On the Boards

This month we did a one-year warranty walkthrough on one of my favorite Baton Rouge renovations — and it did not disappoint.

One-year walkthroughs are one of my favorite parts of the process. The house has been lived in. The clients have cooked in the kitchen, lit the fireplace, hosted people. You get to see how a home actually performs — and more importantly, how happy the people in it are.

This one? Very happy.

Early in the project, when we crawled under the house to assess failing floor beams, we discovered we weren’t alone. Peering down through a gap in the floor was the household cat — curious, completely unbothered, supervising the inspection from above. When it came time to design the laundry room cabinetry, we made sure she had her own entrance: a custom cat-shaped door cut right into the base cabinet, sized for one very specific resident.

One year later: the Monogram range is glowing green for St. Patrick’s Day, copper pots are hanging over the cooktop, and that same cat is curled up on the blue velvet sofa in front of the fireplace like she owns the place. (She does.)

This is what renovation work is supposed to feel like.

Around the office

Melissa Back In Town!

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Melissa was all over south Louisiana this week — a punch list walkthrough on a new home in Covington, and paint selection work on a project in St. Francisville. That second one prompted an unsolicited note from the client:

“Very very happy with paint selection. Thanks Melissa and Nick for making a stressful situation into an enjoyable one. : ) “

That one landed. This is exactly the kind of work we’re proud of.

On the web

House Burping

Kevin Harris, FAIA

Germans call it lüften. Americans say “were you born in a barn?” Here’s the building science. Team born in a barn or team let the fresh air in? Vote below. #houseburping #luften #buildingscience #architect #hvac Video credit: @Lucie Rauschnabel

♬ original sound – Kevin Harris, FAIA

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This month’s TikTok is one worth watching — we’re talking about House Burping. It’s one of the oldest (and least glamorous) discoveries in old-house work, and people cannot stop sharing it. Go take a look.

Around Town

Brent Hull

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Earlier this month I had the pleasure of introducing Brent Hull at the ICAA Louisiana lecture here in New Orleans — a fantastic evening on the craft and history of historic millwork. The conversation afterward reminded me why this community matters.

If you missed it, you have another chance. Brent is heading to Shreveport on March 19th, and Nick and I will be there. The event is hosted at the Marston House — a beautiful setting — and includes a cocktail reception, lecture, and book signing.

1015 St. Vincent Ave, Shreveport, LA, Thursday, March 19 | 5–7 PM

I’d love to see you there.

coming up

Louisiana Landmark Society’s 2026 Awards for Excellence in Preservation

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Last week, I had the honor of serving on the jury for the Louisiana Landmark Society’s Awards for Excellence in Preservation — always a humbling reminder of the extraordinary work happening across this state to protect what matters. The 2026 ceremony will be held Wednesday, May 20 at Gallier Hall. Tickets coming soon at louisianalandmarks.org.

“ The details are not the details. They make the design. — Charles Eames