Episode 16: Design and Preservation with Megan Lord
“The idea of home is very important to me. It’s really how I view preservation, is through residences and houses.” — Megan Lord
This week, I interview Megan Lord, a preservationist and designer from Alexandria, LA, that helped rebuild and restore historic New Orleans after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Megan’s journey with preservation began with years of education at The Savannah College of Art and Design, where she earned her MA in Architectural History and MFA in Preservation. Her experience included studying architectural history in Lacoste, France, where she used hands-on work to shape what would eventually be her career restoring the uniquely French-inspired architecture of New Orleans.
Megan’s passion really shines when she speaks of helping the people of New Orleans recover from the disaster of Katrina by providing a comforting ear to their stories. Through her work with the Historic Building and Recovery Program, she connected families with grants to rebuild their homes, some of which who have been displaced for as long as a decade.
After her work in New Orleans, Megan returned to Alexandria, where she discusses her struggle, where the citizens aren’t quite as experienced with preservation as some other historic districts. Megan found a unique way to combine both preservation and design, to bring modern life into her clients’ homes while maintaining their historical integrity.
“We need to be intentionally planning both new growth and new development, but we also need to be taking care of our historic neighborhoods and historic cities and cores. Both are needed for a healthy city and a healthy building environment.” — Megan Lord
In 2017, Megan was named one of Alexandria’s 20 Under 40 for her work in preservation and as an entrepreneur. Nowadays, she works as a preservationist and home design consultant with her business Hunt and Gather Home, LLC, where she uses her natural talent for color and style to bring new life into the restored homes of her clients. Her shop Southern Chic, features vintage pieces that Megan finds herself the southern United States made from local and regional artists.
Get in touch with Megan:
Instagram: huntandgatherhome
Facebook: huntandgatherhome
Southern Chic: https://southernchichome.com
