new orleans: a lesson in color

Hi pals --

Anna here! I’m sending this “postcard” from a small, sweet, and green town in Tennessee. 


My husband (Nick), dog (Mira), and I are currently on what I’m calling “The Lap” - a road trip where we’re driving the perimeter of the United States. We packed up and left Oceanside mid June, landing in New Orleans a few days later. We stayed there for about a week before we drove up to our current spot in Tennessee.  


From here, we will cruise up into Maine and New York, then West to Chicago, Montana, Oregon, and back to California by October. Phew! 

Working from “home” comes with perks - like being able to be flexible with where that “home” is. For those of you who are just getting to know us, NORA Goods and Threads is run by me, Emma, and Erika. We met in college and have made our love of vintage and thrifting into a passion-project-side-hustle situation. And yes - we do have full time, normal jobs – which are waaaay more boring than hunting for vintage gems. 

But alas! That normal job has allowed my little family to take our life on the road for a few months. And our first stop: New Orleans - the home of Mardi Gras, jazz music, and vibrancy. I’ve never been to Louisiana before, and it’s stunning. The moseying bayous, the thoughtful architectural details, the buzzing swamps, the rich colors, the significant history. 

If you’re anything like me, you’ve been on a bit of a journey to embrace more color in your home, wardrobe, life - a direct pendulum swing away from the beige, grey, and minimal trends of the past. And New Orleans is the epitome of embracing color. 

The soft fluffy bubblegum pinks! The warm mustard yellows! The deep plum purples! I could eat it all up (didn’t realize I was so hungry while writing this??). 

And it’s not just the single colors, but the way they are combined together:

Which color combo would you paint your house? My pick was the soft pink, olive green and cream, and Nick’s was mustard yellow, olive green and rust red. 

And because I know someone out there will appreciate this just as much as me (hey, mom), these colors were also SO present in the beautiful Airbnb we stayed in:

I meeeannn…. how incredibly gorgeous! Our host, Sarah, was delightful and clearly has a keen eye for interiors. I was happy to be able to soak it up. 

By the end of this trip, I will have a laundry list of designs I want to incorporate into our home. Should the first one be painting my bathroom a deep deep purple??

Hugs,

Anna