Central to a sustainable urban lifestyle is living within close proximity to all of life's daily needs, and living in the Bayou St. John neighborhood allows the couple to drive as little as possible. They bike to grocery stores, City Park, the French Quarter and downtown. They also walk to the fairgrounds and to Bayou St. John waterway, which is where the Bayou Boogaloo is held.

The house sits on concrete piles that create space for a first-floor garage — and elevate the home above potential floodwater.

Exterior body paint: Parakeet SW 6711, Sherwin Williams exterior trim: Muddled Basil SW 7745, Sherwin Williams

The couple, shown here, chose the neighborhood partly for the larger lot sizes, which architect John Williams and designer Reynaldo Gonzalez used to create a relaxing urban backyard with a pool, balcony and hammock, where Pearl and Zeller love to hang out.

Pearl and Zeller are walking distance to the New Orleans Fair Grounds, where the Jazz Fest is held, and to Zeller's Bayaou Boogaloo festival. They love having people over at their home during events such as these. "During Jazz Fest we had over 100 people with a crawfish boil and barbecue," Pearl says.

Front porches are a big deal in New Orleans. They're part of what defines the city's traditional style of architecture and what connects so many people with their neighbors.

The architect used contemporary elements, such as a clean tubular steel railing in place of the traditional Spanish-style wrought iron work that's prevalent in town.

The entryway to the house is through a security door that opens to this courtyard area roped in jasmine vines.

Material selection in the home was done with sustainability in mind, such as the living room floor, which is salvaged pine with a custom stain. The coffee table is a custom single-slab granite design by Gonzalez.

Granite: Intrepid Stone art: "Night Falls," by Maya Eventov accent tables: custom, Plexi-Craft

The hanging Fireorb fireplace reflects the couple's devotion to sustainable details it burns denatured alcohol instead of gas or wood.

Gonzalez designed the custom wall piece behind the dining table out of premolded bamboo tiles mounted on plywood and finished with automotive paint.

Painting: Christy Bonneau dog bed: custom, Reynaldo Gonzalez

This dining set was the only salvaged furniture from the couple's flooded home. Gonzalez refurbished the pieces with a custom stain and new upholstery.

"With the mild weather, the screened porch is fantastic for reading a book or entertaining," Pearl says.

Gonzalez designed the tufted bed in the main bedroom and selected the drapes, chair and ottomans.

A roof constructed of SIPs lowers overall energy costs by helping keep the temperature constant even with a vaulted ceiling, an uncommon feature in Louisiana homes.

Clerestory windows in the main bathroom provide lighting above both sinks as well as above the toilet, pulling great outdoor lighting into a private space.