A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, Janet and Jimmy still love, and they have remained friends with the Frischhertz started thinking about downsizing from architect throughout the years. “There were never the 6,000-square-foot house they built over 35 years any other considerations,” says Janet. She and Jimmy ago to raise their four children. The couple had tacitly presented Hopkins with their concepts. “We had started looking at houses in the Lakefront area, but definite ideas. George said it made it easy for him. He nothing struck their fancy. put everything to paper.” With the help of Hopkins’ Then their daughter, Mandy, made a suggestion associate Steve Quarls, the process was underway. the Frischhertzes could not refuse. Mandy had In addition to functionality, Janet’s foremost request spotted her dream house in Lake Vista, but it wasn’t was that the house be contemporary on the inside and for sale. Mandy and her husband, Clint, moved on; traditional on the outside. The cottage-style raised house they bought a small house around the corner and resembles a 100-year-old uptown New Orleans home. tore it down, with the intention of rebuilding. While The wood exterior has an expansive front porch across the couple was drawing up architectural plans for a the width of the house, a custom Cyprus paneled front new house, their dream house came on the market. door flanked by Bevelo lanterns and floor-to-ceiling Mandy and Clint were ecstatic—but what would they windows with traditional New Orleans-style shutters. do with their newly cleared property? That’s when For the interior, Janet wanted the house to be Mandy called her parents and asked if they might be washed in light, “a cheerful, crisp, clean, sleek sort interested in buying the vacant lot. of look.” Jimmy’s simplified explanation of his wife’s Janet and Jimmy, both inherently creative people, decorating desire—“everything had to be white”— found the idea of building again quite appealing. And aptly describes the soothing interior. Benjamin A Forever Homby Mary Satterlee e they were thrilled with the prospect of living around the corner from their daughter and her family. In fact, The Frischhertz House the entire plan seemed pre-ordained. “Jimmy knew that Moore’s White Dove paint covers the 11-foot-high I would never be happy in someone else’s home,” says walls of the main living area. Dark ebony-stained Janet. After years of helping family and friends decorate, wood floors provide a strong foundation for the Janet has cultivated very specific ideas of what she likes. otherwise ivory and snow composition. “My wife loves this stuff,” says Jimmy. The truth Janet brought in DiCerbo to layer in the is, the couple are both talented, with an eye for design. furniture, accessories and lighting. Therein, a “Jimmy would have been a great architect. He has successful collaboration was forged. Janet was keenly great ideas, and he’s very creative,” says Janet of her familiar with DiCerbo’s talent and design aesthetic. industrial engineer husband. Both her sister-in-law and her daughter-in-law Although capable of designing and decorating had previously used the designer with complete a house that would be their forever home, the satisfaction. “They pass me around,” says DiCerbo. Frischhertzes were also astute enough to know that The two women set out to create an elegant yet they needed help. So, they brought in two of the most comfortable home that would be easy to live in. They talented professionals in the area. They hired architect chose creamy linens, raw silk and Dupioni for the soft N George Hopkins Jr. to transform their vision into brick pieces and drapes throughout the first floor. Bright Janet’s glamorous and mortar and called Jennifer DiCerbo of The French gold metals added contrast and pops of color provided office flaunts Mix to fill in the beauty and personalize the dwelling. a punch. DiCerbo says the desired overall look was zebra print chairs Hopkins was an easy decision. The couple used to be “fun and edgy with a mix of materials to keep and a fluted glass : THOMAS B. GROWDE

him when they built their last house, which they it interesting.” Her goal was to make the house reflect >> starburst fixture. phot o

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2015 33 her client’s style: “She has a very cool, hip personality.” Although Janet poured over every decision, the lighting was especially important to her. She was eager to choose extraordinary fixtures to pay tribute to her husband’s business— Jimmy has worked in his family’s electrical business for 50 years. Janet was not only concerned with the beauty of the fixtures, but with the efficiency as well. All the lighting—recessed, fixtures and lamps—utilizes LED bulbs. An imposing handmade square, silver-leaf iron chandelier adds a modern touch to the otherwise stately foyer. Layering with a gray tone-on-tone leopard print area rug, tan faux-leather snake print chairs and vivid tangerine velvet pillows assures that the entrance feels fresh and warm. The Ashley Longshore painting adds a touch of whimsy. One side of the vestibule is completely open, revealing Janet’s glamorous study. It, also, is crowned with an electrified piece of art. Fluted glass triangular rods are embedded in a polished nickel sphere, giving the impression of a spiky morning star. But the focal point of the room is undoubtedly Janet’s white lacquer desk. It sits in front of a graceful Lucite chair, which is highlighted with a bold ultra-suede the neutral palette. “We went with a orange seat cushion. Two large black monochromatic look with touches of and white zebra print armchairs face the gold and silver. I like to mix as many desk, balancing floor-to-ceiling built-in textures as I can,” says DiCerbo. The bookshelves against the opposing wall. flawless décor flows throughout the open The back wall of the house is area comprising the living room, dining

N blanketed with glass. French doors and room, bar area and kitchen. The vast windows, as tall as the height of the openness of the public area is great for wall, provide an unobstructed view of entertaining, which was a necessity for a bird sanctuary behind the home. Its the Frischhertzes. The floor plan flows : THOMAS B. GROWDE natural beauty serves as a backdrop for effortlessly with its fresh, custom décor. >> photo s

OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2015 35 The collaborators carefully handpicked unique pieces to reflect Janet’s flair. In the living room, a Mongolian sheepskin-covered bench with Lucite legs sits in front of the Calacatta Gold marble fireplace. A reproduction French-style armchair is done in crocodile-embossed taupe leather, while a pair of custom polychrome consoles symmetrically frame the fireplace. The upholstered pieces, a sofa and two gliders, are slipcovered in an oyster-color, washable linen. Three large tonal pillows adorn the comfortable supplied the Calacatta Gold marble countertops; and sofa, the center pillow a bold Ikat and the two end Pieri Tile and Marble installed the slab as well as supplied pillows in a muted, textured velvet. and installed the Thassos marble subway tile backsplash. The Frischhertzes specifically wanted the oval Janet chose the white vinyl, crocodile-embossed dining table, which is a custom, hand-finished wood bar stools with acrylic legs. “Everybody always loves in a sea salt color table. The polyester shagreen- these bar stools, but because of the solid Lucite legs, upholstered dining chairs can be easily wiped clean they’re pricey,” says DiCerbo. “The Frischhertzes want in case of grandchildren’s spills. Above the substantial quality. They know what they want, and they get it.” table and chairs hangs a dramatic contemporary glass Janet didn’t want a breakfast room table and N Ashley Longshore’s and brass chandelier. chairs. But, she wanted a place to sit and have bold and whimsical The living room and dining room open onto the coffee in the morning. Two Belgium linen swivel pieces add splashes expansive kitchen, with its Polar white cabinets from rocker chairs are at one end of the kitchen. With

of color to the den Mattix Cabinet Works, stainless steel Wolf range, Kolher a television above the refrigerator, the couple can : THOMAS B. GROWDE

and foyer. faucet and Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer. Triton Stone watch TV or swivel around to gaze out at their >> photo s

36 INSIDE NEW ORLEANS picturesque backyard. Janet points out that their former home was traditional and very formal; consequently, everything in the communal area and master bedroom was replaced. “We call the upstairs the used-car lot,” she says of the few pieces kept from their previous house. The other old pieces, however, are not exactly gone. Their youngest son, Keith, always professed that one day he would buy the family home. And, in fact, he did. Janet, Top: The serene master bedroom is calling him their most sentimental surrounded by ceiling-height windows to N child, says they decided to leave let in the natural beauty of the oaks and all of the old furniture with the greenery outside. house. She and Jimmy, in turn, Left: The dark ebony-stained wood floors

: THOMAS B. GROWDE were freed-up to create their new, contrast with the crisp white walls and dream, forever home. marble countertops of the master bath. photo s

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