 Dear Friends, How exciting to have my country home featured in this New Orleans-focused issue of Garden & Gun Magazine! The Mrs. Ory Patout House in Patoutville, is located just next door to New Iberia. I had thought this charming bucolic home, which sits on the edge of sugar cane fields in the heart of Acadiana, may be of interest to World of Interiors. Years ago, my Bourbon Street home was featured in that publication.  Garden & Gun's senior editor CJ Lotz Diego knew of me as a dear friend to Julia Reed (my deceased incredible writer and tastemaker friend). Over time, CJ and I developed a rapport where I would send her cultural highlights to explore and consider for their publication. She also visited my French Quarter home. Last Spring, I introduced her to the New Iberia area. She attended the Books Along the Teche Festival to interview James Lee Burke, viewed native Louisiana Irises blooming at City Park (a project I've happily helped spearhead), and of course, I took her to my remarkable family home (pictured below) which she found intriguing and then wanted to feature. What an honor!  Contact me for Whole House Extended Rentals of the Mrs. Ory Patout Home Once the photo shoot timing was discussed, I moved into high gear to add more lustre, which included wallpapering my deceased Aunt Evelyn's former bedroom. There's quite a story about this historic wall paper and the installation process! Introducing Florence Place Foliate Gone But Not Lost Recreating Classic Wallpaper with Adelphi... Magical process brought historic paper to life Twenty years ago, I wandered into an abandoned deteriorated home in St. Mary Parish, Florence Place, which has since succumbed to the elements. In a stairwell closet, I found a piece of remarkably intact, though damaged, beautiful wallpaper.  I later showed the sample to dear friends and top interior designers William Brockschmidt and Courtney Coleman of Brockschmidt & Coleman. They connected me with Steve Larson an owner of Adelphi Paperhangings. Bill and Courtney also expressed an interest in using the paper if reproduced. To my amazement, Adelphi recreated this original French wall paper from the 1830's. When I gave my permission to proceed in making the hand-carved blocks, it was with the understanding that Adelphi could sell the design to others - thus keeping the design alive for future generations. Courtney and Bill also developed some additional colorways of Florence Place Foliate that have been used in prestigious interiors globally! SEE ADELPHI'S PROCESS - VIDEO BELOW  Founded in 1999, Adelphi Paper Hangings is a small, artisanal producer of historically accurate block printed wallpapers for museums and historic institutions, as well as for period designers and those involved in contemporary design projects. Adelphi papers represent the highest level of craftsmanship - and it isn’t cheap. Further, few tradespersons have the expertise to hang their works. It was quite an ordeal to find the right installer and one committed to making the trek to Patoutville for a multi-day installation.  After making numerous calls and countless inquiries to find a qualified installer, I was at a complete loss! Seemingly on-cue, I got a call from a good friend and client, who recently left her high power commercial real estate career. THE COURTING BEGAN Luring Lauren to Patoutville I already knew Lauren Burns Buckholtz to have a great eye and to be meticulous. I was thrilled to learn she'd recently completed a special program in Vermont to learn how to hang wall paper professionally. She also apprenticed thereafter with a master of the trade....She reached out to make me aware of her career change and her new company Perla Paperhanging .  Lauren is a perfectionist. In fact at first she said, Hey I can't hang this....this paper is for a senior paper hanger. She said she tried to break up with me over this very expensive delicate paper. She was very concerned about doing the perfect job and she went on and on to the extent I had to tell her I didn’t want perfection, and after that she seemed to calm down.  Explaining her concerns Lauren said, "Peter wanted it done in historic overlap. He asked me to do because that’s they way it was done - which takes extra skill. I lined the wall with acid-free lining paper a day before even putting his paper on top of it to preserve the wallpaper and to prevent it from fading. The lining gave a better surface and locked in the seams which was especially needed with historic overlap technique, Lauren said.  Beautiful sunsets in Patoutville as the paper was being installed Further she added, I spent a month researching for this project. I talked to Adelphi and they recommended I speak to the White House paper installer, and then I talked with 20 people in a guild.  Lauren arrived on the first day and her car was filled with paper hanging equipment and materials. As she was unloading.... "Now Peter, I’m not able to talk to you during this time." I was there one night and felt confident she was a great choice for the job. She stayed five days and made this room incredible.  And after the job was complete, I brought an old family rocker into the room and just sat in the space for awhile and teared up.  My Aunt Evelyn was uncharacteristically elegant for the area. She had great style and would have loved the beauty this special wall paper added, and the fuss in making her bedroom exceptional. * * * * * ANOTHER TEARY MOMENT: Seeing this Sign  In December, I had gone to pay my respects in Greenville, MS on the passing of Julia Reed's father, Clarke Reed. He was a huge influence in her life and I loved him, her mom and her extended family too. Later, I saw this sign and thought again about how my dear friend Julia had elevated my life in so many ways. The sign mentions her writing for the New York Times, Vogue and Garden & Gun. She included me in these publications because she believed in me. Poignant!   Photo here & below by Paul Costello for Julia Reed's New Orleans:
Food, Fun, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll
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