Milieu magazine describes Gerrie Bremermann as "the grande dame of the New Orleans design scene." She has an ability to make formal, elegant rooms warm and inviting. She also encourages her clients to collect "special pieces that last forever," even if that means living in rooms that are sparsely furnished. Buying quality pieces over the years as one is able to afford them eventually will result in a home that is filled only with items the residents love. Ms. Bremermann educates her clients and helps them create interiors that will stand the test of time. Take a look . . .  

"The family room of a home in New Orleans feels formal yet comfortable with a pair of Regence chairs covered in Larsen fabric and positioned near an array of antique botanical illustrations. The walnut table is eighteenth-century French."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"The living room features Nancy Corzine lounge chairs in textured white linen, a vintage glass-topped Mario Villa coffee table, and an antique Louis XVI-style bergere upholstered in an aquamarine and silvery-gold Fortuny fabric."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

 "The living room features Nancy Corzine lounge chairs in textured white linen, a vintage glass-topped Mario Villa coffee table, and an antique Louis XVI-style bergere upholstered in an aquamarine and silvery-gold Fortuny fabric."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"A nineteenth-century Swedish daybed is paired with a Gerrie Bremermann-designed Louis XVI-style bench, covered in an ivory, gold, and black fabric from Scalamandre, The Mattaliano Rockefeller chair features a gold Luigi Bevilacqua broccatello. Textured artwork is by Auguste Garufi. An eighteenth-century carved Italian gilt wood mirror hangs above a marble mantle." 
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"The antique walnut dining room table from France is set with antique Louis XV cane chairs upholstered in C and C Milano fabric. Nancy Corzine draperies are embellished with Scalamandre fringe. A tall forest-green lamp complements a collection of Italian engravings and a striking portrait." 
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"The sitting area is defined by Christian Liaigre . . . sofa covered in de Le Cuona fabric, a Regence chair with nailhead detailing, Baltus coffee table . . . Artworks include James Kennedy's Transmitter (above sofa) . . . The antique plaster horse head is from Bremermann Designs." 
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"In the master bedroom, Christian Liaigre's Zanzibar bed is covered in Leontine linens and custom bedding. A hand-cut rag paper collage titled In the Jazz by artist Michael Buscemi reflects Bremermann's interest in mixing white upon white. The Maison Jansen chair is circa 1965. The custom armless sofa is upholstered in Elitis linen. The walnut desk is a Louis XV petite secretaire." 
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"In the master bedroom, Christian Liaigre's Zanzibar bed is covered in Leontine linens and custom bedding. A hand-cut rag paper collage titled In the Jazz by artist Michael Buscemi reflects Bremermann's interest in mixing white upon white. The Maison Jansen chair is circa 1965. The custom armless sofa is upholstered in Elitis linen. The walnut desk is a Louis XV petite secretaire." 
 Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"A pair of Louis XV bronze and crystal chandeliers and an eighteenth-century Italian settee brighten the home's solarium. An O'Mies leather and steel chair and ottoman rest atop a cowhide rug designed by Bremermann."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Peter Vitale.
Written by Suzanne Levert.
"A New Look in Old New Orleans" produced by Leslie Newson Rascoe.
Milieu (Winter 2015).

"Built at the turn of the 20th century, this handsome New Orleans home had been 'modernized' in the 1920s and '30s and stripped of its exterior and interior details. Now, after more than 15 years of renovation and construction work -- and despite Hurricane Katrina -- the home has been thoughtfully returned to its Italianate origins. Arches once again grace the front of the home, along with a wrought-iron fence and gates. The New Hampshire slate roof was repaired, and the exterior walls stripped of a stucco-and-pebble mixture that had covered the original masonry. To achieve the circa-1900 look of the original house, homeowners added smooth-stucco columns to the front veranda."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"With help from interior designer Gerrie Bremermann and architect Michael Carbine, the homeowners now enjoy the home of their dreams. The private rooms are comfortably suited for their active family, and the public rooms are elegant enough to entertain the gatherings they frequently host. Fabrics in the living room include lush silks and damasks that echo the gleam of the gilded furnishings."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"Sumptuous curtains in iridescent orange silk give the formal living room a sense of elegance and glamour. Generous amounts of silk damask with double inner linings create the trademark ball-gown fullness. Drapes were made 6 inches longer than the actual measurement so they puddle on the floor for additional fullness. Two green-and-melon-striped Louis XV chairs flank the fireplace, which is adorned with an antique marble mantel topped by a gilded French mirror."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"Shimmering silk draperies complement the golden highlights on the antique console table and accessories. Extra-wide base molding has long been the choice for protecting plaster walls. It also gives the electrician a place for installing outlets, while easily hiding the wiring."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"The living room's vibrant colors are echoed in the adjacent formal dining room. An antique French crystal chandelier graces the dining room. Louis Philippe chairs are upholstered in an orange-melon hue to complement the curtains."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"The octagonal dining room features a dazzling hand-applied gold leaf ceiling. The antique rug was discovered rolled up in the homeowner's mother's attic. Painting flourishes give a lift to what would otherwise have been unforgettable cabinetry. Built-in corner cabinets are a space-saving way to provide the dining room with storage for table service, linens, and other items used to serve guests. New windows, including the bank in this room, were installed throughout the house."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"The homeowners, both history buffs, understand and appreciate the cultural importance of architecture and art. Exquisite antique furnishings and a collection of period art fill the home, including Chinese coffee tables, pre-Columbian art, very early French period pieces, heirloom antebellum plantation furniture, and a few pieces so significant that they are catalogued by the Smithsonian Institution."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"The right architectural embellishments can give even a casual room a touch of elegance, as seen in this sitting room. A simple doorway here is surrounded with molding that borrows its look from classical entablature most often seen on exteriors."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"In the master bedroom, a pre-Civil War bed in the American-English style was inherited from the homeowner's great-grandmother. The canopy was designed in shades of rose and melon to match the rest of the house."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.

"Extending off the master bedroom, the adjacent sunroom is all windows and little else. In place of architectural trim that might have added some character, the room was given visual interest by installation of a valance treatment that acts as crown molding, and the ceiling was covered in striped fabric. This stylish treatment defines the sunroom as a separate sitting area and hides its deficiencies."
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Architect: Michael Carbine.
Better Homes and Gardens.

George Rives Cary III, who is called "Rivie" by friends, met Gerrie Bremermann when he was 13 years old and she decorated his parents house. She now has decorated three homes for Mr. Cary and his wife Cathy, including their current residence, the 1905 Spanish Mission-style house pictured below. Mrs. Cary told Southern Accents about Ms. Bremermann's "insistence on buying great antiques from the beginning, even when that meant a single piece sitting in a room with nothing more than bamboo shades covering the windows." The couple's careful purchases over the years have resulted in elegant interiors; Ms. Bremermann has tempered the home's formality with casual fabrics "to convey gracious warmth."  


"French doors open from the living room onto an arched terrace on the front of the house."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

Living room.
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

"The key to a comfortable living space, according to decorator Gerrie Bremermann, is a mix of formal silks and floral patterns with more casual cottons and check prints. The greens and browns on the upholstery in the living room were inspired by the colors in the rug."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

"Deeper shades of red and caramel differentiate the gentleman's library from the other rooms of the house. White roses fill a 15th-century baptismal font."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

"Deeper shades of red and caramel differentiate the gentleman's library from the other rooms of the house."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

"The exaggerated proportion of the painted chandelier is just one of the ways [Gerrie] Bremermann achieves a balance between formality and comfort in the dining room. Scalloped-edge slipcovers on a set of eight matching Louis XVI armchairs also contribute to the dressed-down feeling."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

"A Regence commode is the centerpiece of a symmetrical vignette at one end of the dining room table."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

"An elegant entry offers guests the first glimpse of the subtle color variations and playful proportions that are carried throughout the house. Sheer curtains define a bay window, while the other windows are dressed in silk."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

" 'The garden room is my most cherished room,' says Cathy [Cary], who uses the room daily for reading and reflection. A white Napoleon III chaise longue provides the perfect spot for relaxation, and curtains made with white-on-white Fortuny fabric frame the French doors that lead to the side garden."
1905 Spanish Mission-style house in New Orleans belonging to George Rives "Rivie" Cary III and his wife Cathy.
Interior design by Gerrie Bremermann.
Photography by Tria Giovan.
"Portrait in Pastels" by Jane Dupuy Leyens.
Southern Accents.

Cathy Cary told Southern Accents several years ago that "Gerrie created the perfect stage for spending time with family and friends." That "stage" came to life a couple of weeks ago when Cathy and Rivie Cary hosted a party at their home for their debutante daughter, Grace Catherine Cary. Bronson van Wyck planned the event and Maroon 5 provided music. Here are a few photos of the home during Grace Catherine's Bal de la Chasse:

"Cathy Cary, Grace Catherine Cary and Rivie Cary at the Party honoring Grace Catherine Cary at the home of Cathy and Rivie Cary. Sunday, December 21, 2014." 
Event planner: Bronson van Wyck of Van Wyck and Van Wyck.
Photo credit: Josh Brasted.
The Times-Picayune (January 2, 2015).

"Guests gather at the Party honoring Grace Catherine Cary at the home of Cathy and Rivie Cary. Sunday, December 21, 2014."
Event planner: Bronson van Wyck of Van Wyck and Van Wyck.
Photo credit: Josh Brasted.
The Times-Picayune (January 2, 2015).

"A floral display at the Party honoring Grace Catherine Cary at the home of Cathy and Rivie Cary. Sunday, December 21, 2014."
Event planner: Bronson van Wyck of Van Wyck and Van Wyck.
Photo credit: Josh Brasted.
The Times-Picayune (January 2, 2015).

"Invitation by Scriptura to the Bal de la Chasse honoring Grace Catherine Mallette Cary, Sunday, Dec. 21, 2014, New Orleans, La." 
Event planner: Bronson van Wyck of Van Wyck and Van Wyck.
NOLA.com staff photo.
The Times-Picayune (January 2, 2015).

"Guests arrive at the Party honoring Grace Catherine Cary at the home of Cathy and Rivie Cary. Sunday, December 21, 2014."
Event planner: Bronson van Wyck of Van Wyck and Van Wyck.
Photo credit: Josh Brasted.
The Times-Picayune (January 2, 2015).


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