homas Sully (1855-1937) was the leading architect in New Orleans during the last quarter of the nineteenth century and the early years of the twentieth. His many houses included examples of Second Empire, Queen Anne, stick-style, shingle, and Romanesque as well as the various revivals-Colonial, Beaux-Arts, and what might be termed Greek-Revival-Revival. Upper St. Charles Avenue was the most fashionable part of the city, and Sully houses helped to give it an air of comfortable elegance.

Mr. Sully designed this home for the Picard family in 1889 and the structure was completed in 1891. The home is an example of the Queen Anne style of the period. The architecture is characterized by the wrap around front porch; double Ionic style columns supporting the porch above; one over one window panels on the front elevation; the entry door with wood-paneled base portion, beveled glass upper portion, and a glass transom above; turned wood balustrades on the first and second floor porches; fish scale wood shingles on the upper portions of the exterior walls; rooster -comb finials and ridge cresting clay tiles.

Although the home is currently painted solid white, the owners are investigating the possibility of restoring the building to the more common paint colors of the day. These included, autumnal and earthy tones of maroon, red orange and green. The body, trim, shutters and window sashes of Sully houses were often painted different colors, with as many as five contrasting but harmonious shades of warm reds, browns, deep greens, umbers, and golden ochres on a single house. It is believed that the Picard home was painted in a similar fashion.

Thomas Sully was a consummate detailer in wood appointments. He enlisted the best carpenters on his projects to carve small wood medallions and ornaments that were unique to his style and homes. Examples can be found throughout the Picard House. 

Joe and Bebe invite you to come and experience the talent of this prolific designer who made such a magnificent contribution to New Orleans' architectural history.

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