My Houzz: Letting Eclectic Style Roll in New Orleans
Working for your dad can have its drawbacks, but it can also come with some pretty sweet perks. For Keristien Rackham, who graduated with an interior design degree and moved to New Orleans to help her dad manage his antiques store, it meant she got first pickings of the store’s inventory to furnish her loft near the French Quarter.
Rackham has a knack for mixing. She combined elegant rustic pieces with tongue-in-cheek finds to give her place a youthful vibe that’s wise beyond its years. The style echoes that of the building itself, a beautiful former rice mill from the 1890s with an industrial brick exterior that’s been jazzed up with vibrant graffiti art pieces. It’s the kind of place that's perfect for curling up with a good book — on a lounge chair made from a midcentury medical exam table, of course.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Keristien Rackham
Location: Bywater neighborhood of New Orleans
Size: 1,450 square feet; 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom
Original brick walls in each unit of the 1892 building have a unique patina. Rackham spray painted secondhand frames to create a gallery wall on the left. The Abraham Lincoln portrait is by local artist Aaron Reichert.
Rackham made the tin letters that spell out her last name. They span the width between exposed wood columns where her bedroom overlooks the great room. A tufted sofa helps break up the open layout and designate the living room. Almost all of her furnishings are pieces sourced from her father's shop, Greg's Antiques.
Painting on back wall: Ben Gregory
Rackham snagged the midcentury medical exam table from her father's store, too. It makes for a great reading place underneath the large window, and the adjustable back is convenient for lounging while watching TV. It also doubles as a bed for visiting friends, who swear by its comfort.
Beneath the letters, an antique loom displays an art piece by Sabylle Peretti.
Rackham thought the glossy white kitchen space was sterile, so she added an old wooden butcher's chopping block island for a bit of warmth. A traditional New Orleans portable pantry, historically used for baking, sits on top. Its base stores materials, and the tall sides are flour sifters, with space to store spice jars between them.
Exposed wooden beams outline the main bedroom, which is directly above the kitchen.
Nightstands: Greg's Antiques
A small lounge area overlooks the great room. The art piece hanging on the wall is one of Rackham's favorites, done by local artist Pauly Lingerfelt, who also specializes in tattoos.
A rooftop terrace is available to the building's tenants; it has tables and chairs and great views of downtown, the Mississippi River and the French Quarter.
The brick five-story Rice Mill Loft building is the tallest in the Bywater neighborhood. The building was designed and developed by Sean Cummings of Ekistics, architect Wayne Troyer of Studio WTA and designer LM Pagano.
This side greets passersby with an uplifting message, seen in the opening sequence of British street artist Banksy's movie Exit Through the Gift Shop.
Rackham stands in front of a nearby graffiti mural, one of many adored by local residents in the Bywater neighborhood.
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