Lamantia House

Though designed by regionally prominent architect James Lamantia, the home appears on the pre-Katrina historic registry as “non-contributing.” Truly, the home’s nondescript form and lacking detail did little to grace the stately Scenic Drive in Pass Christian. It was this blank palette and the magnificent Live Oaks that beckoned the new owners to undertake an eighteen month renovation. Exacting expectations of design excellence were paired with a craftsman-builder that resulted in a project that was a labor of love for all parties involved.

The home had many oddities likely resulting from unfinished renovations following Hurricane Katrina, such as an unattractive “cottage” at the back of the home. This was removed, the new addition filling the footprint but rising higher to capture beach views and to march the home boldly into a new stylistic direction. In plan, the home was arranged in three clean columns that had proportions too perfect to do anything but enhance. As such, bedrooms and bathrooms remained smaller than common expectations. The kitchen became the knuckle between the renovated and the new, nestled along a corridor and flooded with light from above. The essence of the home’s architecture was awakened by carefully considered elements at every ceiling, every door selection, every piece of trim, and the relationship between every material.