Garden District of New Orleans

shoebox apartments or homes the size of 2.5 carparks? well why not introduce the shotgun house to singapore!!! via style court, i found this gem of a post featuring the beautiful garden district of new orleans! a little history here; back in the 1850s, people (mostly entrepreneurs, the "nouveau rich" of that time) settled into the garden district and built many beautiful homes reflecting varied architectural styles such as Greek Revival or Queen Anne Victorians. Apart from the huge mansions found in this district there is one street, Coliseum St which is home to shotgun houses. i just learnt what a shotgun house is, basically a house so small a bullet can cleanly cut through the front door right through to the back door!

so in 1868, Henry Howard designed 8 cottages or these shotgun homes now known as the 'Seven Sisters' along Coliseum St Row. don't ask why its seven when there are 8, cos the folks don't know either. but anyhow, Howard nevertheless made the street oh-so-beautiful by building these 8 'cottages'!!!

its just lovely how such grand elements (think: greek pillars or anything italianate) have been proportionately downsized and made even more irresistible through such structures.

the beauty does not end at the facade. thats the starting point. also via style court, one of the interiors of these cottage homes was redecorated to look like this...

promising aren't they, for a small country like singapore. i feel like building one in the backyard.