Within the Pavilion Blue-painted walls of the formal living room, where the sounds of tinkling piano keys over cocktail hour or the shuffling of tiles during a game of Mahjong can be heard, the Bucher family has found a perfect Uptown spot to call home. And, with the stylish guidance of interior designer, Whitney Wilkinson, they have outfitted it to comfortable perfection.
When approaching the elevated design elements of the two-story house, Elizabeth Bucher knew she wanted to call on a professional to ensure the best possible outcome for her husband and two children to enjoy in the years to come. That call went to Wilkinson.
“I just felt the most comfortable with her,” recalls Bucher of Wilkinson. “She said ‘tell me about your family, how you live, how you want it to feel’. And that spoke to me. Talking to her, I just felt like this was going to work.”
After a few conversations with Wilkinson, who launched her eponymous design business in early 2021, Bucher felt confident that Wilkinson’s skilled eye would help guide her through the process.
“This is our (Bucher and her husband’s) first endeavor in this way and we knew we were making a long play. It was a property we fell in love with and knew we would enjoy for all the foreseeable future seasons of life, but it wasn’t something from soup to nuts we were immediately going to be able to make completely ‘done’ or ‘designer’. Nor is that our style and I felt like Whitney got that and embraced it.”
Those initial chats revealed to Wilkinson the family’s goals for the project.
“Elizabeth mentioned that growing up, their family home was always the house that everyone hung out at,” said Wilkinson. “She wanted this new home to have enough different types of spaces to hang out and gather with friends and family.”
Wilkinson began with the downstairs and the main living areas. “I find clients like to start in the rooms that are most visible to guests and also where they spend most of their time, like in their family rooms and kitchens.”
To create a warm and comfy environment in the space they refer to as the sunroom, aka the family room, with its large, picturesque windows that overlook the shallow pool in the backyard, Wilkinson brought in an over-sized, olive-colored sectional large enough for the whole family to curl up on, a woven rattan pendant light and wall-to-wall ivory linen curtains. Said Wilkinson, “With the walls of windows being the natural focal point, it was important for me to keep the overall feel congruent with the outside by using natural materials with an organic and airy feel.”
Keeping with the Buchers’ desire to have a light and open feel to the house, the decision was made to bleach the existing Heart Pine floors in the majority of the house.
“The bleaching process to take out the strong warm tones of the original hardwood floors adds such a beautiful and lighter overall aesthetic and instantly brightens up the space,” said Wilkinson.
One of the most eye-catching spots in the house is the downstairs powder room, courtesy of Wilkinson’s choice of an earthy-patterned Morris and Co. wallpaper. A self-proclaimed wallpaper enthusiast, she notes that powder rooms in particular are a popular place to play around with a bolder print. “It’s one area where most homeowners are comfortable with going a little extra because the room is typically small, but is also the main bathroom used by guests,” said Wilkinson who also brought in a pair of Kelly Wearstler gold sconces, mixed marble mosaic flooring and custom cabinetry. “It’s also fun to open a door and see something unexpected.”
The consideration of custom cabinetry made it into several rooms of the house, most markedly in the kitchen.
“Custom cabinetry has more of a ‘finished’ look. It allows you to design every detail, inside and out, and uses every inch of space available, in whatever way works best for you.”
Her choice of incorporating White Oak cabinets with contemporary unlacquered brass knobs and pulls complements the sleek edition of Taj Mahal quartzite used throughout the countertops and backsplash.
“We chose quartzite for the kitchen counters because it’s a natural material that has great stain and chip resistance qualities, which was an important criterion for the homeowners,” she said. “Taking the countertop material up the wall is a great way to keep your eye moving around the kitchen. It also eliminated grout lines from tile, which helped add to the clean minimal vibe of the kitchen.”
When it came to selecting paint colors for the house, Bucher was impressed with Wilkinson’s commitment to the process. Recalls Bucher, “Whitney would come in with a color for us to look at in the morning light, the afternoon light and the evening light just so we could be sure to see how much we liked it at all different times of day or night.”
Of that approach, Wilkinson points out the importance of making those types of considerations when deciding on the color palette of your home.
“It’s important to take into account any existing surfaces that will not be altered and most importantly, how light comes into each room,” said Wilkinson, who encourages clients to consider what time of day they are most likely to use a room and from which direction the natural light is entering. “All of these factors affect how we perceive color in a home.”
She strategically kept in mind those elements when addressing the formal living room at the entry of the house, as it leads into the dining room while also offering a glimpse into the nearby “green room”.
“In this home, like so many other homes in New Orleans, you see multiple other rooms (even if it’s just a peek) upon entering the front door. Because I can geek out on paint colors, I do spend a lot of time thinking about whole house color schemes to make sure color flows well and makes sense for each room,” said Wilkinson, who kept the walls light in the open areas for minimal contrast with the floors.
One exception where a design choice of a different ilk was made is the aforementioned green room, a cozy space with two sets of vintage bamboo club chairs, a Frame TV on the wall and a built-in enclave with a plush emerald green loveseat. “They wanted to carve out a space for just the adults to relax in,” said Wilkinson of the room, which she painted with an earthy, medium green Farrow & Ball paint color. One of the smaller rooms in the house, it has captured Bucher’s heart as one of her favorites. “I wanted an adult sitting room where the lighting is low and we could have cocktails. Or my husband and I could come watch tv and just relax. It’s definitely cozy because my kids have slowly started to claim it as theirs.”
Heading upstairs by way of a textural custom wool stair runner with soft striped detail, Wilkinson took to creating a warm and serene space in both the primary bedroom and bath.
“In the bathroom we decided to go clean and crisp while still keeping some personality,” said Wilkinson of the contemporary space, which features a slab of polished white marble with subtle warm gray veining and a glossy, tonal white wall tile. She also added 8” encaustic cement gray and white checkered tiles, which she calls “a modern take on a long time classic”.
Seeing an opportunity to introduce some pattern, Wilkinson added a Roman shade embroidered with a print of the Suzani Tree of Life design from St. Frank to the window over the soaking tub. “The shade gives an unexpected whimsy to this sleek bathroom. I love how the sharpness of the black background balances with the light floral design.”
For the primary bedroom, Bucher wanted to go light and minimal, but also make the space cozy and serene.
To achieve the desired effect the designer took to layering tones of a few soft colors and warm, earthy hues. These can be found in the fully upholstered platform bed with a scalloped headboard in muted sesame linen used to anchor the space before adding dramatic ceiling to floor curtains in a dreamy light aqua linen. She also incorporated prints into the scene – a long, mustard and ivory striped bolster pillow and a pair of block-printed lampshades atop his and her lamps – as well as a vintage moment by way of an Italian carved and gilt wood bench at the foot of the bed.
“Everyone has a different idea of what a ‘bedroom retreat’ looks and feels like,” said Wilkinson. “For some it’s dark and moody, for others it’s light and bright and there are many different ways to interpret this.”
Throughout the home, Bucher has some of her favorite pieces of local art ranging from the Ashley Longshore in the formal living room to the entryway works of Logan Ledford to the original prints by Anna Koeferl situated in the sunroom. With the help of Wilkinson, she was able to incorporate a few of her treasured belongings into the mix, like the bamboo and rattan mid-century modern side tables from her grandmother, now in the sunroom, and a re-covered antique slipper chair she’s hoping to find a spot for in time.
With the design journey coming to a close, Bucher fondly reflects on her appreciation of the process and lengths that Wilkinson went to outfit the home with distinctive found pieces. Many locally purchased, some favorites include the painted and reupholstered dining table and chairs from Estately, a striped club chair in the sunroom from Object Biographies and a crimson vintage sofa in the living room from Merchant House.
The two even went on a couple of shopping excursions together.
“We went to estate sales, to Merchant House and even the stone yards together,” recalls Bucher. “We got along so well and she was always wanting to make sure what she found was the best fit. I’m so glad she’s like that. She really takes her time and it served us all well.”
Contact: Whitney Wilkinson, whitneywilkinson.com, @whitneywilkinson_designstudio
Recreate The Look
Shop similar styles of decor to echo these inspired pieces in your own abode.
An antique brass Karrington chandelier with 12 opal glass spheres makes for an artistic way to light an entertaining area. 4112 Magazine St., 504-899-2931, villavici.com.
Pattern play is easily achieved through throw pillows like an Iakovos in a summerland gray hue. Jade, 324 Metairie Rd., 504-875-4420, jadenola.com.
Bring in a bit of natural texture to a room with an RL hanging rattan and leather pendant with an oversized shade. 8211 Oak St., 504-866-6654, eclectichome.net.
A designer piece of seating like the Arne Jacobsen Charlottenborg Chair and its distinctive parallel curves adds a touch of cozy sophistication to any space. Sunday Shop, 2025 Magazine St., 504-342-2087, sundayshop.co.
A well placed handmade Moroccan wool rug can add an extra element of style to a hallway. 5’.9″ x 2’.8″. Voyage Living, voyage-living.com.
Add a touch of vintage elegance with a French Napoleon III period bronze and iron curule stool in the Neo-Roman taste, fitted with silk cushion, circa 1850. Lucullus Antiques, 915 Kentucky St., 504-528-9620, lucullusantiques.com.
