In a time where expedite has become expected and quick paced decisions are already behind schedule, there stands a French Quarter house built in 1834 that prefers, if not implores, its caretakers to move at a more leisurely tempo. This extra time allows the historic Creole townhouse on Governor Nicholls Street to reveal its past, potential and possibilities.
It was this measured rhythm and easy-going creative cadence that allowed new owner Jennifer Frutkin and designer Sherry Shirah to find a common parlance that bonded them for the entirety of the project.
“I felt we had a real love connection over vision,” said Frutkin, whose primary home is in Ohio where she and her husband have a business of doing historic property renovations. “Sherry and I connected instantly in our love for modern touches and updates in historic architecture. We both felt strongly that you shouldn’t try to make your space something that it isn’t or wasn’t designed to be. We both wanted to honor the history and also update and elevate it.”
After purchasing the home in June of 2021, Frutkin felt it important to let the house speak to her before committing to any major decisions past the two linen couches she had selected on her own.
“I believe in sitting in a space and not feeling compelled to move or change anything instantly,” said Frutkin. “What you thought was important turns out not to be and vice versa.”
This was particularly important to her because calling a French Quarter house her own was a decades-long dream coming to life.
“I have always loved the spirit, depth of energy, history, fun and festiveness of New Orleans. During Covid I felt it was a great time to shake things up and felt it was the time to look at fulfilling my dream of a French Quarter adventure.”
With the help of a 4-page questionnaire from Shirah that asked everything from what music Frutkin would play in her home (Father John Misty), to which hotel depicts a design experience she loves (Henry Howard Hotel), she was able to inspire Frutkin to solidify her true intent for the house.
“My priority was to find something where my whole family could gather together and enjoy the quintessential NOLA experience,” said Frutkin of her family, which includes her husband and three children, ages 19, 21 and 22.
“When you walk in this house you just feel the history in your bones. The bustle of the French Quarter went silent when I closed the door behind me and stepped into a central courtyard, which was a lush, tranquil hideaway. It was amazing that we could be a mere step from celebration, step foot into this home and it became a perfect, peaceful retreat.”
Calling the endeavor P R O J E C T 1 8 3 4, a nod to the build date, Shirah started with three guiding ideas: modern and old world European-American elegance; reverence to the 1800s house but a younger version; and infusing natural elements with moments of color to create interest.
Bearing in mind Frutkin’s goals to create a lighter and airy space, she set the color story into motion for the house, inspired by the palette of the Vieux Carré by Benjamin Moore, for her paint selections. Pontalba Rose, Revere Pewter and White Dove were among the paint choices turned brush strokes on the walls and ceilings.
She began to work her magic on the first floor living parlor and then wound her way up the 2-story property.
“Since the first room you see when you walk into the home is the kitchen and downstairs living parlor, we focused on that first,” said Shirah. “It was important to make it feel welcoming and very special given many guests that may enter the home have likely never seen a home in the French Quarter before, yet very comfortable for the lifestyle of my client’s family.”
In this room, which faces the kitchen through elegant double doors, a casual den was created.
Observing the space, you will find a mix of fabrics, prints and patterns, making for a rich yet refined room. A chandelier with crystals removed in between one another to make for a more understated look, and floor to ceiling velvet drapery in aubergine to offset the lightened walls with a slightly contrasting ceiling color, of which Shirah chose as nuanced details to highlight the crown molding.
Within the room resides an antique wooden bar well-stocked courtesy of the insight from the libation entourage at Prytania Wine & Spirits, a large, checkered rug to anchor the space and a luxe round leather ottoman topped with books like the irreverent New Orleans-based novel A Confederacy of Dunces. Says Shirah, “Hard and soft lines within the space convey different things. A round ottoman welcomes as a ‘circle,’ which is a way of inviting you into the room.”
An antique Bergere chair upholstered with a whimsical repeating Moon Eyes print from local textile designer Pavy gives a quirky sophistication.
Said Frutkin of the mix, “I really leaned into it all because I didn’t want a house that was just one sort of serene palette. This is a fun city. It’s all about people having a good time. I needed Sherry’s guidance on that, which is really her magic.”
Not to be overlooked is a beloved acquisition by Frutkin, a piece of artwork on the wall near the fireplace sourced locally from Antieau Gallery. Of art populating a space, Shirah says it adds much visual interest, but if you aren’t attuned to collecting art or are being mindful of budgeting, cleverly placing books about the house can double as decor. “Books are the soul of a space,” said Shirah, who bought boxes upon boxes from local bookshops Faulkner House Books and Arcadian Books & Prints to line the space with literature. “Coffee table books are art. If you leave a book open to a page you love to look at, it is an affordable form of art that can create a mood.”
Just steps away from the downstairs parlor resides the library, a petite room with vaulted ceilings outfitted with ample elongated built in wall storage, all painted in Venetian Portico from Benjamin Moore which Shirah calls “a warm color to wrap you up”, and a striking furniture component – a daybed from Lee, covered with a custom coverlet and bolster pillows from Pierre Frey fabrics with welt fabric on the coverlet from Kravet. A vintage grasshopper lamp sits nearby to shed light during cozy days spent flipping through books while gazing out the windows to the private courtyard. Said Shirah, “This became our mysterious room. It’s a space to evoke a dream. We wanted to mix the old with the new with the lavish, make it comfortable, but a little extravagant.”
Upstairs you’re met with a delightful vision of original painted diamond checkerboard wooden floors that lead to a kitchenette and wet bar. “I don’t get credit for painting those, but I do get credit for keeping them!” said Shirah of the unique flooring that she felt provided a lovely visual pause from the wooden flooring throughout the house. They added custom cabinetry, painted Mountain Ridge by Benjamin Moore, a lavender grey that highlights the stone countertops and added an antique mirror that reflects the lighting from the courtyard as seen through the nearby windows. They custom cut the cupboards to fit the space to provide useful storage and ample drawers for entertaining guests with a morning coffee or an herbaceous gin cocktail before passing through the French doors into the upstairs parlor room.
Of the parlor room, says Shirah, “It was very deliberate the way we laid out the space as three different rooms in one to provide options for experiences within the space, but with cohesion. Thinking about how furniture will fit in a room is a huge aspect to our process. The spaces we create will always have a mix of old and new, so thinking about the size of the pieces and the lines and curves is an art.”
The central aspect of the room is the round antique Biedermeier table, surrounded by mustard-hued chairs from Fireside Antiques and a striped settee in the corner that gives a view of the balcony along Governor Nichols, where, during a visit to the property, a neighbor beckoned up from the sidewalk to offer bottles of wine as a sociable offering of camaraderie.
In terms of scouting furniture like the velvet blue chaise, the settee upholstered in Vervain fabric, an antique Spanish Castilla armoire and the antique Biedermeier game table where a rousing game of backgammon is often played by the family, Shirah is on a constant hunt for sources, popping by antique shops, auctions and even browsing Facebook marketplace. “It’s definitely a mélange of sourcing which takes time.”
A striking detail that Frutkin described as “a leap of faith moment” that is now one of her favorite decisions of Sherry’s design, are the black painted doors and frames that line the interior wall of the parlor room, an idea that Shirah decided was creatively crucial. “Contrasting moments are not a novel concept, but in a certain space where there is such a unique view, it becomes obvious that you don’t need a whole lot of art in the room because the view of the French Quarter through the windows is the art. Painting the doors black is a way of framing the beautiful, natural art you see through the windows.”
While the window views are among the most celebrated aspects of the home, the courtyard and private guest cottage are among the most desirable gifts in residence.
Said Shirah approaching the space, “Even though the cottage is free standing, cohesion is super important to the overall design scheme. Creatively I think about how we are writing a sheet of music – we need to decide what we want the refrain to be, then write the chorus, and then return to the refrain. It all has to live with the rest of the song of the house.”
A sanctuary of a space, they painted the room entirely in a calming Templeton Gray shade from Benjamin Moore, added a king-sized bed with, in lieu of a conventional headboard, a nature inspired custom-made large format tapestry made out of House of Hackney fabric with Lee Jofa trim, designed and created by local Adriana Battista, aka Madwoman. “When Sherry first suggested a tapestry, it wasn’t speaking to me. I wasn’t sure it was young enough. But when I came to town, I took one look at the fabric and thought yes, this is so Louisiana.”
With Shirah’s encouragement to add memorable and special moments to the room with items discovered during travels, Frutkin found a French company while visiting Amersterdam and fell in love with a large overhead palm fan light and wall sconce that cast just the right light to create a calming ambiance in the room. An oyster themed window shade from Palm Orleans adds pattern play and provides another New Orleans-inspired visual.
Above all else during the design journey, Frutkin says that Shirah provided her with confidence.
“I really didn’t know how incredible it could be,” said Frutkin in contented amazement. “I had ideas, but with Sherry, she really helped me to have confidence in my design decisions. I think what makes her really special is that she isn’t trying to just create a space that looks good, but also feels good. It fits your vibe, your energy. She creates a feeling. I really wanted this house to be a muse for me…and that’s what we created. A special spot that matches the creative energy of the city.”
Get the Look
The Entellina chandelier impresses with draped crystal beading and a classic empire silhouette. Julie Neill, julieneill.com.
Reflect with a Crofton vanity mirror finished in lightly antiqued gold leaf. Shop Indigo Boutique, shopindigoboutique.com.
French upholstered dining chair in Louis XIII taste with high backs and “os de mouton” stretchers, circa 1880-1890. Lucullus, lucullusantiques.com.
Round things out with a leather cocktail bench with button tufting. Villa Vici, villavici.com.
Relax in a Roofner chaise lounge with scroll arms. Perigold, perigold.com.
Handmade checkered rug by an artisan in Safi, a small port city on the Atlantic Ocean. Voyage Living, voyage-living.com.