Bell Butler Design and Architecture

01/25/2026

Nola.com got some great photos of Chewbacchus rolling in front of our office last night. So glad the rain cleared up in time for the parade!

01/20/2026

Excited to start working on this concrete beauty.

12/18/2025

Enjoying the crisp winter light streaming into our historic home renovation underway in Uptown New Orleans. We are embracing the natural wood tones throughout the home, layering English Country inspired interiors with the salvaged millwork to create cozy and charming spaces. Can’t wait to share more in 2026!

07/24/2025

We’re excited to share that the Sprye Center has received an Honor Award in the Adaptive Reuse and Renovation category from AIA New Orleans. The project reimagined the historic Norwegian Seamen’s Church, a beloved landmark of the Lower Garden District since the late 1960s, into a vibrant wellness center. Our design approach focused on thoughtful, understated interventions—modernizing the space while celebrating the architectural character that has long defined the building. To us, that’s the essence of adaptive reuse: honoring the past while making room for new purpose. Congrats to the full design, ownership and construction team!

03/20/2025

Project highlight: Millie’s Pizzeria

This week, Millie’s Pizzeria () opens its doors standing alongside Politan Row at the Forum (.theforum) as the newest Italian spot in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Inspired by old-school style pizza joints and midcentury Italian cafes, we wanted to create a space that felt both authentic and elevated. To drive our narrative, we invented the story of our matriarch, Nonna Millie, who traversed the Atlantic to settle down, build a family, and create her legacy via a family restaurant.

In this fable, we imagined Nonna allowed her granddaughter to reimagine the classic family restaurant to present-day tastes, resulting in an eclectic mix that feels nostalgic and unique. Vintage wood frames with artwork and family photos adorn the intimate nook seating along the perimeter of the space, while an array of quirky chairs and tables fill out the cloverleaf booth seating at the center. The bar becomes the centerpiece with red travertine tile, dark Emperador marble, and a squiggly accent trim. All around is warm lighting featuring amber tones, fringe, and classic Murano glass with peppermint stripes. Rich wood tones, warm colors, and midcentury accents create this soft and inviting backdrop to an excellent food and beverage experience.

Chef Luiz Mendez brings high quality, classic Italian-American pizza, pasta, and more alongside a gorgeous curation of wine, beer, and cocktails by Benton Bourgeois.

Many thanks to BA Barrett Construction for their excellent work!

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02/05/2025

Stunning drone photography by of Chewbacchus rolling last Saturday that happens to feature our office!

01/22/2025

11/14/2024

Perfect gradient / moon rise over Algiers.

08/21/2024

Want the 411 about our latest project, Okay Anny’s? We went all out with a 90’s-themed speakeasy bar, featuring RGB color-changing LED lights, vertical mirrored blinds, and blacklight-reactive graphic carpets. For the back bar, we collaborated with our go-to lighting designer, to create standout signage. Neon acrylic fins are layered over tropical print bar signage to produce a striking moiré effect, enhanced by strategically placed UVA lighting. With push-up pop flavored cocktails and a 90’s playlist, this space is truly ALL THAT! (and a bag of chips)

07/22/2024

Shout out to .handed for the stunning mural on our office! It seems like it’s already become a part of the New Orleans Street Art and Mural walk as we’ve seen tour groups stopped outside!