Decorating Ideas for a Fresh Coastal Vibe

If you want to infuse your interior with a coastal feel, adding greenery is an excellent way to brighten up a fresh, nontraditional coastal color palette. It is another touch of nature to bring indoors. Incorporating unconventional coastal hues through wall paint, such as saturated or contrasting colors, adds a freshness to your coastal vibe.

Whale Wall Art has been a cornerstone of the foundation that is Haven America since the beginning. Starting from a small scale size to now our most popular cut-out item, whale decor plays an active role in our evolution.

Update to the Ogden Museum Lousiana Contemporary 2022 exhibit featuring Susan Havens-Morris' Tennis Court

Tennis Court by Susan Havens will be on display at The Ogden Museum August 6-22. through Jan 8-23.

The history and the architecture here in New Orleans piques my interest like nowhere else.

A collection of paintings and mixed media art that will take you on a journey to New Orleans. The Rainbow House Collection features the rainbow colors of the houses in New Orleans, created by Gallery Haven artists with original acrylic paintings and one-of-a-kind mixed media pieces. Each piece has its own story, but they all share in common a love for this unique city. If you're looking for a way to bring some color into your life, then our gallery is where you'll find it!

Each painting has its own story, it all started with a very interesting Red House in the Bywater, just off St Claude. From this angle you see only the side of the house, it is a mass of red as you cross the tracks. New Orleans is filled will colorful houses, but a solid color like red stands out. I just love this house and had to paint it. Colors in New Orleans always look best to me before a rain, the sky in this painting was done to emulate that moment.

The next painting was not as easy to paint. I found this little pink house in the Marigny, and it had a lot of detail from the corbels, lattice, and sweet over house vent. It's painted from an angle looking up at the front porch with its full-length shutters and thin iron fence - my favorite thing about New Orleans is that people love living here so much.

The next house is a favorite. I can't even remember where it was, but it's just this gorgeous solid green with a pink window trim on the side. It's painted again from the side. The surrounding boxwood is as green as the house. The entire house is green, corbels, shutters, and roof all green, I think this is the theme for my inspiration.

Back to the French Quarter for this painting we titled Easter House. This painting features two houses side by side, smooth plaster walls on them in contrast to the dark shutters. Subtle tones of the plaster color in buttery yellows and coral pink on the other. The gentleman’s jacket in soft mint green with a straw hat, morning sun fills the street as he briskly walks to Easter Breakfast; I imagined he would start with a milk punch.

Our next painting in the Rainbow House Collection is another very special Little Green House. It's an original mixed media painting of a home that survived Katrina. With a beautiful pink heart covering the mark they painted on the front to let everyone know it had been searched. Had fun painting the banana trees on the side, again more green. This little house is amazing to me; it survived so much and is still standing.

This series was created by Susan one of the artists of Gallery Haven to help us share with you our love of New Orleans, its amazing people, and the beauty they live in every day for everyone else to see. And if we can make your home a little more colorful while sharing this story with you that would be even better!

"There are more houses to paint. I can't wait for you to see what our next painting will be! I can tell you it is currently on the easel and it will be orange" Susan

A little about our paintings they are full of texture, we use a variety of papers, we tear, we glue, we paint washes of color over them to perfectly create the sky, the walls, the decay, and rust that makes New Orleans so wonderful. Texture comes also from heavy acrylics slathered on with palette knives. We work on our custom cradled wood gallery panels, two inches deep. A sturdy wood cradle allows for hanging without a frame. We think this is a sleek contemporary design that goes well with many interior styles. If you do prefer a frame we offer compemtery framing in house at our Uptown studio and delivery or ship to your location.

Our paintings are now on display and available in our French Quarter Gallery in New Orleans. We offer a variety of size prints as well made from our original mixed media paintings.

On our honeymoon, 34 years ago last month, Gregory and I stood on Conti Street looking at the line of people wrapping around the corner to get into the then red hot K-Paul's Louisiana Kitchen Restaurant (which sadly closed in 2020), and said to each other "If we could ever make a living and live here in New Orleans we will do it." By late 2012, both retired from our long careers in advertising; we brought our 2-year-old business, Slippin Southern, here to NOLA. Now 11 years later, we not only have our studio in Uptown making all our great wooden products, but now the Gallery in the French Quarter offers something totally different!

This was actual labor of love, two years in the making--we've looked at 20+ commercial properties here in the Cresent City, and a focus change from Uptown to the French Quarter, trying to find a retail location that was perfect for our business. We wanted that classic New Orleans style, super high ceilings, historic, great site, and when this one came up with a courtyard at 612 Toulouse Street, it threw it over the top for us. We wanted to be in the heart of what has become the New Orleans French Quarter Art District. New Orleans has a very vibrant art scene, and it is only getting better. Locals and tourists alike thirst for it keeps it strong and alive. We finally decided that the best place was where our existing customers were probably staying too in the Quarter would be the best location. We wanted to be a part of French Quarter events like Satchmo Summerfest, French Quarter Fest, and of course, Jazz Fest. Plus, it gives us a base camp to enjoy all the fun and happenings!

Gallery Before--Did I say it was all purple before we painted it for a whole weekend. Tate is a Painting Goddess! Gregory spent a lot of time on a ladder through all of the reno. 

The demo and the reno come first before the art can go up on the walls with all spaces. I think we painted every surface we could. We wanted to make it feel more historic, warm, and inviting. Opening up space was first, and as we did, we found out that is how it was originally. The sizeable continuous wall space made my heart happy to see. Then the significant discovery we had three more feet above a dreary 1970s drop-ceiling, wow what a find now the ceilings are 14 feet, and in great shape, we painted them too! Rerouted AC, add fabulous lighting in all the rooms, and oversized handmade ottomans to make space beautiful, giving the perfect relaxed gallery vibe we love. We also enlisted lots of help from family and friends in doing the overhaul too.

Gregory again on a ladder. He spent 95% of his time on the ladder during reno.

New Orleans French Quarter is the perfect location for our NEW art, mixed media paintings, and prints. We wrestled with the subject of the art, the medium, the scale but ultimately themed New Orleans wall art won, our love for the city, the culture, the history, and the people who make it, so fun to live here. We have endless subject matter, "We are both artists at heart creating just feels good, and for us now to touch each piece fully is a great feeling," said Gregory Morris.

Gallery Haven is located at 621 Toulouse St in the historic French Quarter.

We named it Gallery Haven; it is located at 621 Toulouse Street; we are right between Royal and Charters, a block from Jackson Square. A super cool French Quarter location! Our grand opening was June 30th; we had to force ourselves to dive in and open the doors. Saying everything is good, OK maybe the drywall is not quite perfect, but it is about the art, not the drywall. Anybody opening anything will tell you it is never perfect enough. But so happy we did it, our friends and family came out, saw people we have not seen in person in years, it was a lovely night filled with laughter and fun.

Opening Night at Gallery Haven!

Our Gallery's logo is a spin-off of our new Haven America logo Gregory designed last year, featuring a significant live Oak Tree, moon, and stars. We felt the crescent moon, the symbol of the mighty Mississippi River, only two blocks away from the Gallery, and stars were what the Gallery symbolized our love for this Crescent City. The stars represent the magical years we've been in business. There are 10, one for each year Slippin' Southern has been in business in New Orleans and how it went from a little barn in North Carolina to now an art gallery in the great city of New Orleans. Our shingle sign out front was done in gold leaf, so it sparkles at night from the glow of the dim French Quarter gaslights.

Opening the Gallery is about putting roots in the community that I think we have both longed to do in the city for a while. We both love the French Quarter; we had a chance to live down there for about nine months in 2016. The liveliness is fabulous; watching second lines go by on Saturday afternoons is a great joy; you run to your gallery soak in the sound of the brass band's music; it is an absolute joy. Our art gallery space is lovely, Gregory commented to me once the reno was getting near the end by saying, "Don't take this the wrong way, but it looks like a store you would see in a mall-like Water Tower Place in Chicago" my comment back was "You mean designed? Like it was planned?" It was the best compliment he could have given me. Over the years, Gregory has learned to go with my designs, they may not make sense at first, but they are grand when they are done. We are so pleased to be a part of the New Orleans community, the excellent art district.

Our Gallery Consultanting Krewe, from left - Brittany, François, Tatham & Bushra. François selecting art for the gallery. François & Gregory/Artist meeting.

We are so excited that our first festival back is Satchmo Summerfest in a couple of weeks for us to meet all our old and new customers in person! See y'all in the Quarter darlin'.

Gregory + Susan
and the entire Consulting Krewe

From Angels and Reindeer to Guiding Stars and outstretched wings, enjoy and explore our unique collection of handcrafted wooden Holiday Decor for Christmas.

Whether you’ve already established a unique theme for your home or if you take a more traditional approach, decorating during the holidays doesn’t have to loom over you as a burden — especially if you’re a new homeowner just starting to fill those Rubbermaid buckets with beautiful decor you’ll use for years to come.

For us, the holidays are all about bringing families together, spreading goodwill and of course, decorating the house inside and out all while spreading the cheer of the season. Our unique selection of handcrafted wooden holiday decor is designed to let you do just that, with a little bit of added Coastal and Southern flair.

Santa Retro Print on Wood 

The past few months have been far from normal, and the upcoming 2020 holiday shopping season will be no exception. The idea of circling a packed parking lot for hours before waiting in long lines at areas shopping is no place to be. Which leaves us all thinking about how we’re going to find that perfect gift for everyone in our lives.

Luckily for you and for thousands of small business owners, online shopping is the perfect match. You have countless options for gift giving, but also get the opportunity to support local economic growth directly through stores like ours, making everyone’s holiday season a little bit brighter.

Here at Haven America, our background in design combined with our Southern lifestyle has inspired us to create our collection of handcrafted home decor, making finding that perfect holiday gift for 2020 a whole lot easier. From art enthusiasts to new homeowners looking to add a little life to their spaces, we have the perfect gifts for you. As an added bonus, all orders for the holidays include free shipping in the U.S.!

Carved Wooden Wall Art

Our series of Carved Wooden Wall Art is the perfection collection to shop from for any friend, family member, coworker or loved one who enjoys art pieces with a natural and rustic beauty to them.

Our Carved Wooden Whale Framed Wall Art is the perfect addition to any beach house. Handcrafted from natural pine wood and framed in 100 year old reclaimed wood, our nautical themed holiday gifts are available in six colors and all finished with a distressed texture.

If you’re looking for a holiday gift for someone a little more adventurous, our Carved Great White Shark Framed Wall Art is the perfect find. All of our carved wall art pieces are unique, as the carving results will depend on the wood — meaning no two pieces are exactly alike!

It’s always tough to find a holiday gift for a fisherman or fisherwoman in our lives, but our Carved Wooden Swordfish Framed Wall Art is the easy solution! All of our carved wall art pieces are available in multiple sizes, and arrive ready to display and hang.

Our Moby Bookplate Prints

One our favorite authors, Herman Melville, helped inspire not only our design aesthetic, but also a generation of readers both children and adults alike. Thats why, when we started Haven America, we knew a collection of Moby Dick inspired artwork would not only make a great addition to our regular collection, but also a wonderful holiday gift idea for avid readers or literature lovers. Featuring 12 of the greatest quotes form the book, From Call me Ishmael to Queeque in his coffin, one of our most popular is the Pacific No. 111 Moby Dick Framed Book Plate:

The Pacific No. 111 Moby Dick Framed Book Plate features a quote from one of those final chapters, the showdown between Ahab and the white whale. Ishmael is trying to find the serenity that most seamen find in the waters of The Pacific, but the turbulence of Ahab's soul is stirring.

We select strong, meaningful quotes for all the Book Plates, you will find yourself reading them over and over. Each bookplate is handcrafted and printed on hand painted wood, available in three colors.

One of four art pieces that go with our Moby collection, Again the Whale Went Down Wall Art is the perfect holiday gift for an avid reader or fan of nautical art. The white whale is the focal point for this beautiful piece that uses a 3D wood on wood design, allowing Herman Melville’s words to literally jump off the page.

All pieces in this collection feature Moby Dick as the main image, some feature the ship, the Pequod, and the deepwater of the oceans they sail in search of the white whale.

SOUL Framed Wood Prints

This holiday season, bring the warmth of words into your home and onto your walls with our SOUL Framed Wood Prints collection. This line of handcrafted, all wood framed prints speak right from the heart and make perfect holiday gifts for your significant other, the newlyweds, or your own family room.

The I Carry Your Heart SOUL Framed Art Print features E.E. Cumming’s classic poem beautifying a deep, deep love for one’s significant other. Printed on hand painted wood and framed in reclaimed wood, this beautiful yet simple wall art is the perfect gift for a new couple.

Our Change the World SOUL Framed Art Print combines the lyrics from Ben Harper’s 1994 classic hit with a rustic peace sign, all handcrafted by Haven America. This inspiring wall art pairs iconic imagery with words that tell your loved ones just how much you care, and would make a fantastic gift for a children’s bedroom or any room in your home.

Whether you’re looking for nautical themed wall art for holiday giving, or something a bit more personal, all of us at Haven America are proud to offer beautiful handcrafted home decor for every occasion. Browse our collections today for your holiday gift giving!