Chelsea Brennan is a mix master. In the kitchen, she has combined modern white quartz warmed by reclaimed wood and brass for a functional and beautiful kitchen space. 

Chris Brennan / Special to the American Press

Chris and Chelsea Brennan thought the purple house on Enterprise Boulevard would be their forever home. But the young, creative photographer and decorator found another diamond in the rough, and they’ve almost finished the renovation. 

“This house was built in 1894 for Frank Roberts,” Chris said. “It’s the first house in Lake Charles designed by an architect.” 

Frank Roberts was a banker and civic leader for half a century, and a Lake Charles Country Club founder. He came to Lake Charles in 1890 from Vinton, Iowa. According to Lloyd Barras, in The Early Homes of Lake Charles, Della Bel purchased the home in 1931. Her son, John A. Bel owned it in 1933. The last owner was Fred Kaufman, who was in the house for over 20 years. Barras wrote that the house had gone through three remodeling phases by the 1970s and it still retained many of its original charms. That can still be said of the house today. 

The stained glass, transoms, ornate woodwork and downstairs corded oak floors are original to the house landmarked by the Calcasieu Historical Preservation Society in 1992. The boot scraper and horse hitch are also original to the house, according to the Brennans.  

The house, vacant for almost six years, required more than TLC. Water damaged a small section. Kids had broken in. Rodents had taken up residence. 

The kitchen was gutted down to the studs. Par Group Construction did the work. The kitchen’s existing subfloor was completely replaced. One of the downstairs baths was recast in a new role as a bar. A screened-in porch became a closed-in sunroom that opens to the kitchen. Additional space was finished and air-conditioned, bringing the total square footage of the house to 4,300. Chelsea changed all light fixtures except those that could have been the first ever installed. 

Chris Brennan’s office features wainscot walls, a mix of modern and traditional furnishings, original corded oak flooring refinished by Bird Flooring and leaded glass paned windows. 

Chris Brennan / Special to the American Press

Renovating properties in Lake Charles historic districts give owners interior design and decorating carte blanche. The Brennans respected the bones and highlighted the house’s best features. Chelsea, as a young girl, fell in love with antiques. She also appreciates modern and mid-century features. The mix in this house is mesmerizing: periods, textures, color and finishes. Luxurious quartz is used for countertops and backsplash in the large galley kitchen. Custom brass trim by Custom Ironwork by Josh and two hefty reclaimed wood beams cast a warming gleam in the mostly white kitchen. At each end of this space, which receives light from west, north and east, are deep blue velvet settees, which join and anchor the space.  

The way this house is decorated, furnished and lighted is for a single purpose, according to the Brennans. The couple wanted a home they were confident in and comfortable with opening to family, friends and clients. She has an office upstairs. His is downstairs. It is their intention that those who visit feel welcomed, comfortable and at home in the house as the owners do.