Pantone recently announced Peach Fuzz as its 2024 Color of the Year, and Farrow & Ball has six colors that illustrate the peachy trend. For example, Faded Terracotta No. CC8 is a soft, pale orange inspired by the shade of terra cotta pots and tiles; and, for a slightly richer shade, try Fake Tan No. 9912, a warm peach with an earthy tone that looks gorgeous in rooms with southern exposure. Other colors in the collection include Pink Ground No. 202, Pink Cup No. 9801, Menagerie No. 63 and Setting Plaster No. 231. For the ultimate cocooning effect, International Brand Ambassador Patrick O’Donnell recommends color-drenching an entire room using the ultra-matte Dead Flat finish in any one of these shades. Available for order at Spruce Wallpaper and Fabric Showroom, 2043 Magazine St., 265-0946, sprucenola.com.
Avant-Garde Design
In their new book, “Bohemian Soul: The Vanishing Interiors of New Orleans” ($65, Rizzoli), designer and writer Valorie Hart and photographer Sara Essex Bradley feature a collection of 17 eclectic homes representing the best of old bohemian New Orleans. The homes – those of locals Patrick Dunne, Constantine Georges, Pres Kabacoff and Sallie Ann Glassman, Mary Cooper, Dr. Jessica Harris and more – are in direct contrast to the conventional design of today. Instead, these homes celebrate the unique decorative style of New Orleans, rich with patina, family heirlooms and history. Available at Octavia Books, 513 Octavia St., 899-7323, octaviabooks.com.
Garden Growers
The New Orleans Botanical Garden – in partnership with City Park Conservancy and the New Orleans Town Gardeners, a member of the Garden Club of America – is hosting the Heart of the Park Hat Luncheon on April 24. Don your garden cocktail attire and join for the VIP Hour from 11 a.m.-noon and the luncheon from noon-2 p.m. General tickets are $150, patron tickets are $250, and sponsorship opportunities range from $2,500 to $25,000. Proceeds benefit the care of City Park’s historic urban forest and the community programs supported by The New Orleans Town Gardeners. 1 Palm Drive., 482-4888, neworleanscitypark.org.
Refresh at Restaurant R’evolution
After more than 10 years of wear and tear in the kitchen and dining rooms, Restaurant R’evolution is in a new season of vitality. Sonesta International recently invested $1.5 million to refresh the restaurant, commissioning The Johnson Studio at Cooper Carry in Atlanta (an award-winning firm that created the initial design). The refresh includes refurbished tables; re-covered purse stools; new dining chairs, bar stools and carpets; new paint; and new Louisiana artwork in the dining rooms. Final kitchen touches will come later this year. Chef Folse also has reintroduced some of the most popular dishes from his since-burned down Lafitte’s Landing restaurant in Donaldsonville on the Restaurant R’evolution menu. For example, the Crawfish Montegut features fried Louisiana crawfish tails, artichoke and smoked tomato rémoulade, while the Shrimp Patterson includes black-eyed pea beer batter, red pepper coulis and herb oil. 777 Bienville St., 553-2277, revolutionnola.com.
Where Design Meets Nature
Longue Vue House and Gardens is once again hosting its Design Symposium, taking place this year from April 11-13. This year’s distinguished event celebrates the rich design legacy of landscape architect Ellen Biddle Shipman. Event highlights include a lecture by William Curtis, co-founder of Houston-based Curtis & Windham Architects, followed by a patron reception with passed hors d’oeuvres (April 11 at 5 p.m.); a presentation by Courtney Coleman and Bill Brockschmidt from Brockschmidt & Coleman (a firm that originated in New York City but recently expanded to New Orleans) followed by a garden picnic (April 12 at 10 a.m.); and a Symposium Community Day where guests can engage with speakers, participate in discussions and more (April 13 at 11 a.m.). Tickets start at $250. 7 Bamboo Road, 488-5488, longuevue.com.
Design in Miniature
Hattie Sparks Collins, principal and owner of locally based Hattie Sparks Interiors, was recently amongst eight designers who created custom dollhouses for the Houston-based fundraising event, La Petite Maison Gala. A Houston native, Collins was the only designer outside of Texas to participate, and she created a decidedly New Orleans-themed dollhouse. To do so, she collaborated with some of the best talent in New Orleans, including Alexis Walter, Frank Relle, Mary Ball, Doorman and E. Lee Jahncke Mead, among others. Collins drew inspiration from the colorful houses, wide front porches and special details found in New Orleans residential architecture. Inside, she created spaces that are warm, inviting, and full of color and local art. The dollhouses were auctioned off at the gala, which directly benefits A Shelter For Cancer Families, and raised more than $235,000 for the organization. hattiesparks.com.
