Vikki Leftwich is a trailblazer. Co-owner of New Orleans furniture and design institution Villa Vici, Leftwich has long been a guiding light in the community. After founding Villa Vici in 1991 with her husband, Bryan Colwell, Leftwich developed long-term relationships with local artists and a keen eye for contemporary design, while providing exemplary customer service for her cultivated roster of clientele. “New Orleans clients are like no other and creating livable spaces for them is always exciting and refreshing,” the interior designer said from her showroom on Magazine Street. “We have so many talented people in our beloved city that make my job as an interior designer so much more interesting.” With a love for the culture and people of New Orleans, Leftwich shares expert insights on how to reflect New Orleans’ vibrant culture via design.
Work with local artists.
I love designing a room around artwork and New Orleans has a plethora of amazing artists to choose from. We work with several artists in the city and if we give them a palette of colors to work with they always come up with something exceptional and their pieces become the focal point of the room. Tony Mose is one of these artists and we are always honored to incorporate his work in our design projects.
Go big.
Our clients are not afraid of making bold statements with their furniture and sometimes it’s as simple as taking a modern chair and adding a little fringe! Our clients love a pop of color which adds to the fun of it all and New Orleanians are all about having a good time.
Use a minimalist approach and embrace the old and the new.
When clients have a treasured antique passed on from their families, that can always be the start of designing a room. An antique chandelier was the beginning of this dining room and incorporating black lacquered walls by Keith Guy contractors in New Orleans took this room to a new level. Our clients are not afraid of taking a chance even with black that we consider to be the new white. Adding beautiful fabrics in our window treatments always warms the heart and adds interest to any room.
Give your walls some personality.
Wallpaper is another way to make bold statements especially in powder rooms. It has definitely made a comeback in interior design and it allows my clients’ personalities to shine on.
Work with local contractors that you trust.
Without the incredible work ethic of our contractors, our design ideas would be just that without them. My go-to person for anything to do with fabricating stone work is Paul with Palatial Stone and his wife Amyre. They’re always available for finding just the right materials to use in any project.