22 years ago, Lindsay swooped into New Orleans – and the city became a little bit of a brighter place. Roaming around Uptown, with her adorable dogs in tow, you would never know she lives anywhere else. Putting her interior design skills to work, she has made her double shotgun an enviable place for all who lay eyes upon it! Check out why Lindsay loves her neighborhood, home, and New Orleans. And take a moment to droll over her kitchen too!

What neighborhood do you live in?

Milan

How long have you lived in this home?

Eight years in August

Why do you love your neighborhood?

I love my neighborhood for the location, the historic homes, and the people. I’m within walking distance to lots of businesses on Freret, St. Charles, and Magazine. Plus I’m super close to the parade route! The neighborhood predominately consists of original and unchanged historic homes, which is important to me. My neighbors are all great! Everyone is really friendly and we all watch out for each other.

Was this the neighborhood you hoped for when buying your home?

I originally wanted to stay in West Riverside but was able to get a lot more for my money in Milan. In the end, it’s close enough that it doesn’t feel any different.

Do you know your neighbors & feel a sense of community?

Absolutely! I was greeted by my immediate neighbors on day one. Since then I’ve continued to get to know more and more of them. I just met another neighbor yesterday when he ran up to me exclaiming that he had presents for my dogs! Sure enough, all three of my boys now have fancy new Mardi Gras costume collars. It was really nice during Ida to have so many neighbors’ contact info so we could stay in touch with any updates about the neighborhood and each other’s houses.

What’s your piece of advice for anyone looking to move to your neighborhood?

Hurry up and do it!

Are you from New Orleans? If not, tell us what brought you here!

I’m not from New Orleans. My mom came here on vacation and fell in love with the city back in 1999. On that very first trip, she bought a piece of art in Jackson Square. She told the artist to hang onto it for her because she’d be back for it when she moved here. And sure enough, she did. She came home from that trip with such enthusiasm for New Orleans, that I decided to get on board and move with her. We arrived here in the summer of 2000. Yes, summer, that was a rude awakening!

Tell us your favorite thing about your house.

I love that so many of the house’s original details are still in place. The bulk of the original windows, tile around the fireplaces, coffered ceilings, pocket doors, and moldings are still intact. While the shotgun layout isn’t ideal for everyone, it works great for me.

What updates/improvements have you done to your home?

Nothing major, just little things here and there over time. I’ve replaced sidewalks, landscaped the backyard, replaced the shed, lots of painting in both units, new floors in the rental unit, and refreshed my kitchen with new countertops and painted cabinets.

Any upcoming home projects?

I’m currently working on painting the porch railings, painting all the trim in my unit, and planning for a way overdue bathroom remodel. When I bought my house the inspector said I should think seriously about replacing my bathroom floor within the next 3 months…that was almost 8 years ago. It’s hard to plan when you only have one bathroom!

Any advice when homebuying?

Get yourself a great realtor! And just know, it’s going to be very stressful and emotional, no matter what. Try to embrace the idea that you will get the house you’re supposed to be in. Don’t lose sleep over deals that don’t work out or try to force something that isn’t meant to be.

Tell us some of your favorite things about New Orleans!

The restaurants, bars, architecture, landscaping, and my very favorite, the people and the culture. There’s no place else in this world like New Orleans and I feel lucky to call it home.