A Design Maven's New Orleans Home is a Lesson in Mixing Modern and Traditional Accents

"I have committed the last decade to helping others learn how to make life beautiful." That's how Lisa Rickert, the creative force behind the specialty furniture retailer Ave Home and the paint brand Jolie Home, describes her professional background.

But in addition to serving as a resource for others, Rickert has, without a doubt, made her own life beautiful, too. One example is her four-bedroom home in a New Orleans lakefront community. At 10,000 square feet, it's a reflection of all the design lessons she has mastered over the years, including those from her childhood days pretending to be an interior designer. "I was that kid who was always rearranging furniture, decorating, and painting walls and furniture," she says. Little did she know that would prove to be valuable training for her successful career in the design business today.

When she's not overseeing her multi-faceted businesses, Rickert is enjoying time with her husband, Scott, and their kids at home—an Instagram-worthy space with an alluring combination of French Mediterranean and transitional design. Adding to the home's visual interest are accents that showcase the couple's love of travel. For instance, there's a well-curated mix of furniture that spans from 18th-century French to mid-century modern, and one of their favorite finds is a rosewood Art Deco sideboard by Raphaël from a Paris flea market. "What I love most about interior design is the way in which you can completely transform a space when you understand balance, lines, and form layers with the use of texture, patterns, and color," Rickert says.

Here, Rickert shares how she created the New Orleans abode of her dreams.