Houzz Tours
My Houzz: From Destruction to Renewal After Hurricane Katrina
After losing almost everything home related, a couple rebounds with a new, contemporary build on the same site
After having to demolish their Hurricane Katrina–ravaged house, Janet and John Paul saw an opportunity to rebuild their home and lives. "Our furniture was ruined in the storm," says Janet. "We were able to salvage only artwork that hung above the 7- to 8-foot waterline and some pottery." Rather than leave their beloved neighborhood, the art- and antiques-collecting couple envisioned a new, contemporary home and hired architect Ken Gowland of MetroStudio and Brandon Construction to carry out their new build.
Their neighborhood was half occupied when they started construction in January 2012. "Lots of gutted homes were up for sale," Janet says. They moved in on Halloween that year.
Their property is a double lot, and the house fronts two streets, as it spans across the block. Two elongated rectangles overlapping in the center form a light-filled great room. Janet and John's new layout became an elegant canvas for which Nelson Wilson Interiors hand selected furniture mixed with antiques from Karla Katz Antiques, where Janet works. Local art pieces help give the Pauls' collection a fresh start and their home a timeless feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: John and Janet Paul and their cat, Boris
Location: Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans
Size: 2,300 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, home office
Their neighborhood was half occupied when they started construction in January 2012. "Lots of gutted homes were up for sale," Janet says. They moved in on Halloween that year.
Their property is a double lot, and the house fronts two streets, as it spans across the block. Two elongated rectangles overlapping in the center form a light-filled great room. Janet and John's new layout became an elegant canvas for which Nelson Wilson Interiors hand selected furniture mixed with antiques from Karla Katz Antiques, where Janet works. Local art pieces help give the Pauls' collection a fresh start and their home a timeless feel.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: John and Janet Paul and their cat, Boris
Location: Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans
Size: 2,300 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, home office
Two framed alligator prints hanging above the sofa are by Yvonne Hanriout Giraud.
A see-through fireplace serves as a centerpiece and a divider for the great room. The fireplace marks the exact center point of the house.
As part of Janet's art collecting, she often acquires pottery, such as the Greek pieces displayed on the black granite countertop. The French baker's table on the right has a top made of coral, and beyond that is a custom wood entertainment center designed by Nelson Wilson Interiors.
As part of Janet's art collecting, she often acquires pottery, such as the Greek pieces displayed on the black granite countertop. The French baker's table on the right has a top made of coral, and beyond that is a custom wood entertainment center designed by Nelson Wilson Interiors.
The fireplace is open on both sides.
A glass totem designed by Nelson Wilson Interiors stars in a corner of the dining area. All the cabinets are made locally by Northshore Millwork. The chandelier and pendant lights are by local artist Paul Gruer.
Dining table: Dakota Wood, Julian Chichester; painting: 'Confrontation' from 'Pillars,' Michelle Levine; kitchen appliances: Kenmore
Dining table: Dakota Wood, Julian Chichester; painting: 'Confrontation' from 'Pillars,' Michelle Levine; kitchen appliances: Kenmore
The vertical aspect of the space and lighting is fully appreciated in a view from the kitchen. The west and east wing roofs meet in the middle to form a gable, and a cathedral ceiling spans the great room.
The west wing of the house (behind the kitchen) is home to the house's only bedroom and bathroom. The tall and naturally lit space is a great getaway, complete with a separate shower and an Air Bubble Tub from Kohler. The tub rests against a backdrop of Lucian green glass tile, and behind it are the shower and toilet, separated by a wall.
One of the most memorable spaces of their previous home was a black and white tiled bathroom. To reference this dearly missed room, this bathroom was designed with one side in black and white, while the other colorfully celebrates the new home. The dress in the hallway was selected for this room by an artist at the New Orleans Jazz Fest and is constructed of sheet steel.
The master bedroom is behind the bathroom in the west wing. Clerestory windows fill the room with daylight, and white walls display art by Cathy Rose. The painting is by Ashley Longshore. The desk is an Italian olive wood piece from Karla Katz.
Lamp: Luna Bella
Lamp: Luna Bella
John's office is at the farthest end of the east wing, where he retreats to finish administrative work for his dentistry business or to simply listen to some tunes from his CD collection. (Janet is shown in it here.) The two were stoked to pick up this stunning painting, called "The Mardi Gras Indian," from French-New Orleans artist Isabelle Jacopin.
The couple uses this front porch, which connects to the living room, nearly every weekend for entertaining friends.
Troy Wilson made the lights that hang from the green slats out of Mardi Gras beads. The corner driftwood is from Adam Morales, who's known as "The Driftwood Man." Morales lives alongside a small bayou near Pierre Part, Louisiana, and sells sculptures made from his collected driftwood pieces.
Troy Wilson made the lights that hang from the green slats out of Mardi Gras beads. The corner driftwood is from Adam Morales, who's known as "The Driftwood Man." Morales lives alongside a small bayou near Pierre Part, Louisiana, and sells sculptures made from his collected driftwood pieces.
Clerestory windows line the entire north wall, flooding the rooms there with sunlight. A sliding barn door set against a corrugated galvanized iron wall leads to a storage shed.
The green-yellow nighttime glow of the home invites others into the story of this enduring New Orleans couple and their property that was not forgotten, but rather updated and cherished with a new build.
Here, Janet relaxes in the antique Louis XIV fauteuil chair with Boris.
Have you recently remade your house? Share your home with us
Have you recently remade your house? Share your home with us
A Louis XIV fauteuil chair from Karla Katz Antiques is the ultimate fireside reading chair, and above the mantel is a sculpture by Cathy Rose, titled "Antler Man with Coral Antlers."