This New Orleans Studio Apartment Used to Be a Bakery in the 1800s — And the Kitchen Is Sweet

Katherine O’Bryon’s 900-square-foot studio apartment in New Orleans is the perfect mix of old and new. The surprisingly modern space just so happens to have been home to a historic bakery in the 1800s, now known as the Bakery Compound. Katherine came across the unique rental property courtesy of the company she works for as a residential contractor, and to call the apartment “a find” is an understatement.

“My apartment is one of three historic buildings on the property — an original oven, carriage house, and corner store for 1872s Meyer’s Bakery. Every room was seeped in decrepit charm and the courtyards and yards were like an untamed oasis. Through renovation, my company was able to restore the historic treasures, while modernizing,” Katherine says.

Upon first glance, you’d never know that this space has such a rich history and that’s because an immense amount of work went into thoughtful updates.

The entire kitchen, except for the original 13-foot wooden island, was completely gutted when Katherine’s company purchased the Bakery Compound. “I kept this giant beautiful piece to mix with the modern style aspects of the new kitchen.”

New updates to the space included Calcutta Quartz countertops, EKBY Shelf Brackets from IKEA, and a HEMNES storage unit, also from IKEA. To keep the vintage charm, Katherine chose shelves that were made of salvaged 1800s barge board from the renovation of the other buildings on the property and sourced a brass trunk from Craigslist.

Her favorite element, though, is undoubtedly the 1800s original oven and equipment, with original masonry and porcelain subway bricks. “It’s impossible to ignore the industrial past, but blending it with personal items makes the space so much more dynamic.” If only the place still smelled like a bakery, too!

See the rest of this House Tour: This New Orleans Studio Apartment is Located in a 140-Year-Old Bakery Compoundat Apartment Therapy