A Mandeville Retreat
When Lisa and Eric Beloso purchased their house in Mandeville following Hurricane Katrina, they did not have much of a wish list or design scheme in mind—they simply wanted a place to call home. Almost ten years later, the couple realized that their house had truly become their home in every sense of the word. They adore their neighbors. They have family and friends that live nearby. And like most families who relocated after the storm, their daughter Erica has now lived in the new home almost as long as she lived in their house in St. Bernard.
While the fixtures and furnishings reflected their personal style, the couple felt their home did not accurately reflect their lifestyle. In order to make the home more conducive to entertaining, they created an outdoor living space that has since become the heart of their home.
Separated into four sections, the space contains a living area, an outdoor kitchen, bar and dining space. All flow seamlessly into one another under a pitched ceiling of cypress planks and decorative metalwork.
Lisa said that on any given weekend, they have up to 20-30 people over to visit. Both she and Eric love to cook—and it doesn’t hurt that they do it really well. They often serve fresh seafood from the waters off St. Bernard. From chargrilled and raw oysters to a fish fry or crab boil, the Belosos probably serve as much seafood as some local restaurants, and it’s just as good!
“We love having our family here,” Eric said. “One night we may be watching an LSU game and getting rowdy and the next night we’ll have our nieces over watching a movie and drinking hot chocolate. It doesn’t get any better than that.”When Lisa and Eric Beloso purchased their house in Mandeville following Hurricane Katrina, they did not have much of a wish list or design scheme in mind—they simply wanted a place to call home. Almost ten years later, the couple realized that their house had truly become their home in every sense of the word. They adore their neighbors. They have family and friends that live nearby. And like most families who relocated after the storm, their daughter Erica has now lived in the new home almost as long as she lived in their house in St. Bernard.
While the fixtures and furnishings reflected their personal style, the couple felt their home did not accurately reflect their lifestyle. In order to make the home more conducive to entertaining, they created an outdoor living space that has since become the heart of their home.
Separated into four sections, the space contains a living area, an outdoor kitchen, bar and dining space. All flow seamlessly into one another under a pitched ceiling of cypress planks and decorative metalwork.
Lisa said that on any given weekend, they have up to 20-30 people over to visit. Both she and Eric love to cook—and it doesn’t hurt that they do it really well. They often serve fresh seafood from the waters off St. Bernard. From chargrilled and raw oysters to a fish fry or crab boil, the Belosos probably serve as much seafood as some local restaurants, and it’s just as good!
“We love having our family here,” Eric said. “One night we may be watching an LSU game and getting rowdy and the next night we’ll have our nieces over watching a movie and drinking hot chocolate. It doesn’t get any better than that.”
