SHELLEY AND RICHARD MASSENGALEâS 2329 COLISEUM ST. SHOTGUN HOME is another of Henry Howardâs âSeven Sisters.â
âThis hidden gem features duel side entrances behind the original iron gate, with one entrance leading into the foyer and one leading into the kitchen. With a major renovation that adhered closely to the houseâs original layout and design nearly complete, the Massengales now have just about everything the way that they want it. When they purchased the house last year, they planned to keep much of the design of the previous owners, but ended up changing most paint colors and finishes â except the kitchen, which they did not alter. The Massengales had fallen in love with the kitchen cabinets when they saw the identical cabinets in what turned out to be the previous ownersâ second home in the French Quarter.
âCustom touches throughout the house make the timeless and classic shotgun feel unique and personal. With an eye to create a great blend of designs, equestrian wallpaper adorns the dining room, while unique indigo grasscloth wallpaper in the bedroom creates a classic yet contemporary feel. Both are Pierre Frey wallpaper. In the family room, muted, yet modern wallpaper and matching sofa upholstery are from Sister Parish. A lacquered finish on the walls and built-in bookshelves in the study adds a bit of glamor to the small space. A secret concealed panel closet was created in the foyer during the renovation, and antique lanterns hang in the hallway.
âRichard, a Baton Rouge native who attended Tulane, owns a health care company in his hometown and Shelly, a native of New Orleans, met on a blind date just after college. After getting married, the couple moved to the East coast and travelled extensively, returning to town shortly before Hurricane Katrina. Shelly, who had long harbored a desire to move back to New Orleans, saw this âsisterâ as the perfect path back into the heart of her hometown, and Richard acted quickly to purchase the home as soon as it hit the market. Shelleyâs favorite things about the house are the location and the expansive yard. She enjoys walking to Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 where her paternal grandmother and godmother are both buried.
âThe couple loves history, and they got it with this house. A doctor who tried to prove the link between malaria and mosquitoes used to live in this house and was run out of town, ultimately ending up in Baton Rouge.
