715 Royal Street #H, New Orleans, LA 70116

If Paris and New Orleans ever agreed to share custody of a living space, it would look like this: a tiny, elegant pied-a-terre on Royal Street in an 1831 townhouse--small in size, profound in allure, a diamond that decided it didn't need extra carats to shine brightly. The main floor is about 100 square feet including the bath--exposed brick, antique French settees, cypress flooring, and ceilings that soar to roughly fourteen feet with beams that feel original. A crystal chandelier catches the light. A towering gilt mirror throws it back. Beveled glass and old-world woodwork make the entry feel like a scene change. The main-floor window offers French Quarter rooftops and the downtown skyline. The spiral stair--black iron with fleur-de-lis cutouts, brass rail curling like a bracelet--leads to the 80-square-foot loft where the bed tucks beneath the roofline and a small window shares an equally captivating view. And there is no kitchen, because the French Quarter is your kitchen: oysters...