Amongst New Orleans’ many design destinations with storied histories (a restaurant in a 186-year-old Creole cottage, a hotel in the former headquarters of a Scandinavian furniture importer), one distinctive newcomer may have the most interesting former life.
‘After’ photography courtesy of Hotel Peter & Paul and Christian Harder; ‘before’ photography courtesy of Richard Sexton.
After
The dramatic entrance to the schoolhouse. The wall sconces throughout the schoolhouse hallways were designed by ASH, based on an original lamp found in the rectory, and custom-built by Preciosa-Lustry.
On the ground floor, guest rooms have exposed ceilings and custom wooden windows and doors. The furnishings are a mix of custom pieces by regional artisans and antiquities collected from Europe and from several of New Orleans’ finest estates.
The bathrooms are decorated with an assortment of antique and bespoke furniture and lighting; some feature vintage claw-foot bathtubs. Custom Italian linens and toiletries were made exclusively for the hotel.
Hand-painted striped tiles line the showers.
The guest rooms on the second floor were formerly classrooms, and have oversized sash windows and wood wainscoting.
The wrought iron beds were custom made by the local husband and wife team behind E. Kraemer Fine Metal & Woodwork.
The antique paintings throughout the hotel, collected from New Orleans estates, mix with a collection of Greek and Russian religious icons sourced from Madrid.
The third floor formerly served as the school’s auditorium and gymnasium.
The high gable of the building’s attic allowed plenty of space for the top-floor rooms.
A lounge area in the Rectory picks up the saffron palette.
A view into the juice bar, with more trompe l’oeil features.
The brunch space, filled with greenery. The team sourced concrete tiles from Rustico Tile.
The bar opens to a courtyard between the schoolhouse and the rectory.
The interior of the church, after renovations.
A detail of the church’s apse, which has been gently restored.
The exterior of the church, before.
Before
The dramatic sanctuary, before restorations.
The entrance to the schoolhouse.
The original brick walls and marble fireplace. Check out another ASH NYC-designed hotel we recently featured: The Siren Hotel: A Detroit Landmark with a Musical Soul, Saved from Abandonment.