certified kitchen designer Monique Poché Bennett of Cabinets by Design. Pale Caribbean pine flooring from Protocol Construction continues the feel of a clean and tranquil dwelling, as do the stainless steel Kenmore Elite appliances. Melissa Rufty of MMR Interiors helped the Freemans see their dream kitchen, a project that began in the summer of 2005 and was completed in the fall of the following year, through to the end.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

6. Kyle and Gigi Graffagnini
      1322 State St.
Sponsored by Cabinets by Design

What’s old is new again in the 412-square-foot kitchen of Kyle and Gigi Graffagnini. Thanks to interior decorator Michael Carbine, the couple was able to use many found wood pieces in the space, including the two pantry doors, which were taken off of an antique armoire from France. Troendle Floor Co. installed 150-year-old pine floorboards, finished with a special semigloss walnut stain. Carbine also custom-created the kitchen’s vent hood, trimming it in antique wood on the top and bottom and featuring a hand-finished distressed design by Gretchen Weller Howard. The renovation spanned March to September of 2008 and was assisted by certified kitchen designer Becky Richard of Cabinets by Design. Unique frameless Wood-Mode maple cabinets finished in Vintage White from Cabinets by Design mesh well with the open and airy feel of the kitchen, as well as the pale countertops of Calcutta Gold Marble from Mediterranean Marble and Tile.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

7. Robert and Karen Eustis
      3217 DeSoto St.
Sponsored by Palatial Stone

The eclectic kitchen of Robert and Karen Eustis evokes many feelings upon entering, yet the most palpable is an overall sense of warmth. This feat was accomplished with the help of interior designer Jeff Taaffe of Palatial Stone, the couple’s son-in-law, who extended the kitchen outward by 4 feet. This expansion connects it to the home’s sunroom and really opens up the space. Completed toward the end of December 2004, the 200-square-foot space gets its warmth thanks to a rustic eight-arm chandelier purchased in Atlanta, as well as a hearth-like creation around the stove and a backsplash in a clean shade of white. Red accent pieces abound within the cozy décor, appearing on pieces from cake stands to chargers and even on the luxe fabric detailing on the kitchen chairs. Homey touches, such as a framed charcoal of the family’s pup, make the kitchen less stuffy and a great place for people to congregate.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

8. Bonnie Desselle
      1456 Verna Court
Sponsored by Triton Stone

When homeowner Bonnie Desselle recently purchased her Verna Court home, it came with a clean and straightforward kitchen with a soft touch. The most standout part of the kitchen is its ceiling, finished in a nice shade of sage green. Recessed lighting in the ceiling adds to the minimalist feel. The cabinets and wood elements of the kitchen island are finished with a deep-hued and richly saturated stain, as well as contemporary brushed steel hardware and fixtures. The countertops and island keep it light with dove-gray marble, as do the light-toned wooden planked floors. All appliances are stainless steel. A low-hanging pendant light — topped with crystal baubles — above the stainless steel sinks adds to the already plentiful light, thanks to large white windows that face the street.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

9. Alan and Sandra Burshell
      3222 Ursulines Ave.
Sponsored by Stafford Tile & Stone

The Ursulines Avenue home of artist Sandra Burshell and her husband, Alan, underwent a huge transformation to make way for their thoroughly modern new kitchen, which capitalizes on clean lines and an open-air quality. The home, a double shotgun in its former incarnation, is now a beautifully redone single dwelling and one in which the Burshells worked tirelessly to maintain the original integrity of the house. The former location of the kitchen is now the front foyer, with the new kitchen resting in a different room of 180 square feet. They worked on the kitchen over a period of two to three months, with the whole home renovation being completed in about six. With the help of interior decorators Brian Bockman and David Glasgow, the couple was able to continue the same straight lines of the home, opting for mission-style cabinetry in quarter-sawn oak, a style Sandra says she’s been collecting for years and wanted to continue into the kitchen. Stafford Tile & Stone provided the countertops and island in Progressive Porcelain Green, along with the slate backsplash in Antique Gold. Sleek GE Profile appliances in brushed stainless steel modernize the room, as do the pendant and recessed lighting fixtures from Armstrong’s Lighting.

Junior League of New Orleans Kitchen Tour for Children's Education

10. Bob and Lisa Amoss
        3118 Ursulines Ave.
Sponsored by Mattix Cabinet Works Inc.

Nestled on an oak-lined Mid-City street is the polished home of Bob and Lisa Amoss. Their recently updated kitchen, completed in November 2008, boasts a Caribbean charm not commonly found among New Orleans homes. The large and open area of approximately 450 square feet includes a dining room area as well as large windows that drench the room in sunlight throughout the day. Shiloh Cabinetry cabinets in a medium- cherry finish were provided and installed by Nancy Lewis of Mattix Cabinet Works and pair seamlessly with the Caribbean heart-pine floors. Sea-foam-green granite countertops add to the island vibe and are offset by the Bees Wax-hued walls, a pale shade of yellow from Sherwin-Williams. A gorgeous finishing touch to the dining space is the whimsical ceiling fixture with large leaves splaying from the top, a piece Lisa says was found in a Natchez, Miss., antique shop when she and her husband evacuated for Hurricane Gustav.

About the Junior League of New Orleans

The Junior League of New Orleans is committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving the community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Through its educational and charitable works, the JLNO enriches the lives of so many in our area.

About the Junior League of New Orleans
• A more than 85-year-old organization with approximately 2,000 women members
• The average age of its members is 48.3 years.
• Of an active and provisional membership of 600, 95 percent are college-educated and 76 percent work outside the home.
• JLNO is part of a network of 292 Junior Leagues comprising the Association of Junior Leagues International, with a total membership of more than 193,000 women. JLNO is the 11th largest of these leagues.
• Membership is open to women of all races, religions and national origins who demonstrate an interest in and commitment to voluntarism.
• With a primary focus area of children’s education, JLNO provides volunteers and financial support for its projects and activities. The JLNO has more than $500,000 committed to its community programs annually. League members volunteer more than 50,000 hours of their time annually.
• Through a formalized training program and through their volunteer work, league members are trained for responsible community leadership and are empowered through the confidence gained in achieving league goals in a safe and supportive environment.
• For 85 years, JLNO has maintained a steadfast commitment of service to the Greater New Orleans community.
• In conjunction with its 75th anniversary, JLNO awarded $75,000 to the Medical Center of Louisiana (Charity) to establish a Parent’s Resource Center.
• JLNO was instrumental in the creation of numerous New Orleans organizations, including The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital; the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans; the Louisiana Nature and Science Center; and, most recently, New Orleans Teen Court.
• JLNO has been involved in more than 100 different community projects, contributed more than $5 million to our community and donated more than 2 million hours of volunteer time.

Our Vision Statement:
The Junior League of New Orleans will improve children’s education within the Greater New Orleans community through the dedicated action of trained volunteers.

Our Mission Statement
The Junior League of New Orleans is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective
action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable.

History
More than 85 years ago, 10 New Orleans women dedicated to creating a women’s group to work for community improvement met at the residence of Mrs. Hilliard E. Miller (later Mrs. George Francis Wright) to discuss the organization of a Junior League.  In addition to Mrs. Miller, they were Mrs. W. E. Penick, Mrs. Charles Monrose, Mrs. George S. Clarke, Mrs. Charles B. Thorn, Mrs. Charles Seyburn Williams, Mrs. Donald Maginnis, Miss Josephine Witherspoon (later Mrs. John Rogers), Mrs. James Anderson and Miss Elise Mason-Smith (later Mrs. Henri Howard). 
In accordance with the requirements at that time for securing membership in the Association of Junior Leagues of America, this group was proposed by the Nashville League and seconded by the Atlanta League. On March 31, 1924, the New Orleans group was admitted to membership in the Association of Junior Leagues of America.
The Junior League of New Orleans was organized as an official body with a membership of 40.
Activities of the Junior League of New Orleans, from its founding to the present, include projects in the fields of health, welfare, education and recreation. They are funded by JLNO money-raising activities such as Bloomin’ DEALS Thrift Shop,
sales of the JLNO’s award-winning cookbooks, Holiday Marketplace, Decorators’ Show House, Holiday Shopping Card and Kitchen Tour.
Some of the JLNO’s best-known projects, many of which have grown into independent entities, include The Parenting Center at Children’s Hospital, the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans and Teen Court. Over its more than 85 years of service, the JLNO has created or supported programs at the Audubon Zoo, New Orleans Museum of Art, Louisiana Children’s Museum, Charity Hospital, Children’s Art Council, Kingsley House and various patriotic activities related to World War II. Current community activities that have received funding and volunteer efforts from Junior League include Kids Café, Exchange City (in partnership with Junior Achievement), Rebuilding Together and a longtime Partnership in Education program with A.H. Wilson Elementary School. In addition, the JLNO has aided numerous agencies through its Community Assistance Fund granting program. F
 

Digital Sponsors

Become a MyNewOrleans.com sponsor ...

Sign up for our FREE

New Orleans Magazine email newsletter

Get the the best in New Orleans dining, shopping, events and more delivered to your inbox.