My Houzz: Cottage Comforts in the Louisiana Woods
Ellen Kennon gave up a successful design career in New York 13 years ago to return to her home state of Louisiana. Craving a simpler but richer life, she bought some property on a winding road north of Baton Rouge and built a serene little cabin in the woods.
An interior designer and the creator of Full Spectrum Paints, Kennon designed not only the house’s interior, but the house itself. Modeled after a caretaker’s cottage, it is small but airy, and blessed with 20-foot ceilings in the great room. “I wanted a place so all my New York and New Orleans friends could come visit and could have these rip-roaring parties,” she says. Affectionately dubbed Mon Soleil, Kennon’s home is her own little hidden oasis.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Ellen Kennon and her pup, Gigi
Location: St. Francisville, Louisiana
Size: 1,500 square feet; 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms
Above the fireplace sits a painting of Archangel Sandalphon by renowned artist Hunt Slonem, who has paintings in more than a hundred museums around the world.
As part of the home’s design, Kennon positioned each window so that it is never in direct sunlight, letting the light seep in gently (important in steamy Louisiana). The green window trim eases the transition between interior and exterior, a recurring theme throughout the house.
Wall and ceiling paint: Buttercream; trim paint: Ashen Green, both by Full Spectrum Paints
All the paints in Kennon’s home were created by her and are part of the Full Spectrum Paints collection. “Standard paint colors are usually a blend of two or three pigments that include black, which absorbs light,” Kennon says. “These paints omit black and have a broader range of pigments that reflect a broader range of light, and coordinate more easily with the colors and furnishings around them. They are chameleon-like in their ability to pick up colors from adjacent materials and to change character as the light changes.”
Paint: Buttercream, Full Spectrum Paints
The kitchen’s brick floor extends onto the porch. To take advantage of her beautiful and secluded location, Kennon added a 37- by 12-foot screened porch. The porch also functions as an outdoor dining room with a view of the surrounding woods. Old St. Louis brick flooring is a warm complement to the cool green of the walls.
Paint: Kennon Ivy, Full Spectrum Paints
A cozy seating area surrounds an outdoor fireplace on the opposite side of the porch. The twig couches bring the woods into the porch, where Kennon and her friends gather year-round.
Paint: Kennon Ivy, Full Spectrum Paints
The spiral staircase offers a view of the living room below.
Kennon’s bedroom walls are painted Alexandra Blue (named for her daughter), creating a tranquil atmosphere.
One-of-a-kind artistic touches are sprinkled throughout the house. Artist Mary Kay Davis created the terra-cotta tiles that line the floor and walls of the European-style bathroom. A sun emerges from the tiles surrounding the open shower, harking back to the name of the house.
Ceiling paint: Sapphire, Full Spectrum Paints
A tiny guest room features two Dutch beds tucked into the walls. The room was a refuge for friends evacuating New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina.
Murals by artist Sally Conklin surround a claw-foot tub.
The exterior of Mon Soleil, as seen from the edge of the surrounding woods.
Taking full advantage of the home’s secluded location, Kennon installed an outdoor shower.
Kennon relaxes at sunset in her outdoor living room. Behind her sits a vase made by daughter Alexandra.
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