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including the 19th-century house where they lived in Kentucky for seven years post-Katrina. When they returned to New Orleans in 2012 with their two teenage children, it marked a period of rejuvenation — and an opportunity to embrace color. Their Garden District house is drenched in light and bold hues, with chartreuse double-lacquered walls in the parlor and rich amethyst linen wallpaper in the dining room. "I think the house reflects our joy in coming back to New Orleans, with all these bright colors," Hodges says. "It's a jewel box." The fun is also in the unexpected mix: In the parlor, antique French fauteuils are covered in Lee Jofa acid-yellow satin, while the upstairs study is cocooned in grays, chocolates, and creams, with floral Schumacher drapery layered against bold geometric Kelly Wearstler wallpaper. An iron bed in the guest bedroom is draped in lively orange and lavender monogrammed linens, and a sectional sofa in the den is upholstered in Schumacher's blue- and-white Chiang Mai Dragon, topped with pillows in coral and citron hues. It's a happy, comfortable house, ideal for hosting large gatherings, and a hub for the couple's now-grown children and their friends returning home for Mardi Gras. "I love to entertain," Hodges says, "so we created a double parlor out of two smaller rooms, and now we can have 25 for a buffet dinner in the parlor, a seated meal on the terrace, and the dining room can seat 12." For casual dinners, Hodges stacks Lucite trays at the end of the buffet with a monogrammed linen napkin and silverware — trays are so much easier to balance on your lap than plates. Custom-designed floor- to-ceiling windows in the parlor open all the way up, so when the weather is nice, guests can take their trays outside and eat on the terrace. "We live in a year-round outdoor climate, so why not enjoy an afternoon of shucked oysters in your own garden?" When it's just the two, she and Philip eat dinner around a small antique wine table overlooking the pool — and more often than not, it's Philip who does the cooking. "He designed the kitchen, and it's lucky for both of us that he enjoys cooking. Otherwise, we would both go hungry," she says. "He can sauté trout like no one else I know." Hospitality is a big part of everyday life in New Orleans, and Hodges reaches for her collection of vintage glassware and china on a daily basis. As you might expect, table linens are a mainstay in her household, including vintage linens she discovered at flea markets around the globe and in unexpected places like Ikea. She keeps them neatly organized by color and tied with ribbons inside an antique armoire that was acquired from Henry Stern Antiques on Royal Street, and gifted to her husband, a New Orleans native, when he was a child. "His mother collected furniture for him," Hodges says. "Most children got fire trucks, he got antiques." Hodges' favorite thing about the house — besides the beautiful natural light — is how every room is designed to be used. "We live in every square inch of it," she says. The double parlor is a gracious place to host, but it's also where you can find her in the mornings at her desk, writing thank you notes. Says Hodges, "Homes are meant to be well-lived in and shared. And for me, this home is a symbol of joy and happiness." A Catch-Up with Jane Trade secrets. We're always listening to designers to find out how to take some of the work off them, and we've just started some exciting new designer programs. Once they've finished the schematics of a bedroom, they can send it to us, and we'll come back with a concepted rendering to show their clients how their custom bedding will look. We're also doing down and poly inserts now for all our duvets and pillows, and creating mattress pads, towels, custom shower-curtain liners — all the annoying things you forget about until the last minute. We offer a free laundry service with big installations. Linens arrive pre-laundered and pressed so they're ready to be put on the bed when you open the box. We also include installation documents with instructions on how to make the beds. Start of it all. I was getting married and wanted A cupboard with antique doors holds Leontine Linens. In the upstairs study, Kelly Wearstler Crescent wallpaper, Schumacher Pyne Hollyhock draperies. Hunt Slonem painting. In a powder room, Cole & Son's Gondola wallpaper. Bedroom in Jane Scott Hodges' New Orleans house.