Interior designer Melanie Turner was presented with a challenge: take a modern, four-story townhouse steps from the Central Business District of New Orleans and infuse it with more classic sensibilities. On top of that, the home needed to be houseguest- and party-ready. Turner met the challenge by helping her client realize a dream—to create an ultimate getaway for his parents, where they could entertain family and friends in the bustle of the city during Mardi Gras and other occasions. “It’s rather like a grown-up fraternity house for seniors,” quips Turner. “There’s a bar on every floor, glass doors at street level that open up completely for parade time, a rooftop pool and lounge space, and a billiards room.” Turner brought in a gentle palette of blue, sage green and lavender—grounded with ivories—to impart a soft attitude throughout the floors, which are joined by a contemporary glass stairwell. Antique pieces imbue warmth into spaces that might otherwise feel cold; the composition under the stairs on the first floor, for example, includes a trestle table, gilt mirror, balustrade-style lamps and footed chest topped with books. “As most homes in New Orleans have antiques, it was natural to include them, even in this setting,” says Turner. The designer also introduced classic pieces that have a modern edge, such as a klismos chair and Saladino sofa. The decorative accents are spare, which is intentional. “I like second homes to be calm, not cluttered, so I use minimal but meaningful accessories. I want our clients to put their bags down and start relaxing immediately.”

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Raised in Shreveport, Greg Cummings obtained an engineering degree from LSU and an MBA from Tulane; worked in real estate; and lived in multiple areas of the south. After he built an investment property in Watercolor, Florida, his various areas of experience came together and he found his calling as a developer of high-end residential properties. “I was hooked,” says Cummings. “It was the worst of [real estate] times in Florida. To be successful at the worst of times gave me confidence.” The New Orleans-based developer says he’s created a much-needed specialty. “I have the ability to recognize investment properties and to bridge the gap between contractor, architect and end user,” he says. “I can come into a project and figure out the problems on the front end.” The majority of Cummings’ projects are spec houses along Florida’s 30A, and in New Orleans and Louisiana.

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