NEW ORLEANS (press release) – Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses (HGGHH) announces the installation of the Summer Dress exhibition, a seasonal change in home décor in anticipation of uncomfortable New Orleans summers .
At Gallier House, guests will enjoy this decorative and functional transformation while on tour. The downstairs parlor has exchanged heavy fabrics for breathable materials to show visitors how much of the home needed seasonal changing or protection and how labor intensive this process was. Upstairs, the children’s room features straw matting to cover the floor and linen bedding, another standard practice of Summer Dress.
Per 19th century and earlier tradition, heavier materials in the home were swapped out at the start of summer for cooler fabrics. By removing thick drapes, rugs, and blankets and replacing them with linens, gauze, and mosquito netting, this practice offered much-needed relief from the sweltering heat and humidity of the summer. Due to open windows, valuable items such as paintings, chandeliers, and clocks were wrapped in gauze for protection. Mosquito netting was also a seasonal necessity, as instances of Yellow Fever and Cholera often flared in the summer months.
WHO: Hermann-Grima + Gallier Historic Houses
WHAT: Summer Dress exhibition
WHERE: Gallier Historic House, 1132 Royal Street in the French Quarter
WHEN: Thursday-Tuesday 10am-4pm; exhibition runs May 17 through September 3, 2019
For more information and to purchase tickets please go to www.hgghh.org.
