Modern Elegance

Most people get frustrated with prequels, reboots, and remakes. Usually, the problem is conceptual. Creators get lost in trying to stay too true to the original that they miss the opportunity of reinvention, but keeping close to the original can also mean looking ahead. That was the challenge a design and architectural team had when asked to revitalize one of Monroe’s most elegant and romantic dining locations, Genusa’s.

Article by VANELIS RIVERA
Photography by KELLY MOORE CLARK
Interior Design by SANDY MCMILLAN

OCTOBER 3RD IS A SIGNIFICANT DATEfor the Genusa family. Last year, on that day, a fire swept through the restaurant, causing extensive damage, impacting their lives, and jolting their loyal customer base. This year, on the same date, the Genusa’s team posted a “burnniversary” message on their Facebook page: “Today is a day we choose to be thankful. Thankful for each other, and thankful for the opportunity to serve our community.” The message then turned to matriarch Cherry Genusa, who led the restaurant family through a distressing year with “a spirit of determination, gratitude, and above all things, love.” The team credits her with maintaining constant communication with them, rounding them up with one goal in mind–reopening the Genusa’s restaurant doors and welcoming their customers back.

Though Cherry became a pillar of strength during her family’s time of need, the initial shock was difficult to shake. “I absolutely gave up because I was so emotionally disturbed over it. I just turned it over to Sandy and the construction crew that I absolutely fell in love with,” says Cherry. Lead designer Sandy McMillan is a licensed interior designer, a title she takes seriously. “Louisiana requires you to be licensed in order to call yourself an interior designer. Very few people know that,” says McMillan. Originally from Vicksburg, Mississippi, she moved to Monroe after receiving a bachelor’s degree in interior design from Louisiana State University. Here, she opened an interior design firm, Intelligent Designs, which she has had for twenty-four years,  and later opened a specialty gift boutique, Haven. The Genusa’s family had already taken advantage of McMillan’s handy work several years ago for some minor renovations to their dining room area, including a “paint facelift for everything in that space,” as well as installing new booths and light fixtures. Last year, Cherry contacted McMillan once more; this time, to provide a fresh look to their bar area. “That’s kind of the area that people really love to sit in,” says McMillan. She had the area painted, and ordered new parcels like chairs and draperies. A couple of days from finishing, the fire happened. 

After the overwhelming tide of working through insurance coverage, rummaging through the demolition, and deciding on the salvageable, McMillan stepped in to help with the process of reconstructing the new Genusa’s. McMillan’s design team, which includes herself, Analise Kelly, and Taylor George, and took that opportunity to rethink every room in color, space, and function. As a Louisiana registered interior design firm, when working on any commercial project, they paid particular attention to ensure everything met commercial codes for finishes, furniture, and layout. As the Intelligent Designs team started working on this new space, they were able to use some of the pieces that had yet to be delivered those final days before the fire. Their goal was to retain the coziness patrons were used to, but with fresh, modern elegance. 

Because of extensive smoke damage, the whole building had to be gutted. So, “first and foremost,” during the planning stages, McMillan wanted to make sure that they kept some familiarity in the space, all while keeping the warm and comfortable ambiance customers have cherished throughout the years. Exploring every avenue meant considering customer flow into the space, alongside choosing the most appealing and practical finishes. Keeping with the vision of the Genusa family, one of McMillan’s loftier subprojects became creating a larger space in the wine bar and chocolate area. “Genusa sisters, Ann and Rachel, were an important part of this decision. Their input was vital to combining these two spaces into one,” says McMillan. Not wanting to make it feel like “one big, open space,” they painted the walls Tricorn Black with Sherwin Williams Outerbanks (a light gold) on the ceiling. Stylish new champagne chairs and barstools are carefully dispersed throughout the area, while materials such as exposed brick archways and columns, brass accents, and wood beams help achieve “architectural interest,” says McMillan. Connecting those sections allowed the bar area to be enjoyable from both rooms. “It still feels like two rooms, but it does feel like one larger room in some ways,” says McMillan, adding that now the bar seating circles the bar, a practical detail further embellished by beautiful pendant lights, likened to bubbly champagne bottles, around the general bar space. Noise in the wine and chocolate room used to be a bit of an issue because the rooms accommodated larger parties. To address that challenge, McMillan’s team worked hard, conducting a few in-depth studies on the best way to remedy the noise issue. “And so we ended up doing acoustical ceiling tiles,” enthuses McMillan. Not only have they assisted the sound quality, but also enlivened the area’s character. “It just looks really stunning,” says McMillan.

There is a long list of people on Cherry’s gratitude list, as so many carpenters, plumbers, and electricians worked tirelessly to complete the project, but there are two that she claims to trust with her life. One is McMillan, the other is Bobby Smith from Tri-Group Construction whose team ensured all the new changes for the kitchen and floor plan were brought to life.  “He was so on target with everything. He kept the construction flowing constantly. He would watch every paint stroke and every corner. And he was just meticulous, absolutely meticulous, with his work,” says Cherry. Though the restaurant business is taxing and time-consuming, after fifty-three years of being in the grind, Cherry found the separation traumatic. At times emotionally distraught, Cherry’s frustrations were assuaged by the follow-through from all teams involved. She praises McMillan in particular for taking charge of every step from deciding on pieces to be ordered, staying on top of shipping and delivery dates, and double-checking the installation of furniture and appliances. Now that it’s over, and the restaurant is back in business, Cherry and the Genusa family are “happy, happy, happy.” 

For most, pieces of art are usually reserved for filling walls or empty shelves, but McMillan’s team, not having a lot of free wall space to work with, opted for incorporating the aesthetic in the form of light fixtures. Each space of the restaurant has an illuminating statement piece hanging from the ceiling. Perhaps one of the most underestimated elements of design within an establishment, lighting may not be at the forefront of a customer’s mind; yet, it can have a significant impact on the overall dining experience by setting the mood, helping enhance a space, and providing safety to customers. The design firm ordered pieces from a variety of vendors, having to make sure the components coordinated. The result–calm, varying dimensions of glow, strategically layered to call attention to the elegance of the arisen Genusa’s. “When you walk into the vestibule, there’s this beautiful glass fixture that greets you,” says McMillan. Walking into the waiting area and the family room, you’ll notice several lighting features, which vary from room to room–chandeliers, wall sconces, and accent lights, like wall washers. “When we went up there and turned all the lights on, I just sat there and I had chills all over me because the light fixtures are so beautiful,” exclaims Cherry adding, “It was just like it was Christmas.”

Is there a part of the restaurant that’s your favorite? “If I just had to say one thing, it would be the kitchen,” says Cherry. Between her daughters, her granddaughters, and herself, they pulled the room together, and are still in the process of rearranging and adding equipment. “That kitchen is just very efficient, and we can’t stand to see a speck of dirt on anything.” The designers collaborated with architects Brian McGuire and Robert Ellis from TAG architecture firm; together, they worked tirelessly to make sure functionality, like that of the kitchen and employee workspace, was a driving force in the changes to be made. “It is all in the function and details,” says McMillan, mentioning the addition of multifunctional booths that can be moved to allow the boardroom to accommodate larger parties. McGuire and Ellis were also instrumental in designing a new pathway to the wine bar from the family room, a space allowing guests to peruse the enticing wine selections Genusa’s offers while waiting to be seated. 

“It has a transitional feel,” says McMillan, referring to the interior’s less-is-more approach, which combines sleek materials and layers of texture. Clearly, the result of hard work done well, Genusa’s is the comeback kid on the block. “The entire project was great to work on. I can’t say enough great things about working with Cherry because I just felt like she was very open to ideas,” says McMillan, finishing with, “We thought through every single decision that we were recommending to her, and so I think that’s why we ended up with a great space because she was willing to step out there.” The effort placed into intentionality has resulted in consistently, fully-booked nights. McMillan still has clients who have unsuccessfully been able to book an evening. “But, you know, it’s a great problem to have,” says McMillan. 

The renovations to Genusa’s Italian Restaurant kept many in tremendous anticipation, but none matched that of Cherry. From the harrowing realization of destruction to the bliss of reopening, she has walked a path of great ups and downs, but that has only allowed her to reflect more deeply on the experience. “The building was built in 1957, and so the bones of the building were actually quite tired, to put it nicely,” she says, recognizing that perhaps it was time for a change. “I don’t know whether there was any divine intervention in it. I hate to say that, you know, because I know that we all have control over our own lives, but it was time to do it.” Cherry finally feels relief that after a long and arduous nine months, her daughters, “my girls,” she says, have “many, many years of a very strong, fabulous building.”

Genusa’s Italian Restaurant is located at 815 Park Ave and it is open Tuesday through Saturday between 5 to 10 PM. Follow them on Facebook to stay in the know of drink and food specials.