The estate of beloved writer Julia Reed, will be offered online in Neal Auction’s Important Winter Estates Auction February 5–7, and in celebration of Julia’s life, today we will revisit her beautiful New Orleans homes. Julia was a consummate hostess and lifestyle known for parties that “laissez bons temps roulez” – New Orleans’ unofficial motto for “let the good times roll!” Today we will take a peek inside her apartment in the city’s historic Garden District and her former home which she documented in The House on First Street.
“Above all else, people were core and essential to Julia’s life, and her decorating followed suit,” said Julia’s interior designer Thomas Jayne (a TGP favorite), of Jayne Design Studio. “She was deeply influenced by her grandmother’s houses in Nashville. She was sentimental, and her rooms and things had a lot of sentiment.”
First let’s start with a few highlights from the auction… proceeds will benefit the Julia Evans Reed Charitable Trust.
Antique English Porcelain Partial Dinner Service , 19th c., probably Minton. Acquired via “Ceramics from the Collection of Mario Buatta”, April 16, 2020.
Julia inherited “Portrait of a Young Cricket Player,” English School 1862, from her great-grandmother.
Tole peintepagoda-form chandelier sourced by John Rosseli.
Group of Creel & Gow Silverplate Fruit
George III Inlaid Mahogany Breakfront Bookcase, early 19th century
Antique Chinese Chippendale mahogany camelback sofa featuring green damask upholstery and fretwork legs
The Homes of Julia Reed
Julia’s Garden District apartment, was actually two apartments the previous tenant had knocked into one. The flat has more square footage than her previous home, and Julia faced the challenge of repositioning furniture and decor that had lived in a series of rooms (two parlors, a dining room, a library, and a big sunroom) into essentially two big rooms. One of her biggest challenges of decorating her apartment was arranging furniture without a fireplace as a focal point. “My old house had two big fireplaces in both of the parlors,” she told One Kings Lane. “It was kind of weird having these huge, huge, almost loftlike rooms.” So she called upon her friends Courtney Coleman and Bill Brockschmidt of Brockschmidt & Coleman to help. “Right now I think the best description for my style would be ‘magpie.’ All the things I’ve collected over almost 30 years have been dropped in here with me—into my giant nest!”
Julia’s Garden District Apartment
Julia Reed in her Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Source: Julia Reed’s New Orleans: Food, Fun, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll by Julia Reed © Paul Costello New York 2019
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
Julia Reed’s Garden District apartment. Source: One Kings Lane
The House on First Street
Julia’s celebrated former home, a three-story 19th century Greek Revival in the Garden District, was decorated by AD100 interior designer and historian, Thomas Jayne. It has been featured in numerous pulications and documented in Julia’s book, The House on First Street.
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Veranda
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: StyleBlueprint
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Veranda
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Veranda
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: StyleBlueprint
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: StyleBlueprint
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Veranda
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Veranda
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: StyleBlueprint
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
Julia Reed’s House on First Street. Source: Elle Decor
About Julia Reed:
A Mississippi native, Julia Reed began writing about presidential politics and fashion for Vogue before focusing on Southern life and food. She later wrote about food and culture for publications including the New York Times, Elle Decor, Garden & Gun, and The Wall Street Journal. She authored several books including One Man’s Folly: The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood; Julia Reed’s South: Spirited Entertaining and High-Style for All Year Long; But Mama Always Put Vodka in Her Sangria: Adventures in Eating, Drinking, and Making Merry; Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena; The House on First Street: My New Orleans Story; and Julia Reed’s New Orleans: Food, Fun, and Field Trips for Letting the Good Times Roll. Julia Reed died of cancer in August 2020. She was 59.
Tara Shaw’s Antiques-Filled New Orleans Home
Julia Reed’s New Orleans
Historic Charm in New Orleans
A Classically Elegant New Orleans Home
How sad to pass at 59! Much too young! Having visited New Orleans French Quarter, I was surprised by the trash and noise and all night long parades that dominated the tourist section. Stayed at Hotel Monteleone but could never get a spot at the Carousel Bar either. The Garden District was completely different — charming and quiet. The French District did have the most wonderful antique shop called MS Rau – filled with the most marvelous things. And the food was unbelievably delicious. When the Pandemic is conquered, I hope to visit NO again!
Oh my, how grateful I am for these photos. Julia has long been my favorite Southern writer and hostessing mentor. Her essays in Garden and Gun magazine touched me, made me laugh, sometimes made me cry. Her book on Furlow Gatewood is my “wish book” for home design. And now these photos: her soul is in these rooms, her zest for life and Southern tradition. I can see her at that lovely desk, and will miss her engaging writing. Thank you, thank you.
What a wonderful post! The only thing better than eyeing Julia Reed’s beautiful homes is reading her books and essays. She;’s a wonderful writer, one every aspiring writer should read, again and again. I can only imagine her hostessing skills were equally stellar. If you want to see a snatch off her on film, watch the NOLA episode of Who’s Feeding Phil. Of course she appears, more than once.
thanks for the wonderful research on Julia Reed.. such a visual treat!
Gone much too soon. She had great style. Love that tole-peint pagoda fixture.
OH I FEEL SHE WAS A SOUL MATE………….I had no idea she wrote The ONE MANS FOLLY BOOK!I will pull that out and RE~READ WITH GUSTO!WHAT A FUN WOMAN………….I had her dinning room chairs but love them in the brown leather.Each chair of mine were done in a different TOILE.No I wish I kept them!
I have read all her books!
HER ZEST FOR ENTERTAINING is a LOST ART at least were I LIVE!
I WISH I COULD HAVE MET HER.
THAT BIG” C “ALWAYS TAKES THE GOOD ONES!
JUST NOT FAIR!
I recognized the rooms without putting to a name and than a photo of Julia and my heart sank…a women in here prime. I can’t say I knew her writing but I knew her style and the last photo of the inset tub with marble deck was the inspiration for mine. Now tears in my eyes. She was clearly a special women with so much talent and joy. Wish I knew her.