Big Easy Style

Text by Lauren Eberle / Photography by Shea Halliburton Wright

Blending Big Easy architecture with an eye for design, two newlyweds cook up bliss in their first home.

Having a great space to entertain was a top priority for newlyweds Austin and Whitney Lutz when they found their New Orleans cottage in 2009. Built circa 1901, the shotgun-style home, a design popular in the South from the end of the Civil War through the 1920s, is long and narrow with rooms in a line, making hosting a cinch for the outgoing pair.

“Austin and I love to have friends over, and because our kitchen is open and adjacent to the den, it is perfect for dinner parties,” Whitney says. With only 1,100 total square feet to work with in the house, Whitney selected neutral tones and natural textures for much of the home’s décor. The kitchen’s striking teal cabinetry and a few funky pieces give the space the whimsical charm expected from a New Orleans abode.

A large mask from a trip to Mexico, for example, hangs above the stove as a nod to the couple’s love of travel, while a whitewashed secretary offers stylish storage. On the counters, simple accessories, such as white canisters and delicate bud vases were chosen. On the ceiling, rich beams mirror the warmth of the wood floors. “Our loft sits right over the kitchen,” Whitney says, “so the ceilings are lower there than in the rest of the house, making the kitchen cozy and inviting”—the perfect heart of a new couple’s first home.