New Orleans Garden District Architecture

Italian architecture, known for its elegance, innovation, and timeless beauty, has profoundly influenced I recently took a trip back to my native city of New Orleans and took a tour in the historic area of New Orleans called the Garden District.  I would like to share with you my impressions of the architecture and the history.  I would also highly recommend a visit to the Garden District if you are ever in New Orleans.

The city that we know as New Orleans was first owned by the French, taken over by the Spanish, and then the French took back control. The city and the architecture have an influence of both the French and the Spanish, with a later influence of Italian.

In the Garden District, you will find a variety of historic homes, colorful row houses, classic revival mansions, and charming cottages, all shadowed by huge oak trees. Many have gardens beside them because in the early days they needed the fragrance of the flowers to combat the less popular odors of the area. 

Some of the homes in the Garden District have mixed elements from all three countries, the French, the Spanish and the Italian.  One home even has 3 types of columns with specific capitals.  (The capital is the topmost part of a column in architecture, and it serves as a transition between the column and the structure it supports. The word “capital” comes from the Latin word caput, which means “head.)  Across the front of the house, you will see one French style, one Spanish style, and one Italian style column and Capital. 

Another thing that I noticed is that the homes have grand entrances with beautiful entry doors. 

Doorways are always the first impression of a home that can give a visitor an idea of what might be inside.  People are very friendly in the New Orleans tradition and many of the grand entrances reflect that welcoming tradition.  Also, different colors signify different thngs. A red door, historically is a welcoming sign that indicated a safe space for travelers to seek accommodations or refuge. Darker blues, meanwhile, could signify prosperity or abundance while lighter shades, indicate tranquility and peace. Many of the doors in the Garden District are double doors with side lights and transom, many of them have beautiful beveled leaded glass. All this reflects that New Orleans is known for its hospitality. 

The iron fences are another interesting element, which have stories behind them, such as the corn stalk fence.   This fence, surrounding a home on Fourth Street in the Garden District was owned by Colonel Short He built this fence to make his wife feel more at home in New Orleans. The fence was designed to mimic the cornfields of Iowa where his wife was raised. The fence is made of cast-iron and features corn stalks, pumpkins, morning glories, and butterflies on the gate. It was built in 1860 and still stands today surrounding the lovely villa.

Many of the elements that make up garden district homes have stories behind them.

Originally most people lived in the area that is now known as the French Quarter as some people wanted larger pieces of land and less people, they moved into the garden district area. In the beginning, there were only two houses per block later many of the owners sectioned off the land and sold parcels, and this is why you see all different types of architecture side-by-side. 

It is very interesting to look at the history and the original owners behind these homes, as well as the architecture.  One house in the garden district is of the Gothic style.  The Gothic style of architecture and art originated in the Middle Ages and was prevalent in Europe between the mid-12th century and the 16th century. It was heavily ornate and conceptual, with its architecture characterized by high buildings, intricate aesthetics, cavernous spaces and expansive walls.

The original owner is interesting as well. At the time the family had slaves and free people of color, who did service work. The thing that I thought was so cool is that he built a home next to his home and set back a bit to give room for his garden. The house he built for the service workers is almost the size of his main house.

The Garden District in my opinion is one of the most beautiful parts of New Orleans it has beautiful mixed elements and a rich history.  If you ever have the chance to tour it, it would be a real treat!

One Design Place is a full-service interior design firm specializing in transforming Houston homes and can help with upgrades for enjoyment or with a sale in mind. Cynthia Cannizzaro, owner of One Design Place, believes that “when a person has a home that is created with their lifestyle in mind, it truly makes a difference in their everyday life.”

One Design Place was recently showcased in the Memorial Lifestyle Magazine. 

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