Touro Camelback

The homeowners of this adorable single shotgun house knew they needed more square footage for their family of four, so they hired us to “camelback” their home. The Camelback is a New Orleans term for an addition on the back of the home, so the street-facing façade can maintain its historic massing and scale, a solution popular in our historic neighborhoods.
We added 650 square feet to the first floor and 650 square feet to the second floor, for a total square foot addition of 1,300. This addition afforded the homeowners a new principal bedroom and en suite, laundry room and family room on the first floor, and two kids' bedrooms and a bathroom on the second floor.
The homeowner had a bold vision for the interiors. We worked with the owners and the contractors to make sure their vision could come to life through architectural details.

While working on one of our recently completed projects, my client first told me that she wanted her home to feel happy. I always hope to infuse homes with functional and beautiful elements in turn making them happy places to be, but what does it mean for a home to FEEL happy? My client knew! “Pinky” is what my client called her home during the construction process.
This home is filled with so many unexpected color choices. Perhaps the colors were inspired by the owner’s love for astrology.

So, what does this home look like? Well, there are warm, green hues in the kitchen. I didn't even know "warm green" existed before this project. There's a peachy-pink historic parlor with a complimentary disco ball bouncing the afternoon sunlight around. There are smoldery black walls in a seductive bedroom and dressing room.
Stacey says New Orleans is on her Jupiter line in astrocartography, and as a Sagittarius sun, she really wanted to make this house to feel playful. The disco ball and some of the other décor that feels a tad extra and over the top is a nod to that big Jupitarian extravagance and the perfect anecdote to 2020.

“In addition to feeling happy, I remember wanting the house to be literally smile-inducing.” The owner, told me.

I never thought to use astrology as a form of design influence, but working with Stacey has influenced me to look outside my normal bag of tricks or technical solutions for making things work. Sometimes, our “feelings follow function.”