Heidi Friedler Curates a Colorful Old Metairie Home

“Dean’s house was practically empty when we started working together,” Friedler says. “It needed everything. We started with the basics—sofas, tables, lamps, and rugs—mostly in neutral tones so it wouldn’t look overdecorated. We also bought investment pieces that were high-quality and timeless by design so they would be there for the long haul.”

Nearly two decades later, many of the case pieces and upholstered goods remain in the Yount abode, although the address has changed, and the number of residents has multiplied. In 2017, Dean and his wife Meredith embarked on building a forever home for their young family of five just a few streets away from the former bachelor pad. Early on, the couple reenlisted Friedler to guide them through the process and tasked architect George Hopkins with the design of the 5,600-square-foot structure.

Located on a highly coveted corner lot in the quiet enclave of Old Metairie, the home’s exterior features several classic components of the Colonial Revival style, including gabled roofs, dormers with pilasters, crisp white siding, and a Chippendale railing. But the sleek lacquered finish on the lime green front door suggests that something fresh and unexpected abounds across the threshold.

Raspberry grasscloth greets guests in the entry with the same high-voltage energy that radiates from the couple’s three children, ages 11 and under. The saturated color transitions to soft white to create a quiet backdrop for the intricate interior architecture—wainscoting, moldings, fretwork stairway, and beams—and for the vibrantly colored décor.

“Different colors inspire different emotions in me, so it was important for each one to feel right,” says Friedler, who leans toward cool blues and greens to convey a sense of calm. “Most of our palettes are derived from artwork sourced at local galleries and scored during our travels. Each piece is attached to a memory, so their value is based equally on meaning and aesthetic.”

As she did with the art, Friedler used pattern as an essential tool for building rooms with personality. Stripes, spots, abstracts, and geometrics breathe visual and tactile interest into every nook and cranny. The nine-foot living room sofa brings the outdoors in with a whimsical print featuring birds and botanicals. Super plush club chairs in the den wear polka dots and chinoiserie prints. These patterns aren’t just relegated to the furniture, but sprawl across the floors with graphic tilework and rugs donning antelope hide and medallion motifs. Pretty papers wrap the walls of the dining room and mudroom in florals and climbing vines.

“If you know me, you know I love pattern—particularly florals,” says Friedler. “I have a stockpile of samples that I have been collecting for years, and I’m always on the lookout for something striking and unusual. But I’m careful not to go overboard. Piling on prints might make for a great magazine layout or Instagram post, but in real life the eye needs a place to rest; so be mindful of the fine line that exists between bold and busy.”