perch new orleans

calling all lovers!

2012-02-02T15:42:00.007-06:00

Hey fellas...

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. We've made it easy for you with some thoughtful gift ideas that will have her swooning!

have a crush on a fashionista? here's the perfect little book...

Marc Jacobs $25

frame a picture of the two of you holding hands for her nightstand.

hot pink florentine frame $ 48.75

Is she a whimsical flower child? this wall canvas is perfect...

wrapped canvas print 14"w x 28"h $92.50

for the flora-phile this barnacle vase makes a lovely statement.

barnacle vase 10"h x 8" w $166

or give her the ultimate gift...

A Sunset!

Snapped Cypress at Sunset 12"x 24" oil on canvas by Melissa Bonin $2000

just give us a call & we'll even wrap your gift up for you with a bright pink ribbon.

don't worry, you can thank us later. ;-)

perch.

2844 magazine street

new orleans

504-899-2122 T

info@perch-home.com

the blue indian peacock alights at perch.

2012-01-31T18:02:00.008-06:00

our much anticipated beautiful vibrant peacock is here!

every feather in pristine condition. he must have lived a charmed life.

his plumage a perfectly pleasant portrayal of a pheasant.

What shall we name him? Offer suggestions via a comment below & we'll pick a winner in a few weeks.

the best one gets a special surprise from perch.!

blue Indian peacock - $2875

It's Carnevale at perch!

2012-01-28T18:01:00.012-06:00

I am co-chairing a Venetian inspired gala called Sentimental Journeys with my dear friend Kim Abramson which will be April 22nd at Longue Vue House and Gardens.

(More on that to come!)

In preparation we hosted a planning meeting at perch. yesterday for our committee as well as for some Magazine Street shoppers who happened upon our little gathering.

Here are "book/boxes" we made which were inspired by this fabulous blogpost I found on Design Sponge.

We created these handmade boxes by applying joint compound (Jack's idea!) to the sides for the "book's pages" and lining them with Cavallini paper maps of Italy.

We filled each one with with chocolate Euro coins from World Market, a Venetian Carnevale mask, a Sucre Mardi Gras party favor box and an invitation rolled up with a wax seal to everyone from Hamish Bowles, Editor in Chief at Vogue Magazine, Dara Caponigro at Veranda, to Soledad O'Brien at CNN letting them know about this incredible event which raises funds for Longue Vue House and Gardens & its many educational programs for our community.

Our King Cake from Sucre replete with glittery icing & a tiny purple baby was a big hit. You can order yours online here to be shipped anywhere!

We also served our FAVORITE Champagne - Taittinger - to sip & make our bellinis!

Truly the perfect bubbly!

We are incredibly lucky that some of New Orleans' most talented artists & designers are coming together to make Sentimental Journeys an unprecedented event including the amazingly talented stationary designer Alexa Pulitzer.

(A post on this amazingly talented lady to come!)

This is a sampling of some of the letterhead Alexa Pulitzer created for us with a beautiful peacock perched on an urn.

Thanks everyone for making a Saturday at perch. unforgettable!

Stay tuned for more on the exciting planning of Sentimental Journeys for

Longue Vue House & Gardens.

New Shipment of Bals Books at perch.

2012-01-24T17:04:00.007-06:00

In New Orleans it's carnival season & Mardi Gras is upon us...

The book Bals Legendary Costume Bals of the Twentieth Century is the perfect inspiration.

"From the twilight of the Romanov dynasty through les années folles of Art Deco Paris to the jet-set seventies, Bals explores the nine most exceptional private costume parties of the twentieth century."

The most lavish, beautiful book ever produced on the subject, Bals features social commentary both by and about the colorful characters—Truman Capote, Cecil Beaton, and others—who immortalized these extraordinary events, as well as first-person narratives by Jacqueline de Ribes, Hélène David-Weill, and Marisa Berenson.

Bals $175

today is champagne for no reason at perch. day!

2012-01-21T15:13:00.002-06:00

come by & have a little bubbly with us!

Kartell Dune Bowl 109

yellow parrot sculpture 385

melamine plates 12-16

bubbly - complimentary!

perch on chinoiserie chic blog

2012-01-02T16:34:00.008-06:00

at perch. we are long-time fans of Beth Connolly who writes the fabulous blog Chinoiserie Chic.

So, we blushed a little when she used a photo of our funky display of flipped over & sideways Kartell chairs round our vintage red Chinoiserie high boy on her New Year's Eve blog.

Beth is designer extraordinaire and knows Chinoiserie-style design better than anyone.

The lovely Beth Connolly in her Alexandria, VA home.

Photograph by Chris Leaman for the Washingtonian.

When asked about the best and worst trends in design not long ago by writer Emily Leaman for the Washingtonian, Beth said, “The best is chinoiserie, of course. Timeless and elegant as well as very chic and stylish, it gives instant character to any room. The worst is this depressing gray Belgian look. I would have to be medicated if I lived in a house decorated like that. Please make it go away.” Read the whole article here.

We agree Beth! Thank you for your appreciation of vibrant color, style, design

and of course all things Chinoiserie!

secret sale at perch. ...

2011-12-22T15:44:00.002-06:00

pssst.... we're having a secret sale at perch.

come in or call us with your order, say the word "peace" and get 12% off anything in the store!

504-899-2122 T

stuff your stockings...

2011-12-16T14:50:00.009-06:00

Trying to find the perfect little somethings to stuff stockings with?

We've got it!

ikat mini notebook

at 4" x 3" it's the perfect notebook

for a grocery list or for collecting digits on a night out on the town.

$10

our favorite holiday scent by

nest fragrances comes in this adorable mini votive size

$14

vintage "Victory Optical" lighter by Rosenheisor

1.75" x 2.25"

$50

jot down the beginnings of your memoirs in this little journal

(other colors and bird species available.)

4" x 6"

make someone's Christmas and tell them THEY are a miracle.

5" x 7"

$16

holiday gift ideas -- art

2011-12-14T12:46:00.005-06:00

Here are some gift ideas to make that hard to shop for one on your list very happy!

These items are in stock and ready to ship out today in time for Christmas!

larger than life moth print framed & mounted.

23.5" h x 25.5" w

$575

"View From My Back Yard

oil painting on canvas by Louisiana artist Melissa Bonin

6" x 6"

$400

butterfly collection made of hand cut vintage papers

10" x 10" each

$320

And best of all... custom gift wrap available!

Call us today to place an order 504-899-2122 T

Ornaments galore!

2011-12-07T11:03:00.016-06:00

We're decking the halls of perch.! Here are some of our favorite must-have ornaments of the year. Call us today to order! 504-899-2122

You can have them in plenty of time to enjoy for the holiday!

our silver tinsel tree decked with delightful ornaments.

handmade snow white elephant $18

handsewn white poodle for the dog lover on your list. $14

aqua green & silver indian elephant. $14

the sweetest mary ornament is hand-carved & painted wood. $19

ask us about our custom gift wrap. Here we've used our snow-white paper and iridescent blue green ribbon with a Mary ornament for that extra special touch.

for the chinoiserie lover on your list, this precious little puppet ornament is vintage inspired. $15

another style also $15

and a precious english lady in stockings $15

these handmade apple ornaments in vibrant green are the perfect teacher gift $7

our last giant buddha ornament! $20

get him while you can.

this little penguin says 'take me home!' $7

have a Chinese food lover on your list? we see this fortune cookie ornament with two cookies on each in your future! $12

this precious polar bear is hand-painted & spotted with snow. $14

call us to order! 504-899-2122

"La Femme" New Works by New Orleans Artist Lisa Conrad at perch.

2011-11-28T18:27:00.003-06:00

perch is pleased to present "La Femme"

photographs by Lisa Conrad

this Saturday December 3rd

6 until 8 o'clock

2844 Magazine Street

New Orleans

504-899-2122

Tabletop Feature in Wish Magazine...

2011-11-04T11:04:00.017-05:00

I get more than a little excited by designing creative tabletops when I entertain my friends and family so I totally got into designing my setting for The Times Picayune's 5th Annual holiday tabletops in Wish Magazine which came out today.

I was asked along with 4 other designers who are incredibly talented, so I was honored to take part! (including David Katz, Alexis Walter, Matt Voelkel, & Jennifer DiCerbo).

The insanely talented Style/Fashion Editor/Guru for the Times Picayune Susan Langenhennig orchestrated the Wish Magazine piece.

Expert photographer Ellis Lucia who has been with the Times Picayune for 31 years photographed. All of the photographs you see here are courtesy of Ellis.

As a placemat I used a Dune tray by Kartell. I love them!

I brought a setting of my silver from home to use which is Francis I.

I used these delicate wine/water glasses with detailed etching for a traditional element.

I also used this little mini clay cachepot I carry at perch. and did a little vibrant arrangement of orangey roses and bright yellow billy balls which add little whimsy.

The plates I used may look like your grandmother's china, but they are actually unbreakable heavy duty melamine! I used a florentine picture frame as a place card holder, which would made for a lovely parting gift for each guest at a party, no?

I also brought a salad plate from my collection of vintage turquoise china in the pattern "Florentine" by Wedgewood. I love the detailing in this china. If you look closely you'll see a dragon within the motif on the edge.

I used dried sponge mushrooms that we carry at perch. beneath the plates for a pop

of vibrant color.

And for a pop of color on the plate, I used a green velvet pumpkin also available at perch.

The table is set - now we just need food & friends!

from perch.:

lucite Dune Tray by Kartell $113

melamine provincial dinner plate $18

melamine provincial salad plate $14

florentine picture frame used as place card holder $46.25

bouquet of 3 dried cardone flowers $15.50

bouquet of sponge mushrooms $15.50

bouquet of sugar pine cones $8

small velvet pumpkin $25

large etched footed wine glass $18

small etched footed wine glass $16

set of 4 custom dinner napkins $134

clay cachepot $20

set of Francis I silver available at As You Like it Silver Shop

roses from Whole Foods Market

all photographs by Ellis Lucia

snouts with clout...

2011-10-27T13:34:00.006-05:00

we're loving these ceramic snouts & we're not alone!

we can't keep them in the store!

all of our favorite designers are snatching them up for spaces

from kids rooms to kitchens.

choose from - a pig, a horse, or a cow.

pig snout

5"w x 6" h x 5" d

$70

cow snout

6" w x 7" h x 5" d

$75

horse snout

8" h x 4.5" w 4.5" d

$78

or buy a set of three for a grouping.

call us today to order 504.899.2122

come see us at perch.

2844 magazine street

new orleans

the talented & chic Jack Mayberry in the November issue of Cue Magazine...

2011-10-19T12:30:00.016-05:00

It was so exciting when one of our favorite New Orleans writers, Lee Cutrone called to ask if Jack would allow her magazine Cue to do an article all about him, his fabulous apartment and his personal style. His answer was an enthusiastic yes!

magazine spread on Jack Mayberry in Cue

Every month Cue (part of Gambit) covers what's hot in interior design, fashion & the arts here in New Orleans.

I love this portrait photographer Eugenie Uhl took of Jack in front of his

design board at perch.

Interior shot of Jack's sideboard with his antique religious sculpture.

the article includes Jack's favorite pieces - an Yves St. Laurent Vintage jacket, his perfectly worn in Dries Van Noten boots, and a sculpture by areaware.

a picture of jack's kitchen where he spends his time cooking all of his wonderful Italian family's wonderful recipes.

As Lee so aptly noted in the article Jack is a master of achieving a unique style by layering with textiles & accessories and in such unusual ways.

How cool is this graffiti style wallpaper Jack chose for his den?

pair of 1960's bergeres reupholstered in black basket weave leather are anchored by a huge driftwood sculpture.

Jack's den with a white cowhide & vintage coffee table.

Jack's bed is topped with a fox throw that his cat Butch camouflages himself in.

Can you find him?

Edith Stern Legacy Award Luncheon...

2011-10-17T16:27:00.016-05:00

Last week my darling mom ("Lainey-lou") was here in Nola visiting and the two of us attended a gorgeous luncheon at Longue Vue House and Gardens.

Longue Vue House & Gardens in New Orleans.

It was the first ever awards ceremony to give an individual the honor of receiving the Edith Stern Legacy Award.

Edith Rosenwald Stern was the daughter of Julius Rosenwald (President of Sears & Roebuck & Co.) and with her husband, Edgar Stern gave the city of New Orleans their beautiful home and gardens - Longue Vue to be used to help foster education and the appreciation of the visual & horticultural arts.

The first recipient of the Edith Stern Award - Mrs. Genevieve Munson Trimble - was honored for her significant & lasting impact on the stewardship and appreciation of gardening.

A picture of Genevieve Trimble in her garden.

Mrs. Trimble has been a longtime volunteer in public gardens around New Orleans including Longue Vue. Her most treasured contribution to the world has been that of the Afton Villa Gardens located North of New Orleans in St. Francisville, which she and her husband Morrell purchased years ago to prevent it from being torn down and divided up by real estate developers.

Entrance to Afton Villa Gardens in St. Francisville, Louisiana

Thanks to their dedication, their gardening skills and the quality of the original landscape architecture, Afton Villa offers visitors to Louisiana a taste of the golden age of the Southern garden.

As a girl with an obsession for china that I can't quite explain (a gene I inherited from my mom no doubt!), the luncheon was a feast for our eyes since each table was a delightful spread of china and silver from the hostesses own private collections.

I loved this iris pattern by Limoges.

flower arrangement bursting with roses

this table was so charming with a different pattern for each guest.

these tall silver candlesticks were so beautiful with the pave rose bouquets on each.

The center hall of the Stern home & museum lined with beautifully set tables.

Mrs. Stern would definitely have approved!

My favorite was the pattern of this vintage china from Finland. A hostess told me the silver was made to match the china years ago.

It made for a beautiful table setting when paired with the silver wine goblets and the simple center piece with country style flowers. stunning.

I know Mrs. Trimble was quite moved by the hard work and attention to detail

that went into planning this glorious party.

What a lovely way to spend a day with my mama!

Big Easy Style

2011-10-04T10:09:00.010-05:00

Great news! The long awaited book on New Orleans design by a few of my favorite New Orleanians - Bryan Batt, Katy Danos & photographer Kerri McCaffety is finally available!

The Masterminds of Big Easy Style:

The Handsome Bryan Batt

Katy Danos - (writer, stylist, manager of Hazelnut (my other favorite shop on magazine Street!)

Kerri McCaffety - award winning photographer

It is particularly exciting given the fact that the home of yours truly is featured in it! It seems like 10 years ago that Bryan Batt called me to ask if my husband & I would like to have our home featured in his book.

My first thought was, oh no! There is so much I need to do to it! To have it photographed for a BOOK? But Who could say no to Bryan Batt?

I mean, look at this face...

Bryan as Salvatore Romano on AMC's Madmen

So we gratefully accepted & are honored to have our home featured amongst the pages of fellow New Orleanians including... Bryan Batt & Tom Cianfichi, Katy Danos, Sally & Richard Edrington, Suzie Allain, Melissa & Alfred Rufty, Leslie Castay & Brayn Burkey, Valorie Hart, Kaki Foley, Gretchen Howard, and Karla Katz.

Big Easy Style - Creating Rooms You Love to Live in.

purchase it online here or call us at perch. to place your order.

504.899.2122

art for art's sake at perch. with art by NOCCA Faculty...

2011-09-27T08:12:00.010-05:00

The first weekend in October is alway cause to celebrate - It's Art for Art's Sake when more than 30,000 art lovers gather for one of the most chic street parties ever. Hundreds of galleries & shops on Magazine Street & Julia Street keep their doors open displaying art by some of the most talented artists around.

At perch. we're happy to be showing a diverse mixture of works by six artists who are also faculty members at

NOCCA (The New Orleans Center for Creative Arts),

a nationally recognized conservatory for high school students.

Pinned by Ann Schwab

archival digital print edition 1 of 3

13.5"w x 16.75" d

Pass at Loutre by Michel Varisco

framed 25"w x 26" h

1 of 20

Preparing to March by Elizabeth McMillan

Oil on Canvas

Path by Mary Jane Parker

encaustic on panel

10"w x 20"h

2nd Cut by Nikki Jackson

mixed media

27"h x 12"w

Camouflage Mammalian by Terry DeRoche

oil on canvas

18"h x 24"w

please join us

Saturday October 1

6 until 10pm

perch.

2844 magazine street

new orleans

504-899-2122

It's a Great Pumpkin!

2011-09-21T14:23:00.008-05:00

As you've probably read about, due to Hurricane Irene & severed rainstorms there is a major shortage of pumpkins this year at grocery stores, nurseries, & pumpkin patches.

At perch. we're not letting this put a damper on our decorating spirit.

We have the pumpkins of all pumpkins!

handmade velvet pumpkins you can enjoy year after year.

Fall arrangement utilizing perch.’s velvet pumpkins & dried organics by New Orleans stylist/designer of Vassar Designs.

Our velvet pumpkins range in sizes from the infinitesimal but immensely adorable 2” version to the gargantuan 10” variety.

Call us today to order your collection or just a single one to perfect your fall holiday décor.

sizes available

10"

a natural element

2011-09-16T21:46:00.012-05:00

Though it isn’t exactly brisk fall weather for us here in New Orleans, we have had a couple of little "cool" snaps (which for us means a welcome 72 degrees). And while we’re not getting out the earmuffs & scarves quite yet, it has us thinking about decorating for fall.

at perch. we just had a great shipment of organic items come in ranging from dried vegetables & plants to pine cones & tree trunks, which are all a great way to bring the outside in, when your garden isn’t brimming with fresh blooms to cut for arrangements.

a basket of various dried species make an interesting sculptural design

My favorite is the dried cardone (pronounced “car-do-nee”) A cousin to the artichoke, cardone is traditionally cultivated and served in the Mediterranean regions of Europe. It is deep fried (often as part of a Christmas feast), sautéed, or steamed for salads. Many consider Cardone a delicacy, including the Italians and French, who have revered the plant for more than 300 years.

the dried cardone plant

a bouquet of cardone jack made for one of our favorite clients.

a living cardone is almost alien-like but absolutely gorgeous in its shape and color.

another dried organic we just got in are these green sponge mushrooms.

these mini pine-cones on branches make for the perfect detail on an autumn

dinner table or buffet

and always a favorite addition to a "fall-scape" are these hollowed-out birch logs.

a grouping of birch logs at perch.

bouquet of dried cardone flowers 15.50

bouquet of dried sponge mushrooms 15.50

mini pine cone branch bouquets 6.50

hollowed out birch logs 12-40

call us today to order your selection of natural dried plants

504.899.2122 T

today is the day! Who's on TARGET??

2011-09-13T08:37:00.004-05:00

I'd like to know who is hardcore enough to wake up at 3:00 this morning to get to their nearest Target location to buy up the Missoni Collection??

my two picks are...

Missoni Blanket for Target

and ALL I want for my birthday is this adorable bike...

ah to stroll through Audubon Park with my maltese in the basket. It would be so perfect, no?

but, alas. Looks like the target website crashed.

Did you fight the crowds at your Target? We want to know!

the mysterious world of Jim Thompson...

2011-09-08T22:52:00.015-05:00

Few famous designers’ lives are as mysterious as the talented Jim Thompson. Gifted from an early age Thompson attended Princeton University, studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and subsequently worked designing homes for the East Coast wealthy in the 1940’s.

With the war in Europe intensifying, Thompson volunteered to serve in the United States Army. He eventually was assigned to work in a segment of the C.I.A., which allowed him to travel and see the world including Italy, France and Asia. To prepare for his mission, Thompson undertook rigorous training in jungle survival.

When the war ended Thompson was in awe of the culture and landscape of Thailand and settled in Bangkok. At a time when the ancient process of making silk was all but disappearing, Thompson saw an opportunity to market Thai Silks outside Thailand and opened The Thai Silk Company. By the 1960’s Thompson & his company had helped generate multitudes of other silk companies making silk the countries most preeminent product giving countless jobs and opportunity to the Thai people.

Jim Thompson at his home in Thailand.

Thompson gained more recognition by constructing his impressive house, which his Thai architect & builders made by combining six two hundred year old teak houses, which represented the best of traditional Thai architecture. The home is now a national museum of Thailand and money raised from tours of the Jim Thompson Museum go towards preserving the heritage and culture of Thailand.

A rendering of his home.

Built in traditional Thai style, the Thompson home has steep roofs which arch up towards the sky. The function is that air rises so the height of the roof which keeps the house cool.

inside Thompson's home & museum.

While no one knows what happened, the story goes that in 1967, while traveling to Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands with friends, Jim Thompson disappeared while on a lone trek in the jungle. A massive manhunt ensued, with no clues. Theories range from Thompson being eaten by wild animals to his being carried off by aborigines.

While theories abound regarding what really happened, one thing is true – his legacy lives on in the impact on Thailand’s silk trade.

Thompson’s legacy also lives on through the gorgeous fabric designs his successors at his company The Thai Silk Company are still creating today. We are excited and honored to be representing the line here at perch. in New Orleans.

“Hera” from the 2011 Collection No. 9 designed by Richard Smith for Jim Thompson inspired by the markings of a peacock in an ikat style.

“Apollon” design for Jim Thompson

photographed for Harper's Bazaar Jim Thompson's 09 Collection.

and from our favorite most recent No. 9 Collection... Enter the Dragons

call us at perch. and we'll mail you samples of Jim Thompson fabrics for next project!

504-899-2122

pssst ... it's a secret, but we have a giveaway coming soon!

2011-08-26T17:48:00.001-05:00

and you have to be a follower on the perch. blog to win so sign up soon if you haven't already!

the elegantly simplistic designs of Kay Douglass

2011-08-22T16:13:00.022-05:00

I was happy to see the spread in Veranda's latest issue of the 1920's house designed by Atlanta designer Kay Douglass.

the september issue of Veranda on my kitchen floor.

image from this month's veranda - this "sunflower bathroom" is for the owners' daughter. lucky girl!

Jack and I were so happy to visit Kay Douglass' fabulous store called South of Market when we visited Atlanta a few weeks ago. (For more on that fun trip click here.)

Kay Douglass' design style is all about simplicity and it is edited to perfection. As she says in the Veranda article, "I like using fewer but more impactful items."

Her store reflects that method.

One of my favorite vignettes in her shop was this one as we first walked in. Its so simple yet inspired.

white linen for the sofa paired with pops of her signature kelly green in the graphic patterned batik hanging on the wall and a perfectly matching pendant light.

I love how the round coffee table made of sticks takes you back up into the circles of the tapestry.

There is something raw & rustic about the pieces she uses but her fabrics give it an air of gracefulness and femininity.

how cute is this vintage yellow metal lounge chair?

and a green one!

Like myself, Douglass often uses botanicals in her projects. While these are antique they appear so wonderfully modern in the style of framing - "floating" between layers of glass.

Jack "perch. textile guru" was particularly inspired by how they have hung their fabric samples.

fabric sample options for sofas hang on these uber thick nautical ropes.

Sorry Kay. We'll be stealing this clever idea for our showroom at perch. hope you don't mind. :-) we'll give you props of course!

I fell in love with this set of dining room chairs. The sales lady told me that Douglass found one just like this on a trip to France and now has them custom made for clients.

custom made dining/occasional chair

an assemblage of colorful art & throws

a vignette in a variation of neutrals. notice the clock-face for the coffee table top.

jack takes a peek at the price while I snap a photo of this great old photograph.

nautical cogs generate a sense of modernity when put in a grouping.

as do these aeronautical fans in a pair.

We also fell in love with the larger than life letters and numbers taken from old signs used as art.

especially the "U"!

Visit South of Market on your next visit to the ATL! You'll be glad you did.

vintage table by Anthony Redmile comes to perch.

2011-08-17T14:56:00.009-05:00

From time to time we come across a one of a kind vintage piece that I know will be incredibly hard to part with. This rams’ head coffee table is definitely one of those.

Attributed to Anthony Redmile, the “master of the unusual” in furniture design, this coffee table is certainly a collectable and most definitely a conversation piece.

two brass bases in the form of sculpted ram's heads gracefully & evenly distribute the weight of a thick rectangular piece of glass.

like many of Redmile’s designs, malachite is utilized. here it is in between each pair of eyes.

This piece was made in the 1970’s when he was creating similarly unique styles of furniture like this grasshopper coffee table we found for sale on 1stDibs for $9300 at Robert Massello Antiques.

notice the use of malachite for the eyes and brass for the legs of the grasshopper.

This frog vessel made of an ostrich egg with bronze head and legs and again a piece of malachite for the handle is for sale at Fat Chance on 1stDibs for $4600.

our beautiful Anthony Redmile Ram's Head coffee table is available here at perch. for $3500. Buy a fabulous piece of design history for a great price before its gone!

Anthony Redmile coffee table

$3500

29"d x 67"w x 18"h

call us at 504-899-2122

The Paris Wife

2011-08-15T12:36:00.023-05:00

I feel like I need to chug from a snifter of brandy and smoke a cigar, which my husband and two year old might find more than a little strange since I’m not in the habit of doing either one, but especially given the fact that its Monday at 9:00 in the morning.

I’ve just finished reading The Paris Wife by Paula McLain, a historical fiction from the viewpoint of Ernest Hemingway’s first wife Elizabeth Hadley Richardson and the life they lived as expats in Paris in the 1920’s.

cover of The Paris Wife by Paula McLain

Ernest Hemingway's Passport Picture from 1922

Like the habits of Hemingway in real life and his characters in his famous books, A Sun Also Rises and A Moveable Feast, boozing it up with an “eye-opener” at breakfast, wine at lunch, some mulled wine at dinner, a toddy afterwards, a little "hootch" at bedtime and a swig of cognac intermittently throughout the day was a regular thing.

The Lost Generation: Hemingway and the circle of ex-pat friends he later immortalised in The Sun Also Rises. - Hemingway, Harold Loeb, Lady Duff Twysden; Hadley, Don Stewart and Pat Guthrie at a cafe in Pamplona, Spain, July 1925)

Aside from all of the imbibing, the book has me thinking about the age of “The Lost Generation” and what it was like to live in Paris during the postwar 1920’s. Jazz music was all the rage and women were redefining womanhood with the age of the flapper.

cover of Life Magazine 1922

Finally free of the corset, Paul Poiret’s dresses were well into vogue. As McLain writes, “…inspired by the orientalism of the Ballet Russes, Paul Poiret dressed women in culotte harem pants and fringed turbans and ropes and ropes of pearls.”

Paul Poiret in his studio in Paris

Paul Poiret turban and harem pants from the 1920's

Paul Poiret "Hobble" evening dress

But according to an article from Flapper Magazine I found from 1922, Poiret’s once avant-garde styles were beginning to be on the outs.
It reads "M. Poiret, designer of Paris, has seen fit to take up the cudgels on behalf of the long skirt, and therefore he cannot object if the shafts of ridicule are hurled at him in return..."
Women were finding the lengths of his dresses too constricting and they were enthusiastically embracing Coco Chanel’s loose and shorter more practical lengths of dresses made of jersey (which had previously been popular for men’s underwear).

Coco Chanel in the 1920's.

Chanel Daydress made of comfortable knitted fabric circa 1924

shorter styles of dresses were in vogue.

3-book set includes on Chanel Fashion, Chanel Jewelry, and Chanel Perfume.

Available at perch.

Not everyone was spending their precious Francs on clothes though. As Gertrude Stein famously said, “You can either buy clothes or buy pictures. It's that simple.” She was a wise woman to choose art over clothes!

Stein was holding her Saturday evening salon gatherings at 27, rue du Fleurus, the home she shared with her lover/partner Alice B. Toklas. Her guest list was a who's who of artists and writers living in Paris during the early part of the twentieth century: Picasso, Matisse, Apollinaire, Hemingway, and Sherwood Anderson are only a few of the notables who came by to look at her famous art collection and to talk about the direction of Modernism.

Stein’s living room walls covered in works of art she collected

famous portrait of Gertrude Stein by Picasso

Incidentally, Stein’s amazing art collection is currently on display this Summer at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. (You can see a video on the exhibit as reported by PBS by clicking here.) It is up through September 6th. If you go or already did, please let us know and we'll feature your experience on the blog!

So pick up The Paris Wife along with a bottle of your favorite whiskey on your way home from work today and enjoy!

butterflies alight at perch.

2011-08-04T18:38:00.015-05:00

"happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly will alight upon you."

-nathaniel hawthorne

we are happy to announce we are carrying the beautifully fanciful works of Louisiana artist Caroline Coe.

she collects vintage papers and maps and cuts each piece by hand to create these gorgeous butterflies that appear as if they are going to fly right out of the frames.

they are pinned and placed onto matte boards...

we can take custom orders for specific geographic places she will create them for your perfect place in the world!

each one is hand-framed in a genuine Larson Juhl frame.

we only have these two left.

call us to order before they fly away! 504-899-2122

at top in white frame 16" x 16" $600

at bottom in black frame 21" x 16" $700

custom orders available by calling perch. at 504-899-2122

Caroline & Jack descend on HOT-lanta!

2011-08-03T12:56:00.027-05:00

Jack and I visited the ATL for market a couple of weeks ago to buy for the fall/winter. It was such a great trip!

Our options for a rental car were slim given all of the folks in town, so we weighed our two choices for a moment... Maroon PT Cruiser, bright yellow convertible Camaro, Maroon PT Cruiser, bright yellow convertible Camaro... After Jack had a bit of a Kim Zolciak moment, we went for the bright yellow Camaro!

me with our electric yellow Camaro

We stayed in the splendidly modern W Hotel near America's Mart.

While the Lobby was in the W's usual color palate of black to gray and well, more gray, these wire chairs were upholstered in a great aqua cut velvet for a pop of color.

the view of our wall to wall window

Our room was full of wonderful amenities including a huge flat screen tv for watching movies over room service.

Soft lilac dotted the room in the form of crushed velvet blankets on the beds and little throw pillows.

Jack wonders how he will fit his wardrobe into this tiny hot pink closet.

It was Christmas in July for us in "Hot-Lanta" and we found a multitude of holiday decor that we know everyone will love. Here's a little sneak peak of what's to come...

giant silver trees for hanging the massive amounts of ornaments we found.

how cute is this santa? He's 3 feet tall!

Next we scoured our favorite area of America's Mart - High Design - for the most exclusive designs by the creme de la creme of the design world. There, we bumped into our sweet friend and fellow New Orleanian Tara Shaw at her gorgeous booth. What a talented lady. We are so delighted by the success of her Maison Collection.

We kept on hunting and found some amazing things previously unavailable in New Orleans that perch. will be the exclusive dealers of including my favorite find, a collection of furnishings by the delightful and energetic Nancy Price for Design Legacy.

Nancy Price has an energy about her that is utterly contagious and she is

a design genius to boot!

How gorgeous are these high back leather chairs she designed?

and from the side... love it!

You can call us at perch. for more details, but we will definitely have more on this beautiful collection in just a few short weeks when we get everything in stock.

Nancy also designed this settee as well as this lucite bar cart which was inspired by a vintage design that will be available in 2012.

We also went to our favorite accessories and aromatherapy dealers including Nest Fragrances to see what's new. Get those olfactory senses ready because we have a great selection of their candles, diffusers and barsoaps on the way to fill your home with their famous fresh clean scents including bamboo and peony.

Nest diffusers are filled with a secret formula, which unlike most diffusers is alcohol free. They last for 3 months. How beautiful is the packaging. At $34 they make for the perfect hostess gift!

Our hotel was just across the street from FAB, yep FAB. THE restaurant and bar where the infamous wig yank happened on the Real Housewives of Atlanta. We just couldn't pass it up. Sadly, I cannot say we had a NeNe sighting, but the food was delicious.

Me in front of FAB.

Next we combed the city for its many great shopping opportunities. We went to the very cool Westside Provisions District which houses big name stores like Room and Board and Anthropologie, as well as some local but very compelling businesses including R Hughes.

Interior of R. Hughes which represents many lines based in Europe.

The Westside Provisions District is also home to the Seed Factory, an adorable children's store with a great collection of books, clothing, furniture and accessories.

some of the many fabulous furnishings at the seed factory.

Next we met up with one of my favorite people in the world McCall Blythe. She is an incredibly talented interior designer now based in Atlanta. (She's so busy with clients and her projects she hasn't had time to get her website up, but it is in the works! I'll have more on her designs very soon!)

Me and my sweet friend McCall Blythe (AKA "McCallawalladooby") She is a divine person and designer! Look at our serendipitously matching Tom Fords. hysterical

McCall took us to a great French restaurant called Bistro Niko. Outside we happened upon these cool sculptures by singer and Athens, Georgia native Michael Stipe.

Inside Bistro Niko we loved the authentic charcuterie design, an open kitchen and French chefs working away.

Wonderful selection of raw oysters at Bistro Niko.

J'adore the rooster plates!

We had such a great time, well except for one little incident that is. During one of our afternoon cruises around town we managed to get into a little bit of a fender bender with an SUV.

... Oops.

but it just wouldn't have been an adventure with Caroline and Jack without a run-in with local law enforcement, now would it?

jack posing with the ATL policecar.

jack looking scared as I work out the details with the police.

We love you Atlanta police department!

We said a little prayer to the insurance fairie and went on our way. We love our visit to ATL and can't wait to go back!

our turquoise glass chandelier is here...

2011-07-23T17:12:00.006-05:00

the long awaited turquoise glass chandelier is here! it has been out of stock since January, but now it is available! we received ours last week and it is up and looking gorgeous in its new home in the front parlor at perch.

they are in stock and ready to ship!

it is THE perfect color turquoise and is only $1950!

call us today to place your order. 504-899-2122

murano style glass chandelier

36"h x 34.75"w

$1950

a fresh country lunch

2011-07-16T07:37:00.013-05:00

since furniture is always coming and going at perch., we are constantly rearranging things around the store, so when our wonderful farm table found a new spot in the back room overlooking the garden, we were inspired to make a fresh family style lunch in honor of our dear friend Geriann who is moving to Fairhope, Alabama. (blog post to come on that adorable little town!)

our lovely farm table finds a new spot in the garden room.

fresh fruit & vegetables sit atop our farm table with our mossy bust containing a fresh lavender plant. We'll cut the lavender, dry it out and use it in containers. It smells so wonderful!

for an appetizer we had bagel chips and savory & salty robusto cheese which was the perfect contrast to these sweet fresh plums. our melamine plate made to look like your grandmother's porcelain is the perfect dish.

a martha stewart fish recipe was the inspiration for Jack's fish dish.

yours truly chopping garlic for my whipped red potato with white truffle oil potatoes. yum!

a refreshing chopped heirloom tomato, fresh basil & buffalo mozzarella salad

jack lovingly slicing oranges and lemons which he used to infuse the fish with flavor.

the citrus fruits with fresh basil on the grill.

on top of that he grilled the most lovely chilean seabass with capers. delicious!

we love you geriann!

Dear France, Happy Bastille Day! Love, New Orleans.

2011-07-14T09:22:00.016-05:00

Today the French celebrate the storming of the Bastille prison, which took place in 1789 and marked the beginning of the French Revolution.

(photo courtesy www.lookandlearn.com)

Here in New Orleans, we are surrounded by marks of our French heritage and we love France and its influences on our city. New Orleans is named after Philippe d'Orleans who had been Regent of France when Louis XV was a child.

portrait of Philippe d'Orleans with his mistress Marie-Therese de Parabere who poses as Minerva, goddess of Wisdom.

Many of our streets are named for the royal houses of France and French Patron Saints. The French Quarter originally a military grid of seventy squares was laid out in 1718 by French Canadian naval officer Jean Baptiste Bienville.

The Cathedral-Basilica of St. Louis King of France is the oldest Catholic cathedral in continual use in the United States.

The Old Ursuline Convent is the oldest building in the Mississippi Valley. Constructed by French Colonial Engineers

The Hotel St. Pierre, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is a collection of 18th century Creole Cottages, many dating from the 1780’s.

Of course our food culture is heavily laden with French cuisine. Some of our favorites are...

Arnaud's

La Crepe Nanou

herbsaint

galatoire's

cafe degas

This is just an inkling of the French influence here. Come visit New Orleans and see the rest for yourself! Vive La France!!

courageously colorful living rooms

2011-07-02T16:48:00.008-05:00

painting your living room a color beyond the safety of "greige" can seem like an intimidating undertaking, but the results can be astounding and can completely alter a space without breaking the bank.

here is some color inspiration from some noteworthy designers who transformed spaces into sumptuous living rooms by adding bold color.

emerald green living room by Miles Redd (image courtesy Lonny Magazine)

soft aqua living room with punches of canary yellow upholstery by New Orleanian turned St Louis designer Amie Corley (notice her many perch. picks - paper mache birds; white lamp; peony pillow) We love her!!

gorgeous living room by california designer Marjorie Skouras

another view of Skouras' design. we love her use of the union jack tapestry.

and finally a fabulous fire engine red space by the talented Mary McDonald. the black velvet chairs are the perfect contrast.

so enjoy your holiday weekend and paint your living room a gorgeous hue that speaks to you and let us know how it turned out!

p.s. there's always a can of kilz.

Jack sets a summer table...

2011-06-30T17:55:00.005-05:00

at perch. we're lucky to have a slew of fab things to choose from to accessorize our tabletops. jack had some fun this morning rearranging the front parlor's dining table and he did a glorious job. don't you want to pull up a chair?

he used our adorable melamine white plates that look just like your grandmother's porcelain, except they are unbreakable heavyweight melamine!

our garden in the courtyard behind perch. has the most beautiful hot pink hydrangea that is always bursting with blooms through the spring and summer months so he cut a few blooms for the centerpiece.

Have you set a pretty table lately? We want to know about it. Send us a picture and we'll put it on our blog. Happy Summer! Stay cool.

items featured...

top top dining table by kartell - $2850

"provincial-porcelain" style melamine plates:

dinner plate - $16.50

soup bowl - $13.50

salad plate - $12.50

fleur de lis pink glasses - $15 each

unbreakable polycarbonate wine "glass" - $8 each

unbreakable polycarbonate iced tea "glass" - $8 each

white clip-on box of butterfly (comes in box of 8) - $18

EAT cast iron sign - $12

Shut it Down! They're here!!

2011-06-21T16:30:00.004-05:00

After impatiently waiting for 6 excruciating months, they're here! They're really really here! These gorgeous larger than life yellow lamps were made popular as they graced the home-office of the fabulous style maven Rachel Zoe. And we at perch. have THE ONLY FOUR available ANYWHERE! (Until more come available this fall.)

Get them while you can! They're totally bananas!

large yellow lamp 575

small yellow lamp 420

happy father's day to all of the great dads out there!

2011-06-18T11:33:00.012-05:00

He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.

- Clarence Budington Kelland

I am infinitely blessed in the Dad department. Like most interesting men, my dad is a complex mixture of personalities. He's a little bit of a Jimmy Stewart type of honest businessman and a whole lot of John Wayne. The latter of which happens to be one of his all time favorite actors so I'm giving him this book for father's day this year.

The Young Duke by Howard Kazanjian & Chris Enss

from an early age my dad has had a cowboy's sensibility

portrait of my dad as a young man.

My dad has taught me a host of things but most importantly, he's shown me the pleasure that comes from finding what you love to do and working persistently until you're successful at it. He has shown me the significance of family and of knowing where you come from (which for us is a long, long line of good Texas people.)

image of one of my ancestors I found recently on ancestry.com

portrait of my dad's mom who shaped him into who he is today.

Like my dad, I have a love of the outdoors and I have experienced the awe and wonder when you're surrounded by it.

ziplining in Costa Rica

He's also inspired me in my design aesthetic. Thanks to him, I have a keen appreciation for incorporating natural elements like petrified wood, nests, deer horns, rocks, and taxidermy into design.

some of our many masculine and natural elements at perch.

a fabulous piece of taxidermy coming to perch. this fall.

one of my favorite spreads of a mountain home in Idaho in Elle Decor by owners/designers of M.Elle Design

Thank you Dad for being such an awesome father and for inspiring me in so many ways!

Happy Father's Day!

toile tales Part I...

2011-06-16T16:34:00.011-05:00

Toile fabrics have come a long way from their century’s old origins. The Indian technique of block printing on cotton fabrics was adopted by the French to compete with the imported Indian designs when German-born Christophe-Philippe Oberkampf founded the Manufacture Royale de Jouy in 1760 southwest of Paris near Versaille.

(Christophe Philippe Oberkampf who started the factory near Versaille in Jouy France set the toile trend which became all the rage across Europe in the late 1700's.)

Pastoral scenes of maids and farm animals as well as legends of Roman gods were printed in natural dyes of red, blue or black on a white or cream background.

(typical antique toile of a pastoral scene in popular blue dye)

We’re certain Monsieur Oberkampf would be very impressed by the likes of contemporary designers like Manuel Canovas whose use of brilliant colors take toiles to a whole new level.

(Manuel Canovas' Bengale in the fabulous color combination of pink & orange.)

(Manuel Canovas' pagoda is of a lovely & fanciful chinese landscape)

(Manuel Canovas' Jardin Bleu fabric of blue & white pottery & butterflies.)

(a traditional scene is renewed with vibrant color from the Harlequin collection by Zoffany)

(A Lee Jofa toile we used for a roman shade at perch.)

(a cozy little bedroom with toile wallpaper. photo courtesy Domino Magazine)

Have you used a great toile in a design project? How did you use it? Send us a photo and we'll put it on the blog!

oooh we love la draperie... so we're having a sale!

2011-06-10T13:35:00.012-05:00

At perch. we absolutely adore drapery. It softens a room, shields us from harsh light, and adds height. But from a more romantic perspective, it adds style, sumptuousness, and a bit of sex appeal like no other design element.

We are blessed to have Jack Mayberry as head textile and drapery designer at perch. to help you with all of your drapery desires.

Here are some inspirations he loves ...

beige glazed linen drapery with tangerine banding enhanced with gold discs for an elegant touch. courtesy House Beautiful via Sandy Muraca's fabulous post on curtain panels

simple burlap curtains elegantly frame the claw foot tub in this ladies bathroom. photo courtesy Velvet & Linen via Muraca Design Notebook

white drapery with orange bands compliment the ikat window seat. (courtesy Lonny Magazine)

Jack loves the incredible book American Designer' Houses by Dominic Bradbury which is filled with lovely drapery inspirations. Including these two by noted designer Mica Ertegun.

Drapery with decorative trim provides a delicate room divider in Ertegun's Southampton home.

the use of antique decorative cornices in her dining room add a lovely touch

Another of Jack's favorite architectural designers is John Saladino. He loves his use of antique textiles and trim in drapery designs.

a peek into Saladino's bathroom framed by a drapery panel using two types of silk. (Courtesy Villa by John Saladino)

For my breakfast room, I knew I wanted light and airy drapery in the perfect shade of sky blue. Jack pulled the perfect silk from the perch. fabric library and our workroom fashioned these gorgeous drapes.

I love how the drapery in this space lets in just the right amount of light in the afternoon.

graphite silk-satin drapery with trim by Kravet Couture in the front parlor at perch. designed by Jack Mayberry

gray silk satin and black cut velvet medallion drapery in the opposite parlor at perch.

20% off Sale on all drapery including fabric, custom hardware, and labor. Now through the end of August. If you're not in New Orleans, we can help you long distance! Call us at perch. 504-899-2122

posted by caroline robert.

orange summer table

2011-06-09T12:21:00.000-05:00

Orange Summer teablescape at perch.

perch. has the cutest orange Melamine dinnerware just in time for setting your Summer table for inside or outside dining.

perch. white paper mache bird $38.
Cast iron "Eat" sign $12.

The dinnerware is very high quality and totally unbreakable! We set our table using our signature paper mache birds as the centerpiece. They come in tons of colors, but we chose to use classic Summer white.

perch. custom made orange print pillow $85. (22 x 22)

We also styled our table using a cheery orange print pillow on the chair. This is part of our new line of perch. designed pillows, that come in tons of great Summer colors.

The glassware we are using on the table is actually plastic! Again a very high quality poly carbonate that is unbreakable and dish washer safe. We have the wine glass and the tumbler (perfect for ice tea and lemonade!) in our tablescape.

Take our orange Melamine dinnerware on a picnic!

You will love to use our fab orange dinnerware on your table, or maybe pack it for a picnic.
Come in to the shop to see it and get it, or give us a call 504 899-2122, and we'll get it right oput to you.

Hope you enjoyed our orange Summer tablescape!
Go on over to Susan's Bewteen Naps On The Porch HERE, and check out all the other wonderful tablescapes in her weekly feature "Tablescape Thursdays".

perch. orange Melamine plate: dinner size $16.50, salad size $13.50

perch. orange Melamine bowl $12.50

perch. orange Melamine platter-large $27., small $18.

perch. poly carb wine glass $8.

perch. poly carb tumbler glass $8.

perch. ikat dot pillows

2011-06-08T13:57:00.000-05:00

perch. pillow ~ Ikat Dot Lime

perch. has a new in-house prive pillow line. We use designer fabrics, and the pillows are custom made, with a clean knife edge, and a hidden zipper in the cover.

perch. pillow ~ Ikat Dot Pink

There are several cute patterns, and this series is one of many that we will unveil in the next few days. This series is called Ikat Dot and it coves in four color ways: lime, pink, black, and natural.

perch. pillow ~ Ikat Dot Natural

The pillows are 22 x 22 and have a hypo allergenic luxe poly fill insert. They are fat and cushy and comfy!

perch. pillow ~ Ikat Dot Black

It's hard to believe that nowadays it is more common than not to pay around $200. for a designer pillow.

Here's the good news! The perch. prive line of designer pillows are only $85. each, and we have a huge new shipment. Come in to see the entire selection, or stay tuned to the blog and web site for daily updates.

Our Friends at Lonny Magazine Featured in The New York Times Today

2011-06-02T12:39:00.003-05:00

Our wonderful friends and founders of Lonny Magazine - Michelle Adams and Patrick Cline (pictured at top left) - receive well deserved recognition in the NY Times today in an article about the growing trend toward online shelter publications. (Read the article here.)
Michelle and Patrick are the genius pioneers of this trend. We're so honored they chose to feature perch. and my house for the current issue (read it here).

you won the ikat frame!

2011-05-31T14:29:00.001-05:00

h.m. settoon you are the winner!
Please get in touch with us.

Thanks everyone for playing along!

giveaway! get an ikat frame!

2011-05-27T10:09:00.000-05:00

Name all the glam Ikat ladies!

perch. just got in a new shipment of these Ikat print frames. We love every color! They are made of faux bone tiles and hold a 4 x 6 photo, and can be used horizontally or vertically. There are four colors: Orange, green, cobalt blue, turquoise. The are $40. each.

Call us to order: 504 899-2122, 0r stop by the shop to choose your favorite.

Jack put some glam ladies in the frames in the shop pictured above. Leave a comment and name all eight Ikat ladies, and your comment will be chosen at random, and one frame in the color of your choice will be sent to you as a giveaway gift from perch. Enter as many times as you wish.

peony love at perch.

2011-05-19T16:24:00.001-05:00

Who doesn't love peonies? Here in the South, we cannot grown them, so we pay big bucks to get them as cut flowers during a short Spring selling season.

To prolong the peony trance, perch. now offers the new "Peony Blanche" candle by Nest!

Laura Slatkin, owner and founder of Nest says, "“Fragrancing your home should be a thoughtful moment to consider what season you’re in, what’s inspiring you at the moment, and the occasion.”

Now it can be peony season all year long!

The lovely image of the peony comes from the luscious blog Trouvais.
Go HERE to see more beautiful peonies in a post entitled "Peonies in a French Garden".

Come in and get your Nest peony candle - 32., or call to order 504 899 -2122.

And did you see that it's the most beautiful shade of peony pink!!!

caroline robert in lonny

2011-05-17T14:54:00.002-05:00

Visual Vamp aka Valorie Hart here.... I am writing this post to toot the horn of my boss and friend Caroline Robert. She would never toot her own horn, so I am very proud to do it.

Caroline Robert is featured in the The May/June issue of Lonny, starting on page 109 HERE.

We love to get PR for perch. the store Caroline owns. I work very hard to let the blog world and the design world and the shopper know what a great design scene has evolved in New Orleans post Katrina. My own blog is dedicated to that in a large part, and perch. was one of the first important design influences in New Orleans that I blogged about starting in 2008.

People write to me asking me to scout design ideas and stories in New Orleans for them, and I was so happy when the folks at Lonny put feelers out about doing something in New Orleans. perch. and Caroline were at the top of my short list.

I am dedicated to writing about and promoting the design scene in New Orleans. I call what's happening here in New Orleans "New NOLA Style."

Michelle Adams and Patrick Cline came into New Orleans over Easter weekend to shoot in New Orleans. Patrick still uses film rather than shooting digital, and his photographs are so incredible. Caroline is an accomplished interior designer, and it is about time she gets some recognition for it. Patrick Cline took the most gorgeous photographs of her fabulous home in New Orleans. Do I hear a "swoon" or a "j'dore"!

And please go to Lonny HERE to see these beautiful photos as they should be seen, with all the cool links embedded.

Caroline is a generous person and colleague. She always encourages me and our third part of the perch. team, Jack Mayberry to put our talents forward. She gave us a nice mention in Lonny, but alas it ended on the cutting room floor, but we know it was there, and we know her appreciation for us is here daily.

We are so happy that Lonny came to New Orleans! New Orleans has become a design destination, with many Vamp and perch. fans making their way to say hello to us.

Caroline, besides being the owner and guiding force of perch. is an accomplished interior designer in her own right.

If you are looking for a top notch interior designer call Caroline Robert at perch. 504 899-2122.

Seriously, just look at this house! It is the perfect mix of the credo we live by: The mix of antique, vintage, and contemporary. Every room in her beautiful home is fun, pretty, and eminently livable. Her sense and use of color is masterful. Caroline's home embodies the mission statement she steers her shop by. Toot toot! Nobody does it better than perch.!

And again, thank you Lonny for being a part of the exciting design scene in New Orleans!

Left to right: Valorie Hart design consultant and PR manager at perch.
Jack Mayberry design consultant and manager of perch.
Michelle Adams and Patrick Cline from Lonny
Caroline Robert design consultant and owner of perch. New Orleans

Lonny HERE

papillion collection back in stock!

2011-05-13T14:09:00.000-05:00

perch. papillion in a customer's home HERE

We love these butterflies! And so do all of you because we sell out them as quickly as we can have them custom made for us.

These larger than life high-resolution prints of actual butterflies beautifully are hand-mounted and framed. Select from the exclusive perch. collection of 10 butterfly varieties. Custom sizes and other frame options are available upon request.

Call us to order one: 504 899-2122, or stop by the shop to choose one.

Go HERE to see all 10 of these tres jolie papillion!

standard magazine

2011-05-11T14:12:00.000-05:00

Do you know about the online magazine called Standard?

Created by renowned designer Kelly LaPlante, Standard is the interior design magazine for the post-green movement. Every page of every issue reflects their high standards for sustainability. Kelly says, "We're sick of talking about it (aren't you?) and so eco-speak is strictly forbidden". Click here to subscribe

Kelly hails from Austin, Texas, and recently was visiting New Orleans and stopped in to say hello to us at perch. Standard was kind enough to include us in a feature they did on New Orleans!
Check it out on page 37-38 HERE

visual vamp valorie hart gives a design workshp

2011-05-09T21:58:00.005-05:00

Valorie Hart is well known for giving Argentine tango workshops with her husband Alberto Paz. Now you can attend an interior design workshop she is giving at the Preservation Resource Center.

Historic House Workshop: "Designing the Interior of Your Historic Home" with Valorie Hart (including a Book Signing with Stephanie Bruno)

Tuesday, May 10, 2011
6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

At the PRC
923 Tchoupitoulas St.
(in the Warehouse District)

Learn the tricks of the interior design trade – plus get a signed copy of a new book about local neighborhood architecture!

This workshop is ideal for anyone who is decorating their home for the first time or who is looking to redesign the interior of their home. Learn design tips from Valorie Hart, who is a design consultant at Perch and author of Visual Vamp, a home decorating blog. See images of beautifully decorated rooms, and learn tips and tricks to promote traffic flow through awkward spaces.

Also, Stephanie Bruno will discuss & sign copies of her new book, New Orleans Streets: A Walker's Guide to Neighborhood Architecture.

Cash bar.

Free and open to the public.

For more information, call 504.636.3399 or email sblaum@prcno.org.

master of your domain

2011-05-05T16:54:00.003-05:00

perch. just got in two matte black Kartell Masters chairs. They are gorgeous and only 244. (each.) It can also be ordered in white and in red. Stop by the shop and have a sit! You will love how comfy this chair is. It's the perfect thing for that perfect mix we love of antique, vintage, and modern. It would ber a fabulous Mother's Day gift!

With lively sinuous lines, the Masters chair combines the outlines of three of the most famous chairs in modern design. Arne Jacobsen’s Series 7 Chair, Eero Saarinen’s Tulip Armchair, and Charles Eames’ Eiffel Chair.

Philippe Starck Says: "We weren’t born just today. There have been masters before us. The Masters chair brings to mind the lines of three great masters and three great masterpieces. Putting them all together, they create a new product, a new project, a reflection of our new society."

Visit the Kartell website – here. Visit Philippe Starck’s website – here.

perch. is the exclusive dealer of Kartell in the South.

last eight forever!

2011-04-28T12:28:00.002-05:00

Blue Melamine plate with blossoms from perch.

It's time for Melamine! So perfect for Summer entertaining.

perch. carries the fabulous Le Cadeaux line of French inspired high quality Melamine dinnerware. There are so many great patterns and solids to choose from. When people come into the store and touch it, they are always amazed that it is not china.

perch. blue inspired table setting

We set the table with some beautiful blue plates, and added all the blue accents we have in the shop.

Antique opera glasses added for whimsy

A fabulous antique transferware oval bowl is used as our centerpiece. We also used blue ceramic cups and saucers and an assortment of etched wine glasses, and stainless fleur di lys pattern flatware. A pair of antique opera glasses were tossed on the table to add whimsy.

Antique Doulton bowl used as the centerpiece

Opaline blue glass candle holders are also on the table.

The blue dinner plates are discontinued, and these are the last eight forever!

If you buy all 8, you may have a 20% discount.

Wish List

Blue dinner plate - 16. each (less 20% for 8)
Blue cup and saucer - 10. for both
Glass candle holders - 18. each
Antique (1882) Doulton transferware bowl - 1195.
Antique opera glasses with case - 250.
Assorted etched glassware - 12. - 15.

Please stop over at Between Naps On The Porch HERE to see this week's inspiring table settings for the weekly Tablescape Thursdays hosted by Susan.

as seen in elle decor

2011-04-19T14:20:00.000-05:00

Elle Decor May 2011

We just got the May 2011 issue of Elle Decor which is dedicated to "Effortless Elegance."

On pages 176-177 there is a fabulous metal sculpture in a feature called "Dutch Treat."

Elle Decor May 2011 - pages 176-177

perch. has a very similar metal sculpture! It can be hung vertically or horizontally.

Metal sculpture at perch.

It comes in white, a gun metal gray, or a mirror finish.

Gun metal gray metal sculpture from perch.

White metal sculpture from perch.

perch. designer Valorie Hart recently used it in a beautiful home in New Orleans

perch. metal sculpture measures 49" x 27"

Call to order 504 899 -2122
perch. metal sculpture 350.

perch. loves these pink chairs!

2011-04-14T14:28:00.001-05:00

We just got these fab pink chairs and ottomans! They are mid century, recently reupholstered in hot pink wool. The rosewood arm rests on the chairs, and handles on the ottomans, and legs on all of the pieces are all in excellent condition. They have given the shop a burst of energy!

Please call us if you would like to purchase. 504 899 2122. Yes we will ship.

Great as a pair, but we will sell them separately.

Mid century pink chair and ottoman - 1200.

art in bloom 2011

2011-04-12T13:30:00.003-05:00

``````perch. had a great spot for Art In Bloom 2011

perch. had such a great time doing an exhibit for Art In Bloom last year at the New Orleans Museum of Art, so when we were invited to participate again this year, we were all about it!

The theme: The 100 year birthday of the museum
Our category: Table Setting

We are required to do floral arrangements, and do a table setting.

We use things for sale in the store, and based on last years thread, we continued using our signature elements: Taxidermy, spectacular flower arrangements, Kartell furnishings, and unexpected elements, using our forte of combining antique, vintage, and contemporary furnishings in our interior design work.

Since our taxidermy was Ziggy the zebra, we focused on a black and white color palette, with some accent colors.

We made a list based on research of what was popular in 1911 when the museum opened, and found that taxidermy was all the rage, using Teddy Roosevelt's home Sagamore Hill as inspiration.

perch. Art In Bloom 2011 table setting
Absinthe fountain and accouterments were used

We used the black and white couch we sell in the shop, and added two black Kartell Papyrus chairs, and their smallest Tip Top side table, with a black top.

perch. Art In Bloom 2011 - The Grand Dame Turns 100

The table setting consisted of an absinthe fountain, a bottle of absinthe, a pair of absinthe glasses, spoons, and sugar cubes. Absinthe was very en vogue in 1911 in New Orleans.

We had a portable wall built so we could feature the fab Stacy Garcia wallpaper we sell at perch.
The black and white print with the hint of green played back to the absinthe green. A pair of antique Florentine sconces (circa 1911) were added to the wall, where Ziggy (a sensational vintage taxidermy zebra head) held center stage.

A sign with the perch. back story rests on a Kartell bar stool

The back story of our display was "The Grand Dame Turns 100". We imagined that the salon we created belonged to a grand lady. Perhaps she had just come home from a gala at the museum, and retired to her private quarters for a nightcap with a handsome visitor. A pair of satin Louboutins were kicked off, and the lady's opera length white kid gloves were thrown off with abandon. A chair was overturned!

Louboutins on the couch, a glove tossed on the sconce

The floor had to be as spectacular as the one we did last year, where we made a carpet out of thousands of green carnations. This year, 2000 white bags were used, with a battery operated tea light in each one. They were arranged as a three dimensional "carpet' around all the elements in the tableau.

Our "carpet"

As usual we pulled together as a fantastic team to install our vision. Everything is pre-ordered months in advance, and we have two hours the day before the opening, and 4 hours on the day of the opening to work our magic.

Ziggy resting on the floor at NOMA

Caroline and Jack move Ziggy
The wallpaper is not up yet, and the grand giant urns await flowers

Alberto was drafted to wire up the Florentine sconces

This is day one of the installation

David is unpacking the tea lights on day one...

And still working on them on day two!
Jack put wallpaper up on the portable wall

Caroline is pleased with the progress

The sconces are a done deal!

Valorie did the flowers

She's a scamp and a vamp, but she has some good ideas!

It's all coming together
Caroline and Valorie share a happy moment

Ziggy is on the wall
The furniture is in place

And the lighted carpet looks incredible

perch. Art In Bloom 2011 at the New Orleans Museum of Art

We loved the way everything turned out. We didn't have really have any issues or glitches. We had fun! The battery operated candles stayed lit for the entire four day installation, and the flowers looked freshly picked after four days too. People said they enjoyed what we did, and we hope to be back next year!

Caroline taking Ziggy back to perch. after Art In Bloom
He's waiting for you to come and get him!

Art In Bloom Wish List
You can purchase these things we used

Zebra taxidermy - 4200.
Stacy Garcia Wallpaper- 150.per roll
Antique Florentine sconces - 1100. for the pair
Couch - 3800. with fabric shown
Kartell Papyrus chair - 279.
Kartell Tip Top side table - 280.
Kartell bar stool - 300.
Absinthe set - 325.

the moss man cometh

2011-04-08T17:04:00.003-05:00

perch. Moss man planter looks like a classical Roman bust

Back in stock at perch., this beautiful moss covered planter in the form of a classical bust of a Roman style man's head. Generous opening at the back to place a plant, or use it for arranging flowers.

A row of moss man planters looks incredible on the Kartell dining table

perch. recently provided 33 of these handsome guys for The Garden Club luncheon at The New Orleans Museum of Art for Art In Bloom. Co-chairs Claire Koch and Daithel Georges did wonderful flower arrangements in each one, and then sold them to the guests after lunch. They were so popular they sold out!

perch. moss man planter is suitable for use outdoors and indoors

So if you were at the luncheon and didn't get one, stop by perch. A 20% discount will be given to the ladies who lunched with these dashing gentlemen.

Moss man planter - 95.
Call to order- 504 899 2122

perch. gets the table ready for the royal wedding

2011-03-31T17:26:00.000-05:00

It's just a couple of more weeks until the royal wedding of Kate and William, and tea parties and luncheons are being planned in full force. Are you ready?

Wouldn't it be fun to invite a few friends over to celebrate? One customer told us she is planning a luncheon, and her husband is going to dress up and play the butler to her guests!

In honor of the royal wedding. perch. has set a table to inspire you. We started by painting a drop cloth with wide red and blue stripes to get the gestalt of the Union Jack without being too literal.

We got the idea from Katiedid HERE. Go on over for the complete 411 on and the DIY! Thanks Katie!

We gathered every red, white, and blue thing we had in the shop, and added the cute gold king and queen crowns we carry.

White flowers fit nicely into the queen's crown, and we added another flower on top of the candelabra with the festive blue candles.

Red melamine plates, and fleur di lys flatware look fun and regal, and the pale blue tea cups add a romantic English element. Etched glassware is pretty, and there is a set of vintage glasses with a gilded royal crest.

So look around your house, and get all your red, whote, and blue sutff together, and have a party to celebrate the royal wedding!

Wish List:

Crowns - 28.
Red plates - 16.
Set of 8 vintage rocks glasses with gold crest - $48.
Flatware - 72.50 per place setting
Etched glasses - 10. and 12.
Pansy bowls - 17.50
Blue cup and saucer - 10.
Union Jack Parsons chair - 1200.
Drop cloth tablecloth, custom made in any color - 175.
Box of clip on butterflies - 18.
Silver wire candelabra - 175.
Red banded vintage cake plates - 10.
"Celebrate" box of matches - 4.
Blue candles - sadly discontinued

Call us to order: 504 899-2122

For more fabulous table setting ideas, please stop by Between Naps On The Porch.
Thank you Susan for hosting Tablescape Thursdays!

new shipment of kartell

2011-03-25T15:16:00.000-05:00

The new dining table in the Top Top design line
It would make a fabulous desk too!
The side chairs are the Papyrus chairs and we love them with the Madame Noir chandelier
The host chairs are the Ami Ami - don't you love the basket weave pattern
The icy blue gray sofa used as a banquette is a Kravet velvet
The area rug is the Antelope pattern

perch. is the exclusive dealer of Kartell in the Louisiana (and part of the South). We never tire of the designs , and Kartell is the perfect modern addition to the mix we love to do using antique and vintage, along with contemporary furnishings.

Large Ghostbusters side table with vintage Murano lamp
White vintage Foo Dog 25.
Python tray 40.

Kartell has many new items, and we are getting a few of them every day.
Our latest additions include the beautiful Ghostbuster pieces. A pair could be used as side tables or nightstands, and the larger single one would make a fabulous entry hall table.

The "Lucite" is the extra heavy kind, great quality that will last for years. With so many Kartell knock-offs being sold, you might be tempted by the lower prices, but the material used for the fakes is flimsy, and we have been told that chair legs snap off.

Small Kartell Ghostbuster table
We love it paired with the antique Regency chairs

The great design and high quality of material that Kartell uses does command a higher price, but the pieces are iconic and made to last years and years. Invest in the real thing, and you won't be sorry.

Icy blue sofa in Kravet velvet
Laura McKibbon plates 54. -perfect for sushi
White ceramic dragon 87.50
Beauville napkins from France 22.
Vintage Saki bottles 34.

So stop by perch. and see the new Kartell furnishings. We are sure you will love everything as much as we do. And if you would like us to order anything from Kartell for you, please call us. Accept no imitations. You deserve to have the real thing!

the crate and bottle side table

2011-03-19T16:07:00.001-05:00

perch. wine bottle in a crate side table with marble top

We love the huge green wine bottle in the rustic crate stamped "France".

It's a neat object onto itself. But we paired it with a piece of Travertine marble and turned into a side table!

Come in and grab one! 250. for the bottle in crate side table.