Jeffery Johnston PictureHotelier Sean Cummings believes within the energy of design to elevate the human spirit. This New Orleanian invests in structure, interiors, traditions and rituals to extend the standard of life for locals and guests, alike. Cummings’ sturdy actual property portfolio, which incorporates boutique lodges Worldwide Home Lodge and Loft 523, expresses completely different traditions to have fun life, tradition and joie de vivre on this metropolis. Like each New Orleanian, Cummings acknowledges New Orleans as the proper place to have fun: “There are 5 pillars that make this place not like another metropolis in America: structure, meals, music, joyful tradition, local weather,” Cummings stated. One of many methods this hotelier chooses to honor and have fun the area is with “summer season gown,” an area housekeeping custom. Listed here are Cummings’ insights on tips on how to indulge on this gentle and ethereal summer season custom.
Pamper your private home with summer season gown.
New Orleans is a magnetic place that draws generations of vacationers and an enormous cause folks go to is due to the town’s distinctive sense of place (it may be thought-about the northernmost Caribbean metropolis, culturally completely different from the remainder of Louisiana and the US). Our steamy local weather is one in all our defining components and New Orleanians reply to the recent, moist, semi-tropical climate in quite a lot of methods. Cooling off finds expression in our structure, with our tall ceilings, whirring followers, sheer draperies and likewise with inside design. A signature means New Orleanians have traditionally cooled off is by summer season dressing their houses. Our summer season gown ritual begins on Easter and ends on Labor Day. Although it could be thought-about much less crucial with the appearance of air con, there are a number of issues I believe everybody ought to adhere to within the scorching summer season months.
White cotton slip covers are a should.
I wish to put white cotton slip covers over extra formal, thick upholstery in the summertime months. This enables the furnishings to breath, whereas additionally defending positive upholstery from perspiration throughout the scorching days and nights of summer season. You may have bespoke slip covers made, or buy them at your favourite interiors retailer. For those who like to decorate them up, you may personalize the slip covers with colourful or extra muted piping. I at all times choose for easy, genuine, white cotton slipcovers, which have a clear, ethereal really feel.
Roll up your heavy rugs and change with Seagrass or sisal.
[Many] New Orleans [residents] beautify their interiors with wool rugs and upholstered furnishings. Nevertheless, these supplies will be heavy and inappropriate for our local weather in the summertime months. Commerce your heavy rugs this season, for seagrass or sisal rugs. Sisal is a really sturdy materials and is gentle in shade, good for {the summertime}. Seagrass can be sturdy, stain-resistant, and reed-like in texture. An added bonus is that these rugs really feel good — like a mini therapeutic massage — on naked toes.
Prepare bouquets with Caribbean aptitude.
New Orleans interiors and design may give a nod to the town’s Caribbean [influences] ([particularly] Havana and Haiti). When summer season dressing your private home, fill vases with beautiful banana leaves, shell ginger, palms and different flora, expressive of spring and summer season.
Combine seersucker.
Discover methods to make use of seersucker, a basic, gentle, all-cotton cloth. At our lodges, we work with Haspel, the ‘originator’ of the seersucker go well with based in New Orleans in 1909. Throughout the pandemic, we celebrated the Haspel household by having our workers put on Haspel seersucker masks, jackets, and custom-made vests with pirate cash as buttons.
Summer season gown with a drink.
Like most rituals and traditions in New Orleans, summer season dressing needs to be executed with a cocktail or an iced tea in hand. We wish to make recent fruit seasonal granitas, an iced Sicilian concoction, our nod to the snowball stands that dot the New Orleans’ panorama throughout the summer season.