Astrologer’s Abode, New Orleans
Retrofit Team
ARCHITECT: Studio BKA
GENERAL CONTRACTOR: Sweeney Restoration LLC
Materials
The following is a sampling of materials used in the project:
PORCH FLOORING: Battleship Gray from Aeratis
DUAL-FUEL RANGE: Hallman
CABINETRY: Shaker Dover Chiswick from Wellborne Forestry Cabinets in Eminent Bronze from Sherwin-Williams
The Retrofit
The homeowners of this single shotgun house knew they needed more square footage for their family of four, so they hired Studio BKA to “camelback” their home while also renovating the interior of the existing home.
For this assignment, the design team added 650 square feet to the first floor and 650 square feet to the second floor, adding a total addition of 1,300 square feet to the home’s existing 1,200 square feet. This addition afforded the homeowners a new en suite primary bedroom, as well as a new laundry room and family room on the first floor, along with two kids’ bedrooms and a bathroom added to the second floor.
The homeowner, an astrology guru, human design reader and breathwork advisor, had a bold vision for the design of the home’s interiors. Studio BKA worked with the owners and the contractors to make sure this vision could come to life through architectural details.
The home abounds with unexpected color choices. A warm green hue envelops the kitchen. A peachy-pink historic parlor catches the eye quickly with its complementary disco ball toying with the afternoon sunlight. There’s also a smoldering black, seductive bedroom and dressing room at the rear of the shotgun.
“New Orleans is on my Jupiter line in astro-cartography and, as a Sagittarius sun, this means I gravitate toward the playful,” the homeowner remarks.
Although the disco ball and other décor may feel out of character for the typical family home, it delivers a strong nod to Jupitarian extravagance and is the perfect antidote to the recent pandemic.
PHOTOS: Jacqueline Marque unless otherwise noted
