Author(s): Bryan Batt

Home and Garden

An enchanting space that's truly unique calls for a sense of humor, whimsy, and an open mind. From a charmed New Orleans childhood to a successful acting career on Broadway and the award-winning TV show "Mad Men "to the opening of his popular Big Easy home furnishings boutique, Hazelnut, Bryan Batt has always turned to home design as a creative outlet. To him, the best rooms are unexpected yet refined and, above all, evoke emotion. He doesn't think twice about hanging oversized decorations from a Mardi Gras float in an elegant dining room or bringing home vintage etchings of sconces when he was actually shopping for real ones. He believes that a vibrant orange wall can be a neutral backdrop for an antique writing desk and earthy accessories, and that an artist's whimsical bird's nest sculpture hung in a lavender entryway couldn't serve as a better welcome into a cozy abode. New Orleans has taught Bryan so much about how to pull together a space that's fearless and colorful with plenty of panache. With the city as his muse--its strong roots in history, its celebration of tradition, and, of course, the wild festivities of Mardi Gras--he believes that designing a fabulous, livable home that truly reflects a dweller's passions need not be intimidating. "Big, Easy Style "showcases rooms that make Bryan smile, with pages of rich photography featuring the work of many designers--and plenty of Crescent City interiors--framed by his own entertaining maxims on color, pattern, collecting, living areas, intimate spaces, and more. Explore rooms he's personally designed and others that inspire him; from an old-world kitchen imported straight from the heart of France to a luxurious Art Deco media room, these homes are enticing and unique, and through their surprising details, completely inviting.
Decorating your home to reflect your personality and taste takes practice and patience and can be a daunting undertaking, but Bryan proposes that we not worry about making mistakes, that any decision we make is better than no decision at all. With "Big, Easy Style, "learn how to put aside your hesitation and surrender to the wild side of home design for a big statement that's easy to achieve.