Jessie Loves

9 Inspiring Things from New Orleans

Scenes from my whirlwind family trip to New Orleans. Between alligator tours and rain storms, I found so many things that inspired me. Read on to discover my most-loved design fixtures from the Big Easy.

xx, Jessie

1. Baby Blue Gingham

Peter and Paul is my favorite hotel in the world. Every corner is so thoughtfully decorated. These blue gingham checks are their signature. We featured a similar pattern in one of my favorite blouses from the spring collection, Pilar.

2. Pops of Color

Long walks are the best way to experience any city. This green color reminds me of the pretty pea green shade we used for the cabinets in my Bridgehampton kitchen.

3. Ticking Stripe Florals

Floral ticking stripes date back to 18th century France, but I think they're completely timeless. We created our own floral ticking stripe motif for our most recent Resort collection, featuring the pattern on two of my favorite silhouttes, Ken and Gillian.

4. Trompe L'oeil Interiors

Another fixture with French roots, "trompe l'oeil" translates to "trick of the eye." I love how this mural effectively expands the boundaries of the room, making it feel so much bigger. Our friend Scott Csoke, an amazing artist, painted their own apartment with faux moulding in a trompe l'oeil style. We photographed Scott in their apartment wearing our Fall collection. Find the story here.

5. Rich Swaths of Fabric

Another example of Peter and Paul's genius, these layered swaths of fabric bring a real air of comfort. It's such an effective way to vary pattern and texture. The same is true of this beautiful installation by Tina GIrouard we saw at the Ogden Museum.

6. Line Drawing

Loved the napkins at the Elysian Bar. I'm a sucker for anything hand-drawn.

7. Pastel Blooms

Two lovely works of lush florals from the Ogden Museum. So many of the hues from our spring palette, here — butter, sage, blue, and petal pink.

8. Hand-Painted Decor

A stunning display of handicraft. A painted mural would be a dream come true to have in my home. British artists (and sweet friends of ours) Florence Sweryda and Tess Newall both paint the amazing wall decor. I'm always looking to them for inspiration, too.

9. Mismatched Tiles

I love this array of Delft tiles. The motifs and blue hues are perfectly varied, so it doesn't look to precious — just classic and refined. It reminds me of the tiles at Gunnebo, where we photographed our Resort collection.