home tours in new orleans

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10 historic homes in New Orleans to tour

From haunted to spectacular

As William Faulkner famously wrote, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past.” Nowhere does that feel more true than in his former hometown of New Orleans, where the city’s story is written in its brick-and-beam Creole cottages, bargeboard shotgun homes, and midcentury modern homes by the lakefront. The history of its architecture follows the history of its people, and with this in mind, Curbed New Orleans mapped 10 homes to tour, whether you’re a local or a tourist.

Pitot House

Home of the Louisiana Landmarks Society, this 19th-century structure was once home to New Orleans Mayor James Pitot. The pristine house remains furnished with antiques from the 19th century. It’s also the only colonial West Indies country house open to the public in the city and includes a museum and 10,000-square-foot garden on site.

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Part of the Louisiana State Museum system, this home offers a peek into the mid-19th century. Located near Jackson Square, this houses is filled with antiques and is furnished in a way that reflects upper-middle class life. This home may be one of the oldest standing apartments in the United States.

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Longue Vue House & Gardens

If you’re looking for more than a home to visit, check out this historic estate that holds one of New Orleans’s most famous house museums. Deemed a national historic landmark, this home’s garden, fountains, and groves space span over eight acres, including interactive areas for children.  

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House of Broel

A popular wedding venue, this Victorian mansion is a treat for those who appreciate details. Large chandeliers, elegant decor, and a grand ballroom are some of this home’s spectacular features. This home also holds a gallery of dollhouses built by previous House of Broel owner, Bonnie Broel.

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Gallier House

Built more than 150 years ago, this home is an elegant example of the Victorian-era lifestyle and design. It was one of the first to have both hot and cold running water in the mid-19th century. 

And, you’ve guessed it: This home belonged to famous architects James Gallier and his son James Gallier Jr.

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Hermann-Grima House

Spectators note this 18th-century home for its expansive outbuildings and courtyard. It is furnished with mid-19th century antiques, and nearly a third of them belonged to the Hermann or Grima families. 

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Rising Sun Bed & Breakfast

If you’re talking about historic homes in New Orleans, don’t overlook Algiers Point, New Orleans’s second oldest neighborhood. A year after 1895’s Great Fire of Algiers ravaged a 19th-century cottage, this historic shotgun double was built on the home’s foundation. While renovated, many of its original features are still intact.

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Beauregard-Keyes House

Architect Francois Correjolles built this beautifully restored home in 1826 for a wealthy auctioneer. Over the last 193 years, this home has had several affluent owners and was rented by General P.G.T. Beauregard shortly after the Civil War. With its manicured gardens and fountain, this home has one of the most beautiful courtyards in the French Quarter.

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Madame John's Legacy

One of the few pieces of architecture that survived the great fire of 1794 in the French Quarter, this 18th-century complex includes a main house, a kitchen, and a two-story dependency. Very few homes are as old as this historic property in the French Quarter, and it is one of the few remaining examples of the French Colonial style.

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Magnolia Mansion

Not far from the home once owned by Anne Rice , this mansion currently operates as a bed and breakfast. Built in 1858, this palatial home went through several affluent owners and the New Orleans Chapter of the American Red Cross. Rumor says spirits haunt this old home. 

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Exploring New Orleans Homes and Secret Gardens

New Orleans is known for many things, not the least of which is her architecture . With an abundance of homes from the 19th century, many of which historic, and the secret gardens to complement them, it's no wonder why one of the favorite pastimes of visitors is to go on a tour of homes. What makes New Orleans home and garden tours so special is that most of the historic housing stock is privately owned and lived in by New Orleans families. Every year, different homes are opened for a rare chance to see inside.

The Preservation Resource Center Holiday Tour of Homes

Every year the private homeowners of several of the mansions in the Garden District of New Orleans  open their homes for a good cause. The Preservation Resource Center, a group dedicated to preserving the unique architectural heritage of New Orleans, sponsors the Holiday Tour of Homes. The tour is self-guided and the homes are beautifully decorated for the holidays. The tour is in early December on a Saturday and Sunday and also includes a cafe and holiday boutique with many vendors. Taking the tour and buying gifts at the holiday boutique makes for a fun day in New Orleans.

Faubourg Marigny Tour of Homes

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Faubourg Marigny, the second oldest faubourg (neighborhood) in New Orleans , sponsors two tours annually, one in spring and one in fall. These tours all start in Washington Square Park on the corner of Royal Street and Esplanade Avenue. They have guided tours of the area, which is the most Creole faubourg in New Orleans. It's a great chance to learn a little history as you walk. There are entertainment and a kids area set up in Washington Square Park to enjoy while you wait for the next tour. The tour in spring takes you inside some of the Creole homes, while the tour in fall is longer, but usually, doesn't go into the homes. Tickets usually run about $20.

The Secret Garden Tour of French Quarter Homes

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This tour, on a weekend in mid-October, lets you into some of the hidden gardens of the French Quarter homes. It's a chance to see some of the secret sanctuaries of the families who live in the French Quarter. Many visitors to New Orleans are surprised to learn that the French Quarter is a living, breathing neighborhood. The gardens, in the tradition of Creole architecture, are hidden from the street. Once a year some of these doors are open to the public for this self-guided tour.

Secret Gardens of Uptown Tour

This tour is also a garden tour that happens in March . Spring comes early to New Orleans and by March our gardens are alive and fragrant with azaleas, camellias, sweet olive trees, jasmine, and more. Every year there are several gardens of Uptown New Orleans homes open for viewing. You can purchase a box lunch to take with you. There is also a garden boutique, and some high-end artworks to purchase. Tickets are usually about $60 for the guided tour and $25 for the self-guided tour.

Algiers Point Tour of Homes

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Algiers is a part of New Orleans that lies on the West Bank of the Mississippi River. It's a neighborhood of tree-shaded streets and 19th-century homes. Every October, the Algiers Point Neighborhood Association offers a tour of homes. You can get there by taking the Canal Street Ferry (be sure to get the one to Algiers. There is another ferry from Canal Street that goes to Gretna.) It's free and about a 6-minute ride across the river. The tour is within walking distance of the ferry landing.

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Holiday Home Tours

Every year during the holidays, New Orleanians decorate their homes in the most festive seasonal décor, and some even open their doors for public viewing! Visit New Orleans during the holidays and check out the holiday home tours to experience the magical ambiance of New Orleans homes.

Two local organizations, the Preservation Resource Center and the Patio Planters, conduct New Orleans holiday home tours during select weekends in December. The PRC tours focus on homes in the city’s Garden District and the Patio Planters tours include residences in the French Quarter.

Homes of the Garden District

Tour the interiors and grounds of several stunning private homes all dressed up for the holidays in the historic Garden District brought to you by the Preservation Resource Center. Festivities also include live musical performances, a festive boutique, and more.

Homes of the French Quarter

The Patio Planters Holiday Home Tour is self-guided, featuring several elegant old French Quarter residences, some of which have attractive courtyards and gardens gaily festooned in the spirit of the holidays.

As its name implies, the nonprofit Patio Planters organization is “dedicated to the beautification of the Vieux Carre, mainly from a horticultural point of view” according to its mission statement. Proceeds from the tour go to benefit a major holiday event held on the evening of the tour date –  Caroling in Jackson Square .

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• Featured Tour

Homes of the Rich & Famous Garden District Tour in New Orleans

THIS is the Garden District Tour you've heard about! Home of New Orleans' Rich and Famous!

Quick Details

• Info Tour type: Walking tour
• Hour Glass Duration: 2 hours
• Map Marker Departs From: 2727 Prytania St, New Orleans, LA 70130

Explore Our First American City

Experience the beauty and elegance that lie outside of the French Quarter as you stroll the streets of one of the most scenic areas in New Orleans. – the historic Garden District. This lavish neighborhood was built in the 1800s to rival the beauty and splendor of the French Quarter. Hear the fascinating history and learn of the architecture and plant life that made the Garden District of New Orleans a favorite backdrop for movies and television. Hear about the architecture, history, and exotic plant life that gave this area its name. This is tour you’ll never forget!

Enjoy the majestic live oak trees, beautiful flowers, and the lush foliage while you view the stately mansions of the Garden District. See the homes of New Orleans’ rich and famous, including the former homes of Anne Rice and Nicholas Cage, as well as your favorite movie sites.  Don’t be surprised if  you walk right onto a film set during this unique and entertaining stroll.  This two-hour-long walking tour is a photographer’s dream!

Tours operate rain or shine. There are no tours Mardi Gras Day. For group tours, please call us directly at 504-861-2727 or email us at [email protected] !

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Louisiana’s Antebellum Homes

Learn about life in old louisiana.

Authentically restored antebellum mansions await your discovery just a few minutes from New Orleans, each with its own unique story to tell. Learn what life was like for both the owners and the enslaved people who lived here before the Civil War–before our nation was truly the land of the free. While a day trip is easy, consider spending the night at the beautiful Inn at Houmas House . For more information on our grand estates and their history, see below.

Life at Destrehan Plantation Tour

Just 10 minutes from the New Orleans airport is Destrehan Plantation, where costumed storytellers will take you back in time with stories of the families who lived here, both free and enslaved. Highlights include folklife demonstrations, an exhibit on the 1811 Slave Revolt at the Miller-Haydel Museum in a former slave cabin, and an original document signed by Thomas Jefferson. The gift shop features handmade items from local artisans. Proceeds from all tours go to the restoration of Destrehan Plantation. Learn more about their nightly Haunted Plantation Tour .  BOOK NOW

Destrehan Plantation & Spuddy's Cajun Cooking Combo Tour

Get a taste of life in the South, both figuratively and literally, on this 4.5 hour experience at Destrehan Plantation. This combination tour includes the Experience Life at Destrehan Plantation Tour along with a cooking demonstration from Maitland "Spuddy” Faucheux, owner of Spuddy's Cajun Foods and Cajun Cooking Experience. It includes an authentic Cajun lunch or dinner in the historic mule barn. The tour must be booked 30 days in advance & requires a minimum of 35 participants.   Learn More

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Explore beyond the Big Easy to a history and culture all its own. You'll be captivated by the massive mansions situated on large well-kept grounds as you hear tales of wealth, grandeur, and tragedy.

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Louisiana antebellum culture.

To look away from the Old South is not the answer. To truly understand American history is to know what life was like for both the owners of the “Big Houses” and the enslaved workforce who made them prosperous. Most of the most storied antebellum estates have adapted their tours to tell “the whole story.” The truth is just a short drive from New Orleans. Come discover it.

The Great River Road and beyond

Many of the estates closest to New Orleans are along the River Road corridor, a stretch of land that runs for nearly seventy miles along the Mississippi. Beginning with Oak Alley in 1925, the “Big Houses” on River Road began to be restored. In recent years, programs have been put in place to allow visitors to hear the whole story of life in the Old South–not just the glamorized Hollywood version. 

St. Joseph Plantation

Circa, 1830, St. Joseph, has been family owned since 1877 and is one of the few fully intact sugar cane plantations in the River Parishes. Composed of 2,500 acres (including its "sister" property, Felicité), St. Joseph stretches back from the Mississippi River as far as the eye can see. Take a walk through time as you enjoy a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the many interesting people who have called St. Joseph home. Many tours are guided by family members themselves.

Destrehan Plantation

Destrehan, built by Jean Noel Destrehan in 1787, is the oldest documented plantation house left intact in the lower Mississippi Valley. It was here that the process of producing granulated sugar was perfected, helping to establish sugar cane as the major crop of the area, replacing indigo. Today, the house is open for guided tours that highlight the lives of the people who lived and worked here. In one of the rooms, the walls and ceiling are unfinished, giving a glimpse into building methods of days gone by. 

Ormond Plantation

Ormond, built in the late 1700s, claims to be the oldest French West Indies-style plantation in the lower Mississippi valley. It began as a farm for indigo but later switched to the more profitable sugar cane crop. Originally acquired as a French land grant, Ormond stretched from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain. It provided makeshift housing for troops heading to the Battle of New Orleans and was a prize to be captured during the Civil War. Today the estate is but a mere 16 acres but is restored, as closely as possible, to the way it was during its prime. 

Houmas House 

One of the most visited antebellum homes near New Orleans is Houmas House, ranked the No. 2 Historic Home Tour in the country by USA Today. Houmas House was built in 1840 by Col. John Smith Preston, on land originally owned by the Houmas Indians, hence the name.  In 1858 the house and 12,000 acres were sold to Irishman John Burnside, one of the nation’s leading sugar producers. To this day, the home is sometimes referred to as the "Burnside House." It was used as the filming location for the film "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte," starring Bette Davis. The gardens are absolutely lovely here year-round.

Laura 

Laura was built in the French "Creole" style, rather than in the style of the English or American antebellum homes common throughout the area. While it has the wide veranda that most homes of its kind had, the ceilings were not quite as high, and the architectural style is noticeably different. Upon entering, you see a sign that proclaims Laura to be "The American Home of Br'er Rabbit.” In 1871, Alcee Fortier wrote down the stories he heard the enslaved workers pass down to their children in Creole French. 

Madewood 

This Greek Revival mansion on Bayou Lafourche was built by Irish-American Henry Howard, in 1846 for sugar baron Colonel Thomas Pugh and his wife Eliza. Nestled among moss-draped oaks, on acres of quiet land, few places are more peaceful than Madewood. As a bonus, there is a very old family graveyard on the grounds. Open up the creaking gate, and discover tombs and headstones of those who called Madewood home so many years ago. 

Nottoway 

The largest of the “Big Houses” remaining in Louisiana is Nottoway, built in 1857 by John Hampden Randolph who amassed a great fortune in sugar. The house has 50 rooms, which were certainly needed, as John Randolph had 11 children. Inside, one cannot escape the beauty and elegance of its famous White Ballroom, once the site of balls that would go on late into the night. It is said that Nottoway was the first on River Road to have a bathroom on the second floor.

This Greek Revival home is supported by 28 columns, each is 8 feet in circumference, with 15-foot high ceilings and 16-inch thick brick walls. The 13-foot wide veranda surrounds the house on all four sides, offering a splendid view, and ample shade and protection from the sun or rain. From the main entrance, two rows of 14 magnificent oak trees (now 250 years old) line the walk to the Mississippi River, a quarter mile away, hence the name "Oak Alley.”

Louisiana Grand Estates

Louisiana grand estates, once where cotton and sugarcane were grown, now offer visitors a look into the rich history of Louisiana. Many of the most famous and beautiful mansions in the south are located just a short drive from New Orleans.

Louisiana Grand Estate History

The grand estate culture in the New Orleans area dates back to the beginnings of an agricultural economy in the 1700’s when farmers were needed to provide food for the new economy. Many of the historic homes are older than two hundred years.

A number of crops have been grown on the estates for food and for profit. Corn and rice have been staples throughout the existence of the estates to feed the farm’s animals, slaves and owners. In the 1700’s the area’s most profitable crop was indigo, a plant that was used to make blue dye. By the 1800’s, farmers turned to commercial crops of cotton, sugarcane and tobacco.

The farmer’s homes started as simple dwellings, but as the farmers found commercial success they built houses to match their newfound riches. As the farmers became richer, they replaced their homes with newer, larger and more impressive homes. Many of the estates mix simple Creole style with the unmistakable Greek revival columns, curved stairs, semi-detached wings and other stylish designs of the period that showed off the owner’s wealth.

River Road Grand Estates

Many of the estates closest to New Orleans are along the  River Road  corridor, a stretch of land that runs for nearly seventy miles along the Mississippi.

Beginning in the early 19th century, travelers to the area began to note the splendor of area estate homes, which were often grand mansions on sprawling acres of carefully tended gardens and auxiliary buildings. Even more important than the big houses were these smaller buildings, which were often where the estate’s moneymaking activities took place--sugar milling, for example. Mississippi estates primarily focused on sugar production, though cotton estates were also present. Slave quarters were located on the plantation grounds, making each plantation into a self-contained community.

However, following the Civil War and improvements in sugar production, many River Road plantations became unprofitable and fell into ruin. Some houses were lost or destroyed entirely, with their valuable history following suit. The appearance of tobacco mosaic disease (TMV), which ruined fields of sugarcane, also contributed to the 1920s downfall of the once-prosperous plantation model, along with a weak economy, the encroachment of the river, and federal action. Land began to be divided between owners, resulting in untended parcels of land marring the lovely, cohesive appearance that River Road visitors had admired.

Beginning with  Oak Alley  in 1925, River Road plantations began to be restored, and this restoration continued through the 1940s. Despite the presence of new industry in this Mississippi corridor, such as petrochemical plants, many plantation homes were able to return to glory, and remain testaments to the grandeur and history of old Louisiana.

Circa, 1830, St. Joseph Plantation, has been family owned since 1877, and is one of the few fully intact sugar cane plantations in the River Parishes. Composed of 2500 acres (including our "sister" plantation, Felicité), our property stretches back from the Mississippi River as far as the eye can see.

You will find many tours guided by family members themselves. So, take a walk through time as you enjoy a fascinating glimpse into the lives of the many interesting people who have called this plantation "Home."

This plantation is the birthplace of H. H. Richardson, one of America's most important architects of the 19th century.

The maison principale was acquired by a French doctor, who was hired to care for the masters, their families, and slaves.

Josephine Aime, daughter of Valcour Aime, "The Louis XIV of Louisiana", married Alexis Ferry, and purchased the plantation in 1859. Learn about their lavish lifestyle that existed prior to the Civil War.

The lives of these families through the years were deeply intertwined with neighboring plantations, Oak Alley, Laura, "Le Petit Versailles", and still to this day, Felicité.

Learn about the sugar cane industry in South Louisiana from 1795, when sugar was first produced on a commercial scale and was considered white gold. View the renovated slave cabins as well as Creole Cottages, detached kitchen, barns, chicken coops, blacksmith shop carpenter shop and other dependencies necessary to sustain life during these early years.

Tireless volunteers, some, cousins as distant as the fourth degree, have come together to once again breathe new life into this beautiful house. Other plantations, talk about the antebellum history through the Civil War, and their timelines stop there. Our family takes pride in continuing to preserve our heritage of over 135 years.

To complete your experience, St. Joseph Plantation gift shop offers many items created by Louisiana artist, and craftsmen.

Destrehan and Ormond Plantations

Two historic Antebellum Plantation Homes that are within 30 minutes of New Orleans are Destrehan Plantation and Ormond Plantation. Both are within two miles of each other, and are just 10 minutes from the New Orleans International Airport. If you visit, one, you may as well visit both, since they are so close.

Destrehan Plantation was built in 1787, originally of West Indies architecture, but later renovated to the then popular Greek Revival Style. It is the oldest documented plantation house left intact in the lower Mississippi Valley.

The plantation bears the name of its builder, Jean Noel Destrehan, who acquired the estate from his father-in-law, Robin de Longy. It was here that the process of producing granulated sugar was perfected, and helped to establish sugar cane as the major crop of the area, replacing indigo. After years of neglect, restoration is now continuing. Today, the house is open for guided tours, and is available for dinner parties, wedding receptions and special events.

Claiming to be the oldest French West Indies style plantation in the lower Mississippi valley, Ormond was also built in the late 1700's. Like most of the early plantations of the area, it began as a farm for indigo, but later switched to the more profitable sugar cane crop.

Originally acquired as a French land grant, the plantation stretched from the Mississippi River to Lake Pontchartrain. During its long history, it was the focal point for parties and celebrations, a prize to be captured during the Civil War, makeshift housing for troops heading to the Battle of New Orleans, and more.

Today the estate is but a mere 16 acres, but is restored, as closely as possible, to the way it was during its prime. It is privately owned, and the owner lives in the house. Several rooms are available to guests as a Bed and Breakfast, allowing visitors to savor the atmosphere of the 19th century, with a view of the mighty Mississippi River from the upper gallery. It is becoming quite a popular place to have weddings and honeymoons.

History Most people think of decadent opulence and pampered life-styles when they think of the plantations of the 18th and 19th centuries. It is sobering to consider that, among other things, there was no plumbing. A pitcher on the dresser held water for washing. Hot water had to be carried up to the rooms, and people would "go down for a bath" once a month (no indoor bathrooms).

Indoor toilet facilities didn't exist, so one had to trek to the "privy". The cold of winter made it seem too far, yet the heat of summer produced aromas that made it seem too close.

Food was prepared in a kitchen, separate from the main house, and carried inside to be served. To go to the second floor, one had to go outside to use the stairs - there were no inside stairs, either. Drinking water came from cisterns, which captured rainwater from the roof. All in all, I think that my modest life-style is far better than the life of luxury, enjoyed in the 19th century.

One of the most interesting features of the Destrehan Plantation tour is one of the rooms, which is preserved in a state that allows you to see the building methods. The walls are unfinished, showing the bare support for the plaster, and the ceiling is removed, showing the timbers of the attic. Today, with all of our modern materials and building methods, it is nice to see how, 250 years ago, buildings could be built that are more durable than those built today.

Houmas House Mansion and Gardens 

One of the most visited Antebellum Homes near New Orleans is the Houmas House Mansion, ranked the No. 2 Historic Home Tour in the country by USA Today .   Not only do tourists come by the busloads, but locals may make the drive to spend a couple of hours on the grounds, followed by lunch in nearby restaurants, before returning home. Houmas is a home with the architectural style that most people envision when they think of the old grand estates. It was used as the filming location for the film "Hush, Hush, Sweet Charolette," starring Bette Davis.

Located in the small river community of Darrow, LA, it sits on a few acres on the Mississippi River, much smaller than the 20,000 acres that it once had. The present Houmas House was built in 1840 by Col. John Smith Preston, on land originally owned by the Houmas Indians, hence the name.

Records seem to show that Maurice Conway and Alexandre Latil purchased the land from the Indians. It was Latil who built the first structure, in the late 18th century, while Louisiana was a Spanish territory. Somehow Daniel Clark came to own the property, then sold it in 1812, to Revolutionary War General Wade Hampton of South Carolina.

General Hampton's daughter, Caroline, married John Smith Preston, and together they acquired ownership of the property. In 1840 they built the present mansion, known today as Houmas House. The original structure still stands, and is connected to the main house at the rear.

In 1858 they sold the house and 12,000 acres to Irishman John Burnside, one of the nations leading sugar producers, and to this day, the home is sometimes referred to as the "Burnside House."

La Branche Plantation Dependency House

La Branche Plantation Dependency House, on the River Road in St. Rose, LA, is an interesting stop on the Southeastern Louisiana Plantation tour, because it is a visit to a plantation home that no longer exists. All that remains is the Dependency House, which had a function that is pretty much what the name implies. It is what we usually call a Garconniere (French for bachelor quarters). La Branche is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Zweig family, of Germany, built the plantation in 1792. Because of neglect, the effects of the Civil War, the economics during and after Reconstruction, and the division of the property among heirs, there is little left to indicate what was once there, save for "an alley" of Oaks. The site of the main house is on private land, and is not accessible to anyone, without the permission of the owners. The Dependency House is on land currently owned by the Lentini family, and is open to the public.

A tour of the Dependency House is interesting enough, though, because it gives a clue to the lifestyle or young bachelors of the day. Anyone who ever raised teenaged boys can understand the logic of moving their bedrooms out of the house. By contemporary standards, the furnishings are austere. They are quite functional, but not what I would call luxurious. It is not the original furnishings of the house, but typical pieces from that period. Included in the inventory is the actual bathtub of Zachery Taylor.

One of the really interesting features on the property is a preserved slave quarters building, which has been restored, as much as possible, to show the actual living quarters that a slave family (or families) might have, including the sparse furnishings that were common for the time. Preserved slave quarters are rare for a number of reasons. Most often, plantation land was purchased by oil refineries and industrial plants, and such buildings were usually cleared away. The main houses were typically used for office buildings, so more of them remain.

Laura Plantation

Laura Plantation is a little different than most of the Louisiana antebellum plantations, in that it is built in the French "Creole" style, rather than in the style of the English or American antebellum homes common throughout the area. While it has the wide veranda that most plantation homes had, the ceilings were not quite as high, and the architectural style is noticeably different.

The home was just recently opened to the public, and restoration is in progress (with much yet to be done). It is a worthy project, for too much antebellum history has been already lost. According to Mr. Norman Marmillion, owner and manager of Laura, "Twenty five years ago, before we knew anything about Laura or her Memoirs, we wanted to save this small place. It was because of those last houses you can see in the back. We have four of the old slave cabins standing. There were once 69 cabins and people lived in those houses until 1977."

Upon entering, you see a sign that proclaims Laura to be "The American Home of Br'er Rabbit". Local guides explain that, "…in 1871, a neighbor of Laura's, by the name of Alcee Fortier, just 18 years old, came into the cabins here and on neighboring plantations. Here he wrote down the stories he heard the workers telling their children in Creole French. Fortier recorded some 20 stories about Compair Lapin and Compair Bouki (the clever rabbit and the stupid fool). Twenty-five years later, Fortier was president of the American Folklore Society and Dean at Tulane University. He published his stories, calling them "Louisiana Folktales." One year later, these stories were adapted and published by his friend and colleague in Georgia, Joel Chandler Harris and, from that day, the English-speaking world has known these stories as the "Tales of Br'er Rabbit."

Madewood Plantation

This Greek Revival style mansion was designed by Henry Howard, an Irish-American architect with more than 280 buildings to his credit, including the grand antebellum homes Nottoway near White Castle, the Belmond Plantation in St. James Parish and Edgewood in Natchez, Mississippi. He also completed the Pontalba Buildings on Jackson Square which were begun by James Gallier.

Nestled among moss-draped oaks, on acres of quiet land, few places are more peaceful than Madewood. You can come for a tour or stay overnight in the "Big House."  furnished with period antiques. As a bonus, there is a very old family graveyard on the grounds. Open up the creaking gate, and discover tombs and headstones of those who called Madewood home so many years ago. 

Nottoway Plantation

The largest of the Antebellum Plantations remaining in Louisiana, is Nottoway Plantation, located on River Road (LA 405), in White Castle, south of Baton Rouge. It was second in size and grandeur only to Belle Grove Plantation Home, which suffered a series of disasters, and finally succumbed to fire.

Nottoway was built in 1857 by John Hampden Randolph, of Virginia, who amassed a great fortune in sugar. The house has 50 rooms, which were certainly needed, as John Randolph had 11 children. It is said that Nottoway was the first Plantation Home to have a bathroom on the second floor.

Inside, one cannot escape the beauty and elegance of its famous White Ballroom. It was the center of all of the Randolph's entertainment activities, with parties, receptions and balls that would go on late into the night. Today, the Grand White Ballroom is a favorite setting for wedding receptions.

Nottoway is open for public tours, and has bed and breakfast accommodations, a restaurant and a gift shop. Many visitors enjoy the bonus of watching Paddlewheel Riverboats, such as the Delta Queen, as they pass Nottoway Plantation on their journey up the Mississippi River.

"One of the great things about living in New Orleans, is that you can enjoy the nice tourist spots every day." Oak Alley is truly the quintessential Southern Antebellum home. It is a massive Greek revival home, supported by 28 columns, each 8 feet in circumference, with 15-foot high ceilings and 16-inch thick brick walls. The 13 foot wide veranda surrounds the house on all four sides, offering a splendid view, and ample shade and protection from the sun or rain. From the main entrance, two rows of 14 magnificent oak trees (now 250 years old) line the walk to the Mississippi River, a quarter mile away, hence the name "Oak Alley".

Today, one has so much more to savor. In the last few years, several cabins have been provided as Bed and Breakfast accommodations, allowing visitors to spend the night. What an experience to visit such a place, and have time to enjoy the grounds, without having to rush off to a motel after the tour! If you are lucky, you might even see one of the paddlewheel riverboats docking, allowing its passengers the opportunity to visit.

Oak Alley now has a restaurant, that is open early enough for breakfast and remains open long enough for a late lunch. The menu is traditional Cajun and Creole Food, and I've never been disappointed. At the restaurant also is a small gift shop, but it is for keepsakes, not a commercial store. Of course, if you enjoy picnic lunches, Oak Alley provides picnic tables under the cool oak trees near the parking area.

There are special events scheduled on the grounds throughout the year.

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Garden district walking tour, garden district / lafayette cemetery #1 tour, walking tour description.

The City of New Orleans has temporarily closed Lafayette Cemetery for repairs but we still do the cemetery tour from the gates.

Explore one of the world’s most dazzling residential neighborhoods, the Garden District, with knowledgeable and entertaining guides. Experience the architectural splendor of the live oak-tree lined “American” sector of town and examine the antebellum era “Creole vs. American” conflict on this fascinating Garden District tour, where the streets are open-air museums. Witness how history and culture are reflected in the use of architectural styles including Greek Revival, Italianate, Gothic, Georgian, Swiss Chalet, Queen Anne and more.

Highlights of this walking tour include the St. Charles Avenue Streetcar; the former or current homes of Archie, Peyton, & Eli Manning, Anne Rice, Trent Reznor, Nicolas Cage, Zion William’s mother and John Goodman; the Cornstalk Fence House; the death site of Jefferson Davis; the film site of Brad Pitt’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button;” the Buckner Mansion, also known as “Miss Robichaux’s Academy for Exceptional Young Ladies” from AMERICAN HORROR STORY, and more.

Explore the famed above-ground tombs of Lafayette Cemetery #1, including film sites from “Interview with the Vampire,” “Double Jeopardy,” and “Deja Vu”as well as the Jefferson Fire Company No. 22 society tomb, situated across from the fictitious Mayfair family tomb featured in Anne Rice’s “The Witching Hour.”

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• MEETING LOCATION: Inside THE GARDEN DISTRICT BOOK SHOP 2727 Prytania Street in The Rink at the corner of Washington and Prytania. From the French Quarter, ride the historic Saint Charles Streetcar from Canal and Carondelet. Board the Streetcar at least 30 minutes before tour time. Exit at Washington Avenue.
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New Orleans  >  Plantation Mansion Tours Near New Orleans

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Plantation Mansion Tours Near New Orleans:

The best collection of large Antebellum Mansions in the United States lies in Plantation Alley along the Mississippi River just outside of New Orleans.  During your guided tours, you’ll get an amazing history lesson on Southern plantation life from the grand mansions to the tiny slave quarters.  While the slavery side of a visit can be emotional and somber, it is extremely important to highlight the real-life conditions of the time to contrast the romanticized Gone With the Wind-style part of the experience.  Overall, the plantation tours from New Orleans are very educational and are one of those things like Bourbon Street or a swamp tour that you simply must do to fully experience the Big Easy.

Group Tour -or- Car Rental:

There are a bunch of tour bus companies in New Orleans that will take you to various plantations, but you are better off renting a car.  You’ll save money with your own transportation and get to be on your own schedule.  With a car, you can better pick and choose which mansions to visit and will have extra time to explore the grounds or even stay overnight.  Having a car also opens up the option of visiting the drive-through safari North of New Orleans and will save you $20 a person on most of the swamp tours.

Prioritizing Your Time:

With 10 worthwhile plantation tours near New Orleans, it can be hard to prioritize.  We have the top 3 mansions all rated equally as high as each other, but for different reasons.  The  Laura Plantation  has the best tours, an amazing story, and a unique Creole viewpoint.   Nottoway Plantation  has the largest Antebellum mansion in the American South, the most beautiful interior, and is the only one you can stay overnight inside the main house.  And finally,  Oak Alley Plantation  has the most activities to do, a great tour with costumed guides, and storybook rows of oak trees.  To see it all, we suggest seeing Evergreen, Laura, & Oak Alley all in one day, then  stay overnight  at Nottoway, and on day two tour Nottoway, San Francisco and whatever else you can on the way back to New Orleans.

Top 10 Plantation Mansions Tours:

1. nottoway plantation :.

About Nottoway Plantation :  Built in 1859 for John Randolph, this  53,000 square foot  massive mansion is the youngest property on our list.  The Goliath size of Nottoway makes it the  largest Antebellum mansion still standing in the American South.  There is a lot of cool symbolism that attentive Randolph added including 365 openings ( 200 windows, 165 doors ) to match the days in a year.  The exterior of the home is a mash-up of an antebellum mansion and the White House with 22 columns surrounding tons of balconies that look amazing from any angle.  The inside of the 64 room Nottoway Mansion also impressive as the 3 story monster has  15 1/2 foot high ceilings , 11-foot-high exterior doors, and 12 hand-carved Italian marble fireplaces.   The mansion is large enough that it is actually divided into a boys’ wing and a girls’ wing for Randolph’s 11 kids.  Every single bedroom looks like it is straight out of a movie  and the magnificent White Ball Room, where 6 out of Randolph’s 7 daughters were married, will blow your mind.

Being built so close to the Civil War, it is amazing the masterpiece of a home only suffered a single bullet hole of damage while other mansions were trashed.  A Union gunboat almost did blow up Nottoway during the war, but at the last second the captain realized he had been a guest at the home before and spared it.  John Randolph had often had large parties at the house and was really lucky he had once invited that boat captain.  We are glad that everything is intact as today Nottoway is  our favorite place to stay in Louisiana  and simply a magical place.  While there are a series of cottages on the property you can also stay directly in the old overseer’s house and the bedrooms of the main mansion itself.  You can see the house from the road but it would be a shame to not tour the mansion or grounds.

General Hours :  Opens Daily at 9am.   Tours :  Daily every hour 9am-4pm; Thursday-Sunday 11am-4pm tours can add a traditional meal for only $2.99 extra.   Admission Cost :  $8 for grounds only; grounds plus Mansion tour is $20 for Adults & $6 for Children.   Plantation Website :  ( HERE ).

Rating :  10 out of 10.

2. The Laura Plantation :

About The Laura Plantation : Known for its award-winning tours, the Laura Plantation has a unique Creole twist and a rich history.  In 1804, just 1 year after the Louisiana Purchase, US President Thomas Jefferson “gave” Frenchman Guillaume Duparc the land for this plantation in exchange for the help he gave America in the Revolutionary War.  The only issue was there was a hundred-year-old Native American village  already located here when Duparc arrived.  Instead of just kicking the Natives out, as other plantation settlers did, Duparc paid them for moving and let them live on the back end of the  6,000-acre  property which they did until 1915.

The bright yellow main house, nicknamed The Big House, was built in the traditional  raised Creole style  making it different than other area plantations.  The first floor of the home is elevated on brick columns, not to protect against the nearby Mississippi River flooding, but to help regulate the temperature of the home and created cool dry good storage space below the home.  It was from this home that  4 generations of women  ran the family plantation after Duparc’s death in 1808 starting with his wife Nannette.  As Nannette later built a retirement mansion next to the main house, the younger generations expanded the property until it needed  69 slave cabins  housing 2 families each.   Even after the emancipation of slaves in Louisiana in 1866 many of the families continued to live and work on the grounds for over 100 more years as free men.   In 1870 one of the neighbors and author Alcée Fortier interviewed many workers to get a better idea feeling for the Creole lifestyle.  He later used his experiences to record the tales of Compair Lapin, known as  Br’er Rabbit  which was a hit story and was featured in Disney’s 1946 movie Song of the South.  The parents of American musician  Fats Domino , known for his song Blueberry Hill, had lived on the plantation for a time.

In 1891, Duparc’s great-granddaughter Laura, whom the family plantation had been renamed after, sold the property and moved to Saint Louis Missouri with her husband.  The socialite Laura, who lived to be 102, later wrote a book about her 1st hand experiences living on and running the plantation.  The book was published in 1936 and is the basis for much of the information covered in the Laura Plantation’s guided tours today.  Workers continued to live in the old slave cabins until 1977 and four years later the plantation operations closed.  Today the property is 13 acres, has 27 buildings including 12 original slave cabins, is surrounded by 1500 acres of active sugar cane farm, and is a delight to visit.

V isiting Hours :  Available by tour only.   Guided Tours :  Depart Daily every 40 minutes from 10am-4pm and take between 70 & 90 minutes to complete.  French tours added at 11am, 1pm, & 3pm.   Cost :  $20 for Adults; $6 Children; Under 5 free ( Cost Includes Tour ).   Plantation Website : ( HERE ).

3. Oak Alley Plantation :

About Oak Alley Plantation : An amazing alley of 300-year-old mega-sized oak trees leads the way to a true Southern belle, the Oak Alley Plantation.  If this beautiful estate looks familiar it’s because you may have seen it  in the prized films  Interview With a Vampire, Primary Colors, plus many others.  The  huge gnarly oaks  were mysteriously planted around 1725, over 100 years before the plantation was even established.  Perfectly framed by the alley, the beautiful Greek Revival mansion was built with 28 columns to match the number of mighty oaks.  With how perfect Oak Alley is, it is no wonder the family of Jacques Roman first called the mansion  Bon Séjour , or good living, when it was completed in 1837.

Touring the picture-perfect estate is tons of fun as the guides are all dress in  proper period clothing .   We love that Oak Alley also lets you free-roam parts of the grounds with a paid admission making taking the perfect photo even easier.  While exploring the grounds, make sure to check out the 20 re-constructed salve cabins sitting behind the mansion.  Even more famous than any of the plantation owners, we love the stories of a slave named Antoine.  He was a gardener who came up with and grafted the award-winning paper shell style of pecans still sold today.

If you really want to feel at home, Oak Alley has overnight cottages  from the 1800’s so you can stay right at the plantation.  There is also a very interesting Civil War Encampment, Blacksmith Shop, and 15 other exhibits on the ground to give you the full old-world experience.  If you are hungry, check out the restaurant for lunch or dinner which offers both Cajun and Creole cuisine.  You can see the oak alley leading up to the house from the road, but to truly see the property or walk among the amazing trees you’ll need to pay admission.

Grounds Hours :  March-October Daily 9am-5pm; Closes 30 minutes early on weekdays in Winter.  Colonial Tent on Monday and Fridays.   Guided Tours :  Depart every 30 minutes.   Cost :  $20 for Adults, youth $7.50, children $4.50 ( Cost Includes Tour ).   Plantation Website :  ( HERE ).

4. Evergreen Plantation :

About Evergreen Plantation : The front of the Evergreen Plantation mansion is visible from the road if you are in a hurry, but we really like their historic tour including the old slave quarters.  Built in 1790, the grounds of the Evergreen Plantation still hold 37 original buildings, making it one of the most completely preserved plantations in the country.  While the most iconic feature may be the elegant dual staircase  on the front of the Antebellum mansion, but the rest of the property will really put your visit over the top.  Behind the main house,  oak-lined alleyways  covered in hanging Spanish moss form tunnels leading to 22 former slave quarters.  Even after the slaves were freed in Louisiana in 1866, Evergreen kept free men of color on staff and worked their sugar farming all the way until 1930.  Because the Evergreen Plantation was kept in operation as a working farm for so long, it really helped to keep the buildings  extremely well preserved .

The grounds almost feel frozen in time which has led Evergreen Plantation to be part of numerous Hollywood films.  The plantation’s most noticeable exposure on the big screen came in 2013 when was featured in Quentin Tarantino’s smash hit movie  Django Unchained  starring Jamie Foxx and Leonardo Dicaprio.  In the film, the exterior of the mansion served as Bennett Manor which was home to the character Big Daddy.  The slave quarters on the back of the property were also heavily featured in numerous scenes in Django Unchained.  Although the owners do not tote the Hollywood connections much on the tours, fans of Django will love visiting, especially since the other main plantation mansion featured in the movie called Candie Land wasn’t a real place.

Visiting Hours :  Monday-Saturday 8:30am-2pm; Closed Sundays.   Guided Tours :  Depart at 9:30am, 11:30am, & 2pm.   Admission Cost :  $20 for Adults; Kids $6 ( Cost Includes Guided Tour ).   Plantation Website :  ( HERE ).

Rating :  9 out of 10.

5. San Francisco Plantation :

About The San Francisco Plantation :  The beautiful San Francisco Plantation was first started in 1822 by a  free man of color Elisée Rillieux who bought a bunch of land around the St. John neighborhood.  After just 3 years he sold the estate to Edmond Marmillion for $100,000 which was a huge amount of money back then.  Edmond spent the next couple of decades expanding the plantation’s growing operations to ensure his kids would be set for life.  As growing became more successful, the family built the colorful main house you see today.

From its  bright blue silos to the detailed woodwork on all sides of the house, the San Francisco is by far the most playful mansion in Plantation Alley.  If being the funkiest looking plantation building in the area wasn’t cool enough, San Francisco’s excellent guided tours are conducted in  classical Southern dress .  Highlights of a tour include 14 beautiful rooms in the main house and a couple of former slave quarters nearby.  Touring the mansion is easy and quick even if you pressed on time as it is right on the main road.  You can see the outside of the house from the road but it’s worth paying for the tour.

Visiting Hours :  Daily 9:30am-5pm ( 4pm in Winter ).   Guided Tours :  Departs every 20 minutes and lasts 45 minutes.   Cost :  $14 for Adults ( Cost Includes Guided Tour ).   Plantation Website :  ( HERE ).

Rating :  7.5 out of 10.

6. Houmas House Plantation :

About Houmas House Plantation : General Wade Hampton bought the land for the plantation and moved here from Virginia in 1810.  It took 15 years until his daughter Caroline and her husband took over for work to begin on the plantation’s Houmas House.  The result was a beautiful mansion with columns on all four sides complete with excellent gardens.  Caroline also greatly expanded the land holdings and built the plantation up to  over 300,000 acres .  It was so much land that she was able to sell the property for $1 million in 1857 to John Burnside.  Burnside quickly built up a train line called the Sugar Line to get his good to market while many competitors only relied on the Mississippi River Boats.  With the rail in place, the plantation worked 98,000 acres at a time and pushed the Houmas House as the  largest producer of sugar cane in the United States  by the Civil War.

The first time we went to the Houmas House there was a movie being filmed there which was quite cool.  It has been featured on many projects including a 2010 episode of the hit show Top Chef.  The outdoor gardens and grounds are worth a stop even if you don’t have time for the mansion tour.  To stay overnight, they have a collection of 4 room cottage houses on the grounds as well.

Visiting Hours :  Open Daily 9am-7pm.  Cost :  $20 for tour, gardens, & grounds; $10 for grounds & gardens only.   Plantation Website :  ( HERE ).

Rating :  7 out of 10.

7. Destrehan Plantation :

About Destrehan Plantation :  Built in 1787, the Destrehan Mansion is the  oldest major home on our Plantation Alley tour.  Jean Noel Destrehan’s family came to New Orleans from France in the early 1700s and got very wealthy growing sugar cane.  Noel was also very popular as he became the first Deputy Mayor of New Orleans in 1803.  It probably didn’t hurt that his brother-in-law was the acting Mayor at the time of his appointment.

Inside the large Destrehan Mansion, they have a display showing the  Jefferson Document .  The decree is from 1804, is actually signed by Thomas Jefferson, and was used to appoint Destrehan to the New Orleans Council.  In addition to the home, there are also former slave houses you get to tour.  Because of its 6 days a week live Carpentry exhibits, this plantation is one of the top ones visited by school groups.

Visiting Hours :  $18 for Adults; $7 for Kids.   Live Demonstrations :  Once a day they have costumed artisans performing carpentry or blacksmith methods from 1780 as educational exhibits.   Plantation Website :  ( HERE )

8. Malus Beauregard Mansion & Battlefield :

About Malus Beauregard Mansion & Battlefield : The Malus Beauregard Plantation Mansion is the closest one to New Orleans and part of the Chalmette Battlefield National Park.  It isn’t as impressive and the main gems on Plantation Alley, but history buffs will like the battlefield displays.  It was here that in 1815 one of the last battles of the War of 1812 took place called the Battle of New Orleans.  As an added bonus The Mississippi River paddleboat  Creole Queen  travels from New Orleans’ French Quarter to the battlefield in just 25 minutes; visit the  Creole Queen website  for sailing times and ticket information

Visiting Hours :  Open Tuesday-Saturday; Closed Sunday & Mondays.   Admission Cost :  Free.   Creole Queen Paddle Boat Rides Website :  ( HERE ).

Rating :  6.5 out of 10.

9. Whitney Plantation :

About Whitney Plantation : While many of the local plantation tours take time to cover the lives of the slaves on their properties, the Whitney Plantation solely focuses on the slave side of the story.  Originally called the Habitation Haydel, there has been a plantation on the property since the German Haydel started their business in 1752.  After WW1 the property was bought by Bradish Johnson who renamed it after his grandson.  If you have taken our Garden District Walking Tour , you may remember the beautiful home that Bradish built with his plantation profit which is now part of the Louise S. McGehee School of Girls.

Hours :  Wednesday-Monday 9:30am-4:30pm; Closed Tuesdays.   Cost :  Adults $22; kids 12 and under free.   Mansion Website :  ( HERE ).

10. Saint Joseph & Felicity Plantations :

About Saint Joseph & Felicity Plantations :  The Saint Joseph Mansion was built in 1830 as part of a 1,000-acre property.  While the grounds and mansion are not as grand as the others in Plantation Alley, the tours consistently get high reviews from guests.  On the edge of the property, the family also owns a sister mansion that was once part of the Felicity Plantation and seems to always have a film crew at it shooting various movies.

Hours :  Thursday-Tuesday with hourly tours 10am-3pm; Closed Wednesdays.   Cost :  Adults $18; Discounts for seniors, veterans, students, and kids.   Mansion Website :  ( HERE ).

Rating :  6 out of 10.

11. Bocage Plantation :

About Bocage Plantation :  The Bocage Mansion was a gift to Fanny Bringier from her dad in 1801 in celebration of her  marriage at only age 14 .  She married a guy named Christophe Colomb from France who claimed to be related to the sailor Christopher Colombus.  Living in a mansion was nothing new for Franny as she was born in the family White Hall Plantation Mansion and had always known wealth.  While the Bocage Mansion is a little smaller than others and a little plain on the outside, it is light on the tourist crowds and is very pretty inside.  Young Franny’s attention to detail is easy to see on the interior including the furniture, gold reliefs, and rich wood accents.  In 2016 the owners decided to  close the mansion  for tours and now are a venue for events and weddings.

Mansion Website :  ( HERE ).

Rating :  N/A.

Plantation Mansions Near Baton Rouge:

1.  Rose Down Plantation :  North of Baton Rouge in St Francisville is a 374-acre property that once covered 3,455 acres.  It is by far the most secluded of the Plantation Mansions you can visit in the area and is managed by the National Park Service.   Plantation Website : ( HERE ).

2.  Greenwood Plantation :  Roman Columns on all four sides is a recreation of the original mid-1800s Mansion that stood here but was burned in a lightning fire in 1960.  North to South was filmed here.   Plantation Website :  ( HERE ).

3.  Poplar Grove Plantation :  This beautiful mansion was built as the Bankers’ Pavilion at the World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition of 1884 in New Orleans.  Two years later it was bought and moved by barge to the Plantation to serve as a home for sugar planter Horace Wilkinson and his wife, Julia.    Plantation Website :  ( HERE ).

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Go Inside a ‘Cotswolds-Meets-New Orleans’ Home in the Big Easy

Designer Calhoun Sumrall’s personal residence brims with patina.

Produced by Robert Rufino

Written by Alice Welsh Doyle

Photographed by Frank Frances

“I wanted the living room to be comfortable and engaging with an English country house meets New Orleans spirit,” says Calhoun Sumrall. The circa-1770 mahogany Georgian bookcase was one of his first big purchases for his home in Connecticut. “I measured over and over again before placing a bid at Christie’s and it still barely fit!” says the designer, who also found the tole pendant light via the auction house. Fabrics, sofa, ottoman, and antique mirror from Robert Kime.

A Howard & Sons ottoman in Robert Kime’s Karsamba fabric is tucked under an antique English 19th-century table that doubles as a bar when entertaining. The two paintings are by Lisa Di Stefano, a Louisiana-based artist and friend of Sumrall.

Sumrall (pictured) painted the living room in Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue. The Indian chik blinds are from Joss Graham in London.

One of Sumrall’s all-time favorite finds, an antique mahogany Regency table fortunately slipped right into the dining room his new home. Louis XVI chairs from 1st Dibs upholstered in a Robert Kime striped linen; antique English brass lamp with a Robert Kime papyrus lampshade. The room is painted in Farrow & Ball’s Hay, a warm and dusty yellow that imparts a pretty glow in the evening.

In a book-lined passageway, Sumrall created a vignette that includes Chinese export plates, a 19th-century Italian portrait from Sud, a favorite local shop, and an 18th-century miniature portrait of a French soldier.

“New Orleans has a front porch culture says,” Sumrall. The designer filled his with furnishings from his prior home in Connecticut and added potted palm trees for a bit of Southern atmosphere. Janus et Cie wicker chairs and antique teak bench and stool from Michael Trapp Inc.

The exceedingly tall ceiling of the primary bedroom allowed for a towering four-poster bed from Peter Dunham through Hollywood at Home, which Sumrall had painted in Farrow & Ball’s Hague Blue. The custom-colored Indian dhurrie is by From Jaipur with Love.

Walls painted in Blanc de Chine by Farrow & Ball shift from white to a subtle blue throughout the day depending on the light. The antique Delft lamps, with marigold silk Robert Kime shades, are from Ann Koerner Antiques.

“I like the idea of bold color in a small space,” says Sumrall of his primary bath, painted in Breakfast Room Green by Farrow & Ball. The framed botanical prints are reproductions from the Historic New Orleans Collection archives. “They distract from the not-yet-renovated sink and tile floors!” laughs the designer.

“I wanted the guest bedroom to have a Mediterranean coastal feel,” says Sumrall, who selected Robert Kime’s Bergama linen for the bed canopy paired and Tynemouth Ticking for the headboard. A Robert Kime ikat shade tops the lamp on the French Directorie side table.

S everal years ago, Calhoun Sumrall, a 35-year veteran of the corporate fashion world (including 16 years as a division senior executive and creative director at Ralph Lauren), found himself primed for a new chapter, one which involved both a physical move and a creative shift. “The New York fashion scene is such a pressure cooker and I thrived in it, but I sometimes felt like everything was done by committee even just to pick a shade of pink,” he says with a laugh.

Sumrall first tried his hand at interior design by tackling his own apartment to such aplomb that it was published by Elle Decor 2017, and his decorating muse was awakened. A weekend home in Sharon, Connecticut provided additional opportunities to experiment. “It became a design laboratory for me; I renovated and decorated the whole place myself with some advice from Michael Trapp, a nearby antiques dealer and designer,” says Sumrall. During the learning process, he also had the great fortune of meeting British legend Robert Kime, and the two became fast friends. “He had such an influence on me. I love his aesthetic and his world of beautiful objects,” says Sumrall. “Every time I was with Robert, I felt like I was going to Oxford; he was a history major who fell into being an antique dealer and decorator, and his wealth of knowledge was endless.”

Sumrall’s experiences in his own homes, exposure at the “University of Ralph,” as he calls it, and first-hand schooling in Kime’s mastery gave him the pluck to change course from fashion. “The two disciplines share so many of the same processes; you have to do your homework and research and dig into the history to create something authentic, or at least a suggestion of the real thing,” he says.

So he packed his belongings into an 18-wheeler truck and set off for his home state of Louisiana, settling in an 1880s Queen Anne duplex in Uptown New Orleans, his sister just next door. With no clear next step, he started assisting Katie Koch, a maker of fine window treatments for over 20 years, with the retail portion of her atelier.  When COVID happened, Koch was not certain if the business could remain open; in fact, it exploded, as everyone rushed to update their homes.

Sumrall started handling the interior design side of things. “Katie is so generous and just let me run with it. It’s an ideal place to work from; the fabric room has swatches from everywhere, and anything can be made on the premises.,” he says. “I like the smaller footprint I’m working within. And I don’t have to please everyone in the corporate arena—I only have to please my clients.” The diversity of New Orleans’ culture, with its eclectic and colorful residents, made the city even more exceptional; the varying design styles create an aesthetic gumbo, with a little of this and a dash of that. (“It’s not like living in New England,” Sumrall quips.)

While Sumrall is comfortable when clients want high-octane decorating, his own home is on the quiet side, which suits not just him but provides an ideal backdrop for his exceptional collection of antiques and decorative arts. “I don’t want to come home to a bold, lacquered room,” says the designer. “I’d rather have something that fades into the background, that doesn’t show off.” The atmospheric palette reflects an eye for historic detail: “Before 1880, everything was colored with vegetable dyes; fabrics retained their color, but they become slightly faded over time, and I think these colors look really beautiful in textiles, prints, rugs, and embroideries,” he explains. An array of subtle Farrow & Ball hues fills the rooms—silvery Light Blue in the living room, shape-shifting Blanc de Chine in the primary bedroom, dusty yellow Hay in the dining room.

Sumrall refers to his particular style imprint as Cotswolds-meets-New Orleans. Many of the pieces came from his English Country–inspired Connecticut cottage; others, he picked up other items from local purveyors. He covered much of the red pine floors (“typical of the era and hard to work with”) in seagrass and cotton dhurries that befit the more tropical location. Vintage indigo print pillows, an Indonesian teak bench, window treatments in a Robert Kime palm print, custom Ikat lampshades, and Indian split-bamboo chik blinds from Joss Graham London all contribute to the West Indies panache

“I love things that tell a story about their past and that’s what antiques do,” says Sumrall. “And if you don’t know the provenance or backstory, you can dream one up,” referencing the overhead light fixture in the living room that he purchased at a Christies’ auction that emptied the attic of Chatsworth House. “I have no idea where it came from, but it’s amazingly unique with a gilded swan pattern in a tole metal finish.” Sumrall always advises his clients to spend money on things they love that will last and to buy the best quality they can afford. “We live in such a world of mass-produced sameness and disposableness, and I don’t want any of that,” he explains. “Some pieces of mine are over 300 years old, and I feel like I’m just the custodian of them. Good antiques outlive generations. They usually teach me something—and I’ll aways be ready to listen.”

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