Atchafellatcha...

While on my most recent trip to New Orleans (yes. my family is obsessed with this city therefore I do blog about it a lot), we found this incredible restaurant. A true taste of New Orleans, Atchafalaya offers incredible Cajun food with both indoor and street side dining in its quaint uptown location.

With flawless weather and incredible eats out on the patio, this bistro had our family lovin every minute. But the real treat came when I went inside. Once a house, the floorplan had been converted into a bar area and several different dining rooms throughout.

The house and it's many spaces were not the only thing re-purposed though. From the hostess station and bar, you are greeted with a by a well of windows. Taken by the impressiveness of both the artistry and space planning functionality of the windows, I asked our waitress about them and she referred me to the owner.

He told me how the windows were all reclaimed from houses affected by Katrina. The windows create a work of art symbolizing new life and renewed hope. Beyond this window wall, at the end of the dining room, is seen a tree. Carved into a wall of wood, this tree has awkward limbs and dismembered branches but is looked upon with beauty in an effort to represent hope for those affected by this disaster.

A good design is one thing. Upcycling, reusing, repurposing, creating beautiful things out of nothing. That's all part of being a good, thoughtful, creative designer. But designing with a story. That is a whole other game. That is something I will forever strive to be. A designer seeking her story in each space. In each project. Always reflecting others and overflowing a hopeful joy into each and every client, in the hopes of affecting them with my designs.

Sappy designer dreams aside, I also am brought great joy by my dad's continuous inability to say "Atchafalaya"....his closest so far has been "Atchafellatcha"... Always good for a laugh, that dad.