DESIGNED BY RENOWNED Louisiana

architect A. Hays Town, the original

construction of this home for Bob and

Stevie Mack took 16 months before its

completion in 1985. “Mr. Town was a

wonderful gentleman, and at age 82, he

was as spry as a 50-year-

old,” says Bob. “He was so

knowledgeable and had a

fabulous eye for proportions

and the use of old materials

in modern construction.

Stevie and I were able to work

with Mr. Town to pick out

the handmade soft red New

Orleans jumbo bricks from

an old late-1800s building on

St. Charles Avenue. We picked

out cypress beams and ceilings

and the 12-inch-wide heart pine

Après le déluge

November-December 2016 3736 INsIDe NorthsIDe

>>

(with apologies toMadame de Pompadour)

Restoring an A. Hays Town home after the flood

by Poki Hampton

photo: THOMAS B. GROWDEN

38 INsIDe NorthsIDe November-December 2016 39

flooring that came out of an old New Orleans school.

Working with him was a wonderful experience.”

Together they created a beautiful example of ideals.

“From the day Rick and I moved into our

Covington home, it felt like a stewardship,” says

current owner Lori Murphy. “Living in Louisiana

in an A. Hays Town home carries with it some

responsibilities to preserve his style and even his

idiosyncrasies. When we made alterations, it was

always with a mind toward minimal impact on his

trademarks. When the flood waters rose in our home

last spring, we were freed from strict adherence

to that idea because things were going to change

whether we wanted them to or not. Our contractor

knew how much the details meant to us, and the

whole team carefully preserved whatever they could.

They meticulously numbered each board of trim

and casing, although not all survived to be re-used.

Choosing options to replace Town’s curated collection

of materials was a painstaking process. When the first-

floor sheetrock was stripped out to four feet high, we

were able to reimagine what a 2016 A. Hays Town

home might feel like.”

After the gutting was complete, a cadre of designers

stepped up to help with the restoration. The new wall

color, Benjamin Moore Ballet White, was a breath of

fresh air that played beautifully off the wood and brick >>

p

ho

tos:

TH

OM

AS

B.

GR

OW

DEN

Above: Ellen Bajon of EMB Interiors used natural fabrics that

incorporated a touch of iridescence to add formality to the

relaxed feeling in the dining room. Above right: The living room is

transformed in neutral tones of white, cream and touches of light

blue under the direction of Jennifer Dicerbo of The French Mix.

The hand-knotted wool rugs from Rug Chic anchor rooms without

hiding the old heart pine floors that are an A. Hays Town trademark.

Antique maps frame an old church pew accented with a

bench cushion in golden eyelash-fringed silk from Hestia

Luxury in Linens and pillows from The French Mix.

November-December 2016 41

framing every room on the first floor. The

walls of the entrance hall are lined with

framed antique maps of places special to

the couple that Rick has collected over the

years. Anchoring that hall is an antique

church pew that Town himself might have

selected.

Jenifer Dicerbo of The French

Mix began the process of reimagining

the interiors with the paint color and

choosing furnishings and finishes for the

living room. The result is more modern

and lighter in so many aspects. The

living room, with its wide-plank heart

pine floors, is transformed in neutral

tones of white and cream with touches

of pale blue. The slipcovered sofa in

a creamy Belgian linen dominates the

room, while a pair of custom chairs

beautifully upholstered in a faux

shagreen add texture and interest to the

timeless French Bergère. Highlighting an

assortment of throw pillows is a white

faux-fur oblong pillow that brings a

touch of whimsy. In lieu of traditional,

heavy wood furnishings, Jennifer and

her associate, Chris Piazza, selected

pieces featuring glass, burnished metal

and bright, crisp acrylic. The antique

trumeau mirror in a soft off-white glaze

with burnished gold accents hangs

between French doors accentuated with

billowing white silk draperies. A large

contemporary painting by Michele Y

Williams infuses the room with drama

and color. One departure from a Town

trademark of lamp lighting for the living

room was the addition of a chandelier

from Bevolo Gas and Electric Lights. Its

grace and scale are perfectly at home in

the room.

Reflecting the architect’s dramatic

use of color, the original dining room

had deep red walls and an antique brass

candle chandelier. As the house took on

its lighter personality, Lori called Ellen

Bajon of EMB Interiors to help her select

a new wall color. In lieu of color, she

suggested the painted architecture of

wainscoting and framework to provide

definition. The Murphys had the round

walnut table that Ellen surrounded with

clean-lined contemporary dining chairs

upholstered in textured pewter/bronze

linen with a slight iridescence. They chose

soft, pleated draperies in shades of oyster

with a pearlized shimmer to hang on

custom iron rods. A tranquil landscape

scene by local artist Gretchen Armbruster

was the color inspiration for the room. On

another wall, a family portrait was placed

above a French marble-top sideboard. The

floor-to-ceiling cypress windows of the

alcove are a feature often found in A. Hays

Town homes. Tucked into the alcove,

a pair of arm chairs flank an antique

writing table highlighted with a marble

and brass table lamp and accessories from

EMB. Adding a rustic touch is the six-arm

iron chandelier, which is original to the

house, though not to this room. Four

contemporary art pieces from Michele Y

Williams flank the alcove.

Town’s cypress cabinets in the >>

Glazed lower cabinets are topped in a honed-

finish, Taj Mahal quartzite from Stone Source

in the refurbished kitchen. A painting by James

Michalopoulos hangs to the right of the kitchen,

which is framed in reclaimed cypress beams.

42 INsIDe NorthsIDe November-December 2016 43

kitchen, which he had bench made for

each home, were topped with Saltillo

tile. Though the lower cabinets needed

replacement after the flood, carpenters

were careful not to disturb the wall-

mounted backsplash of cream-colored

handmade tiles dotted with classic

imagery. Rick took control of the

kitchen. A native of Baton Rouge, Ellen

knew Town and offered suggestions on

ways to keep the feeling of the design

while adapting it to new ideas. Though

the tile was striking, it was also soft

and porous, not the best choice for this

family hub. She suggested a Taj Mahal

quartzite in a honed finish to tie the

backsplash into the new cabinets and

stand up to everyday abuse. Monique

Bennett of Cabinets by Design suggested

raised-panel Wood-Mode cabinets in a

light grey/green finish to complement

the original cypress upper cabinets

and the brick floor. New appliances

were added, including Rick’s favorite

upgrade, a 150-bottle wine cooler.

Copper pendants from Bevolo tie in with

the original copper vent hood, which

was taken down and reworked. It had

to be. During demolition, it was found

that the hood hid a small vent wedged

into a beam, making odd twists and

turns. With a little ingenuity, the original

copper vent now looks great and is up

to code. Surrounded by five French-style

bentwood bar stools, the large island

p

ho

tos:

TH

OM

AS

B.

GR

OW

DEN

provides a great place to sit and converse

with the cook. It features the original

thick cypress plank top over new Wood-

Mode cabinetry. The wood-paneled

ceiling and beams run from the kitchen

into the breakfast room. A French-style

rectangle table and four antique ladder-

back chairs sit on the brick floor in front

of a Louis Phillipe buffet á deux corps

from the late 1880s. It occupies a spot

that before the restoration was given up

to an air return that has been relocated

into the back hallway.

Adjacent to the breakfast room is

a small den with a wood-burning

fireplace and original cypress

cabinets. The post-flood work

provided an opportunity to revive

a forgotten corner of those built-

ins. Designed as a wet bar, it had

been sacrificed to the television,

which now hangs over the fireplace.

Though such a placement wouldn’t

likely be a feature of the architect’s

interior design choices, it does

return the symmetry he strived for

in his plans. A group of stacking

tables in gold leaf and marble from >>

Top left: A Jackie Ellens

painting hangs over

the master bed, which

is dressed in linens

from Hestia. The 1860s

marble-topped Directoire

chest serves as an

oversized nightstand.

Left: Cappuccino marble

countertops contrast

nicely with the bench

made cabinets from

Susan Currie Design.

A rustic lantern and soft velvet pumpkins from deCoeur sit atop

the handmade cypress table. The Louis Phillip buffet á deux corps

holds several entertaining necessities from Niche Modern Home.

Painting by Mary Helen Seago.

44 INsIDe NorthsIDe November-December 2016 45

The gold leaf iron sconces with natural

paper shades are from Circa Lighting,

flanking the trumeau mirrors finished

in distressed dark charcoal. “The paint

color for the walls, Edamame by PPG

Paint, was inspired by nature found

just outside the large window and is

a perfect complement to the cypress-

board walls and the antique brick floor.”

Shown above the tub is a fluid floral

abstract painting by Mary Helen Seago.

Finishing touches were added by Jenny

Mutter of Hestia Luxury in Linens.

“This should be a sanctuary,” she says.

Bringing softness to the brick and wood

enclave, she used rich warm taupes in

the towels and rugs.

In 1985, in A. Hays Town’s time,

practical, luxury elements like soft-close

drawers and self-closing cabinet hinges

were not in wide use. The post-flood

restoration took his classic Southern

style and blended it with a few fresh

alternatives. “We believe Mr. Town

would approve if he were building this

home today,” say the Murphys.

Footnote from Lori Murphy.

In the restoration of our home, we

benefitted from the outpouring of care and

expertise from so many professionals working

across the northshore. They have helped us

love our home even more. In addition to

those mentioned here, I need to specifically

thank contractors Jared Riecke, Bryant

Caruso and Gerald Fischer, Jerry Dupont

and Steve King, who carefully navigated

between us and them, designer Matt Voelkel,

Don Wise of Louisiana Custom Closets,

Stephanie Hendry of deCoeur, Steve Macloud

of Niche Modern Home, Southland Plumbing,

Paul Gement of Pine Grove Electric, artist Jim

Seitz, Mary Wiley from Artistry of Light, CJ

Ladner, Margarita, Abraham and so many

other clients, friends, family and members of

my “it takes a village.” Thank you, from the

bottom of our hearts.

Arabella sits between two swivel rockers

upholstered in an oyster crushed velvet.

A white linen slipcovered sofa faces an

oversized cocktail table—and the roaring

fire on a chilly evening.

The master bathroom, with his

and hers areas, is the last spot that

got an overhaul après déluge. What

constituted “well-appointed” 30 years

ago has certainly changed, but the fact

is Mr. Town didn’t really put much

stock in bathrooms even then. The

Jack-and-Jill style of the bathroom suite

was complicated even more with too

many walls and doors to be viewed as a

modern space. The signature materials

are used in the new room, double the

size of its 1985 rendition. The focal point

of a wall-sized window is now set amidst

a brand-new set of bench made cabinets.

“Remembering the home’s heritage,

we used raised-panel cabinets, which

fit with the A. Hays Town original

aesthetic,” says designer Susan Currie.

“The Cappuccino marble counters

and tub surround from Stone Source

contrast nicely with the cabinets’ Warm

Cottage Tan finish with a brown glaze.”

Cast aluminum dining set and

cushions from Outdoor Living Center.