July 2019 | Design STL

JUL/AUG 2019

THE BOLD & THE

BEAUTIFUL HOW ONE ST. LOUIS FAMILY FOUND THEIR FOREVER DREAM HOME p.52

In My Kitchen Four of St. Louis’ top restaurateurs invite us into their home kitchens. p.34 At One With The Trees Discover a hidden gem in Sugar Creek’s Architects’ Alley p.46

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Home to St. Louis’ award-winning design firms.

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FURNITURE

TEXTILES

AUTCOHOME APPLIANCES BECK /ALLEN C ABINE TRY FLOOR SOURCE K DR DESIGNER SHOWROOMS PREMIER PLUMBING S TUDIO WALBR ANDT TECHNOLOGIES WORK ING SPACES

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APPLIANCES

HOME AUTOMATION

AM Y S TUDEBAK ER DESIGN JCR DESIGN GROUP JOHNSON DESIGN MARCIA MOORE DESIGN YOURS BY DESIGN

FLOORING

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ENVIRONMENTS

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JUL/AUG

C ON T EN TS DISCOVER 15 BATH TIME

Artist Cindy O’Hare crafts a bathtub scene with pink dogwood blossoms.

18 BURNING WITH STYLE

A roundup of some of the most advanced ovens and ranges on the market.

20 A CLEANER KITCHEN

Angela Flotken advocates for small changes over time.

DESIGN 23 WALL OF WONDERS

Senegal-inspired baskets make for novel home décor.

24 BALANCING ACT

Styling a brass-and-glass kitchen shelf with Deanna Fasnacht.

26 DESIGNS TO DYE FOR

Lydia Crespo wants to be a resource for other makers.

PROPERTY At Pop Sparkling Bar & Restaurant, the look is as bubbly as the beverages.

ALL ABOUT KITCHENS & BATHS Design ideas for two of the most personal rooms in the house.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN

29 A SPARKLING SUCCESS

38

ON THE COVER

Photography by Alise O’Brien

32 TWO FOR ONE

The Bender brothers are bonded by a love for design.

D E S I GN CR US H

70 INIGO GONDRA

FEATURES

Translating a tradition I NDEX

6

34

72 ASK THE EDITORS

IN MY KITCHEN

Design STL editors and art directors dish about their favorite chefs.

Four local chefs invite us inside their homes.

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46

AT ONE WITH THE TREES

In Architects’ Alley, nature is a backdrop to life.

52

SHIFTING GEARS

For one St. Louis family, a dream house is lost… and then found. stlmag.com

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FOR

DESIGN STL

1600 S. BRENTWOOD, SUITE 550 ST. LOUIS, MO 63144 314-918-3000 | FAX 314-918-3099 STLMAG.COM

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Veronica Theodoro DEPUT Y EDITOR Amanda Woytus CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jarrett Medlin STAFF WRITER Jeannette Cooperman DINING EDITOR George Mahe DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Steph Zimmerman ASSOCIATE EDITOR Samantha Stevenson COPY EDITOR Kerry Bailey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Amy Burger, Kim Hill,

Megan Mertz, Chris Naffziger, Charlene Oldham, Jen Roberts, Brooke Semke, Sydney Loughran Wolf

ART & PRODUCTION

DESIGN DIRECTOR Tom White ART DIRECTOR Emily Cramsey SALES & MARKETING DESIGNER Monica Lazalier PRODUCTION MANAGER Dave Brickey STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Kevin A. Roberts CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Alise O’Brien, Jennifer Silverberg, Carmen Troesser

ADVERTISING

SALES DIRECTOR Kim Moore DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL SALES Chad Beck ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

UGLY CONCRETE?

Jill Gubin, Brian Haupt, Liz Schaefer, Dani Toney

SALES & MARKETING COORDINATOR Elaine Hoffmann DIGITAL ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Blake Hunt

EVENTS

DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL EVENTS Jawana Reid

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CIRCULATION

CIRCUL ATION MANAGER Dede Dierkes CIRCUL ATION COORDINATOR Teresa Foss

BUSINESS

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Carrie Mayer BUSINESS MANAGER Carol Struebig

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FOR QUESTIONS CALL: Kollette Greene 214-891-2947

It’s more than a showroom.

It’s a feast for the senses.

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VOLUME 1, ISSUE 4

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Six issues of Design STL and two issues of St. Louis Family are included with a paid subscription to St. Louis Magazine ($19.95 for 20 issues).

Call 314-918-3000 to place an order or to inform us of a change of address, or visit stlmag.com/subscribe. For corporate and group subscription rates, contact Teresa Foss at 314-918-3030.

ONLINE CALENDAR

Call 314-918-3000 or email Amanda Woytus at awoytus@stlmag.com. (Please include “Online Calendar” in subject line.) Or submit events at stlmag.com/events/submit.html.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Send letters to the editor to vtheodoro@stlmag.com.

EVENTS

For information about special events, call Jawana Reid at 314-918-3026.

ADVERTISING

To place an ad, contact Elaine Hoffmann at 314-918-3002 or ehoffmann@stlmag.com.

DISTRIBUTION

Call Dede Dierkes at 314-918-3006.

Subscription Rates: $19.95 for one year. Call for foreign subscription rates. Frequency: Monthly. Single Copies in Office: $5.46. Back Issues: $7.50 by mail (prepaid). Copyright 2018 by St. Louis Magazine, LLC. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in part or whole is strictly prohibited without the express written permission of the publisher. Unsolicited manuscripts may be submitted but must be accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. ©2019 by St. Louis Magazine. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED 1600 S. Brentwood, Suite 550 St. Louis, MO 63144 314-918-3000 | Fax 314-918-3099 stlmag.com

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LETTER

FROM THE EDITOR

If I could keep an item from this issue, it would have to be one of Lydia Crespo’s dyed sweatshirts. They’re comfy, current, and made in St. Louis.

I love being surrounded by nature, so the Architects’ Alley home is my idea of heaven.

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Lee, Ben Poremba, and Zoë Robinson—about their home kitchens and all things culinary.

You may also want to get out your pen and notebook. Woytus’ profiles are chock-full of tips and trade secrets.

Elsewhere in the issue, a love affair with flowers seems to be in bloom. On page 15, read about artist Cindy O’Hare and how she uses flowers to create art. Her work is so lovely, I’m contemplating having my children’s likenesses trimmed in petals and photographed to hang in the house. If it’s novel home décor ideas you’re seeking, don’t miss basket weaver Sofi Seck’s wall art (p. 23). Seck created those stunning baskets and the flower-shaped arrangement exclusively for Design STL. And finally, see how Dave and Kara Bailey, the owners of Pop, have incorporated floral motifs into the design of their sparkling wine bar (p. 29).

Hint: It’s all about the wallpaper.

vtheodoro@stlmag.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN, CARMEN TROESSER

I’VE OFTEN THOUGHT that editors and designers have much in common. Whether you trade in words or woodwork, vision, creativity, and an ample supply of energy are essential to magazine-making and to the re-design of a living room or, say, the revamp of a tired-out kitchen space. I’m reminded of this meeting of the minds every time I visit with designers to talk about their projects, and during impromptu conversations with those whom I see around town, including at my local pilates studio. It seems that we’re similar types, driven by a passion for our work and problem-solvers to the core.

In this issue’s kitchens and baths feature (p. 38), our writers fanned out across St. Louis to talk to designers about their latest residential work in interviews that consistently turned into master classes on how to handle challenges (read: limited footprints, tight turnaround times, inflexible budgets) and still get close to what the designers, and the homeowners, envisioned for the space.

And if after reading those stories you’re still wanting to feast your eyes on more gorgeous kitchens, turn to page 34. There, deputy editor Amanda Woytus has something special in store for us: She’s interviewed four of our city’s top restaurateurs—Gerard Craft, Bernie

A favorite outtake from this issue: a picture of the bedroom belonging to Robby and Norma McGehee’s daughter, Cammie.

That chair, that wallpaper, those sconces!

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PRODUCTS AND PLACES

CONNECT

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF BEE IN THE BUCKET

beeinthebucket.com

Bath Time Usually, floral artist Cindy O’Hare works on a huge foam core board, arranging, photographing, and sweeping away. Lately, though, she’s gotten interested in miniatures, so for Design STL, she crafted a bathtub scene with pink dogwood blossoms, pressed iris, vinca flowers, and ginkgo leaves. Baby’s breath forms the rim of the tub, and after laying each flyaway little ball in place, she added a miniature shell. O’Hare’s artistry began three years ago, during a craft project intended for her granddaughter, Mayebee. She’d been a very busy baby, so her nickname was Bee, and starting a business had been on O’Hare’s bucket list… so Bee in the Bucket was born. —JEANNETTE COOPERMAN stlmag.com

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FIRST PERSON

Here’s an Artist’s Business Plan A half-formed idea, a little mischievous play, and a serious reason to dive in EXCUSE ME? See, it’s taken on a

whole new aspect. Now, instead of seeing a leaf, I see hair or an eyebrow.

IS THAT WHERE A PORTRAIT BEGINS? Not always. Sometimes

I have an idea in mind; sometimes it’s just foliage or the season that gives me the inspiration. That’s been the cool thing, when I don’t know exactly what I’m doing and I start pushing things around on my board and all of a sudden the face just appears. It’s almost like they take on this personality of their own. Oh, there you are!

HANG ON. YOU DON’T GLUE THESE AMAZING ARRANGEMENTS IN PLACE? I don’t. That’s part of

the therapy. I create it, and then I brush it away. I send it back to nature or recycle it; I’m making a small footprint.

People always ask me, “Why don’t you glue and sell the original?” But I’m not interested in that. It’s a lot of pressure to make it permanent, and for me, anyway, that was part of the whole healing with my mom, letting it go. I still feel that connection with her when I’m working on projects.

DO YOU GATHER ALL YOUR MATERIALS YOURSELF? Some of my

YOU AND YOUR MOM WERE CLOSE? I lost my father at a very young age, so it was always my mom, and I saw her most every day. It was such a loss. So I just started making face after face.

I’d take the walks and have a good cry and pick

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up leaves or flower petals. I eventually realized I needed to bring a bag, because I was finding things and crushing them in my pocket.

HOW COOL, THOUGH, THAT YOUR NEW MEDIUM WAS ALL AROUND YOU. Once, it had rained,

and in the gutter there were all of these pretty little purple petals, like a stream, and here I was crouched on the side of the street and cars going by wondering about me! My husband’s gotten used to me stopping on the way into a restaurant to pick up leaves on the sidewalk. I always have some element of nature in my coat pocket or purse. I’ve gotten to where I carry little scissors, because you never know when you’re gonna find an eyebrow.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

After a long walk spent gathering twigs and acorns, Cindy O’Hare’s granddaughter needed a nap. O’Hare had the glue and paper all set up, so she started idly arranging twigs into a simple face. She burst out laughing, because the portrait looked just like one of her sons— something about the shape of the face, the eyes… A month later, her second face came: a portrait of her mother, using the flowers from one of her funeral arrangements.

neighbors know what I do now, and I’ll come home and find a bag of clippings on my porch.

My sister-in-law dropped off a bag one day, and there was a bunch of dried clippings on top and, underneath, different flowers. I put the dried stuff on my board and searched the bag, all excited, and then I stood up, looked at the dried stuff, and thought, “That looks like a nest!” At the time we had two nieces expecting babies, so I decided that instead of a bird I was going to put a baby in the nest. That was my first baby shower invitation. —J.C. stlmag.com

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SEEN AROUND TOWN

Burning With Style From self-cleaning to remote WiFi access and precise temperature control, here are some of the most advanced ovens on the market. —BROOKE SEMKE

M Series Double Oven by Wolf “Our most technologically advanced oven, the Wolf M Series is available in convection or convection steam. [It] features smart touchscreen controls and is available in Pro, Transitional, and Contemporary styles.”

—Kelly Dalton, showroom manager, Roth Living

Rise and Noir

by JennAir “Rise and Noir professional ranges feature flat tine racks, connected temperature probe, remote WiFi access, and versatile cooking modes.” —Tricia Gedney, customer service representative , Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery

CornuFé 110 by La Cornue “La Cornue offers a winning combination of impeccable design and culinary grace. Our customers say they never knew an oven could bake like these do. They’re not only conversation pieces but highly skilled machines.” —Elizabeth Coffin, partner, Brooksberry Kitchen & Baths

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Café “Café ovens offer a luxurious, custom look at up to 50 percent less than other premium ovens. Not only does it come in multiple finishes (stainless steel, matte white, and matte black), but you can customize the handles too.” —Justin Breckle, vice president and managing partner, Authorized Appliance

Monogram “Monogram’s biggest claim to fame is the French oven door. The upper oven in the double style is self-cleaning, and that’s a plus. Racks can be left inside the oven when the self-cleaning function is on.” —Kim Zimmer, appliance specialist, AUTCO Appliances

Sully 2200 by Lacanche “The Sully 2200 from Lacanche was one of the first design decisions we made when planning the new showroom. It allows for customization of the cooktop and a choice of enamel colors and metallic trim combinations. We were confident the Lacanche aesthetic would stand the test of time.” —Emily Faber, director of marketing, Beck/Allen Cabinetry

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SUSTAINABILITY

A Cleaner Kitchen Angela Flotken advocates for making small changes over time. —SYDNEY LOUGHRAN WOLF

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1. THINK LOCAL

Fruits and vegetables from conventional farms, even after washing, may contain a surface residue of pesticides and chemicals such as glyphosate. Flotken suggests looking for the USDA Organic label or buying from a local farmer who doesn’t use pesticides. “The Tower Grove Farmers’ Market is great for this,” she says. Another option is to join a community-supported agriculture network, which provides seasonal local produce in weekly drop-offs.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER

twelve years ago, when Angela Flotken was expecting her first child, she began to take a deeper interest in her health and wanted to know more about the food and kitchen items that she was buying at her local grocery.

She began researching ingredients, the biodegradability of packaging, toxins in manufactured items, and just about any other item that she was using or consuming in her daily life. Since then, Flotken’s taken her research one step further by launching The Better Have, a wellness blog on which she writes about clean, healthy living. By researching and personally testing products, she’s helping others leapfrog these time-consuming tasks.

“Small changes add up,” says Flotken. “Educating people about changes they can make over time eventually makes a big difference.”

Here, she shares smart, simple methods for making better choices in and around the kitchen.

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2. CHOOSE AN ALTERNATIVE

6. CONSIDER CLOTH

Many nonstick pots and pans are made with PTFE (the chemical abbreviation for Teflon), a toxic chemical that the EPA has found to be persistent in the environment and the human body.

“When nonstick pots and pans reach a high heat, chemicals leach into the food cooked in them, so avoid using all nonstick surfaces,” Flotken says, citing cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic, glass, and lined copper as safe alternatives. She looks for the All-Clad brand when shopping for cookware.

Flotken is dismayed by how much paper waste is created in the kitchen, so she opts for cloth dish towels when she’s cleaning and cloth napkins when eating. “A traditional napkin is made white by chlorine, so look for napkins that are chlorine-free or made of recycled material. For heavy-duty spills, I still use paper towels, but the recycled kind,” she says. Instead of disposable paper and plastic, Flotken sets out dishes and extra cutlery.

3. BUY ORGANIC BUTTER

Buy only organic or grass-fed butter, Flotken says, because it contains healthy saturated fats and is rich in fat-soluble vitamins K2. “Conventional butter is one of the most chemical-laden foods you can purchase, because non-organically raised cows feed on pesticidetreated crops and are given growth hormones to trigger or prolong milk production,” says Flotken. “These harmful toxins and hormones accumulate in your system.”

4. FILTER YOUR WATER

For those seeking cleaner water, the Pure Effect ULTRA-UC-DISINFECT filters a wide range of contaminants, but at $625, it’s pricey. The midpriced brand PUR offers faucet filtration, dispenser, and pitcher options that remove many contaminants and 99 percent of lead from water. “Soma is a less expensive option for pitchers, mugs, and bottles,” Flotken adds.

5. CHOOSE TO DIFFUSE

Organic essential oils in an evaporative, ultrasonic, or nebulizing diffuser are a natural alternative for scenting the air inside a home. Flotken fills a bamboo diffuser by NOW with water and a few drops of essential oils to create a lightly scented mist in her kitchen. “For a wide selection of essential oils, visit Cheryl’s Herbs in Maplewood,” she suggests.

7. REMOVE YOUR SHOES

“We tend to track in feces, pesticides, dirt, and dust on the soles of our shoes.

Some of it breaks down naturally in the sunshine outside, but it’s not going to do that in your house,” Flotken says.

“Keep a shoe rack or basket near the door and encourage family and visitors to remove their shoes when they come indoors.” She notes that cleaner floors are especially important if there are young children at home who like to spread out on the floor and play.

8. DIY CLEANERS

When it comes to cleaning products, Flotken says less is more: “Make your own all-purpose cleaner, using half a teaspoon of nontoxic dish soap, 1 cup of vinegar, and a few drops of essential oils if you want scent, then fill the rest of the bottle with water.” If DIY isn’t your thing, Flotken suggests Branch Basics, a biodegradable cleaning concentrate that is mixed with water. For dish soap and dishwashing detergent, Flotken likes unscented Better Life, ECOS Dishmate Free & Clear, and Seventh Generation Free & Clear soaps. For handwashing, stick to plain soap and water. “There’s no evidence that antibacterial soaps do a better job,” she says.

9. REPLACE KITCHEN CONTAINERS

To minimize plastic waste, switch to reusable lunch containers and snack bags in clean materials. “Dalcini food containers and S’well water bottles are both stainless steel, durable, and kid-friendly,” Flotken says. “Avoid using single-use plastic bags; opt for washable silicone Stasher bags for wet snacks like apple slices and carrots or dishwasher-safe fabric LunchSkins bags for dry snacks like popcorn and pretzels.” Don’t forget about reusable lunchboxes and bags. Flotken is partial to a machine-washable, phthalate-free linen option from So Young.

10. RETHINK STRAWS

“Americans use approximately 500 million plastic straws every day. Switch to reusable glass or steel, or just forgo them altogether,” Flotken says. If a straw is a must, try the stainless steel variety by U-Konserve.

11. DON’T SHOW ME THE RECEIPTS

“Cash register receipts and deli and bakery labels are printed on thermal paper, which is coated with BPA and other chemicals. A 2017 PLOS One study found that BPA is readily absorbed through the skin and is a known endocrine disruptor,” Flotken says. To reduce exposure, she recommends transferring food, such as deli meats, to lead-free glass containers with silicone tops. “Whenever possible, don’t accept receipts,” she says. “Instead, request a paperless receipt via email or text.” stlmag.com

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FAC E BO OK @stlmag @designstl @stlfamily

T WIT T ER @stlmag @stlmag_dining @designstl

INSTAGR AM @stlouismag @designstl @stlouismag_events @stlouisfamily

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LIVING WITH DESIGN

CONNECT

expeditionsubsahara.com

Wall of Wonders

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

Sofi Seck’s handwoven baskets make for natural—and novel—home décor.

“I like the non-normal,” says Sofi Seck of Expedition Subsahara. The same can be said of Seck’s clients, who, bypassing photography or paintings, call on her to create walls starring her line of decorative baskets. Each basket can take anywhere from three to six hours to weave, depending on size, and comprises more than 40 coils made from hundreds of strands of elephant grass, shipped to St. Louis from Senegal, Seck’s home country. The baskets function as practical items (to catch keys atop a credenza in the foyer) or as wall art anywhere in the house. For Design STL, Seck designed and arranged six new baskets, woven in neutral-toned coils, into the shape of a flower—a departure for the artist, who’s known for incorporating bright colors and abstract shapes into her designs. “I want our baskets to have a sense of freeness,” she says. “The baskets can be whatever a person interprets them to be.” —SAMANTHA STEVENSON

stlmag.com

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STYLE FILE

Balancing Act Deanna Fasnacht of Peek Interiors styles an of-the-moment brass-and-glass kitchen shelf in a way that’s both practical and alluring.

THE REALITY OF the open-concept kitchen is that what was once hidden behind cabinet doors is now a part of the décor. See for yourself: Spices line the bottom shelf, and stylish glass containers within easy reach offer convenience and flair. The shelves may be filled to the brim, but there’s a purpose for every item and nothing looks too busy or out of place. “In general, it’s all about achieving balance,” Fasnacht says.

STEP 3

CONSIDER A THEME

Don’t forget to “add height and sculpture,” Fasnacht says. Shop for a range of items, and don’t be afraid to play with shape. On a recent shopping trip, Fasnacht was charmed by the handmade duck pictured here. Why? “It’s fun,” she says simply. The designer gives the duck some height by stacking him atop a book. Three levels below, additional books add to the literary theme.

Another pattern emerges with the tree branch that almost floats off the shelf and the potted plant that grows high and to the right.

—SAMANTHA STEVENSON

STEP 4 STEP 1

WHAT’S YOUR LOOK?

Decide whether you want to amp up, or downplay, your shelving.

Fasnacht chooses to warm up the brassy tones in a shelf made by Rande Hackmann of Architectural Elements. By adding natural textures from plants and wooden items, plus decorative pieces plucked from local vintage stores, she’s creating contrast without competing against the shelf itself.

STEP 2

PICK AN ELEMENT

Fasnacht recommends that homeowners choose an object they love and work around it. Here, she selects a plant with undulating leaf edges and surrounds it with warm wooden objects whose lines are similar. She then grabs an assortment of objects in various shapes and sizes—coffee mugs, glass jars, a stylish mortar and pestle, to name a few—and lets them make their mark.

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MIX AND MATCH

“Bridge the gap between modern pieces and ceramics,” says Fasnacht.

The assortment should look seamless but will likely take some time to perfect, so play around with what you have, moving objects from one spot to another until the look is just right. Try placing handmade objects like pottery, original and rare in appearance, on the same shelf as an industrial piece like the circular sculpture shown here. On another shelf, the mix features a decorative candle next to a wooden tray filled with garlic cloves.

STEP 5

REPETITION KEEPS IT INTERESTING

This photo depicts four main colors— white, black, gold, green—but the intentional repetition of each creates a dialogue among the various pieces.

Choose a handful of hues and work in patterns and textures when styling your own kitchen shelves.

stlmag.com

5/30/19 2:05 PM

Design STL Architect & Designer Awards Recipient 2018 & 2019

marcia moore design Intelligent design. Signature style.

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Photo by Suzy Gorman

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Park Slope Bedroom by Stickley

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Designs to Dye For

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by her bosses, two women, to start her own business. “I got to ask them every question in the world,” she says. She used the funds from a fellowship to launch Argaman&Defiance.

That passing along of knowledge is something Crespo hopes to do for other makers.

“With people coming here, or when I’m at a market or a pop-up, I get maybe five minutes with the customer to explain my process,” she says, “but when I’m running a workshop, I get to turn that into a two-hour conversation about design.” —AMANDA WOYTUS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER

WHEN LYDIA CRESPO moved out of her art studio in Chicago for the final time last year, she wondered whether she’d ever find another space like it.

Now, from Studio 10 in St. Charles’ Foundry Art Centre, the Argaman&Defiance owner rotates among mixing batches of dye she’ll use to color her popular sweatshirts and linens, running down the hall to pop more garments into the washer, and changing the load in the studio’s dryer. Every once in a while she’ll stop to chat with curious guests drawn into the space by her work.

“Oh! Indigo dye,” exclaims a passerby.

“I’m not teaching indigo dye classes right now,” responds Crespo, “but I am teaching onion skin dye.”

On a corner table spattered with drops of red, blue, black, and white ink, Crespo— whose goods are sold in more than 50 boutiques nationwide and who’s designed for Urban Outfitters, West Elm, and Target— begins to mix a batch of pink dye, carefully eyeing the glugs of red and white inks she’s pouring into a plastic container from Home Depot. Ball jars filled with onion skin and Osage orange—used to make natural dyes— line the shelves. Using a rubber spatula, she mixes her concoction; with the paddle end she scrapes down the container’s side, adding black ink to cool the hue. “What does this need?” she asks herself. Eventually, she achieves the perfect shade of blush.

To make the pattern for her textiles— smoky shibori-like swirls—Crespo will bunch the fabric before applying the ink, using the garment as resistance. “I wanted to do a grownup version of tie-dye, but I’m not actually tie-dyeing,” she says. “I like to show the hand. You’re seeing a brushstroke; you’re seeing the way the brush is pulling against the fabric.” It’s trial-and-error. Crespo scraps a piece at least four times before getting it right.

What Crespo likes about working at the Foundry is that there are “14 other artists here, and they’re available to problem-solve with me.” That she found an art home in St. Charles isn’t surprising. She was a photography major at St. Louis Community College– Florissant Valley before turning to sculpture and studying at the Art Institute of Chicago.

“I don’t know how to describe it, other than my hands knew what to do,” says Crespo.

“Understanding how the dyes were working— it made sense.”

But it wasn’t until Crespo worked at Ogilvie/Pertl in Chicago that she was inspired

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©2019 WATERWOR KS IS A R EG IST ER ED TR A DEMA R K OF WATERWOR KS IP COMPANY, LLC

Lydia Crespo, the founder of Argaman&Defiance, hopes to become a resource for other makers.

©2019 WATERWOR KS IS A R EG IST ER ED TR A DEMA R K OF WATERWOR KS IP COMPANY, LLC

AVAILABLE AT IMMERSE 836 HANLEY INDUSTRIAL CT, ST. LOUIS, MO 314.375.1500 | WWW.IMMERSESTL.COM

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

REAL ESTATE, CONTRACTORS, ARCHITECTS

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RESTAURANT DESIGN

A Sparkling Success The décor is as bubbly as the beverages at Pop Sparkling Bar & Restaurant in Lafayette Square.

WHEN RESTAURATEURS Dave and Kara

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bar and later L’Acadiane, Dave says, it’s exciting to see it reimagined as Pop. The concept is near and dear to his heart, in part because he originally came up with it while dating Kara.

“Ultimately, we wanted a space with the concept of celebrating the everyday. Everyone deserves sparkling wine and Champagne,” Kara says, noting that they want people to feel like they can come to Pop for a special occasion or even after yoga on a normal weekday.

“It’s a space you feel comfortable in, that gives a true sense of joy with the colors.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

Bailey unveiled their newest endeavor, Pop Sparkling Bar & Restaurant, in January, they did it right in the middle of dinner service. As invited guests stared in amazement, staff tore down curtains, reset tables, hung new art on the walls, and brought out the bubbly.

The delight surrounding Pop’s surprise debut was fitting: Every aspect of the establishment, from the menu to the décor, is meant to evoke a sense of joy and fun.

It’s almost impossible to miss the showstopping floral wallpaper in the front room of the restaurant. Based on Andy Warhol’s 1964 Flowers series, it was made to order by Brooklyn-based Flavor Paper.

The Pop Art–inspired wallpaper was Dave’s only must-have for the décor. The rest of Pop’s elegant design was spearheaded by Kara, although she says it was a collaborative effort.

Pop’s design features an aptly chosen color palette of “Champagne-y colors and rosés,” she says. From the colorful pillows on the banquette to the flowers on each table to the pink ombré wall, carefully planned pops of color stand out against the dark furniture and muted background colors.

The back room has its own eye-catching artwork, which Kara and her mother, retired art teacher Maryellen Picker, spent nearly a month creating. Their Jackson Pollock–style paintings adorn one wall; on another, round canvases float toward the ceiling like bubbles.

The bursts of color, Pop Art touches, and overall concept “play off sparkling wine and bubbles,” Dave says. “They’re energetic.

They’re effervescent. They’re fun.”

Kara’s design also mimics the bubbly beverages on their drink menu by bringing in a sense of movement. “In front you have the bar, and there are always bottles popping,” she says. “We installed glass racks in the back…so you can see the sparkles flowing at all times.”

Devotees of Baileys’ Chocolate Bar, which occupies the building’s second floor, may recognize a few items from the décor. Kara incorporated the vintage mirrors and some other elements into Pop to visually tie the two spaces together, as well as to embrace the French architecture of the building.

Pop and the Chocolate Bar “are complementary,” Dave says. “People are coming to Pop and then going upstairs for a nightcap or dessert, which is awesome because then you as the guest get that two-for-one experience without having to drive away.”

After using the space first for the chocolate

—MEGAN MERTZ

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MADE BY HAND

Two for One The Bender brothers are bonded by a shared love for design.

JOSH AND MATT BENDER often joke that the

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His initial dive into design was born of necessity: After marrying, in 2006, he and wife Shannon needed a bedframe for their bedroom and a crib for their first child.

Starting with a basic stock design, Matt added his own touches to create unique, personal pieces.

Since completing the projects—Josh was inspired to do the same when he married his wife, Elizabeth—the brothers have chosen to focus their work on Midcentury Modern and contemporary Danish design.

They’re drawn to the aesthetic by its staying power and clean, purposeful forms that speak to how a piece functions. “Less is more,” says Josh. “No frills.”

Most of the brothers’ collection, from tables to lamps, is built in one of five hardwoods: mahogany, cherry, walnut, oak, or maple, all free of stains and paints. They prefer, they say, to show the natural beauty of the wood, which they source from U-Pick Hardwood Lumber, a local supplier.

“It speaks to our natural minimalist aesthetic,” Josh says.

The one exception to the rule is shou sugi ban, a traditional Japanese charring technique that the brothers offer as an adjunct finish on their designs, and the choice of color—slate, red, brown, or houndstooth—on the cord of the Tetrahedron Modern Wood Lamp.

The brothers like to make assembly as clean as their designs: Keyhole snaps are used for simple assemblage, removing the need for an Allen wrench.

Since the brothers’ first sale on Etsy, interest in their designs has increased.

“We didn’t have huge expectations,” says Josh, reflecting on their initial foray into woodworking. “We were just hoping something would sell.”

But quickly it became more. “It’s been a godsend to expand beyond the work we do behind a desk and work with our hands,” says Matt.

But even more important, Josh finishes, “[it’s gratifying] to know that people now have pieces in their homes that they cherish.”

—CHRIS NAFFZINGER

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

name of their furniture design company— Blackhall Woodworks—was the one thing they could agree on back in 2017 when they debuted their woodworking shop on Etsy.

The brothers were not close growing up, they confide, but today they are so in tune that they often finish each other’s sentences.

Inside their 120-square-foot woodworking shop, in the basement of Matt’s house in Rock Hill, the two meet regularly after their day jobs—Josh is an architect at M+H Architects, Matt an art director at 2e Creative.

The brothers’ interest in furnituremaking began to dovetail after college, although their paths up to that time differed.

Matt graduated from Maryville University with a degree in graphic design, and Josh studied architecture at the University of Kansas. It was a “strong sense of design” that brought them together, says Josh, 33.

“Our parents instilled in us a can-do attitude,” adds Matt, 39. “I didn’t like anything [that I was seeing] out there, so I decided to start building things myself.”

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I N MY K I T C H E N

What do you do when four of St. Louis’ top restaurateurs invite you into their homes? You listen carefully and take plenty of notes.

BY AMANDA WOYTUS

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ZOË ROBINSON

1. Robinson describes her husband’s style as traditional but with a modern art collection.

She brought “quirky antiques and a few really modern pieces to marry the styles.”

2. The marble backsplash is the same Danby that Robinson used as her tabletop, lending a sense of continuity as well as contrast to the butcher block counters. “The marble is behind the stove, too, which is kind of scary,” she says. “I thought that

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER

For Zoë Robinson, the restaurateur behind some of St. Louis’ most elegant restaurants (I Fratellini, Bar Les Freres, and Billie-Jean) the blessing of her Clayton home’s kitchen was that most of it was already designed by the time she moved in—by her husband.

“He had already put in the Viking, the Sub-Zero, the wine fridge, and the cabinets. The basics were here,” she says.

Just one caveat: “He had this big honking island.” That piece, topped with a hunk of butcher block, was first to go. Replacing it: a dreamy marble–topped table that seats six, three on a white banquette and three on the walnut chairs that echo the updated butcher block. Robinson loves the airy quality: “I like that it’s open and you can move around in here.”

I would screw it up—you know, tomato sauce— but I’m careful.”

3. For most people, glass-front cabinets pose a threat: Everything inside has to be organized. For Robinson and her husband—she calls him a neatnik—it’s no big deal. “If I could do it over,” she says, “I’d have the Sub-Zero refrigerator with the glass front. I like the challenge.”

4. “I had window treatments, but I took them all down,” Robinson says.

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“The bare windows bring the outside in, and at night, all that bamboo is lit up and it’s beautiful.”

5. Originally, the parquet floors were a darker oak color; Robinson had them stripped for this lighter look.

6. If she were stranded on a desert island, Robinson says, she’d choose her Shun knives as her must-have. Her favorite tool in the kitchen? Tongs—specifically OXO tongs. “They’re the best ones,” she says. “You use them for meat and for pasta or if you’re roasting vegetables. I always have to have a lot of them.

Sometimes I use them so much that the plastic wears off.”

7. Robinson’s pantry is stocked with sea salt, Parmigiano-Reggiano, flat-leaf Italian parsley, and arugula. Of the last ingredient, she says: “It’s so versatile. You can put it in pasta; you can make a salad out of it; it can top a steak.”

8. The best restaurant appliance she wishes she could bring home?

“A commercial-grade dishwasher,” she says, “because it washes in about one minute.

That’s magnificent when you’re really cooking.”

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BEN POREMBA 1. “It’s such a tiny kitchen that everything is out,” Poremba says.

“Everything we use at least twice a week is usually out. We have some spices by the stove. We have our Nespresso machine and our hot water tower for tea. Maybe one unusual thing that’s always out is a waffle maker. I make waffles at least twice a week for the kids.”

2. Poremba’s only ever cooked on a gas range, which he likes because of the type of cooking he most often does. “In my Middle Eastern cooking, there’s a lot of things you actually do right on the range, like roast eggplants or peppers. I put them on the fire. If I warm up pizza or tortillas, I’ll do it right on the fire.”

3. The heavy-duty hood came with the house. It removes not only steam but also carbon monoxide.

Israeli chef Ben Poremba’s restaurants are globally influenced— Mediterranean at Olio and Elaia, French at La Pâtisserie Chouquette, Moroccan at The Benevolent King, and a Mexican inspiration at Nixta­— so it’s only fitting that his Webster Groves home kitchen features some of the same international elements. One standout: a wall of Middle Eastern/North African hamsas, symbols of protection. Poremba’s Moroccan mother, also a chef, kept them in her home. When Poremba and his wife went on their first trip to Israel together, they purchased one. “Every time we go, she buys a new one,” the chef says. Another special detail about the kitchen: Before Poremba and his family lived here, it belonged to Zoë Robinson.

4. For the chef, cookware holds memories: “I have a cast-iron skillet I keep—I use it, but it’s also sentimental.

The most important is my crêpe skillet. That was from 40 years ago, when my mother started her career making crêpes.”

5. “I like to use a small handheld mandoline.

When I make a salad, I’ll shave carrots, celery, or cucumbers right into a bowl.”

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BERNIE LEE Like the food he’ll serve at his forthcoming Malaysian restaurant, Akar, opening next to Bar Les Freres in Clayton, Bernie Lee’s home kitchen in University City is inspired by his childhood in the Southeast Asian country. The stoneware, the décor, even the type of range he uses—they all tell the story of who he is. But the house is also modeled after boutique hotels. “The only time I’m relaxed is when I check into a hotel,” the restaurateur/chef says. “My mind goes, ‘I’m on vacation now.’ And I love boutique hotels, because I love design.” Before creating his kitchen space, he stood in the kitchen, originally enclosed, to think about how he’d use it. “The kitchen is always the heart of the household,” he says, “so it had to come first.” What he aimed for: pretty, classic, practical.

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2. When Lee purchased his house, he knew he needed an island so that he could entertain informally. The room next to the kitchen used to be his din-

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3. “The kitchen is basically my office.” One wall holds Lee’s cookbooks—including Nobu Now, by legendary Japanese chef Nobu Matsuhisa—plus items he’s brought back from abroad. “I designed this place for me.” he says.

4. Lee keeps tea from England and Japan, coffee from Vietnam— and cocoa from World Market. He takes his coffee with condensed milk, the Malay way.

5. The cabinets came with the house but Lee sanded them and painted them gray: “A lot of people go with trends, and I go with what I like, and I like gray.”

6. “Sometimes I go to somebody’s house and they have a beautiful kitchen, but I can tell they don’t cook,” Lee says. “It’s not practical.”

One very practical thing about this space: the

stainless steel backsplash and sink. “I cook.

I prep. This is my playground,” the chef says.

“I need to think through the materials.”

7. “This is totally Southeast Asia,” Lee says, picking up a basket. One side serves as a veggie carrier from garden to kitchen. Flip it over and you can dry fish. When Lee was a child, his grandmother toasted peanuts and put them in the basket, tossing them to make the skins fall away. Lee uses it as a serving platter, lining it with banana leaves so juices from foods don’t leave stains.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER

1. Lee collects stoneware by local artists— such as Malaysia-born Norleen Nosri—and while traveling. “When I travel, I mean, it’s not convenient, it’s heavy, so sometimes it’s just a little piece here and there—but sometimes I suck it up and I carry it,” he says, smiling.

ing room—meaning that nobody used the living room because they wanted to be in the kitchen. “One day, I came back from Malaysia, jetlagged,” he recalls. “I stood in my kitchen, looked around, and went, ‘Why don’t I flip them?’ Now it’s perfect. I can cook; we can talk; people can drink.”

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GERARD CRAFT One might assume that a house’s most important selling point for a chef would be the kitchen. Not so for Gerard Craft, James Beard Award winner and owner of Niche Food Group. He and his wife chose their new home, in Richmond Heights, for the backyard and school district and the tree-lush views. The kitchen, with its red granite counters and cherry cabinetry, needed an update—on a budget. “I wanted it to be kind of modern country French, like something I would see outside Paris in the country,” Craft says. He tapped furniture-maker David Stine to create three pairs of open shelves; removed some of the upper cabinets and painted everything white; and replaced the granite with one section of butcher block and another of marble. And the exposed brick behind the stove? “That we preserved.”

1. When Craft remodeled his old home, he changed the footprint of the kitchen and had to put this Tulip table into storage. Here, it’s given a second life.

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2. One of the chef’s favorite features is the large, one-bowl sink.

“I hated always having split sinks,” Craft says.

“You can’t put things like a roasting pan in them,” which, to him, is an essential, because braises—oxtail, lamb shanks—are his favorite things to cook. He makes

them year-round. “It’s really soulful and easy to share at the table.”

3. “I usually have farofa, which is like this crispy cassava, and garlic, and onions,” Craft says. He also keeps a container of Nishiki rice on hand—it’s possibly the mostconsumed food in his household. San Marzano tomatoes round out his pantry must-haves.

5. The June smart oven may get used more often than the chef’s six-burner Kitchen-Aid. It can be preheated from his phone and warms up fast, and his children are comfortable using it.

6. “There are some things that the microwave doesn’t agree with,” says Craft. “I don’t want to cook meat in a microwave. But say you’re reheating braised beef: If you think about it, when you reheat a

braise on a stovetop, the sauce starts to boil before the inside is hot, so you have to add a little water to it so it doesn’t burn or overreduce. But you pop it in the microwave, it heats up perfectly. There’s no other good way to heat up rice. Or I microwave coffee, because sometimes I forget about it.”

7. The limitededition wheat-pattern Christian Dior bowls were inherited from Craft’s grandmother.

The wheat makes him think of pasta. The patterned bowls, from Anthropologie, were a long-ago Mother’s Day gift, to his wife. “For our

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house, we just went in and painted all the walls white,” he says. “But then you get to have art, bits of color, and plants.”

8. The white plates are the Crafts’ wedding china. “I think we thought that every family needed to have a set of china,” he says.

He mixes in plates from Heath Ceramics.

The mattarelli—classic Italian pasta rolling pins—were a gift from Stine.

9. “I’m obsessed with thermometers,” says the chef. “I feel like you can’t cook well without one.” stlmag.com

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IF YOU’RE LOOKING FOR INSPIRING IDEAS, FOR TWO OF THE HOME’S MOST PERSONAL ROOMS, YOU’VE COME TO THE RIGHT PLACE.

WRIT TEN BY KIM HILL, MEGAN MERTZ, CHARLENE OLDHAM, JEN ROBERTS, VERONICA THEODORO, AND SYDNEY LOUGHRAN WOLF

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All About PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN

5/28/19 4:16 PM

Kitchens & Baths stlmag.com

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BREAKFAST NOOK

Contemporary Coastal

Next to the kitchen are a breakfast area and coffee station, and the family often sits for meals around the marble-topped Eero Saarinen Tulip table in these white leather Alias Taormina chairs. Morrison had

the cabinets, ceiling, walls, and trim painted Cabbage White by Farrow and Ball—a risky choice in light of the juxtaposition of colors in the breakfast and kitchen. “Making this selection in the breakfast room helped enhance the natural light that filters in through the windows,” says Morrison, who calls it “the lightbox.” Although the owners initially questioned the selection of a white shade with blue undertones, the decision felt right to Morrison, and they ended up making the leap of faith.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN

chandelier, the designer took a less-is-more approach, using Tom Dixon’s minimalist Stone wall light above the sink and Restoration Hardware’s streamlined Peralta Linear Chandelier above the island.

DESIGNER LEXIE MORRISON TAKES A RISK, AND WINS BIG, WITH HER L ATEST KITCHEN DESIGN IN CHESTERFIELD.

When they moved out of their ranch home, the homeowners decided that their new residence, located on a golf course, would be decorated in a contemporary coastal style. They hired designer Lexie Morrison of Blue Rider Design to create cohesion within the home’s open-floor concept while giving each space—including the kitchen, where the ceiling was dropped 10 inches to help establish boundaries—a distinct identity. “One of the most important goals of this project was to balance the very contemporary design and layout with architectural elements that define the spaces,” says Morrison. As for the clients, they keep having to remind themselves they’re not on vacation: They actually live in this house. –JEN ROBERTS ISLAND VIBE

NAVY AND BLACK

The clients love to entertain.

The island features a six-burner Wolf range and a pop-up downdraft venting system in place of a traditional hood, making it possible for the homeowners to engage with their guests while cooking. Morrison selected the Made Goods Rawley stools to serve as a counterpoint to the room’s clean, contemporary lines. “They’re traditional and modern at the same time,” says the designer, “and they tie in nicely with the breakfast nook.”

The kitchen gets lots of natural light through large windows all over the house, allowing Morrison to work in a combination of dark charcoal, walnut cabinets and a navy backsplash tile by Fireclay Tile. Black grout helps tone down the blue, she says.

Upon Reflection HOMEOWNERS LOOK BACK ON THE DESIGN CHOICES THEY MADE A YEAR AGO— AND OTHERS THEY WISH THEY HADN’T— DURING THE COURSE OF A RENOVATION. – SYDNEY LOUGHRAN WOLF

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FIXED ON LIGHT

Bold light fixtures are a Morrison design signature, but, not wanting the kitchen lights to compete with the adjacent living room’s 36-bulb statement

KITCHEN

“My husband is Greek, so food and entertaining are important to him. We built a center island that seats six, and our kitchen table can accommodate eight more people. A wall [in the kitchen] features a secondary sink, an icemaker, and a small under-counter fridge so that guests can help themselves to a drink. I envision having a baklava-making party at my house someday.”

–Mary Harocopos

BATHROOM

“Our designer sourced a vintage credenza for the master bathroom, added a plumbing hookup, and installed a sink in it. He complemented it with a vintage mirror and lights.

The overall effect is unique and memorable, and I wouldn’t have thought to choose vintage without him.”

–Jean Fidone-Schroer

KITCHEN

“I allocated space under the counter for both trash and recycling bins. But we’ve since found that we don’t like the smell from the recycling, and have ended up using both undercounter bins for trash only, and taking the recycling to the countainer outside.”

–Nicole Lander

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LOVELY LIGHTING

Before the renovation, the room had just one small window. Smith decided to enlarge it and add a window on each side of the original to allow more light in.

Schoolhouse Electric’s utilitarian light fixtures with brushed brass bases and clear saucers are used in place of can lights. Smith selected a large pendant from Hudson Valley with a “big industrial Americana vibe” to hang above the dining room table. “I thought it helped welcome the table into the space,” she says.

Americana Kitchen IN LOOKING TO THE PAST, CHELSEA DESIGN CO. FASHIONS A KITCHEN FITTING OF TODAY’S LIFEST YLE.

The owners—who work in politics—chose traditional Americana with functional elements for their kitchen. Chelsea Smith stayed true to the home’s classic character, but envisioned a kitchen from 100 years ago. “We selected finishes that speak to an all-American Ralph Lauren vibe,” she says. The colors also coordinate with the rest of the house— decorated in a red, white, and blue scheme. –JEN ROBERTS

BATHROOM

“We’re getting older, so we considered safety and functionality when discussing the design. The bathroom door used to open into the double vanity, so we replaced it with a pocket door and made it wide enough for a walker. The previous floor was a slippery white tile and is now an oversized, scored, and textural ceramic with some grip to it.”

–Judi Parrotte

CABINET CUES

A wall of custom, inset-construction cabinets add to the historical character of the room, while concealing a refrigerator, freezer, pantry, and coffee center. Fashioned from maple with a gray glaze, the cabinets offer ample functionality without skimping on style.

DETAILS, DETAILS

The Grecian-blue, marble-mosaic tile backsplash adds some color

KITCHEN

“I’ve learned from previous renovations how important it is to hire a designer and contractor who’ve worked together and have an established trust.”

–Mary Harocopos

to an otherwise neutral space. It’s the right amount of color while “staying within a classic American aesthetic,” Smith says. The gray Cambria stone counters are durable. The stove’s stainless steel backsplash features two removable shelves that serve as cooling racks. The client’s mother had these in her own kitchen, so it was something the owner requested to “remind her of her Mom.”

UPWARD BOUND

The kitchen’s wood ceiling mirrors the ceiling material in the adjacent living room. The two nonfunctional beams are meant to draw the eye to the stove.

ISLAND TOP

The original plan was to repurpose a dresser into an island, but Smith decided instead to design a piece that would support the weight of the marble top and provide additional storage. The dark alder wood gives the island the appearance of a piece of furniture, she says.

BATHROOM

“I should have let my designer choose the faucet, since she had chosen all of the other bathroom materials. I selected a square, modern faucet on my own, but a rounder classic style would have been more in keeping with the bathroom’s soft, refined look.”

–Jackie Haberl

KITCHEN

“The kitchen in my last home had a busy, ornate style, but in our new home we created a simple, clean space.

Appliance garages keep frequently used appliances on the counter but hidden from view. The muted gray tile, chocolate-colored open shelving, and bronze hood have strong, unfussy lines. I was thrilled that such simplicity could create such drama.”

–Kim McGuiness

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Gathering Place HOSTING L ARGE GROUPS IS A BREEZE IN A KNOCKOUT FRONTENAC KITCHEN DESIGNED BY ANNE BOEDGES.

EAT IN

The builder wanted an island that wasn’t the typical “overhang with barstools” yet offered seating, Boedges says.

Eventually that somewhat vague idea morphed into a built-in banquette. The room is about 20 by 20, but the builder wanted wide walkways and plenty of gathering space. “We had to get the island at the appropriate dimension so that two people could walk past it at the same time and still keep the bench inside the island,” Boedges says.

“We nudged left and right during the drawing stage to get everything to fit.” The freestanding table is a deliberate choice. It can be replaced by a longer table if needed.

gray-painted maple cabinets with white details and background.

“It’s not too masculine; it’s not too feminine. The cabinets resemble furniture without being heavy or loud,” says the designer.

HIDDEN APPLIANCES

An archway between the room’s two tall cabinets leads to a pantry and mudroom—while providing balance in the space.

“When you walk into the kitchen from the mudroom, there are cabinets above you and on each side, so it feels like a pass-

through. The refrigerator is inside the cabinet on the left, and a freezer is behind the cabinet on the right.”

THE LOOK OF LANTERNS

“I look at light fixtures and cabinet hardware as pieces of jewelry that don’t need to match every other metal in the room,” Boedges says. The matte brass finish on the lanterns and pulls is on trend, although Boedges reports that some clients are still leery of it: “People got so used to brushed-nickel fixtures on stainless steel that they’re afraid to mix.” A large lantern was placed above the table and centered with the opening

between the cabinets; smaller lanterns are positioned above the island. “We wanted the lanterns to look balanced in the space,” she explains. “When you look at them head-on within the walkway, they’re centered, but when you look at them from the side of the room, they’re offset.”

The airy lanterns were sourced from Wilson Lighting.

PULLS, PLEASE

“We wanted something clean that didn’t take away from the other elements in the room,” she says. The sophisticated pulls, from Top Knobs, are finished in the same matte gold seen on the lanterns.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KAREN PALMER, NICOLE MIGET PHOTOGRAPHY

When Stylecraft Homes was working on the concept for a custom home in Frontenac last year, the staff knew that nothing less than a showstopping kitchen would suffice. Enter designer Anne Boedges, who was tasked with turning a sizable space into a cozy and functional kitchen. “Even though this was new construction at a certain price point, we still had to be mindful of budget,” she says. That, says the founder of Anne Marie Design Studio, is the real challenge of a successful project: “Coming up with the beautiful design is the fun part. Turning that into a functional plan with the right pricing— that’s the challenge.” –KIM HILL

FLOORING FACTS

Wide planks and a “light and fresh” color tone on the floors was the designer’s mandate. The team selected a European oak in a 7 1/2-inch plank from the Castle Combe West End line.

“It was used throughout the entire house except for the bathrooms,” Boedges says.

COLOR NEWS

Though the client had no predetermined palette in mind, he did request a blend of tones that didn’t mimic those in other houses on the market. Boedges proposed a combination of blue- and

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Retro Fit A REMODEL BY KAREN DUBINSKY KORN INTERPRETS MIDCENTURY MODERN DESIGN IN A KITCHEN FOR TODAY’S HOMEOWNER.

ing and natural color of the solid walnut. “Nothing is uniform in terms of coloration and graining, and that was important to the clients,” she says. “It was also important that none of the authentic character of the wood was disguised by stain. A lot of clients fear not knowing exactly how the finished product will turn out, but these clients embraced that.”

METAL MIX

This Warson Woods home hadn’t seen an update since it was built, 60 years ago, says interior designer Karen Dubinsky Korn of Marcia Moore Design. The new owners, who bought the house as an investment in March 2018, “chose to honor the time period but not be too literal. They wanted the renovated property to be attractive to any buyer not just fans of Midcentury Modern,” says Korn. Inspired by the era’s streamlined design and respect for natural elements, Korn designed a kitchen that winks at the last century while providing the storage, natural light, and practicality that today’s homeowners expect. –KIM HILL

KITCHEN VIEWS

Korn reconfigured the layout of the kitchen from its original design…with the exception of the window in the left corner. The electric cooktop was replaced with a gas model; a small window on the long wall was torn out so that Korn could use the wall to make space for the vent hood.

“Where the sink stands now, we expanded that window space to create a new one that works with the layout,” she says. In MCM design, form follows function.

Redesigning the kitchen for more efficient use of space—and to allow more light to enter— honors the intent of the period.

CABINET CULTURE

It all began with the cabinets, Korn says. The owners fell in love with the prominent grain-

“It’s not a competition,” Korn says of mixing stainless steel appliances with another metal, such as the kitchen’s brass cabinet pulls. When the metals complement each other, “the mix adds tension and complexity to a room.” MCM design often highlights the juxtaposition of different materials. The handles here, sourced from Locks & Pulls Design Elements, speak to that era’s emphasis on simplicity.

TILE-STOPPER

The owners were open to exploring the use of a MCMappropriate color—yellow or pink, even—into the design of the kitchen. But this handglazed dusty-blue ceramic tile won everyone’s vote. “What makes this tile look so interesting is the scale—it’s a 3-by9-inch hexagonal tile,” Korn says. “[The tile’s] raised surface also adds dimension.” The designer presented the owners with several options—including picket-fence and arrowshaped designs—and proposed installing it from countertop to ceiling. “I love when tile is installed to the ceiling,” says Korn. Doing so, she explains, eliminates the opportunity for the kitchen to look choppy.

HOOD WINKED

After the installation of the KitchenAid range hood, Korn says, something wasn’t quite right: “The range didn’t tie in with anything, and it looked unfinished,” as if the top of the hood were floating off into nothingness.

As a remedy, she suggested taking trim from the cabinets and creating a simple blockcrown molding to finish the look of the hood. “It completes it,” Korn says. stlmag.com

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Small Bathrooms, Big Style MANY OF US DREAM OF HAVING A SPACIOUS BATHROOM WITH A DOUBLE VANITY, SEPARATE TUB AND SHOWER, AND AMPLE ROOM FOR STORAGE. IF YOU’RE FINDING SPACE LIMITATIONS A BARRIER TO CREATING YOUR DREAM BATHROOM, THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO MAKE YOUR CURRENT SPACE APPEAR LARGER. HERE, TWO LOCAL DESIGNERS SHARE TIPS TO HELP YOU CREATE A MORE SPACIOUS LOOK. put one in there,” advises Miller.

Similarly, if you have a small bathroom, save space by opting for a single vanity. “A lot of couples aren’t even using the vanity at the same time,” she notes.

CALM AND COOL WHO: Empty-nesters with three children WHAT: Cite Works Architects’ Ann Wimsatt

LESS IS MORE

designed the home, back in 1991, so she was top of mind when the couple wanted help refreshing the master bath.

WHERE: Ladue PRACTICAL ART

Two pedestal sinks, standing back to back with a mirror in the middle, were a feature of the original design. Wimsatt replaced them with 32-inch tall models that were unavailable when the home was built.

AUSTRALIAN INFLUENCE

The pebble wall tiles are from Australia, a country known for its forward-thinking aesthetic, says Wimsatt. “The owner likes to seek out really good contemporary design, no matter where it comes from.”

KEEP COLORS LIGHT

USE MIRRORS

Light colors on the walls and tiles make the room feel larger and airier.

Jenny Rapp of JCR Design Group recommends large tile: “It’s a cleaner, less busy look.” If you want color in your bathroom, keep it all in the same color palette.

“Monochromatic always makes spaces appear larger,” says Jessie Miller of Jessie D. Miller Design.

“The bigger the mirror, the better,” says Miller. She suggests covering the entire backplate of a vanity in a large mirror rather than having a small, decorative one.

SIMPLE SHADES

The bottom-up shades help bring in natural light without compromising privacy. The shades also allow views of trees and sky, creating a connection with the outdoors.

SO SLEEK

The four pendants, from Metro Lighting, produce a surprising amount of light, considering each only measures about an inch and a half.

–CHARLENE OLDHAM

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OPTIMIZE LIGHT

Get in as much light as possible. Rapp likes to use at least two sources of light, preferably something overhead and some sconces. If

you’re using window coverings in the bathroom, install them 6 to 10 inches above the top of the window casings. “It makes the window look larger, which gives the impression that it’s bringing in more light,” she says. “You can’t have enough light.”

BE INTENTIONAL

“Think about how you’re truly using the space. If you don’t use a bathtub, don’t

PACK A PUNCH

If a space is light, dark floors can provide a nice contrast and “ground the room with the weight of a darker color,” says Rapp. “I would not shy away from pattern on a floor. There are some great-looking patterned tiles out right now, and those look great in a small bathroom.”

–JEN ROBERTS

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN, ANNE MATHEIS

WATER WORLD

Glass block preserves the privacy of the shower without sacrificing light. The material also makes it possible to create curved shapes reminiscent of waves, perfect for a bath.

Put outlets inside your drawers to make it less tempting to leave out hair tools to clutter the countertop. Instead of using a lot of decoration in the space, invest in luxurious plumbing features.

“That’s going to be the jewelry of the room,” Miller says.

Frameless shower doors also make a space appear larger.

Rapp has them built 7 feet tall, which provides the visual perception of height.

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INTO THE MIX WHO: A married couple with grown kids WHAT: With the help—and discerning eye—of

Castle Design’s Meghan Heeter, a globetrotting couple have updated their home with a second-floor addition that includes a master bedroom, bathroom, and walk-in closet.

WHERE: Richmond Heights SKIP THE TUB

With a limited footprint, the design team was strategic in their choices. They decided to forego a tub and add a two-person shower instead.

“It’s nice when a client makes space for how they’re going to use a room,” Heeter says.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

Out of Sight FOR HOMEOWNERS WITH THE SPACE AND BUDGET, A “DIRT Y KITCHEN” KEEPS THE MAIN KITCHEN CLEAN FOR ENTERTAINING.

E

verything happens in the kitchen.

Life happens in the kitchen,” says chef, food critic, and TV personality Andrew Zimmern. That’s true of family life and of dinner parties. As guests spend more time chatting around the kitchen island, hosts feel pressured to keep the kitchen clean.

That’s why some homeowners are turning to “dirty kitchens” for their dirty work. These spaces, sometimes also called caterer’s kitchens or scullery kitchens, are fully equipped secondary kitchens where the real work of food prep, cooking, and cleanup is carried out.

Although each kitchen is personalized for its intended use, a dirty kitchen typically includes a sink, a dishwasher, refrigeration, cooking appliances, and storage.

“Now that floor plans have become so open, the kitchen is usually right off the family space. [Our clients] don’t want people gathering over dirty pots and pans,” says designer Wendy Kuhn of Karr Bick Kitchen & Bath, who recently designed a dirty kitchen for a Central West End home. “You’ve got your main kitchen that is your showpiece and then the other kitchen where the homeowners or caterers can be working behind the scenes.”

For home cooks, a dirty kitchen can be a place to keep specialized equipment, such as that needed for sous-vide cooking. Kuhn says Karr Bick has designed these secondary spaces for butchers and bakers who want to really get their hands—and kitchens—dirty.

Homeowners who are serious about entertaining but don’t want to do all the meal prep

The homeowners vacation in Tulum, Mexico, in a beachside bungalow with a laidback vibe.

They infused a similar style into their bathroom—without losing sight of luxurious extras such as heated floors, cabinets from Robern, and plumbing fixtures from Bellis by Kallista.

MODERN AND WARM

Touches of gray, including a Caesarstone countertop, are paired with teak shelves and knotty alder cabinets for a modern yet rustic look, says Heeter.

FLOORING FACTS

themselves can design the space with their caterer in mind. These kitchens are generally more utilitarian, with stainless steel countertops and open shelving for easy access, says Chris Paul, a designer for Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath.

Kelly Johnson, principal designer and owner of Kelly Johnson Design, says dirty kitchens (like the one she designed above) are currently “coming on strong for a small percentage of the market.”

But although a client may initially have one on the wish list, Johnson notes that it’s often cut due to space and budget constraints. Depending on how elaborate one is, a dirty kitchen can cost almost as much as the main kitchen, and it takes up valuable first-floor space.

“You’ve got to really be a serious cook or a serious entertainer to make that investment, which is why I don’t think it will turn into a mainstream thing like a home theater or a home gym or a wine cellar,” Johnson says.

Still, some homeowners in the area are adding them, especially to new construction projects. It’s more difficult, though not impossible, to add one to an existing structure.

Kuhn was able to turn an old office in the Central West End home into a dirty kitchen, and it’s still one of her favorite projects.

“The main kitchen is beautiful, stunning, traditional,” Kuhn says, “but when I turn the corner and see that pop of green and the island and light fixtures [in the dirty kitchen], wow. … They can be stunning spaces that you enjoy being in.” –MEGAN MERTZ

The porcelain tile on the vanity wall and on the shower walls is from Italgraniti. Each plank features a different finish: polished, textured, or matte. “This layered look is really beautiful,” Heeter says. “As soon as I showed it to the couple, they were all in.”

STATEMENT SCONCES

The Ian K. Fowler Bistro sconces lean industrial, says Heeter, but the owners weren’t afraid to take the risk. “They make a statement,” she says. A skylight in the shower bathes the space in light. –VERONICA THEODORO

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AT ONE WITH THE TREES

In Architects’ Alley, nature is a backdrop to everyday life.

WRITTEN BY AMY BURGER PHOTOGRAPHY

BY ALISE O’BRIEN

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f you happen to be driving down the winding stretch of West Adams Avenue in Kirkwood’s Sugar Creek Valley on a summer day, you likely won’t see the homes nestled in the woods on the bluffs that frame both sides of the road. Only in winter, when the trees have lost their leaves, are most of these architectural gems visible to passersby.

Recognized as a “neighborhood of distinction” by the Kirkwood Landmarks Commission, the area is unofficially known as Architects’ Alley because of the number of architects who’ve settled there, designing a smattering of houses meant to blend into the landscape. Among them is a striking Midcentury Modern home belonging to Randy and Joy Miltenberger.

“Architects came here because it’s in close but at the same time you’re out in the woods,” says Randy, principal of Miltenberger Architects.

The Miltenbergers’ home, built in 1958 on nearly 3 acres of woods, is believed to have been designed by a local architect named John L. Haff.

Randy and Joy bought it 25 years ago and are its third owners. When the house came on the market, the couple’s real estate agent suggested that they take a look at it. They say they were taken aback by its 1950s time capsule state.

“That is cool now but not so much when you grew up with it,” says Joy, “but Randy had a vision. He transformed the house.”

They started by building a nearly seamless addition in 1996 that would reconfigure the home, which features floor-to-ceiling windows across the back and sides, blurring the line between the outdoors and the interior. They relocated the entrance to create a distinct foyer that leads into a small study overlooking a treefilled covered atrium on the lower level.

Shelves lining three walls of the study display Randy’s beer stein collection, along with other artifacts and books. Two classic leather Wassily chairs from Knoll, designed by Marcel Breuer in 1925, appear to hover in the trees outside behind them.

“You can just sit here and watch the seasons change,” he says.

They also removed the home’s original traditional staircase, replacing it with a more interesting one—painted green—that spirals to the lower level.

“It took up less space and, to me, the trees and the outside are what makes this house, so I didn’t want this grand ornamental stair that dominated everything. I wanted to make it disappear, which is why it’s painted green,” Randy explains.

The Miltenbergers were meticulous in matching new materials— including slate floors and post-and-beam ceilings—to the originals, and their work paid off in a space that appears to have always been a part of the house.

Next to its walls of windows, the most striking feature of the house is an original light fixture that hangs over the open lower level. When lit, its three large opaque glass teardrops can be

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seen from the road below. Randy says the couple used to change out the colors of the light bulbs with the seasons, but now the fixture is outfitted with easy-to-use remote-controlled color-changing bulbs. At Christmas they’re red and green, on the Fourth of July red, white, and blue.

With the addition complete, the Miltenbergers embarked on a kitchen remodel in 2000, opening up the space and adding 4 feet to the south by the 25-feet foot length. Randy designed the overall kitchen layout, working with Ken Henry of Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath on the custom wood cabinetry. Henry also designed a black granite backsplash in the shape of a mountain that rises up from behind the stove. The backsplash, which matches the countertops, is positioned to reflect the trees and water feature on the patio just outside the opposing windows.

A large granite-topped island provides additional workspace and storage, and the attached raised glass bar, with seating for four, offers more room for dining and entertaining. The island’s rounded endcap, covered with stainless steel, houses a double sink.

In the next round of kitchen updates, in 2010, the pantry and refrigerator were relocated and the wall dividing kitchen from dining room removed. The couple also created a cozy corner sitting area overlooking the patio, fitted with a wall-mounted TV and comfy leather club chairs, that’s become a favorite place for them to relax or have their morning coffee.

“You can open up the sliding glass doors and hear the waterfall,” Randy says.

The couple completed the final stage of the kitchen remodel in 2015, removing some upper cabinets and part of a wall to open up the kitchen to the living room and let more light into both spaces. The next year, they removed the wall behind an original built-in wood sideboard in the dining room, creating a small skylit, plant-filled atrium next to the door to their newly expanded garage, which Randy jokingly refers to as the Garage Mahal.

Lovers of art, the Miltenbergers own several metal sculptures by the late Brother Mel Meyer, a Marianist monk whose works are seen around St. Louis, including the campuses of Saint Louis University and St. John

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Vianney High School, in Kirkwood, where his studio was housed.

The couple’s stunning metal dining room table base, topped with glass and flanked with simple black leather chairs by Cassina, was a commission by the artist.

Blown-glass bowls and other pieces by artist Sam Stang are thoughtfully placed around the house, and paintings by Mexican artist Javier López Barbosa, another favorite, add bursts of color. An oversized abstract painting by local artist Mary Sprague hangs on the only full wall in the living room, complementing the unobstructed view of nature.

“One of the reasons we painted all the walls white, besides to brighten it up, was that we change the artwork when the seasons change,” Randy says.

An arrangement of a comfortable sofa facing a pair of black leather Le Corbusier LC2 chairs serves as an ideal spot for conversation or quiet contemplation. The double-sided fireplace, which faces the living and the dining room, was another update.

Randy and Joy replaced the original pink brick with sleek black granite and a simple flame insert that runs on biofuel from a tank that sits beneath it.

Down the hall on the main floor is the master suite, comprising a bedroom overlooking the woods, an office, a walk-in closet, and a bath. The bath, designed in white marble and holding a double vanity and separate shower and Jacuzzi tub, overlooks the back deck, giving a feeling of oneness with the natural surroundings. Another of Meyer’s metal wall sculptures and a purple vase (Joy’s favorite color) by Stang balance the white.

Every room in the home gives the vibe of a glass-enclosed tree house where civilization is just a couple of miles—yet a world—away. Though she considers the master bedroom her sanctuary, Joy says she doesn’t have a favorite spot in the house: “It depends upon what mood you’re in.”

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WRITTEN BY

VERONICA THEODORO PHOTOGRAPHY BY

ALISE O’BRIEN

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For the McGehees, a dream house is lost… and then found. stlmag.com

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ven a former race car driver isn’t immune to the anxieties of home ownership. Just ask Robby McGehee. Back in 2011, he and his wife, Norma, found their dream home, put a contract on it…and then the nerves crept in: The couple still owned their house in Frontenac, and the prospect of owning two properties, if that property didn’t sell right away, felt like a risky endeavor to the 1999 Indianapolis 500 Rookie of the Year. And so, reluctuantly, the McGehees let go of the dream house on a contingency clause.

“It was really a bummer,” Robby recalls.

But to everyone’s surprise, the Frontenac house sold almost immediately. The couple tried again to buy the dream house, only to learn that it was under contract with another buyer—a childhood friend of Robby’s.

Suddenly the five McGehees—Robby, Norma, and their 2-year-old triplets—were without a home of their own.

“Here I am,” says Robby, “I just sold my house in Frontenac. The house I really wanted, my dream house, was sold to somebody else, and now we’re kind of homeless.”

The couple moved into a loft off of a horse barn at the family farm, in Chesterfield, and bunked there for a “few hectic months” as they continued to house-hunt and the triplets transitioned from cribs to toddler beds.

Then a friend suggested that they look at a 1917 house for sale in a Clayton neighborhood tucked away from the busyness of Big Bend and campus life at Washington University.

“The condition of the house was not fantastic,” says Robby, “but boy, the bones were just great.” Pulling into the driveway for the first time, Norma remembers thinking that the elegant, three-story home was meant to be.

“Now, when I walked into the house, it was a different story,” she says, laughing at the memory.

For the first four years, the couple made do with minor updates to the red-brick Georgian Revival, which they describe as having “a lot of little rooms.” They cleaned it up, painted, and installed a flatscreen TV on the back of a closet door in the kitchen.

Around that same time, the couple had hired the firm Temple & Hentz to develop a budget for the guest/pool house when the designers realized that what the family really needed was a kitchen. In 2016, they joined forces with architect Paul Fendler of Fendler + Associates and Chouteau Building Group to brainstorm a blueprint for a house that would fit the needs of this growing family.

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The first order of business? An additional 2,000 square feet on the south side of the house, which bought the McGehees a mudroom with a second laundry area on the first floor (“an essential with multiples,” says Norma), a larger powder room, and a new garage, which Robby helped design. Upstairs, the additional space created a hallway with a bedroom and bathroom for Cammie, the McGehees’ daughter, and a movie room, now festooned with posters from Robby’s favorite films. A second-floor parapet was enclosed on the opposite end of the house to make room for his-and-hers closets. “We try to come at things, and especially for them, from a practical standpoint and knowing how families live,” says designer Sara Hentz.

As Norma filled her Pinterest boards with ideas inspired by Dorothy Draper’s words, “I always put in one controversial item...it makes people talk!”—Hentz and her design partner, Wendy Temples-Steinbecker, drew up mood boards, editing the options to make the process less overwhelming. “And once we did do that, and they loved it, it was, like, ‘Go for it! And…find it for less,’” says Hentz. For that much-needed kitchen, the designers worked with Laurie Fromm at Classic Woodworking to build a kitchen pantry based on a farmhousestyle ice cabinet that they spotted in a Chicago showroom. Fashioned from walnut and burl wood with brass accents, it feels a bit Art Deco— Norma’s favorite design style—and warms up an otherwise all-white room. The choice of hardware, from Bronzes de France’s Art Deco Collection, was initially up for debate, but Robby eventually agreed to buy select pieces from the

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

historic French brand for the kitchen. “I almost had a heart attack about these,” says Robby, gesturing toward the refrigerator handles. “[I would think,] ‘Can’t we just go to Restoration Hardware and get some knobs?’”

The adjacent butler’s pantry, with its lacquered walls, checked marble floor, and vintage dining set, is a design foil to the kitchen. Norma, who by all accounts was instrumental in achieving its look, selected the color, a custom high-gloss lacquer. The designers sourced the table and chairs from a local vintage shop, polished it with an acrylic scratch solution and reupholstered the chairs and accompanying bench. “The beauty of working with the right people,” says Norma, “is that you become a team and a lot of great things happen when you’re willing to collaborate.”

The team elected to knock down a wall separating the kitchen from the family room, transforming the space into the hub of the home with comfortable furnishings that reflect its place as a popular hangout spot.

“We had to be thoughtful about what was going in here,” says Hentz.

“We weren’t going to do a $15,000 couch with triplets.” The designers chose practical pieces instead: a sectional from West Elm, a chair from Anthropologie, an area rug that the couple had in their previous home.

The room’s glass chandelier is a showstopper, a replica of a light fixture Norma had seen—and loved—but that didn’t fit into the budget. The designers worked around that hefty price tag by hiring a craftsman in Italy to build a similar piece for half the cost.

On the second floor, Norma surrounded herself with things she loves, she says. Glamour and French design infuse the master suite, from the couple’s existing heirloom bed and custom bedspread to the fur rug and vintage settee upholstered in mohair. “I like an eclectic look, and I guess you could say I appreciate things from the past,” Norma says. The two chairs at the entrance to the room are vintage Vladimir Kagan, and the framed wallpaper panels, designs by Timorous Beasties that Norma discovered back J U L - AU G 2 0 1 9

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in 2010, are “a Wendy and Sara stroke of genius,” says Robby. “The whole goal of this house,” he continues, “is that it’s very traditional on the outside but decorated on the inside to make it look like we’re not 70 years old.” The glamour is ratcheted up a notch in the master bathroom with a tub from Catchpole & Rye and custom floor tile that the designers spent days placing in a specific pattern for the space. “This [bathroom] is a testament to Ann Sacks and Home Depot playing well together,” says Hentz.

As in most home renovations, compromises were made along the way, but the desire to do right by the house and its history was always the priority. The addition’s exterior brick is an impressive match of the original, the new windows on the front façade are historically accurate and the floor in the foyer was restored to its original splendor. Built by architects Maritz & Henderson in a neighborhood developed by Henry Wright, the house was originally designed for Gustav Bischoff Jr., a German immigrant who ran the St. Louis Independent Packing Company.

Today, the McGehee home is on the National Register of Historic Places. And to a visitor the house may look finished, but the couple would like to someday revive the formal garden in the backyard and they expect to complete the pool house project this summer.

“My favorite thing about the house is it’s for and about the kids,” says Robby. “It’s built for making memories.”

Norma’s desire to create a serene energy amidst the chaos of the house has been achieved.

“It’s a place to be enjoyed by our family,” she says.

“And to definitely leave people talking.” stlmag.com

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S P EC IA L A DVE R T ISI NG S EC T I O N

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Just ask these St. Louisans.

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Residential

S P ECI A L A DVE R T IS IN G S EC T IO N

P R O S TO KNOW

Kelli was wanting to add color and excitement to her family room. The new wallpaper, combined with original pieces of art from Peter Manion, creates an original space full of curiosity and boundless style.

“With every project, I continue to call April Jensen with ADJ Interiors, LLC. Her sophisticated style inspires glamorous, bold, and colorful spaces. She has great attention to detail and is very professional. April makes each project distinctive and her spunky personality makes the process a blast. Upon completion of each project, I tell her I will have to purchase another home just to work with her again.”

— KELLI SCHAEFER, LADUE 2800 S. BRENTWOOD BOULEVARD BRENTWOOD, MO 63146 314-230-9099

PICTURED, FROM LEFT: April Jensen (owner), Kelli Schaefer (homeowner)

ADJINTERIORS.COM

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Residential

SPECIAL ADV ER TI S I N G S ECTI ON

P R O S TO KNOW

Adam and Molly reached out to Melissa at American Eagle Credit Union to help them purchase the perfect Chesterfield home for their growing family.

“I have really enjoyed working with Melissa over the years as my family has moved a few times. I’m always very pleased with the rates, service, communication, and guidance that she gives me. My family is always confident that she will take excellent care of us and she is the first one we call when we have any loan needs. Thank you!”

— ADAM & MOLLY KRUSE, CHESTERFIELD

PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Melissa Imo-Moffitt (loan officer); Molly and Adam Kruse with baby Ruby (homeowners)

423 LYNCH STREET ST. LOUIS, MO 63118 314-771-7700

AMERICAN EAGLE CREDIT UNION DOES BUSINESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FEDERAL FAIR HOUSING LAW AND THE EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY ACT. NMLS# 401252. ALL LOANS SUBJECT TO APPROVAL; MEMBERSHIP ELIGIBILITY REQUIRED.

AMEAGLECU.ORG

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Residential

S P EC IA L A DVE R T I S I NG S EC T I O N

P R O S TO KNOW

Karen Drexler called on California Custom Decks to refurbish an old front porch. Caldecks used Chicory porch flooring materials from Deckorators®.

“We love our new porch! Caldecks was instrumental in bringing our vision to reality.

The product and craftsmanship are superb.

We are proud of our new space and thank them for all of the work and dedication they had in helping us realize this.”

— KAREN DREXLER, GLENDALE 9227 MANCHESTER ROAD ST. LOUIS, MO 63144 314-968-3325

PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Mark Lingo (Owner of California Custom Decks), Karen Drexler (homeowner).

CALDECKS.COM

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Residential

SPECIAL ADV ER TI S I N G S ECTI ON

P R O S TO KNOW

Design & Detail is where creativity starts. Their goal is to help you reach yours.

“Since 2005, Design & Detail has been an exclusive to the trade showroom. Our services include selection guidance, CAD drawings, and individual assistance with projects. We provide the design community with outstanding resources and superior service.”

— MELINDA KLINGHAMMER, OWNER

2731 SUTTON BOULEVARD, STE. 100 MAPLEWOOD, MO 63143

PICTURED, FRONT ROW, FROM LEFT: Melinda Klinghammer (owner), Michelle Chase, Carolyn Brotherton, Vicki Dreste, Emily Nikolov; SECOND ROW: Rachael Hines; BACK ROW: Jessica Murrie, Jessica Aalbers, Jane Barnowski, Amy McClure, Amy Herman, Sarah Gerding, Jet Jetter; NOT PICTURED: Joan Burnes, Katie Moses

314-781-3336 DESIGNANDDETAILSTL.COM

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Residential

S P EC IA L A DVE R T I S I NG S EC T I O N

P R O S TO KNOW

“At Encore Consignment Gallery, they care.

By far, Encore is one of the nicest resale shops I’ve been to in St. Louis! I have purchased, as well as sold, items there and have been impressed with the process for both. They’re knowledgeable in knowing what will sell and at what price. Most importantly, Maureen and Barb work hard to go

Cara is a long time client of Encore and continually visits the showroom for her decorating needs.

the extra mile–whether that is by helping me part with some of my mother’s old things, or by working within my budget to find the perfect accessory for my home. Their kindness and attentiveness is what keeps me coming back.”

— CARA HENKE, CHESTERFIELD 287 LAMP & LANTERN VILLAGE ST. LOUIS, MO 63017 636-220-9092

PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Cara Henke (client), Barbara Lampe (co-owner)

ENCORESTL.NET

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Residential

SPECIAL ADV ER TI S I N G S ECTI ON

P R O S TO KNOW

Justin was challenged to redesign the home’s entryway and landscape with custom hardscaping and plants that would complement the newly updated midcentury architecture.

“We shared our vision for the landscape design, wanting to keep it simple, in the spirit of mid-century modern architecture.

Justin listened, and with the talented crew at Frisella, delivered a beautiful master plan for the entire property. He then advised on how to divide the plan into several stages, or mini-projects, to give us flexibility with our budget. His attention to detail is meticulous and it shows in the final result. Justin makes the process fun, and we look forward to the next part of our landscaping transformation with Frisella.”

— MICHELLE H., ST. LOUIS

550 HIGHWAY F DEFIANCE, MO 63341 636-798-2555

PICTURED: Justin Verbryck, APLD Frisella Nursery Landscape Design Manager ISA Certified Arborist

FRISELLANURSERY.COM

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Residential

S P EC IA L A DVE R T I S I NG S EC T I O N

P R O S TO KNOW

To create more space to gather and entertain, Todd Rausch of Karr Bick Kitchen & Bath designed and built a first-floor bar.

“If you spend time wandering around Gilded Age mansions such as Biltmore, The Breakers or Marble House, eventually their architecture sinks deep into your bones. These great houses, designed by Richard Morris Hunt, have long inspired Todd and encouraged him to dream. A giant unused porch right off the dining room became the perfect place to create a tribute to the past. The bar lives seamlessly amongst the original details of this circa 1906 home.”

— JENNY RAUSCH, KIRKWOOD 2715 MERCANTILE DRIVE BRENTWOOD, MO 63144 314-645-6545

PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Todd & Jenny Rausch, homeowners and owners of Karr Bick Kitchen & Bath.

KARRBICK.COM

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Residential

SPECIAL ADV ER TI S I N G S ECTI ON

P R O S TO KNOW

Mark and Angie chose Outdoor Living Inc. to create their vision of an elegant, low Patum nos, senit L. Ucie no. Efecrur maintenance deck to enjoy the beauty of unum porunum Bold Name of Business, their backyard. vis audeorum noter quonsum comnin viri stim scre consi publi, dis vis; hil ves egilinaturo, denequa porei igilneres vili se ac tudem.

“Outdoor Living Inc. was the perfect choice to create a deck that exceeded our expectations. Their knowledgeable salesman took our ideas and gave us all of the information necessary for us to make the best decisions about design and materials that suited our taste and budget. Their carpenters are true craftsmen that take pride in their work which is evident in the finished product. Top notch company from start to finish.”

— MARK & ANGIE D., ST. CHARLES 845 S. HOLMES AVENUE KIRKWOOD, MO 63122 314-966-3325

PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Pat Leahy (President), Mark & Angie (homeowners)

OUTDOORLIVINGINC.COM

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Residential

S P EC IA L A DVE R T I S I NG S EC T I O N

P R O S TO KNOW

Patum nos, senit L. Ucie no. Efecrur unum porunum Bold Name of Business, vis audeorum noter quonsum comnin viri stim scre consi publi, dis vis; hil ves egilinaturo, denequa porei igilneres vili se ac tudem.

“This is the second home that my spouse and I have hired Yours By Design to reimagine. We wanted our

Yours By Design is passionate about design. Creating rooms that reflect clients’ personalities and lifestyles is how they show it. “What can we Design for you?”

home to feel comfortable and lived in, “Arum sita desTe non con nonse nateni yet not staged. I’m an artist and he is omnienisquae prempor ehendit ataquodit et a financial advisor. We both have very eosanihiciam id quamus ilia sitat es renis qui different tastes, yet C.J. blends everybeatius dolut volenducia consequ aspero thing together perfectly. She listens to conesequi ommoluptur, omnis quatem. us and puts it all together, leaving us Id mo idit excessi aut milliqui sum ipsapeboth in awe each time with the results.” rum ipsam, conse lam, nimus quis et autatis — J.D. BROOKS, CREVE COEUR doluptam cum rem aspiditem dis et poreper

umenimos es ut adi volesse”

PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Ruth Nowlin (Interior

555 PAGE N. SPRUCE STREET 11622 SERVICE DRIVE, STE. 111 LOUIS, MO 63636 ST.ST. LOUIS, MO 63146 636-555-5555 314-283-1760

Designer, Yours

By Design), J.D. Brooks (client), C.J. — NAME HERE, HOMEOWNER Knapp (Owner/Interior Designer, Yours By Design), PICTURED, FROM LEFT: Name here, name here Cyndi Schmidt (Interior Designer, Yours By Design)

WEBSITE.ORG CJKNAPPINTERIORS.COM

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DESIGN CRUSH

INIGO GONDRA Translating a tradition TELL US MORE ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN A TRADITIONAL TXOKO.

On Saturday mornings, the members meet and visit the local farmers’ markets to buy the foods they’ll later cook and eat. They stop to store the foods in a kitchen in the basement of a member’s home, complete with a stove, refrigerator, tables—fully outfitted for cooking and eating. Some even have dishwashers. They then go out to bars to enjoy wines and eat pintxos, small bites skewered on toothpicks, often served with breads. They return to the txoko around noon to start cooking. They play cards, drink wine, and eat by 2 or 3 in the afternoon, then clean up.

WHAT WAS DIFFERENT ABOUT YOUR GROUP OF FOODIE FRIENDS?

We did the same things—shop for food, go to the pintxo bars, and then return to someone’s home to cook. We made the paellas, the croquettes, fresh fish. We learned from each other. We shared our meals with our girlfriends. They were our princesses. We did all the cooking and all of the cleanup.

WHAT WAS IN YOUR BACKPACK WHEN YOU MOVED TO ST. LOUIS?

I moved here with my wife and worked in HR for four years, until the company closed. I had a food business in mind, making croquettes and paellas. Food has always been in my DNA. A friend and I shared a Spanish food booth at the Festival of Nations, and every year people would ask if we had a restaurant.

YOU’VE PROSPERED CREATIVELY AND IN BUSINESS IN ST. LOUIS. WHAT MADE THE TRANSITION WORK FOR YOU?

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY JENNIFER SILVERBERG

On Saturday mornings, Inigo Gondra, founder of The Croquetterie, does what he loves most: cook and share the foods of his Basque heritage—croquettes, paellas, sandwiches, and other shareables—at the Tower Grove Farmers’ Market. Even before moving to St. Louis, he spent many a Saturday morning cooking, first in his home city of Bilbao, Spain, and later in Barcelona. In the Basque country, people often form a txoko, a closed society of gastronomes who meet to cook and socialize. Traditionally the txoko is only open to men, and though Gondra never officially belonged to one, he often gathered with friends to cook and fraternize, starting at age 18 and continuing today.

I visited the markets and tasted foods I had never eaten. I found a mentor and friend in Estie Cruz-Curoe from del Carmen Foods. She understands markets and food production in St. Louis. She helps me still.

I learned I didn’t need to import equipment for my business from Spain. I met with Mike Klein of Contractors Welding, in Rock Hill, who was able to create my big outdoor cooking stand for the paellas. Two years later, he built a croquette machine for me based on photos I had of a 1970s Dutch machine. I discovered you can’t always miss what you left behind, or you will lose touch with what is happening in front of you. –PAT EBY stlmag.com

5/30/19 2:23 PM

THE SEEN DESIGN STL’S AN EVENING IN GREECE COOKING DEMONSTRATION APRIL 24, 2019 FERGUSON BATH, KITCHEN & LIGHTING GALLERY Design STL’s An Evening in Greece cooking demonstration was hosted at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery on April 24. Guests enjoyed a cooking demonstration hosted by Anthonino’s Taverna “On The Hill” and a wine demo hosted by A. Bommarito Wines. The evening opened guests’ eyes to all of the wonderful possibilities that Greek cooking has to offer. With only a few key ingredients and basic techniques, guests learned how to cook quick, delicious Greek dishes for the whole family. The menu included hummus, kale Caesar salad, toasted ravioli, dolmathes, and baklava. Guests sipped on Super Tuscan Lagone, Madeira prosecco, and sauvignon blanc, courtesy of A. Bommarito Wines.

DESIGN STL WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE FOLLOWING SPONSORS AND PARTNERS: A. Bommarito Wines Anthoninos Taverna “On The Hill” Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery Photography by Jon Gitchoff

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS, VISIT STLMAG.COM/PARTYPICS.

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INDEX

KITCHEN HEROES There’s nothing like Mom’s cooking, but according to Design STL editors and art directors, the following chefs and personalities are inspirations in their own right.

2

“Chrissy Teigen’s straightforward recipes are written for a beginner while delivering complex dishes with great taste. My wife and I have both of her books, but my favorite recipe is from the first: the Balsamic vinegar– glazed Brussels sprouts with bacon, cranberries, walnuts, and blue cheese.

Chrissy’s down-to-earth attitude erases the fear factor of new-to-you ingredients, and her cooking anecdotes are inspiring.” –KEVIN A. ROBERTS, STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

3

1

“I’ve been a fan of Giada De Laurentiis since my kids were tiny. I remember turning on her TV show Everyday Italian during their afternoon naps. Giada’s recipes made me want to cook; her table settings made me want to entertain; her house made me want to move to California! I recently bought her cookbook Giada’s Italy: My Recipes for La Dolce Vita. The recipes and photography will instantly transport you to the sweet life.” –VERONICA THEODORO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“I’m lucky to have worked with Dana Cowin at Food & Wine, who opened my eyes to practices like no-waste cooking and eating ugly but otherwise perfectly good produce that gets dumped into landfills because no one wants to buy it. Dana is also a big champion of women chefs. Each week, you can listen to her interview a woman doing something remarkable in the culinary industry on her podcast, Speaking Broadly.” –AMANDA WOYTUS, DEPUTY EDITOR

5

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“I’d say my wife, and she’d say her father, who is a chef, and he’d probably say Nancy Silverton. She was the winner of the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef Award in 2014 and is recognized for popularizing artisan breads.

We all had the pleasure of eating at one of her restaurants, Pizzeria Mozza in Los Angeles, and the dishes, some of which are featured in her book The Mozza Cookbook, were fantastic.” –TOM WHITE, DESIGN DIRECTOR

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“Samin Nosrat, a bubbly, irreverent young chef whose book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat let me think about food in a way that’s freeing and a lot more creative. The book’s foldout diagrams of what’s used in various global cuisines are fascinating, helpful, and really cool to look at.”

–JEANNETTE COOPERMAN, STAFF WRITER

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF HERITAGE RADIO NETWORK

“Brittany Williams is a food blogger and the author of Instant Loss Cookbook, full of whole food–based recipes, many of which can be prepared in an Instant Pot— hands down, my favorite kitchen appliance.

Brittany’s philosophy is centered around making healthy cooking convenient in order to create a truly sustainable lifestyle.”

–EMILY CRAMSEY, ART DIRECTOR

stlmag.com

5/30/19 2:24 PM

KARR BICK

KITCHEN & BATH & WHEREVER

featured kitchen designed by jenny@karrbick.com

Create your #nothingordinary kitchen, bath or wherever space

2715 mercantile drive • st. louis • 314 272 3628 stl homes july.indd 1 993 DSTL_Cover0719.indd

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WWW.MITCHELLWALL.COM | 314.576.5888 | 2 THE PINES COURT, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141 WWW.MITCHELLWALL.COM | 314.576.5888 | 2 THE PINES COURT, ST. LOUIS, MO 63141

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