INTERIORS
SOUTHERN COMFORT
Melissa Rufty Infuses an Historic Garden District Row House
with Charismatic Color
INTERIOR DESIGN BY
A
Melissa Rufty of MMR Interiors
PHOTOGRAPHY BY
Megan Lovoi
WRITTEN BY
Cathy Austin
All great historic houses have fascinating stories behind them. The “Seven Sister
Cottages” are no exception. Located in the Garden District, the houses were built
in 1868 by Henry Howard, an architect known for some of the grandest homes
in New Orleans. According to local legend, the houses were built by a wealthy
landowner for each of his daughters so that he could keep a watchful eye on
them. Howard alternated between Greek Revival and Italianate styles to vary
the facades of the cottages. The simple side hall shotgun-style homes are a fixture
on any Garden District home tour and are considered to be some of the first spec
housing in the country.
Sally and Richard Edrington fell in love with their cottage and enlisted the help
of New Orleans designer Melissa Rufty to bring their colorful vision to life. The
homeowners wanted to create a vibrant and happy home to enjoy their family,
which includes five grandchildren and one energetic dog.
An overscaled bold red modern painting pops against Pierre Frey yellow satin curtains, cobalt
blue velvet Louis XVI chairs and an antique chest.
JULY AUGUST 2015
15