When interior designer Rachel Cannon first walked into the newly purchased home in Port Allen, every surface was white, grey or some variation of a neutral, far from the client’s Carrie Bradshaw-inspired vision of a cool, sophisticated and feminine space. But with no furniture and a homeowner open to even the craziest idea, the home was a clean slate ripe for transformation by the Rachel Cannon Limited team.

“We were involved from the very beginning, creating the new floorplan and selecting all of the furnishings, fixtures and finishes, as well as designing the cabinetry, closets, etc.,” Cannon says. “She calls it her ‘pied-a-terre,’ so I made sure it felt swanky! That required a full redesign of the floorpan, a gut and full remodel to get it to the level I knew she wanted. When we’re able to get that granular with a project, it leads to stunning results like this.”
Working with contractor J Walock Construction, Cannon took to transforming the entire home, touching every surface and even adding an additional 178 square feet to create a pantry, wet bar and laundry room while also allowing for more space in places like the primary bathroom.

“She was very clear that she wanted this to be over the top and feminine,” Cannon says. “It was easier to get a list of no’s from her—no beige, no basic, no hum drum—to know exactly how far we could push the envelope.”

And push the envelope she did. Working from an “anchor” textile of a grasscloth mural wall covering that ended up gracing the walls of the primary bedroom, the color story unfolded in a bold way, with plenty of pinks and an array of jewel tones. However, the magic, Cannon says, lies in the details, not just the colors themselves. Set against a backdrop of pink walls, a quirky combination of pinks, greens, golds, a plum purple and more in the open-concept kitchen, living and dining spaces is made to feel luxe through depth of texture—think velvets, shining brass and even spots of leather.

“I’m a firm believer that you make color work for you, not the other way around,” Cannon notes. “Knowing that the living room would feature a raspberry-colored velvet sofa meant the walls and cabinets could be daring but not compete. The gorgeous marble slab and brass hood are directly across from that sofa, and they serve to balance the visual weight across those rooms.”

The curved brass hood was pitched to the homeowner on a whim but immediately became a must-have due to its uniqueness. The centerpiece of the space, the hood’s curves are carried downward to the island with fluting detailing. One final finishing touch is the brass toe kick on the island, which draws the metallic downward and makes the entire space feel polished.

With this home acting as a fresh start for the homeowner, the most important space to perfect was the primary suite, which would act as a sanctuary.

“The wall covering really was the starting point for this space and its bathroom,” Cannon says. “It’s a large room, and just painting it one color is kind of a missed opportunity. The mural creates interest and whimsy, which is the perfect introduction to the primary bedroom.”

With a set of doors leading to the backyard added to one wall, the only location that made sense for the bed was in front of a window. Draping the entire wall in a deep red fabric was Cannon’s solution to ensure the arrangement didn’t look out of place. Upholstering the bed in a tweed textile reminiscent of a classic Chanel suit was a finishing touch that calls back to Carrie Bradshaw and adds yet another layer of rich texture.

“I knew our client would want the most glamorous bathroom ever, so I pulled out all of the stops,” Cannon says of the primary bathroom. “We created a much more expansive bathroom, and I wanted jaws to drop when people saw it, so I went for it and made sure there was something interesting to look at everywhere you turn.”

1 of 2

Yet another shade of pink washes the walls and cabinetry. A full tile backsplash on the vanity is carried through an archway and into a spacious wet room. A scalloped apron detail on the countertops, curvy mirrors and sconces reminiscent of bubbles or cocktail olives are the finishing touches. “Knowing that clients aren’t going to put creative handcuffs on you helps you to really tap into a place that leads to these kinds of results,” Cannon says.

Creative risks and the rewards they reap are the overarching theme of this full-home transformation. Going bold requires trust, and the success of this design is a testament to open minds, clear communication and mutual understanding.

“My main takeaway from this project—and all of our projects—is that the success of a project depends on three things,” Cannon explains. “First is a client who values creativity, isn’t scared of innovative ideas and wants to be pushed out of their comfort zone. Second is a designer who has not only creative capacity, but the ability to organize those ideas into something that can be easily understood by the client and then implemented by the contractor. And third is a contractor who comes from a place of ‘yes,’ rather than a place of ‘no.’ On this project, all three were clicking from the beginning, and it creates a kind of joint fearlessness where all parties are just excited and up for the challenge.”

1 of 6