A French Quarter home is transformed by its owners from a dreary, small space into a stunning jewel.

by Denise Trowbridge, New Orleans Homes & Lifestyles February 2004

The L-shaped structure clocked in at a diminutive 1700 square feet, had low ceilings, tiny rooms and no air conditioning. And the vinyl floor of the outdated kitchen proved that it hadn’t been redecorated or renovated since the 1950s.

But for local interior designer Jon Vaccari, the challenge of turning a circa-1829 slave quarters into a comfortable, spacious home with plenty of room for entertaining, as well as easy access to an outdoor oasis, was irresistible. "Everyone thought I was crazy when I bought it," Vaccari says, "even my mom."

Even he wasn’t really sure that this was his future dream home the first time he laid eyes on it. "It had good bones," Vaccari says, "but no frills."

The house, on a nondescript block of Ursulines Avenue, left much to be desired. But Vaccari and his partner, Steve Fleming, immediately dove into the project. "I wanted it all," he says. "Including a pool, a patio, fountains and parking."

They had 8 months of renovations ahead of them. Vaccari, with the help of architect Robert Cangelosi of Koch & Wilson, designed and constructed an 1100- square-foot addition, that looked much like the original structure, where a carriage house once stood. The once L-shaped residence now forms a U around a private internal courtyard, a shape reminiscent of classical Greek and Roman architecture. "When I was a child, I used to draw pictures of buildings that looked like that," Vaccari says. "It reminds me a little bit of Pompeii."

Whatever the inspiration, the design is effective. And now, the home has 2800 square feet of living space, and the front yard—a rare amenity in the Quarter—has the pool, patio and ample parking they desired.

To make the inside more elegant, they raised the ceilings from 8 to 10 feet, replaced 50 percent of the flooring with red pine, and added moldings and antique French doors. Vaccari notes that there are no windows, only French doors that open out onto lush garden patios and second-story galleries. He says he likes to blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living, by bringing the charm of the exterior inside.

But even with the improvements, Vaccari and Fleming did have to make a few adjustments. "We went from a grand home with large rooms and 14-foot ceilings to a smaller, more cottage-style home," Vaccari says. "Our old furniture just didn’t fit. We had to get rid of it and start over."

To Vaccari, that was an opportunity. "I wanted the interior to be charming, but a little bit funky," he says. "I wanted it to say something about who we are and to reflect our interests and our travels."

It says 1940s Hollywood glamour meets the Orient. Vaccari graciously appointed every room with a mix of styles and items. Blue and yellow Moroccan kitchen floor tiles mix with gothic-arch inspired built-ins and 1960s chandeliers. A Moroccan rug is paired with a 1940s-style pink banquette and palm-frond motif moldings that used to adorn The Sazerac Bar in the Fairmont Hotel. Pinning down Vaccari’s personal style is impossible, but he admits he loves mixing chrome with Louis XVI. "I’m not scared," he adds.

Every piece of his home reflects a piece of his life, from the time he spends in France visiting his sister, Nori, to hints of the years he spent living and working in Miami and Los Angeles. "I like glamour from L.A., the funkiness of Miami," he says as well as the Moroccan touches from his travels with Fleming.

Although many of Louisiana’s native children travel or move to those places and don’t come back, for Vaccari, that wasn’t an option. "We wanted to be really a part of something quirky and special," he says. "I always dreamed of living in the French Quarter. I was fortunate: my dream came true."