Weird Homes Tour

When I saw there was a Weird Homes Tour in New Orleans, I had to know how weird it could get. Some of architecture is just different, not peculiar. Once I perused their website, it is clear that it could be collections of oddities, performance artists, etc. After seeing that, I knew New Orleans wouldn’t disappoint. Fun fact: a portion of their sales went to a local affordable housing charity, HousingNOLA.

Ms. Mae’s Casket House

I started off in the Irish Channel with Ms. Mae’s Casket House. While the exterior is pretty common for the neighborhood, the interior had some interesting items on display. For anyone not from New Orleans, Ms. Mae was the owner of of a dive bar on Magazine named after herself. I’ve heard a million stories over the years of her whacking patrons upside the head if she heard them cursing or doing anything she didn’t like in general. She was a true New Orleans gem. This is called the “casket house” is because the owner of the house converted Ms. Mae’s temporary casket into a couch. A little creepy, but also pretty wondrous.

The Dollhouse

This Garden District historic home has been chopped up into numerous apartments. It doesn’t stop this home from being heavenly. Ms. Lauren was on hand to show us all of talent. She creates and sells paper dolls, doll dresses, and miniature books. You can even purchase an interactive mystery game where pieces of a puzzle are sent to your door. You then assemble a small dollhouse along the way while solving the mystery. I felt like I stepped into a mysterious, life sized dollhouse while I roamed around her place. She made every person feel right at home while showcasing all of her delicate pieces of art.

3 Story Shipping Container

2350 Rousseau

There isn’t a lot for me to report about this house. It is made from 7 shipping containers, but it was not complete. While this concept isn’t totally new to New Orleans, there aren’t a ton of these houses. Looking forward to seeing the finished product.

The Shotgun Container Home

The second of the shipping container homes on the tour, this Carrollton home was complete. This place was very reminiscent of our old, shotgun homes – just with a new spin! The owners live a very minimal lifestyle, which you sort of have to when living in 750 square feet. The very end of their living room overlooks their small (but 6ft deep!) pool out back.

The Natural Rhythm House

This was, again, another shotgun house on the tour. Both sides were open to the public and featuring local artists. This particular side, hostess Karie Cooper, was delighted to have people coming through and enjoying her artwork. We spoke for quite a while about some of her pieces. As you flip trough the slideshow you will see the brown cones – those are actually made from all boxes she had when she moved into the house. The white sculpture was made from sheetrock. The small animal hide looking piece is actually made from plastic bags she had lying around. She is conscious of what is happening to the planet and being mindful of the products she uses. You can find more info about her and her artwork here.

Pop Art House

On the other side of this Bayou St. John was Brent Houzenga and his very energetic son. Once you glance at the photos, you can see why this would be called the Pop Art house. His work is loud and speaks for itself. His van parked out front is also a clear representative for his artwork too. He has, at least, decorated one other car that can found in front of Mid-City Pizza on Banks Street.

The Last Madam House

This was the house I was most excited for. If you have not read the book about Madame Norma Wallace’s life, you need to order it immediately. Here is a quick rundown of the book. Norma Wallace lived a fascinating life while running this French Quarter brothel located on Conti Street. I was disappointed that the house is now made up into rental units. We did get see to admire the small courtyard and gorgeous foyer. The only room open to view was a back apartment currently listed for rent. Even still, I got to check this off my bucket list. If these walls could talk, they might blush.

Home of the Vodou Priestess

This drop-dead STUNNING Bywater home was filled to the brim with artwork and candles and memorabilia. Spirituality & traveling appear to be very important to this couple, based on all the decorations. This house spoke to me. It made me feel calm and present at the moment. While some of the items here may seem random, I’m sure they had reasons for the placement. I noticed hidden mermaids everywhere. There was also a peaceful rooftop garden. Fun fact: One of the owners, Sallie Ann Glassman, is one of the only authentic Haitian Vodou priestesses in the United States.

Wally’s World

I wasn’t too shocked to see this modern build in Lakeview, as many people had to rebuild post-K. The story that goes along with the house is what made it a favorite for me on the tour. I got to chat with Wally & his family about what the inspiration was for this build. The home that used to sit on the lot was a mid-century modern that still had original furniture. After it flooded out, they wanted to pay homage to it and keep a lot of details reminiscent of the original home. The unique countertop is made of concrete and epoxy that, if cut with a knife, will separate. You can either use a blow dryer to close it in again or just wait a couple of days. There is one rental unit on this property and it also has an elevator, 50s retro furniture is all over the home & even a room devoted to Mardi Gras. I didn’t find any of this weird – just very New Orleans!

If you have a “weird” home that you would be willing to let me tour, message me here.

If you want to explore the neighborhoods these houses are in – click here! 

The Color Story: Coral