Sal Impastato, proprietor of the popular Sal & Judy’s restaurant in Lacombe, opens a new 20,000-square-foot kitchen and manufacturing facility this month in Slidell, feat... Read more...
Long before he became a top chef, New Orleans native Gus Martin had a passion for cooking, something he learned as a toddler while spending time in his grandmother’s kitc... Read more...
It is the kind of place where you would walk in a dream—if your dreams are very good—gardens worthy of the gods carpeted in white and yellow flowers, almost transparent i... Read more...
The Other Side of... Paris is a city of discovery. Its graceful bridges curve over the sensuous Seine River conne... Read more...
If you’re like most New Orleans residents, you or someone you know has a home renovation horror story. From Chinese drywall to carpetbaggers that take off with the cash, this city has seen it all since Katrina....Read more...
Floor and Décor has taken the home improvement market by storm, creating a whole new way to shop and design for customers, designers, and contractors. By cutting out the middleman, Floor and Décor is able to of...Read more...
Whether it’s a desire to stay close to family or because of the struggling economy, many people are spending their vacations at home rather than abroad. Rod Trahan, owner of La Pavers, has seen this trend devel...Read more...
While most European antique buyers are shopping in the high-traffic Parisian markets, Randy Williamson and Richard Clements of Designer’s Showroom are leaving dust trails in early morning light down the winding...Read more...
Award-winning interior designer Ty Larkins is a rising star in the Louisiana interior design community. Looking at his portfolio, you’d never guess he was arguing cases in the courtroom instead of drafting desi...Read more...
At first glance, Sister’s Antiques looks like just another tiny shop tucked away in the heart of Old Metairie. The diminutive exterior of Kathy Collins’ quaint double shotgun storefront is deceiving; once over ...Read more...
Inessa Stewart is a rare gem in the antique world. It’s unusual to find a business owner who personally selects each piece of merchandise, especially for an antique store. It’s common practice in the antique wo...Read more...
“Restoring someone’s vision is one of the most gratifying things you can imagine. Patients have an immediate improvement in the quality of their lives. If you tell someone you’ve controlled their blood pressure...Read more...
“We were doing green before green was cool,” says Don Charlet, co-owner of the Corbel.
“We do it because old things have this character, beauty, and depth that new products don’t. It’s about an appreciation fo...Read more...
“You remember your struggles, the things you work the hardest for in life,” says Peggy Stafford, owner and founder of Stafford Tile. A fearless entrepreneur, she dared to dream big and got something even bigger...Read more...
Are you one of those people who finds yourself weaving in and out of crowded department store aisles a few days before Christmas, battling the masses instead of making like Betty Crocker? Canned holiday music i...Read more...
If you live in, or frequent, the “Red Stick,” chances are you’ve noticed the StreetcarShops.com vibrant billboards on Bluebonnet, or even opened your mailbox to discover a personalized booklet of reward cards f...Read more...
It’s hard to let go of that gorgeous antique writing desk or second set of china that you simply have no room for anymore, but at Renaissance Interiors, your piece will be in good hands. Renaissance Interiors o...Read more...
Has your house every felt like a scene from The Money Pit? In this movie about a home renovation gone hilariously wrong, a young couple buys a house only to find that what they thought were minor repairs turn i...Read more...
The first time I sat at a piano at age nine, I didn’t know a note of music. After six years of ballet lessons and seemingly glorious recitals, my parents forced me to change course and study music, to my utter ...Read more...
I’ll never forget learning to Cajun dance on the worn wooden dance floor of Mulate’s Restaurant in New Orleans, my little feet poised on the toes of my mom’s high-heeled shoes as she walked me through a slow wa...Read more...
However cliché the title sounds, it is literally the only way to describe the things that Select Automation of Mandeville has to offer for your home. Security systems of the highest quality, lighting control sy...Read more...
Something is rotten in the state of Louisiana, but this time it’s not the politics. The land we love and fight so hard to protect from hurricanes, oil spills, and erosion is quietly failing. Louisiana, once fam...Read more...
Louisiana has many “locals-only” secrets—where to get the best boudin (Hebert’s Meat Market in Maurice), where to go hear the best music (if you don’t know, ask a local), and where you got them shoes (according...Read more...
Have you ever walked outside on a beautiful day, ready to enjoy a cool drink by the pool or tan on the patio, only to discover you need to clean your pool, rake the yard, or douse yourself in bug spray before y...Read more...
Graceful scrolls, vine tendrils, and ornate old world designs are interwoven into the rich fabric of Louisiana’s architecture in the form of historic ornamental ironwork. Iron is a timeless medium; old houses a...Read more...
The lighting industry is undergoing radical changes with the dawn of the green movement. In south Louisiana, a region not often thought of as a frontrunner in green technologies, Valley Supply in Houma has been...Read more...
In business since 1999, the Stone Gallery is a sprawling, one-acre stone yard in Harahan. This is not your average stone experience; at the Stone Gallery, you can purchase slabs of stone for the same wholesale ...Read more...
Where can you encounter a giant gorilla, a baby dinosaur, a slumbering dragon, and an angel with a six-foot wingspan surrounded by a host of genuflecting saints? Not in your dreams or even Disneyland (they don’...Read more...
What are you always trying to find? Hint: There’s never enough of it. “Time” is probably your first answer, followed by another biggie, “space.” If only we had the time and energy to make the spaces around us e...Read more...
It’s a popular misconception that modern design is stark and minimalist. The warm, cozy décor at Adison Norland in Lafayette is anything but bare bones. Mother and daughter team Glenda and Heather Delahoussaye ...Read more...
Floor and Décor has taken the home improvement market by storm, creating a whole new way to shop and design for customers, designers, and contractors. By cutting out the middleman, Floor and Décor is able to of...Read more...
In the Cajun French dialect, passe-partout refers to a two-man saw used to fell large trees. Two men work together to cut a large tree that they couldn’t have otherwise cut by themselves, each exerting an equal...Read more...
French traditional style is wildly popular in south Louisiana today, not only because of its effortless panache but because it speaks to our French ancestors, the weary Québécoise and French royalists who first...Read more...
Do you ever wish you could change just one thing about your body? You are not alone. Research shows that at least 90 percent of women are unsatisfied with some aspect of their bodies, whether it’s skin problems...Read more...
Optimism has a special meaning to brothers Bert and John Jacobs, co-founders of the Life is good product that has taken the U.S. by storm. Their story began in 1989, when they were hawking t-shirts out of the b...Read more...
There is an untold story that lives in each piece of wood in a home. The carpenter begins the tale, cutting the raw material and shaping it slowly, his hands sliding over each curve and smoothing each flat surf...Read more...
When you walk over the threshold of Absolutely Abigail’s, you enter a charmed world. The antithesis of homogenized department store fare, this diverse, cosmopolitan boutique is fashion for the treasure seeker, ...Read more...
Albany Woodworks is a family owned and operated business specializing in antique wood products, bringing new life to reclaimed antique lumber for homes, businesses, and historic restorations throughout the worl...Read more...
The task of designing, building, and decorating a home or business can seem daunting at first, but at the Front Door in Baton Rouge, it’s just another day. This popular design studio offers the whole package, t...Read more...
A gift is something given freely, a one-way exchange made with no expectation of compensation. A gift is given as a sign of friendship, affection, or support; “gift” can be defined as the power to give, the act...Read more...
A new kind of utopia is blossoming in Cajun Country this fall. Acadia Plantation is a Traditional Neighborhood Development (TND) founded by Jake Giardina and Ronald Adams, co-owners of Jayron Enterprises. Giard...Read more...
For over 40 years now, Pieri Tile & Marble has reigned supreme as New Orleans’ premier destination for both commercial and residential marble, stone, and tile products. “I think the secret to our continued succ...Read more...
For a nurturing break from the lively bustle of city life, the posh and soothing Bumble Lane Spa Retreat is an idyllic oasis that serves to rejuvenate the mind and body. The world-class, state-of-the-art spa of...Read more...
Scott McKearn knows fine furniture. From his early days working with his father and brother importing exotic furniture from Indonesia and selling it in both Louisiana and Wisconsin (he’s from there), McKearn ha...Read more...
“No matter how large or small the job, they have never turned a client away, and they never will. That is just the kind of hard working, dedicated people they are,” says Ryan Virden of Thuan and Angie Nguyen, b...Read more...
Madeline LaRive, owner of Le Marche Antiques, reflects back fondly on her many visits to her aunt’s home as a child. “My mother was the youngest of 10 siblings, and we would often go visit her oldest sister, my...Read more...
Some locals refer to it as the old Rite Aid building; other locals remember its heyday as store number 15 of the Katz & Besthoff (K & B) bright purple empire. “People come here all the time to reminisce about t...Read more...
Allergan, Inc. recently hosted a star-studded event in Hollywood to launch Latisse Wishes, a charitable public awareness campaign designed to help make wishes come true. Actress Brooke Shields and beauty expert...Read more...
It’s been a hard road to hoe since his days working in oil field management almost five years ago, but Darriel Green and his wife, Dione, have stayed committed to their vision to create a service oriented busin...Read more...
Experience and exposure are the basis of expertise, and designer Nancy Robbins has had access to both throughout her entire life. Beginning at a very young age, Robbins, a native of New Orleans, traveled extens...Read more...
“I have a problem,” confessed Crystal Le as we sat down to enjoy an afternoon pick-me-up at the local coffee shop. “I like to learn,” she announced sheepishly. “No, really, I get bored very easily. I need to co...Read more...
History tells us that the term artisan originated in mid 16th century France and was derived first from the Latin word artitus and later from the Italian word artigiano. In each case these respective terms, all...Read more...
People who come across a large measure of success in their lifetime often refer back to an inspirational aha moment; an identifiable point in time when an idea was born that will ultimately determine one’s jour...Read more...
Style is serious business, and no one knows that better than Greg Hoffman of Scandinavia Furniture. In 1985 Hoffman, a skilled woodworker, took a job assembling furniture in the warehouse of Scandinavia Furnitu...Read more...
The most effective advertising we do, to tell you the truth, is not anything we pay for or can even control to a certain extent,” reports Dr. Shonda Achord. “We get a lot of our business from patients who refer...Read more...
Once upon a time, the Louisiana Gulf Coast was lined with cheniers, groves of oak trees that grew out of and helped to contain the silty marshlands that constitute our shoreline. Today, however, Louisiana is lo...Read more...
At Helm Paint & Decorating, top-notch, professional customer service has been the standard for over 40 years. With 6 locations in the greater New Orleans area and 3 locations on the Northshore, Helm Paint & Dec...Read more...
“It’s all about price, it’s all about design,” is the motto of the professional, experienced staff at both locations of American Factory Direct Furniture Outlets, Inc. (Mandeville, LA and Long Beach, MS). Their...Read more...
It is all the customers’ fault. It was the customers who caused De Madera to be open seven days a week. “We originally used our building to store our furniture,” admits co-founder Joel Davis. “We were only open...Read more...
In 1999, Johnny Altobello, Jr. and his wife Carolyn prayed for a sign from heaven before deciding whether or not to open what would become the oldest and largest importer and wholesaler of first quality natural...Read more...
For the past three years, Adison Norland, Acadiana’s premier supplier of contemporary furniture and accessories, has made it a priority to participate in the annual Acadiana Symphony Decorators Showhouse. “We’v...Read more...
Immediately upon walking into All Wood Furniture’s showroom you will notice the unmistakable aroma of wood, cypress wood to be exact. All Wood Furniture builds handcrafted, custom-built furniture made of solid ...Read more...
The selection of glass for a home can be a daunting project. There are many challenges with choosing the right type of glass for new and restoration construction. Now with the haunting threat of hurricanes in t...Read more...
With hurricane season upon us, it is essential that we protect our homes and make the necessary plans for our families. Direct Source, an exterior home improvement company located in Kenner, offers excellent so...Read more...
With an overabundance of homes for sale and interest rates at an all-time low, some consider this to be a buyer’s market. The idea of owning your own home is romanticized, primarily by real-estate agents, and t...Read more...
Let’s face it. Life happens. From job promotions and transfers, to acts of nature such as hurricanes and fires, we may be forced to leave our homes for extended periods of time with very little notice. Inconven...Read more...
The Gossen family has long been synonymous with the building industry in Acadiana going back to the 1890s, when Joseph Gossen emigrated to Rayne, Louisiana, from Germany. He was the first Gossen to step foot on...Read more...
Today’s outdoor grills have come a long way from the classic charcoal burning, single-rack burners. No longer a grill standing alone, many people are now installing actual outdoor kitchens. Complete with sinks,...Read more...
With so much time spent inside the house during the heat of the summer, interiors become most important. No one wants to host a garden party that ends indoors with shabby furniture and a tattered rug. To keep y...Read more...
Have you ever had a bad day and just wished you could soak it away in a beautiful spa? Well now you can take the spa home with you. These are not just hot tubs; Cal Spas offers your home more than the everyday ...Read more...
In today’s world of internet shopping and catalog ordering, finding a company that still allows a shopper to purchase on site is rare.
Thankfully, Dixon Smith Interiors’ also exists in today’s world.
Not only...Read more...
Keeping up the outward appearance of your home traditionally requires maintenance of the gardens and continual repainting of the exterior every few years. While there is no easy solution for permanently beautif...Read more...
“Believe it or not, I actually started my career as an artist in the third grade!” exclaims Dr. Penelope Treece. “That’s when I sold my first painting, and I must make a disclaimer—it wasn’t to a family member....Read more...
It has been 15 years since designer Jack Kellerman and his brother, Kurt Kellerman, first set up shop as premier custom cabinet builders and suppliers in Louisiana, and in that time their business has grown to ...Read more...
In the words of Winston Churchill, “We shape our homes and then our homes shape us.” With so many things available on the market and on the internet, it may be difficult to decide what cohesive style you want t...Read more...
In 1901, Louis Davidson set out to realize his dream. Born in Russia in 1881, Davidson dreamed of a future in a foreign land that was much brighter than that of his ancestors. At the ripe age of 20, he boarded ...Read more...
Sisters Lee and Rose Ali sat down with one of the editors at Louisiana Homes and Gardens to discuss their successful interior design business, their “classical avant-garde” shop on Magazine Street in New Orlean...Read more...
Searching for the perfect gift? Look no further than The French Mix, where shelves of fine French soaps, candles, and linens mingle with the soothing scent of lavender, and handmade local wares beckon and rejuv...Read more...
Sharon Schenck, owner of Nola Rugs, loves it when people buy rugs like they buy art, falling in love with colors and working from there. With more than 35 years in the international rug business, Schenck has se...Read more...
About five years ago, Emily Heroman fell in love with the art of concrete. At the time, she had been the head golf pro at the University Club in Baton Rouge for eight years with sponsorships from Callaway, Nike...Read more...
When it comes to assembling or renovating a kitchen, it takes the perfect selection of custom ingredients to make the recipe sizzle with style and functionality. With more than 45 years in the cabinet industry ...Read more...
Chances are you have seen a corbel, an architectural bracket. But if you drive too quickly down Highway 61, you might not see The Corbel, a trove of treasures. Look for the metal rooster sitting on an old cypre...Read more...
Katie Peralta, part owner and manager of Triton Stone, has a mantra on which she bases her savvy approach to the business of stone distribution. “A rock is rock,” admits Peralta.
“If you are going to buy a roc...Read more...
What frustrates you the most about your closet? Is it the inability to see all of your shoes? Having to climb on a stool to reach high shelves? Staring at piles of dirty clothes? Meet with a professional design...Read more...
If you have taken a stroll through the Louisiana State University campus in Baton Rouge, you have seen the work of Gary Whitehead and Architectural Precast. Some of his pieces are underfoot while others are ove...Read more...
Show off the personality of your home with Wall Décor and More Interiors, offering one-on-one attention for all your decorating needs. Their design team staff will bring knowledge and experience of the industry...Read more...
For most women, complexion is everything. We have all been there: trying on clothes in a dressing room that is lit with florescent lights, desperately trying to understand why suddenly we look like Casper’s lon...Read more...
For anyone who has ever thought about starting their own business, there is no better role model than Teche Electric Supply. Since opening in 1962, Teche Electric’s commitment to providing its customers with, q...Read more...
When you think New Orleans architecture, usually some of the first things that come to mind are quaint shotgun homes, beautiful hidden courtyards, and wrought and cast iron everything. Traced back to the 1800s,...Read more...
Window shutters add a nice touch to a home’s exterior as well as its interior. Shutters typically coordinate with a home’s design to bring out a certain style in its appearance.
More and more people are selec...Read more...
The effects of living in a fast-paced world are filtering out of the cities and into our once-peaceful suburbs. It all began in the eighties: the rise of cell phones carried with it a lifestyle emphasizing cons...Read more...
Without pausing for air, Drew Bevolo can rattle off locations of his Bevolo gas light fixtures:
the Cabildo, Brennan’s Restaurant, Commander’s Palace, Emeril’s, Ruth’s Chris. With customers in 50 states and 28...Read more...
Stuart Gilly, an owner of Capital Stone Inc., never forgets any stone he puts into a kitchen. At 15 years old, he and his brothers installed their first stone—Dakota Mahogany—into their parents’ kitchen. The Gi...Read more...
“The color doesn’t compliment the artist, the artist compliments the color,” proclaims Tomus Enclade, part owner of Isis the Salon along with his daughter for whom the salon is named. And as anyone who has dabb...Read more...
When Don Wise asked a client—who makes a living playing professional basketball—how far he could reach, he did not expect the client would reach his hands all the way to the ceiling. This client was going to ne...Read more...
Stacey Davis and June Jackson, the owners of Echelon Interiors, are both clicking away on their laptops. Stacey is working on an ad, searching for appealing photographs of recent projects.
June pulls up the pr...Read more...
The phone rings at Lagniappe Home Accents in Mandeville, answered by one of the store’s friendly staff members. On the other end of the line, someone is looking for a piece of ironwork. Promptly and courteously...Read more...
When employees at Martin Wine Cellar ask if you need any help, take them up on their sincere offer. Carrying more than 3,000 wines from 16 countries, choice is standard at Martin Wine Cellar’s four locations in...Read more...
Some of the most famous names in art and design, from Pablo Picasso to Frank Lloyd Wright, have at some point in their careers turned their hand to rug design. Today, artists and designers are pushing the mediu...Read more...
Nothing says easy shopping like designer showrooms. Whether featuring living room layouts, bath designs, or kitchen options, a showroom is central to a design-impaired shopper. Attempting a kitchen or a bathroo...Read more...
Few of us realize that we spend about one third of our lives in our bedrooms. It is what we see the first thing in the morning and last at night. For those two reasons alone it should be the room that best expr...Read more...
In 1967, the National Football League’s New Orleans’ franchise officially debuted as the Saints. The same year, Norman Foxworth started his company, Dependable Glass Works in downtown Covington. Only one of the...Read more...
Chris Van Pelt remembers the first time he saw framed mirrors. A contractor he works with at M&M Glass Company showed him a Baton Rouge home in the Pond on Hart’s Mill Lane. Inside were ornately decorated gold-...Read more...
Do you have a new, unique vision for your home? A vision with a peaceful, warm feel? Or possibly, a space that feels vibrant, energizing and exciting? Whatever your vision is, whatever “feel” you want to create...Read more...