St Louis AT HOME MayJune 2017

VINTAGE PIANO RESTORATION p. 30

GARDENS GALORE p. 43

Outdoor Views STYLISH BACKYARD SPACES, PRETTY GARDEN FURNITURE AND MORE p.51

Amy Studebaker designs a lakeside vacation home p.60

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MAY/JUN

C ON T EN TS DISCOVER 17 BONSAI BEAUTIES

Small plants with big style

ON THE COVER

Photography by Alise O’Brien

18 ELEMENTS OF STYLE

Making creative connections 20 DRESSING THE GARDEN

Outdoor accessories with flair 22 HOPE SPRINGS PERENNIAL

Pencil in these plant sales.

DESIGN 25 MAGIC CARPET

A visit with LK2 Kaim Kisner’s new owners 26 IN DISTRESS

How to enhance vintage finds.

28 ELEGANT LADY

Relaxing in a historic sunroom?

30 LOOKING BACKWARD

Who’s restoring vintage pianos

PROPERTY

36 FLYING HOME

A travel agency’s new digs 38 SCHOLARLY PLACE

Three buildings, one mission

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN

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33 VINTAGE VIBES

Campers spread the word.

A HOME FOR ALL SEASONS Family and finery in one house

G AT HER I NGS

76 MEET AND MOVE ON

A party’s positive message

FEATURES

INDEX

78 GREEN THUMBS

Editors talk houseplants.

8

40

80 ELECTRIC AVENUE

YOUR HOME IS A STAGE

An “electrical man” with a nature lover’s heart

Style it first, then watch it sell

ICON

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43

51

60

CITY GARDENS

OUTDOOR LIVING

LAKE SIDE

One block, four gardens

Make the most of your backyard spaces.

A vacation home echoes the beauty of nature.

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ST. L OU I S AT HOM E

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

PUBLISHER

Leslie Tunney

EDITORIAL

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Veronica Theodoro CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Jarrett Medlin EXECUTIVE EDITOR Stefene Russell STAFF WRITER Jeannette Cooperman DINING EDITOR George Mahe DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Steph Zimmerman EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Katelyn Mae Petrin DIGITAL EDITOR Sarah Kloepple COPY EDITOR Kerry Bailey CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Pat Eby, CJ Lotz,

Charlene Oldham, Sydney Loughran Wolf, Judy Uelk INTERNS Chelsie Hollis, Lance Jordan

ART & PRODUCTION

ART DIRECTOR Tom White ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Emily Cramsey SALES & MARKETING DESIGNER Aubrey Dosmann PRODUCTION MANAGER Dave Brickey STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Kevin A. Roberts CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS & ILLUSTRATORS

Alise O’Brien, Chris Philpot, Greg Rannells, Jennifer Silverberg, Pete Sucheski, Carmen Troesser, Jason Winkeler

ADVERTISING

ADVERTISING SALES ASSISTANT Morgan Sharpe ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Chad Beck, Jill Gubin, Brian Haupt, Laura Hughes, Carrie Mayer, Kim Moore, Liz Schaefer, Dani Toney ADVERTISING COORDINATOR Dee Dee Douglas

MARKETING

MARKETING & EVENTS MANAGER Jerry Talamantes MARKETING & EVENTS COORDINATOR Kathleen Kennedy MARKETING COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER Todd Schuessler

CIRCULATION

CIRCUL ATION MANAGER Dede Dierkes CIRCUL ATION COORDINATOR Teresa Foss

BUSINESS

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Ray Hartmann BUSINESS MANAGER Carol Struebig

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VOLUME 13, ISSUE 3

Values Build Greatness

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Six issues of St. Louis At Home 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

RiggsConstruction.com • 314.821.7646

Call Stefene Russell at 314-918-3011 or email srussell@stlmag.com. (Please include “Online Calendar” in subject line.) Deadline is two months before publication date.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Building with values means we create more than a beautiful space. Experience The Riggs Way, a tradition of uncompromising quality, responsible business practices, and genuine care of each homeowner we serve. Visit our website to learn about the values that guide our work.

Send letters to Feedback at the address above, or email feedback@stlmag.com.

MARKETING AND EVENTS

For information about marketing, promotions, and special events, call Kathleen Kennedy at 314-918-3055.

ADVERTISING

To place an ad, call Morgan Sharpe at 314-918-3043.

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 2016 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. ©2017 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

I

AM WRITING THIS letter high

above the Gulf of Mexico, somewhere between Central America and the southern United States. I’m returning home from Costa Rica, where people from around the globe travel just to spend time outside, and now I understand why: In one week, my family and I trekked miles of lush rainforest, disappeared into the morning fog on a zipline, surfed the waves (well, tried to catch waves), and soaked up the hot sun at Tamarindo, one of the country’s prettiest beach towns. One really doesn’t have to travel that far to enjoy the outdoors right now, though. In this issue of At Home we’ll show you how three St. Louis families have personalized their backyard spaces to get that destination-like feel just steps from home.

Turn to page 51 for inspiration to create a setting that’s perfectly suited to your lifestyle.

For more homes made beautiful inside and outside, don’t miss the stories on pages 60 and 68, in which Amy Studebaker and Ken Stückenschneider, respectively, dazzle us with their visions for spaces that invite a tranquil night at home and are ideal for hosting a family gathering or a large group of friends for dinner.

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Mary Morgan’s story “City Gardens” (page 43), coupled with the environs on my recent south-of-the-border jaunt, makes me wish I had the time and the patience to cultivate a garden of my own. In the absence of those and other important requirements, I’m content to pore over these pages of beautiful landscape photography shot by Greg Rannells. Mary’s survey of gardens, terraces, and patios is a reminder that multiple styles can live, and thrive, even in the same city block.

Why invest so much time, money, and effort in our outdoor spaces? Don’t our indoor rooms demand enough from us, in terms of both budget and mental energy? While visiting one of Costa Rica’s largest butterfly conservatories in the hills above the city of El Castillo, I happened upon a small sign that read something like this: Do not spend your time chasing the butterflies; instead, build a garden, and they will come to you. Words to live—and design—by.

vtheodoro@stlmag.com

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PRODUCTS AND PLACES

GET IT

Elements for Living 1901 Park 314-621-3784 rafaeladon.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

Bonsai Beauties The kokedama—Japanese for “moss ball”—is like a bonsai in a ball. Hang a few of these container-less plants from the ceiling to create a “string garden,” or set them out as table décor. Rafael Adón of Elements for Living nourishes his own kokedama: “I was trying to find a way to propagate my little seedlings,” he explains; then he saw a photo and became “enthralled by the idea of these self-growing plants hanging from the ceiling.” Inside the moss lie more layers—a “big, yummy mud ball” of pebbled claylike soil, called akadama, that’s mixed with peat moss, wrapped around sphagnum moss, and wrapped around the plant’s roots, then held in place by cords. Kokedama grow, they blossom, and they expand. Just dunk them in water twice a week, and they’ll thrive for two years; then transplant or rewrap them to keep them fed. This hyacinth is blooming now. $35. —KATELYN MAE PETRIN

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FIRST PERSON

Elements of Style Rafael Adón sees connections in almost everything he makes. that you can carry from here to there, and they don’t have to stay in your yard if you move.

TELL ME ABOUT YOUR BAGS.

About four years ago, I got curious about a book bag that would work for me. Not satisfied with anything I could buy ready to wear, I decided I would make one. That’s usually the problem with me: “OK, I’m going to make it myself”—which of course is just like a gateway drug to other things. Fast-forward, and I became intrigued by the challenges. How do you make a bag? How do you figure out its architecture? When I make a bag, I’ll have long conversations with my client to understand what is it that they want. And then comes the making of the bag, which involves hand-drawn renderings. We named that process “Story and Stitch.” It starts with your story and begins with our stitch.

HOW DOES YOUR FAMILY GET INVOLVED?

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aquatic marimo and container-less kokedama plants. Adón’s shop evolves as art forms capture his curiosity.

WHY DO YOU CREATE THESE JAPANESE GROWING FORMS?

I believe...because they’re beautiful. The fact that they happen to be Japanese is coincidental but at the same time not, because it’s a culture that’s influenced by shape and function and an appreciation for nature and the way that nature can be brought into the living space. I make bags. When you think about a bag, you chose it for a reason. Much like that, I thought that these are botanicals

WHAT’S THE COMMON THREAD IN YOUR ART?

What keeps it together is the connection, the delight in noticing a pattern and a connection and chuckling at the fact that we’re all so connected. —K.M.P.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

A step inside Elements for Living reveals the myriad talents of Rafael Adón, who, with the help of his family, handcrafts soaps, candles, and lotions. Years ago, an article he had read about the cottage industry of soap-making made him think: What do you mean, somebody can make soap? Fascinated, he decided to create his own from the botanicals grown on the 800-acre California avocado ranch he lived on at the time. “I put myself through grad school that way,” says Adón, who now works by day as a professor of education at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. More recently, he’s started stitching bespoke bags and tinkering with Japanese plant art such as

My husband, Jeff Brierly, is a graphic artist and videographer.

He makes everything I do look good. My parents and I make the soaps together. Several times a year they’ll come from California, and we’ll have weeks of soap-making, because we make the soaps in several batches. We store them so they cure. But they always have to be made, because they get sold. My grandmother was what we call a curandera, a folk healer who uses plants and botanicals. I grew up with plants. Each had some medicinal or ritual use.

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ROOM FOR TWO

Dressing the Garden Welcome sunny days by brightening up your patio or garden with decorative objects. —SYDNEY LOUGHRAN WOLF Polished nickel nautical lantern, $85, Little Black Door Designs, 545 W. Woodbine, 314-2870397, littleblack doordesigns.com

CHRISTINE ANSON Owner, S. Finch Florist

JEFF NEUSCHWANDER Owner, Plant Professor

A great piece for a nautical-themed garden party! I see this lantern hanging on an S-hook with a pillar candle inside to add a glow to your evening yard party.

I love the fact that these bells are made from recycled steel.

The range of sizes and prices gives you options, and it would be really fun to use several of them to create a customized wind chime.

If you want to create a magical atmosphere, this will certainly add to that aesthetic. Plant a butterfly bush nearby and you’ll have the effect of fairies fluttering around your garden.

I see this fitting in next to a pond, surrounded by Japanese maple and other Asian-inspired foliage. A stone container with some unique greens would work nicely on top.

I think every gardener wants to know the best places for their most beloved plants, and what better way to find those spots than a sundial? I love the quotation, too.

This has several potential uses, even if you don’t have oceanfront property. Add a candle and make it the centerpiece of your patio table. If you’re lakeside or have a decorative pond, this would look good there.

Each one is beautiful and unique, a great addition to a yard. They could even be used as a bell to call the kids back home for dinner.

Got bugs? If so, the little guys will love living here and will eat bothersome insects nearby. Place it in a shady location and, if possible, near water—but be ready for a midsummer serenade!

This piece can find a home in almost any garden. Use it to elevate potted plants and add interest.

Work it into a focal area of low-growing flowers, or set it atop the optional stand to get it above tallergrowing plants. An old-school timepiece that will actually work when the sun is out and adds a point of interest to your garden.

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Toad house, $62, Union Studio, 1605 Tower Grove, 314-771-5398, stlunionstudio.com

Fish pedestal, $165, Rand Rosenthal Design Group at Warson Woods Antique Gallery, 10091 Manchester, 314-910-9022, randrosenthal.com

“Kiss of the Sun” sundial, $139 (optional pedestal, $110), The Gifted Gardener, 8935 Manchester, 314961-1985, thegifted gardener.com

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

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Indika Desert Bells, $2.50–$160, Bowood Farms, 4605 Olive, 314454-6868, bowoodfarms.com

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FLORA & FAUNA

Hope Springs Perennial To gardening nerds—you know who you are!—summer plant sales are more exciting than Christmas. —STEFENE RUSSELL

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ST. LOUIS HOSTA SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE

FLORA CONSERVANCY OF FOREST PARK PLANT SALE

SHAW WILDFLOWER MARKET

HENRY SHAW CACTUS & SUCCULENT SOCIETY SHOW AND SALE

Could there be a more iconic St. Louis garden plant? Maybe it’s because they grow well in a shady city filled with century trees. Or perhaps it’s because hostas manage to be comfortingly familiar yet wildly diverse. This year’s varieties include a rippled yellow variety dubbed “Dancing Queen,” a yellow form of “Blue Mouse Ears” called “Sun Mouse,” and a fun spiky apple-green variety called “Rocket City.”

This sale supports the work of the volunteers who tend the garden beds throughout Forest Park. In the winter and early spring, they gather in the city’s greenhouses to plant seedlings and take cuttings. Eventually you’ll see the results of their work blooming around The Muny and the Jewel Box— and, if you mark this plant sale on your calendar, in your own garden.

Shaw’s botanists travel throughout Missouri, gathering seeds and propagating them in the reserve’s greenhouse.

Those seedlings come out in the spring—this year’s varieties include maidenhair fern, Ozark phlox, and “purple eyelashes.”

Though it’s the biggest native plant sale around, big doesn’t equate to “endless supply.”

Download a plant list from MoBot’s website, then go early.

Cacti and succulents have become increasingly popular of late, but for novices they can be hard to grow and care for. Learn from experts at this annual plant show (it’s the biggest event of its kind in the Midwest), then visit the sale tables to choose your own specimens from thousands of starters, some for as little as $2.

9 a.m. May 6. Free with garden admission. Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw, stlouishosta.org.

8 a.m.–2 p.m. May 13. Free.

St. Louis City Greenhouse, 5600 Clayton, stlouis-mo.gov.

9 a.m.–4 p.m. May 13. Free.

Shaw Nature Reserve, missouribotanicalgarden.org.

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9 a.m.–5 p.m. July 8 & 9. Free with garden admission. Missouri Botanical Garden, hscactus.org.

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LIVING WITH DESIGN

Magic Carpet

A couple takes the reins at LK2 Kaim Kisner Studio.

When Andy and Teri LaPlante assumed ownership of Kaim Kisner in December 2016, they honored the past and moved into the future with a new name: LK2 Kaim Kisner Studio.

The L stands for LaPlante, the K references Kaim Kisner, and the 2? “That’s not LK squared,” Teri says. “The ‘2’ represents Andy and me–we’re the new momand-pop shop.”

The showroom, which is exclusive to the trade, will offer fine and custommade carpets, flooring, and area rugs, and works from Lapchi Rug Design Studio. Andy’s years in the design industry add value beyond the purchase of a good product.

“We’re passionate about breathing new life into carpets and flooring in St. Louis,” says Teri.

“There’s nothing we can’t do together.” —PAT EBY

VISIT

LK2 Kaim Kisner 8147 Manchester 314-664-3696 lk2kaimkisner.com

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STYLE FILE

In Distress An ingenious decorative paint turns uninspired pieces into chic standouts.

LALA FRANKLIN, OWNER of Bohème, transforms a vintage chest of drawers with carved floral and leaf motifs into a charming statement piece with the use of Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, which she sells in her two-story Cherokee Street shop. Available in a variety of colors, Chalk Paint is a unique decorative paint that requires little preparation and adheres to most materials, including old and new wood, metal, plastic, cement, and brick. Step back and watch how it takes everyday furniture and decorative objects from unremarkable to unforgettable. —SYDNEY LOUGHRAN WOLF

STEP 1

STEP 4

USE YOUR IMAGINATION

PAINT TWICE

Rather than buy new every time, Franklin suggests using Chalk Paint to upcycle a vintage find in which you see potential. She selected this chest because “the paint’s unique texture and tone will highlight the carved detailing and make the piece look authentically aged.”

STEP 2

Bohème 2308 Cherokee Street 314-696-2690 bohemeatelier.com $600 ($1,200 for the pair)

STEP 5

WAX POETIC

STEP 3

A waxing brush is used to apply a coat of clear soft wax over the exterior. The Chalk Paint soaks up the wax, forming a protective layer that allows Franklin to control the intensity of the black wax she applies next. “I’ll brush it on in small sections, darkening the crevices, and remove the excess. Afterward, I’ll work more clear wax into the flat surface areas to lighten them but will leave the black wax in the molding a bit darker.”

JUST DUST

STEP 6

PICK A PALETTE

Franklin decides on Pure (a white Chalk Paint) with a black soft-wax finish for the outside of the chests. For the drawers’ interiors, she creates a bold raspberry color, using a mixture of Burgundy, Pure and a drop of Graphite. “I love adding a jewel tone as contrast to a neutral palette.”

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LET IT SHINE

After allowing the completed piece to sit overnight, Franklin buffs the chest with a clean lint-free cloth. “This builds up a soft sheen and gives it a nice finished feel.” The entire process takes just two days. She loves mixing modern pieces with antiques and says the chests would “work beautifully as a nightstand next to a large modern bed or flanking a minimalist sofa.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

Chalk Paint’s appeal, in part, is the fact that it’s so lowmaintenance. “It doesn’t require homeowners to sand or prime their furnishings like other paints do,” Franklin says. Definitely dust off your piece before painting to ensure that there isn’t any grime, but the paint will stick to any type of finish.

“Vintage pieces are especially good candidates because they’ve already endured a lot of use and have texture built into them,” she says.

26

CONNECT

Franklin applies two coats of Pure to the exterior to guarantee that the color will still show through after the black soft wax is brushed over it. The drawers’ interiors receive two coats for a brushed look.

stlmag.com

3/30/17 12:16 PM

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THE SPACE I LOVE

Elegant Lady A quiet sunroom offers a respite from the day’s hustle and bustle.

WHEN NAN WISNIEWSKI FIRST

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RAILROAD TIES

PLANT LIFE

TILE TALK

Architect William Levy built the Mediterranean-style villa in 1913. Katy Railroad president John Barriger III and his family later lived there for a quartercentury. The family maintained the world’s largest private collection of railroad memorabilia, mostly in the form of books, and housed it on the third floor. The memorabilia has since been donated to the St. Louis Mercantile Library, and the third floor was redesigned as a space for games and other family fun.

The sunroom is the home’s most-used room (the dogs just love it), but it isn’t a passion for plants that draws Wisniewski to the space. She designed the room to feel like a family room.

“I really just wanted people to be comfortable,” she says. Two club chairs, a seagrass rug, and a sofa from Miriam Switching Post, covered in Samira/ Potter’s Clay fabric from Calico Corners, do the job. “The light is just perfect,” she says. “By noon, there’s a glow that lasts for the rest of the day.”

The walls are tile plaster. “An artisan cut into the walls and carved the lines by hand,” she says, pointing to the fan shapes etched around the windows.

“When I was filling in the lines, I took a level and a laser to them and they’re perfect.”

Wisniewski sees her career as a small contribution to bringing the city’s beauty back to life.

As for the palm trees in the room…well, she says she’s not of much help: “They’ve been replaced at least six times since we moved in two years ago!”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER

saw the Central West End house, she didn’t really love it. The place required so much work, Wisniewski’s business partner passed on the project but suggested that Nan and her husband, Steve, take a look. For the past 15 years, Wisniewski has been restoring older homes, which she refers to as ladies. She believes that as we age, it’s important to stay young at heart, and houses are no different: “I respect history, but a home should be made for modern living.” Wisniewski retires to the home’s sunroom to unwind. —VERONICA THEODORO

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A DAY IN THE LIFE

Looking Backward A trip to St. Louis Vintage Piano Co. is a journey in two dimensions.

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still prefer the banned ivory: “There’s a texture. And it’s porous, so if you’re nervous and sweaty, it will absorb the moisture.” Sellers pops off the old surface with a heat gun, then selects an ivory shard from the Christmas cookie tin in which he saves them. Carefully he affixes it to the key, using a special clamp to distribute its weight evenly.

Sellers never sees “just an old beat-up piano.” He sees past glories, and he visualizes the future: “how great I can make it sound; how beautiful I can make it look.”

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER

MATT SELLERS’ SHOP is in an old brick factory off South Broadway, hidden at the bottom of a steep, spiraling road cut into a bluff.

You drive down until you’re almost at river level. Then you walk in and step backward in time, surrounded by upright grands built in the late 1800s.

Tall and skinny, his hair combed back like a country/Western star’s, Sellers wears vintage threads because, he says, “with new clothes, anyone could have that same shirt.” His apartment’s full of antiques he’s restored.

“It’s like these pianos; each one is unique.”

He started teaching himself to play the piano when he was 13, and when he asked for his own piano, his grandparents found him a free one. “It was busted up. A lot of notes didn’t work,” he recalls, “so I figured out how to pull them apart.” He spent a few years as an apprentice, restoring and rebuilding pianos, then opened the St. Louis Vintage Piano Co. Now he buys old pianos from farm auctions, estate sales, and families who are leaving town and don’t want to bother moving a worn-out piano that doesn’t play well.

“People don’t value them like I do,” Sellers says quietly, running his finger along the keys of a Steinway that was built in 1888.

“You couldn’t afford to build a piano of this kind of quality today. But back when these were built, a piano was a family’s only form of entertainment. The piano was usually the most expensive item in the house.

“This one’s all in original condition, 1887, real ivory and ebony kids, Brazilian rosewood veneer,” he says, moving to another piano.

“And this,” he points with a flourish, “is a St. Louis Cabinet Grand, made here by ThiebesStierlin. The building still stands on Olive, next to the Ludwig Lofts.”

Recently Sellers sold a piano to a New York pianist, and he had the movers pick up a purchase on the way back. “Friends had told me, ‘Man, you’ve got to keep your eyes open for an Ahlstrom.’ They didn’t build many; they’re rare.” And gorgeous, this one with ornate black-on-black grillwork.

His goal is to keep as much of the original piano as possible. When the keys have yellowed to a custard color, he knows he can whiten the ivory: “I use hydrogen peroxide and ultraviolet light. It takes about a week— which isn’t bad, considering they took 100 years to yellow.”

He resists replacing chipped ivory keys with today’s slick white plastic. Most pianists

—JEANNETTE COOPERMAN

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REAL ESTATE, CONTRACTORS, ARCHITECTS

Vintage Vibes Campers ramp up new marketing opportunities for local businesses.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOGAN SLUSSER

BY KEVIN KORINEK

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floors, deck, and doors have all been stained a deep brown.

In addition to The Normal Brand, Bertel has designed campers for Flights Coffee and Waffle Bar, a coffee truck based in Alton, Illinois; and for The Wandering Sidecar Bar Co., which offers two mobile bars: Ruthie, a 1960 Avalon, and Birdie, a 1967 horse box bar.

“Sometimes you find these campers decaying in people’s yard,” says Bertel. “I like bringing new life to things that nobody else would be able to remake.”

Though other companies may remodel campers, none is focused on campers for the commercial market. “I think you’ll start to see more of this in the Midwest,” he says. “It’s already big on the East Coast.”

With this kind of inventiveness, don’t be surprised if you start seeing more vintage campers parked outside some of your favorite spots around town.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LOGAN SLUSSER

MARK BERTEL JR. is a third-generation craftsman who knows how to take pet projects and turn them into powerhouse statements. His specialty is building tiny homes and remodeling vintage campers and trailers for startup companies.

“I’ve been working in construction since I was young,” says the 26-year-old Bertel, who learned about the family business from his father, Mark Sr. “When I started my own business, I began with remodeling projects.” Bertel’s completed just a few camper remodels so far but says he’s drawn to the challenge. “It takes a lot of problem-solving and creativity, and I take the work to heart,” he says.

A current resident of Arkansas, the St. Louis native remains committed to his hometown. A tattoo of the Gateway Arch offers some proof, but so does one of Bertel’s most recent projects: the renovation of a 1969 Blazon camper for The Normal Brand, a St. Louis– based clothing company run by businessman Jimmy Sansone.

After a chance meeting through mutual friends at LouFest 2016, the pair decided to partner on a concept for the company’s first vintage trailer. After Sansone shared his design ideas, Bertel brought them to life. “I trusted his instincts,” says Sansone. “His natural aesthetic was a good fit for us.”

The result is a camper nicknamed Betsy Bear, a mobile popup that serves as a marketing tool for the company’s online business and a clothing boutique on wheels. Betsy Bear also offers the retailer the freedom to set up shop nearly anywhere on the open road.

“It’s really become integral to our business model,” says Sansone.

“We do a lot of events with retailers, and having a great piece like this has given us another touchpoint to show people what our brand is all about.”

Bertel’s design reflects the style of the clothing line: timelessness with a rustic edge that captures the spirit of the great outdoors. The focal point of the camper is a custom retractable wood deck and sliding barn doors, which Bertel built by removing the passenger side of the 16-foot vehicle. He welded the barn doors to the frame of the camper, and designed a unique hinge system (a patent is pending) that allows the deck to fold against the side of the trailer when not in use. Inside, shelves and custom-made chests of drawers display the company’s shirts, caps, and other merchandise. The window trim,

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INSIDER

SmartFlyer St. Louis Lands a New Home A travel agency that makes lavish promises needs five-star office space (on a hostel budget).

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS, COURTESY OF SMARTFLYER

“CLIENTS COME TO us to find extraordinary places around the world, places they’ll be talking about at Thanksgiving tables 30 years from now,” explains SmartFlyer agent Robert Merlin. To plan those unforgettable itineraries (some of which include stays in private homes in a variety of styles located around the globe), the team needed a clean, airy, sophisticated workspace, and so they asked Paula Roberts of Berrywood Design in St. Louis to design one on a budget for the company’s office in University City.

Roberts turned to IKEA for a glass conference table (it extends for vendor presentations, and the white chairs stack afterward).

She used austere white desks from Crate & Barrel, then softened the look for clients with Midcentury loveseats and a gilded table. Travel photographs by agent Amy Zebala’s husband, Lukas P. Zebala, were printed oversize on glass as inspiration.

—JEANNETTE COOPERMAN AGENT: Robert Merlin PLACE: Monteverdi Tuscany STYLE: Tuscan villa WHY GO: “The family that owns Monteverdi

has painstakingly restored a beautiful borgo on a hill in the heart of Tuscan wine country. Its style softens rustic authenticity—ancient stone walls, wide archways, centuries-old wooden beams— with the luxuriousness of contemporary Italian design.”

AGENT: Betsey Brown PLACE: La Reserve Paris, 42 avenue Gabriel STYLE: Belle Époque WHY GO: “Built in 1854 as a private home, it was once owned by the fashion designer Pierre Cardin. The rooms are 19th-century Paris: burnished gold and garnet velvet, damask wallpaper and handmade lampshades, a library and cigar room. George Sand would have felt at home.”

AGENT: Amy Zebala PLACE: Blue Door, Palm Springs, California STYLE: Midcentury Modern WHY GO: “This house is quintessential

Palm Springs. A designer renovation of a Midcentury home with a mountain view, it’s faithful to the period: Walk in, and you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into the 1950s.

With floor-to-ceiling glass, this home provides indoor and outdoor living and feels chic and crisp but never fussy.”

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BLUEPRINT

One Campus, Three Buildings Local architecture firm prioritizes a home-like feel for students.

VESSEL ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN’S residential campus for Boys Hope Girls Hope St. Louis is the first of its kind for the nonprofit organization.

Forty years ago, BHGH started with one center in St. Louis; today it runs 15 campuses across the United States and three locations overseas. BHGH’s mission is to enroll youth in school and provide living facilities for the kids until they’ve completed high school.

Peter Schwartz, Vessel’s principal architect, managed the Emerson Campus project.

“We do fairly regular work for not-for-profits here at Vessel, and we just love doing projects like this that can help make a difference in the lives of the people that use our buildings,” he

says. “We’d love to do some more things like this… It was an honor to collaborate with them and to help bring their dreams to life.”

Scholars moved in last summer after almost a year of construction. Vessel gave each house its own exterior and interior design concepts. The three homes, built side by side, fit nicely into their Richmond Heights neighborhood. Ten boys live in the red house and 10 girls in the blue house, with two scholars per bedroom and offices in between.

Schwartz says a “sibling-like atmosphere” develops on campus.

“Uniting all of their functions on one campus offered big advantages, but we didn’t want efficiency at the expense of a home-like feel,” he says. —CHELSIE HOLLIS

BY THE NUMBERS

0.8 size of property, in acres

18,000

Size, in square feet, of all three houses

Bedrooms

4

Number of cars that can be housed in the girls’ home garage

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1

Full bathrooms (plus three powder rooms)

Basement connecting all three buildings

8

Staff quarters (two private bedrooms and two suites off the staff apartment in each home)

8

ILLUSTRATION BY PETE SUCHESKI

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16

Number of offices

24

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YO U R H O M E I S A S TAG E Perception is reality when you’re styling a house.

BY CHARLENE OLDHAM

T

as a professional stager has taught her to see beyond what’s in front of her and find the hidden potential inside every home. But when she was in the market for a Florida condo about a year and a half ago, she found herself dismissing many of the options she saw online because the photos lacked aesthetic appeal.

ERRIE STILES’ EXPERIENCE

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for the photos so that buyers can see what the kitchen really looks like.”

Factors such as the neighborhood, the home’s architectural style, and the target buyer are also considered in the staging of a property. Take, for instance, a 120-year-old, 10,000-square-foot Second Empire–style property in the Central West End. A home with such presence requires the use of large-scale furniture and a focus on a few key areas, such as the kitchen, the living room, the bathrooms, and the master suite, says Gregg Williamson, of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Alliance Real Estate.

“The plan is to skillfully blend classic and contemporary pieces in a way that makes the modern-day buyer feel at home,” he says. Williamson, who is partnering with Flair Home Staging, is considering styling the dining room with a glasstop table and traditional chairs and accents.

“It’s very important that a potential buyer walk into a house and picture living in it with their family, and…not everyone has 120-yearold furniture!”

Regardless of the home’s size and style, the most important goal is for a home to never look too staged or too stuffed—even if the current owners still live there, says Fasnacht.

Staging services can also help clients begin the necessary process of mentally separating from a house that will soon be home to someone else. Christopher Thiemet, an agent with Circa Properties, likes to tell his clients that the

property is essentially his from the moment that the listing contract is signed, helping sellers cut their connection to it.

Think of a successful home staging project as a reminder of your favorite fashionable friend’s home.

“When a house looks stylish and cozy, it taps into emotions,” says Fasnacht. “Homebuying is always an emotional process, so we hope that a buyer will walk in and immediately feel a sense of belonging.”

That’s what seems to have happened when Fasnacht staged homeowner Betha Whitlow’s vacant Tower Grove East condo last year.

“The condo sold quickly, profitably, and to a motivated buyer,” says Whitlow. “I received a signed contract within two hours of the house’s going on the market.”

What’s telling is that the buyer purchased several furnishings and accessories from Fasnacht, suggesting that the staging had inspired the buyer not only to buy the property but also to see herself living in the space.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS

“Even though a listing matched my criteria, if the house wasn’t pretty, if the photos didn’t draw me in, I was moving on,” she says.

The rise of websites such as Realtor.com and Zillow.com has made staging services an integral part of the residential real estate industry, because an increasing number of buyers decide which properties to view on the basis of online photos alone. For those considering a move, it’s never too soon to call a professional to suggest ideas for a fresh color palette or other décor upgrades before easing into the process of purging.

“The more time [we have], the better,” says Stiles, co-owner of Hometenders Home Staging & Design in Chesterfield. “I find that sellers are not quite ready to jump in and start getting rid of stuff.”

When a home is empty, stagers can more easily style the furniture and décor to give the house a sense of scale and a neutral warmth.

In properties that are occupied, stagers assist homeowners by helping them cull collections and remove clutter with an objective eye.

“Really, [it’s] just kind of depersonalizing and decluttering,” says Deanna Fasnacht, founder of the St. Louis–based staging and design firm Peek Interiors. Kitchens seemed to be the most challenging room to purge, because “people tend not to want to get rid of their coffeepots and toasters,” Fasnacht says. “All the stuff that lives on the countertops really needs to be cleared out M AY- J U N 2 0 17

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THE PLAN IS TO BLEND CLASSIC AND CONTEMPORARY PIECES IN A WAY T H AT M A K E S T H E M O D E R N -DAY B U Y E R F E E L A T H O M E .”

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VENTURE OUTSIDE Spring is abuzz at the nursery Visit us to see what’s new for garden & home this spring.

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4/6/17 10:53 AM

CIT Y GARDENS In a Central West End enclave, good gardens make good neighbors.

BY MARY MORGAN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG RANNELLS

of the Central West End, a patchwork of imaginative greenspaces invigorates historic residences. The whole of this verdant jigsaw is decidedly greater than the sum of its many parts.

IN THE HEART

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THE ARTIST’S GARDEN This mews garden, with form and texture driving the composition, demonstrates the owner’s refined and cultivated taste for the unusual. Dramatic views make the rooftop retreat an eyeopener. The key to its success? The resident gardener is Katherine McPheeters, a buyer for Bowood Farms.

Low containers offer interest without distracting from the stunning view of The Chase Park Plaza. The color palette of the coleus combination references the hues of neighboring homes.

On one side of the broad east-west axial path of crushed granite, wisteria is trained along mews garages. Across the way, clipped hornbeam hedges form green screens to protect the privacy of outdoor rooms.

Here, scale and proportion rule, with a pair of large faux-lead containers housing fringe trees, elegant natives, and spring bloomers.

Color is used sparingly; the white petunias pack a punch, echoing the sugar-white Chase.

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▲ The custom-designed slatted fence affords both privacy and protection from winds that will occasionally whip across the rooftop. Columnar hornbeams (a staple of mews gardeners) form a short informal privacy hedge softened by the looser foliage of a sweet bay magnolia, a semievergreen native prized for its highly fragrant early-summer blooms. The view to the east is quieter but affords glimpses into the leafy checkerboard of the gardens below.

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THE PERSONALITY GARDEN Adrienne Davis, vice provost and William M. Van Cleve Professor at the Washington University School of Law, presides over a secluded vertical aerie.

The domain, newly designed by The Plot Thickens, consists of several landings and two intimate “rooms.”

Davis accessorized the enclosure with comfortable furnishings and seasonal plantings. Vivid tropicals, such as hibiscus, bougainvillea, and mandevilla (hummingbird magnets all), set the tone.

In addition to wanting a garden refuge, Davis hoped to give her neighbors a pleasant sight.

The result: an Escher-like design with plants, trees, hanging baskets, and window boxes.

An Instagram-worthy moment featuring a handful of fresh tomatoes, a glazed ceramic vessel, and a planted orchid is glimpsed by the kitchen door.

“Blue Daze” evolvulus is a sun-loving dazzler for pots and containers.

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THE CONNOISSEURS’ GARDENS The homeowners, who have bona fide greenthumb credentials, engaged Cece Mulcahy of The Garden Works to define two spectacular and distinct areas.

The long and narrow east garden is shaded by 100-year-old trees and imbues the property with tranquility. It’s also home to a plethora of flowering shrubs, perennials, and groundcovers.

▲ Visitors enter through a tiny, densely planted courtyard on an intricately patterned path; this leafy prologue is meant to take time. A dramatic urn, an elaborate period gate, the drama of arrival all in one small space.

Tucked in but not hemmed in, and surrounded by looming architecture, this folly pool is like a designer dog with a big bark.

A birds’-eye view of the Mediterranean-inspired pool garden sets the stage. The effect of this garden relies on elaborate hardscaping and paving, the use of tiles, a new stucco wall, and period garden furniture and ornaments, plus pots with patina.

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4/6/17 10:56 AM

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THE DOWN-TO-EARTH GARDEN In this charming, mature garden clipped hornbeams encircle a classic lawn oval. Homeowner Paula Abboud and her young grandchildren love to spend time in this sunny, inviting greenspace, which Abboud created by adhering to the implicit “mews formula” of green partitions.

Abboud relaxed the rules by forgoing the use of walls, fences, and locked gates. She favored lawn over hardscape, and on a hot summer day the green ellipse is a haven—a dose of suburbia in an urban oasis. Bountiful hydrangea blooms add a splash of pastel color to what is primarily a green garden. On the opposite side, a red dissectum Japanese maple adds a touch more color.

Without being fussy or particularly manicured, the Abbouds’ carefree garden satisfies on every level, and nature is always hard at work—which pretty much sums up the entire verdant jigsaw of this mews community.

Talk about the intersection of pattern on pattern: A whirl of hosta leaves, flagstones, brick stairs, and an iron railing make up this dynamic spot.

Here, a vigorously climbing hydrangea scrambles over a trellis.

Some of the architectural underpinnings require disguise, and this perennial vine does the job nicely.

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BE THE HANGOUT HOUSE

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This is about more than just getting off the couch. This is about building a place where your family can play, train, and bond. For over 40 years, our certified CourtBuilders have built custom courts where kids can be kids, be with their friends, and still be close to home.

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4/6/17 10:38 AM

STL

r e m Sum STYLE

With the weather finally warming up, it’s time to embrace your outdoor living spaces.

BY LANCE JORDAN, SARAH KLOEPPLE, CHARLENE OLDHAM, VERONICA THEODORO, AND JUDY UELK PHOTOGRAPHY BY

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ALISE O’BRIEN

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STL

Summer STYLE

HOW A WEBSTER GROVES COUPLE CREATED AN IDEAL SETTING FOR ALFRESCO ENTERTAINING

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T H E C H A L L E N G E S : “Building an outdoor room can be almost as expensive as an indoor room,” warns Tammy, who recommends that owners be involved as much as possible to prevent costly mistakes. “When our stampedconcrete floors first went in, they were very green. It wasn’t a difficult fix, but I’m glad I was on top of it,” she says. Furnishings and fabrics should be durable and weather resistant. “You don’t want anything too precious.

Your outdoor living space should be relaxing, not worrisome.”

T H E B E N E F I T S : Having an outdoor hearth room off the kitchen makes party planning simple. “Our room can be dressed up or down and is the perfect spot for gathering with friends and family,” Tammy says. “We’ve had everything from impromptu happy hours to large graduation parties out here. Having the fireplace lets us enjoy the space year-round.

With crisp temperatures and a blazing fire, you’ll always find someone watching a football game.” –JUDY UELK

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN, KEVIN A. ROBERTS

AT HOME, OUTSIDE

T H E D R E A M : The charming Webster Groves home that designer Tammy Tribout Caruso and her husband, John Caruso, call home was absolute perfection, except for one important missing element. “We love to entertain,” says Tammy. “We were missing a way to take the party outside in a beautiful way. We wanted an outdoor space that felt like a hearth room—right off the kitchen—but without the walls.”

T H E P L A N : Tammy hired architect Andrei Dambrouski to create a seamless indoor/outdoor connection. “I wanted the space to be a true extension of our home,” says Tammy. She chose a neutral palette and incorporated rustic elements: a stone fireplace, weathered-beam ceiling, and wooden chandelier. Accessories such as the geometric pillows add a touch of boldness to the quiet décor. “I kept the color scheme neutral so I could change my pillows for different seasons and occasions,” she says.

“Most of the time, they’re black and white, but I also love to add green or bright pink.”

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The Sunny Side Outdoor furniture and décor trends —VERONICA THEODORO

Raj Dinnerware Collection

by Williams-Sonoma Plaza Frontenac, 1701 S. Lindbergh, 314-567-9211. $59.95 – $67.95

Gelati side chair

by Woodard.

KDR Design Showrooms, 11660 Page Service Drive, 314-993-5020. Price available upon request.

Hamilton Love Seat by Woodard KDR Design Showrooms, 11660 Page Service Drive, 314-993-5020. Price available upon request.

Indoor/Outdoor rugs

by Jaipur Living LK2 Kaim Kisner, 8147 Manchester, 314-644-3696.

Price available upon request.

Outdoor throw pillows

by Magnolia Casual Forshaw, 825 S. Lindbergh, 314-993-5570. $49.99

Watering Can and Large Cooler

by Sol&Luna Neiman Marcus, 1701 S. Lindbergh, 314-5679811. $115,$850

Tea Cart with removable serving tray by Woodard KDR Design Showrooms, 11660 Page Service Drive, 314-993-5020. Price available upon request.

Loggia club chair

by Summit with Perennials fabric in Ink Blot, Design & Detail, 2731 Sutton, Ste. 100, 314-781-3336. $5,965

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Pit Stop

These fire pits are a hot commodity.

W

HEN TOM DAVIS stops at a gas

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to resume his work as a missionary.

A friend of Davis’, Matt Scarborough, has taken over the business. Davis met Scarborough 10 years ago during his missionary work in Texas, and Scarborough and his family have since moved to Davis’ family farm to continue the work under the name The Fire Pit Artist.

Scarborough, like Davis, has always been an artist. He’s also been welding pipelines since 2006.

“I’m ready to go,” Scarborough says of taking the reins. He creates the pits in a workshop on the farm. It’s just him, working with grinders, torches, and leather gloves. His two young sons might make an appearance. “They get in the way sometimes,” he says with a laugh.

Tom’s Fire Pits have made their way to the St. Louis Art Fair; Art in the Park, in Columbia, Missouri; the Lincoln County Fair; and the Gypsy Caravan.

“They walk up to our little booth or little space, and they just light up,” Davis says.

“They say, ‘Oh, look at this!’ It’s just kind of neat, standing there witnessing that and seeing them happy.”

It takes about two weeks for Scarborough to complete a fire pit. Prices for the steel pits range from $1,200–$9,600. They’re guaranteed for 800 years—the stainless steel for 8,000.

“It’s a family heirloom,” Davis says, “and they’re going to be like, ‘Oh, what do you want from Papa’s and Mama’s? I want the fire pit.’ That’s what’s going to go first. And to be able to be part of that? I think that is awesome.” –SARAH KLOEPPLE

A BIRD’S EYE-VIEW FOR ONE FAMILY, GOLF IS JUST STEPS AWAY FROM HOME.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN A. ROBERTS, ALISE O’BRIEN

station, it’s not uncommon for people to stare at the cargo he’s hauling in his truck. “Every parking lot you go to, that you pull in to fill up, becomes an art show,” he says.

Davis’ steel fire pits are made with ¼-inch-thick steel. The steel is shaped into a hollow ball, and a design is drawn on it.

Next, a torch is used to cut out the design, and the steel that remains is welded, ground, and polished. Past designs have included a big cat lazing on a tree branch, a wolf howling at a crescent moon, and a man in a hat panning for gold.

Davis has drawn all his life, but his fire pit work only started a few years ago. When his father began experiencing health problems, he left his work as a missionary in Texas to return home to his family’s farm in Paris, Missouri. The Christmas before their father died, Davis’ sister Lesa Brocksmith had an idea. She wanted her brother to build her a fire pit.

“And I want it round looking,” she added.

Davis stayed on the farm to help out, and Brocksmith was enthused by all the compliments her brother’s work garnered. “Why don’t you make another?” she would say to him. He did, and it sold before he finished it. Since 2016, Davis’ business has grown, but now that his family is settled and his mother has remarried, he’s ready to move on. He left for Austin, Texas, in February M AY- J U N 2 0 1 7

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STL

Summer STYLE

A Monarchy How to support monarch butterflies in your own back yard

Scientists say monarch butterflies number less than a tenth of their population two decades ago. Catherine Werner, sustainability director for the St. Louis mayor’s office, shares advice on supporting these fascinating insects.

Can a homeowner really impact the monarch butterfly? An area as small as 1 square meter, with the right mix of plants,​can provide excellent habitat. For St. Louis, we recommend a combination of nine​ plants: butterfly weed, common milkweed, marsh milkweed, whorled milkweed, bee balm/bergamot, black-eyed Susan, goldenrod, New England aster, and purple coneflower. Several ​types of milkweed plants can serve as host to monarch caterpillars, and a variety of other native plants can serve as nectar sources for monarch butterflies.

T H E D R E A M : This couple loves to golf, so it was no surprise to friends and family when they decided to build a custom home on the 16th hole of the Bellerive Country Club golf course. “Golf is a loved sport in our family,” says the wife, “so when we started to work on the design of our backyard, we thought it would be fun to incorporate plans for our own private putting and chipping greens. It feels like we’re on the course but still in our backyard.” The couple also wanted a place where the whole family could relax, play, and enjoy being together. “Adding the greens was a fun part of that,” she says.

THE PLAN: From the beginning, the couple knew what they wanted, so the design of the backyard and the construction of the house took place simultaneously. “In order to create a cohesive indoor/outdoor connection, it’s important to put as much thought into your outside living environment as you do the inside of your home,” says architect Greg Garrett of Mitchell Wall Architec-

ture and Design. “The outside shouldn’t be an afterthought.” Jeff Bogard of R.E.A. Homes loves the LED lights in each cup: “The family can play even when the sun goes down.” The couple’s backyard retreat also includes a pool by Pool Specialists, a stone pizza oven, and an adjacent fire pit to enjoy on cooler days.

THE CHALLENGES: Leveling the yard to support the greens and the pool was a priority, says Bogard. The retaining wall was built to extend the flat area of the backyard behind the home where the pool is located. “Since the lot slopes down toward the golf course, we had to build the retaining wall to allow for that transition,” he says.

THE BENEFITS: Anytime the weather permits, the family is outside golfing, grilling, making pizza, or playing soccer. “We wanted a big yard as well as areas where we could relax.

We think we’ve accomplished both,” say the couple. –J.U.

In general, what makes for a winning monarch mix? A successful monarch garden will have both milkweed and nectar plants that bloom throughout the growing season. It is particularly important to have nectar available to monarchs during their spring and fall migrations; the nectar sources provide the energy the butterflies need for their long journey.

We recommend using native species, which will do best in this climate.

Where can people learn more? The Milkweeds for Monarchs: St. Louis Butterfly Project webpage (stlouismo.gov/monarchs) has tools and resources, including how to plant and care for monarch gardens. To learn more, people can also contact Brightside St. Louis or visit one of the demonstration areas at the Missouri Botanical Garden or Saint Louis Zoo. —CHARLENE OLDHAM stlmag.com

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Summer STYLE

RELAXATION, UNFILTERED AFTER RENOVATING THE INTERIOR SPACES, A ST. LOUIS COUPLE KEPT GOING.

An Apple a Day… There’s nothing like the sight of a healthy fruit tree to make a homeowner feel like a bona fide gardener. If you’re new to fruit growing, follow these tips to sweet success.

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Looking to add an apple tree to your garden or back yard? Start with the Urban Apple, which produces a lot of fruit and is ideal for homeowners with small yards. “It’s a smaller tree that grows more narrow and upright,” says Garden Heights Nursery owner Lou D’Agrosa, adding that gardeners can select from the red or green apple variety. While many popular fruit varieties are hybrids, Botanical Heights Community Garden’s Nicole Bergmann suggests that beginners avoid hybrids of apples and peaches, for instance. And speaking of peaches, which do well in St. Louis, Bergmann recommends starting with a Donut Peach tree.

“You’ll know your Donut Peach is finished growing when it starts to take on a red color,” she says. The initial investment includes the cost of seeds ($10–$30 per package), pruning tools, and sprays to combat insects and treat diseases such as fire blight, which is common in pear and apple trees. “Fruit trees are a big commitment,” says Bergmann. “You can’t plant them and let them go.” They require a minimum of eight hours of sun per day, so D’Agrosa suggests planting them in a sunny area of the yard. Whenever possible, Bergmann plants fruit trees in areas that get plenty of wind, aiding in self- and cross-pollination. –LANCE JORDAN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALISE O’BRIEN

T H E D R E A M : After completing a remodel of their home’s indoor spaces, a couple turned to the outdoors living areas. The goal: to make it “in harmony with the new interiors,” says designer Kelly Johnson of Johnson Design.

They did so by incorporating the same coolblue color palette and furnishings with simple, fluid lines.

T H E P L A N : When it comes to outdoor spaces, practical concerns should come first, says Johnson. “Will the furniture remain in place all year long? Are cushions desired? Is shade required? Those decisions should be made before choosing furniture materials and fabrics. And don’t forget the landscaping!”

T H E C H A L L E N G E S : When choosing furniture and fabric selections, Johnson considered everything from lawn maintenance to fade- and stain-resistant fabrics. She chose teak because of its durability.

T H E B E N E F I T S : “Statement pieces in teak are most easily found at a higher price point,” says Johnson. Fortunately, Johnson says her clients understood the upside of investing in outdoor furnishings. “Homeowners shopping for outdoor furniture for the first time are often surprised to learn that they can be as costly as their indoor pieces,” she says. “It’s important to consider that quality outdoor furniture is built to endure many seasons of harsh exposure to sun and weather.” –J.U.

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Outdoor Living, Defined

First get your design lingo up to speed, then dive in and decide how to enhance your home’s outdoor areas.

With so many charming options, you’ll be wishing for lanai living all year long. —C.O.

DECK A flat, usually roofless platform adjoining a house. Decks are typically made of lumber and are elevated from the ground. A deck can include spaces for barbeques, dining and seating. Decks are generally enclosed by a railing.

In some cases, they can also be covered by a canopy or pergola. –Homedit.com

GAZEBO A free-standing structure with a roof and open sides. Gazebos can be square, rectangular or round, but the most popular shape is a six- or eight-sided formation. They can consist simply of a roof supported by posts, or can incorporate a low wall, two or three feet high.

–The Garden and Patio Home Guide

LANAI A term frequently used in Hawaii to describe a specific type of porch. Most often it’s used to describe an enclosed porch with a concrete or stone floor. Lanais are slightly different from sunrooms because most often they have concrete floors and are situated on the ground adjacent to the home. –Angie’s List

PORCH A covered shelter projecting in front of the entrance of a house or building. The structure is external to the walls of the building but it may be enclosed in certain types of frames including walls, columns, or screens, extending from the main structure. –Homedit.com

PATIO A paved outdoor area adjoining a house, generally used for dining or recreation. The term comes from Spanish, where its meaning is different (inner courtyard). Common materials employed when building a patio include concrete, stone, bricks, but also tiles or cobbles.

–Homedit.com

PERGOLA A garden structure built up over a path or narrow terrace, lined with evenly spaced columns or posts that support a wooden-framed roof without sheathing. Often, vines are trained around the wooden framework of a pergola, and the pergola may lead from one building to another. –Trust for Architectural Easements

TERRACE Derived from the Latin word for earth. As such, the term was used for a structure that was built on the earth, usually from rock, tiles or wood.

In modern times, the term is also used for open or communal areas found on rooftops. In many places, the term patio is also used interchangeably with terrace. –DesignRulz.com

VERANDA May be a large porch that’s a room for entertaining or it may be a gallery running along one or more sides of the home, roofed, perhaps with a railing. Often a veranda will wrap around a house—think Victorian or New Orleans style here–perhaps on the front and both sides.

–The Simms Team, Florida Realtors

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ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS PHILPOT

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BALCONY A platform on the outside of a building enclosed by walls or balustrades, supported by columns or console brackets. The platform projects from the wall of a building, usually above the ground floor. Balconies are typically small and are not used as social spaces or for entertainment purposes. –Homedit.com

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OUTDOOR SEATING ALWAYS AVAILABLE

DeckoratorsÂŽ Vault decking was named a Top 100 Best New Home Product by This Old House.

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Deckorators.com/StLouis GET THIS LOOK Deckorators Vault Hickory and Mesquite decking with white ALX Pro railing, alternating white classic and scenic glass balusters and copper ALX High Point post caps

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L AKE SIDE

A vacation home echoes the beauty of nature.

BY

PAT EBY PHOTOGRAPHY BY

ALISE O’BRIEN stlmag.com

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T

he inspiration for Amy Studebaker’s stunning design of a lakeside Missouri vacation home couldn’t be clearer. “In the spring of 2014,” she says, “before any work started, I took a trip with the client to Nantucket and Cape Cod to get a look and feel for the Eastern shore.”

As she toured, Studebaker took note of details: the grayed-out cedar shingles in which the homes are clad, the clean shiplap construction of the walls and ceilings, the board-and-batten hallways and staircases.

She studied the architecture of Dutch colonial gables and the multiplicity of windows that enhance views of the water and the shore.

In the clean sunlight of ocean and beach, she memorized the colors of sand and shells, of driftwood and of once-bright paints weathered by water and light. For their project, the client and Studebaker chose a palette of basic white with pops of color—some strong, others muted—and returned to St. Louis to begin work on the 6,500-square-foot home. The project took nearly two years to complete.

Today, passersby see a conventional façade.

A Dutch gable and portico sit center front, flanked by side gables. A high tower, visible from the street, hints of less conventional spaces. By design, the house discloses itself to the viewer in stages.

“The back of the house opens up to the water with tall windows everywhere,” Studebaker says. Dramatic reveals, framed by architectural constructs, are hidden throughout—for instance, in the space just outside the master bedroom suite.

“I used a simple mirror framed in brightyellow driftwood over a classic gray loveseat [at] the entry to the suite,” Studebaker says. “When you turn into the bedroom, there are windows and views of the water on three sides.”

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Studebaker commissioned Martin Goebel to craft two handmade wooden showpieces for the house: a dramatic canopy bed of Western cedar and white oak and a dining table crafted from a single slab of spalted elm.

(Spalting is the process in which various colors—in this case, blue and green—develop when a piece of wood is exposed to fungus.)

The undulating live edge of the mammoth plank underscores the natural character of the wood.

In the great room, Studebaker used stone to construct the floor-to-ceiling fireplace, another reference to the natural world. Triangular trusses counterpoint the extensive use of shiplap in the room. “The sofa and chairs, with the curved wood frames, add a feeling of ‘Grandma’s house’ to the room, while the white slipcovers make this a relaxing, familyfriendly space,” Studebaker says.

Throughout the house, Studebaker used shiplap to create horizontal and vertical movement, as in the barrel-vaulted ceiling in the dining room. She enhanced those rhythms by choosing striped rugs and tex-

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tiles of varying designs and colors. “The stripes are also a nautical motif,” she says. “The patterns are comfortable for men and women both.”

Natural details—such as the fan of coral that sits atop a weathered green chest in the entry and the oversized open grapevine basket that hangs in the living room— serve as accents.

Other surprises include a step-up from the kitchen to the breakfast nook that affords some privacy, says Studebaker, and the clever use of space in the master suite that doesn’t disrupt the lines of the bed. “We mounted lamps in the cove, and we built nightstands into the shiplap to make that work,” she says.

For Studebaker, the greatest satisfaction on the project came when she and the client walked through the finished house: “She had been out of town throughout the construction; I had been making all the design decisions. Oh my gosh, it was so thrilling to hear her excitement!”

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BY

CJ LOTZ PHOTOGRAPHY BY

ALISE O’BRIEN

A HOME FOR ALL SEASONS Where family and finery coexist.

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Y

ou could say it was love at first sight— or, at the very least, love before the drywall went up.

“We stumbled upon it,” says one of the owners, a local businessman who grew up in the area, “and when we saw the progress that was being made, we decided to start a conversation with the builder. The house checked a lot of boxes for us.”

He says his wife loved the open floor plan from the family’s first home in Clayton, but the couple wanted a larger yard and more space for the kids to run around. “We wanted a house where we could plant ourselves during our free time and slow down a little,” she says. “When we lived in Clayton, it felt as though we were constantly on the go. We wanted to change the way we were living.”

The owners worked with a team to help bring their wishes to life. Architect Lauren Strutman designed the spec house, whose main floor alone measures more than 4,000 square feet, to feel cozy and timeless despite its size and new-build looks.

“The doorways provide definition between the rooms,” she says. “They were framed to be thick and deep, reminiscent of an older, more substantial residence.”

Strutman worked with builder Slavin Runyan Homes, which was responsible for the home’s fine details and craftsmanship, including the crisp wainscoting, the beamed and coffered ceilings, and the custom wide-plank American walnut floors finished onsite. The interior designer Ken Stückenschneider, of Stückenschneider Decoration & Design, made the family the focus of his work, using fabrics such as the chenille corduroy on a set of club chairs that are conducive to having kids in the house. “Most all the fabrics are made of natural fibers like mohair, wool, and linen-andcotton blends,” says Stückenschneider. “I design most homes to feel like men’s suits or classic tailored clothing.”

His palette—light gray, pale sky blue, and cream, balanced with white trim—reflects the family’s desire for tranquil surroundings. “Ken tied each room together but allowed the spaces to maintain their own feel and personality,” says the homeowner. Custom lighting, artwork, and furniture yield a sophisticated yet family-friendly environment.

Like many families, this one spends a lot of time in the kitchen. Cabinet designer Kathleen Israel of Accent on Cabinets masterminded a kitchen plan that’s both beautiful and functional.

“Rather than having a door style that is overbearing, with moldings and decorations, we kept a clean look that will never go out of style,” she says.

In this generous and welcoming space, seating abounds. A massive island of solid walnut

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with a waterproof finish is a casual snack spot, and just beyond sits the largest kitchen table Stückenschneider has ever commissioned. More than a dozen people can sit at the 16-foot-long piece, built by Christborn Furniture of Middletown, Missouri. It’s where you’ll find the kids finishing homework or the extended family swapping stories over dinner. “There’s always some project going on there, and usually stuff strewn about,” says the owner, “but when the family comes over, it gets cleaned up and we either have a sit-down dinner or a buffet.” A breakfast room and dining room are just steps away from the kitchen.

More generous spaces—including an office, a mudroom, and a large laundry room—abound on the first floor. A well-curated collection of art includes work by local printmaker Tom Huck in the family room and a piece by painter Peter Manion in the kitchen. A painting by Ted Collier, commissioned by the family, is the focal point of the entry hallway. “It feels great to support the people in your community and to offer them an opportunity to do what they love,” says one of the homeowners.

The downstairs also includes a master suite retreat, dressed in the aforementioned shades plus tan and American walnut to add warmth. The room’s subtle wall color serves as a screen on which the dandelion chandelier casts interesting shadows at night. Just beyond? The pool house, designed by Susan Bower of Mitchell Wall Architecture and Design.

“The interior millwork of the pool house is a modern take on traditional clapboard siding,” says Stückenschneider. The varying geometry of the shelves is a perfect way to hold plants and bring a touch of the garden into the space.

“I love seeing this family gathered around the kitchen table, the parents helping the kids with homework or preparing a meal while the dog jumps in circles around the activity,” says Stückenschneider. “The calm palette and tranquil mood of the house counteract the busyness of modern life.”

The house does seem tailor made for all of life’s seasons.

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

OUTDOOR RESOURCES Give your curb appeal or outdoor living space a boost with the help of these local professionals and suppliers.

Frisella Nursery Since 1953, Frisella Nursery has been growing and supplying plants, while also designing and installing award-winning landscapes for St. Louis homeowners. The 30-acre garden center provides a vast selection, so you’ll find the perfect plant for any location.

636-798-2555 | frisellanursery.com SERVICES: FULL-SERVICE GARDEN CENTER; RESIDENTIAL LANDSCAPE DESIGN, INSTALLATION & MAINTENANCE; RESIDENTIAL IRRIGATION; COMMERCIAL LANDSCAPE MANAGEMENT & INSTALLATION

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LANDSCAPING & HARDSCAPING

Green Guys Green Guys specializes in personalized landscape design, installation and maintenance. From simple patios to full outdoor rooms, their ultimate goal is to create spaces that provide both style and function.

Perpetua Iron, LLC

Chesterfield Valley Nursery

Perpetua Iron specializes in custom design and fabrication of iron railing, gates, fire screens, mailbox and sign posts, trellises, planter boxes and furniture. The fabricators work with customers to produce unique designs that meet their needs.

314-753-1805 | perpetuairon.com

Chesterfield Valley Nursery’s designers take pride in creating extraordinary landscapes that satisfy the unique needs and distinctive tastes clients have for their properties. Expert staff members see projects through from start to finish and protect clients’ investments with year-round maintenance services.

SERVICES: DESIGN, FABRICATION &

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OUTDOOR ROOM DESIGN; POOL DESIGN &

INSTALLATION OF DECORATIVE IRONWORK;

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Deckorators Deckorators is a manufacturer of outdoor decking materials and accessories. Their products feature the industry’s best warranty and are readily available throughout the St. Louis metropolitan area. Use the online Deckorators Deck Visualizer to bring your new deck to life. deckorators.com deckorators.com/stlouis (vendor list) SERVICES: DECKING, RAILING, BALUSTERS, POST CAPS, LIGHTING, ACCESSORIES

WINDOWS, DOORS & BUILDING MATERIALS

FENCING, DECKING & OTHER STRUCTURES

Royal® Building Products

California Custom Decks

For 40 years and counting, Royal Building Products has been manufacturing, distributing and innovating state-ofthe-art building materials in the name of helping pros shine and homeowners match their exteriors to their visions.

“Building more than decks.” As a small company, California Custom Decks wants to build relationships with those who want to invest in their homes while creating experiences.

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SERVICES: TURN-KEY DESIGN & BUILDING:

PORCHES, SCREENED PORCHES, FIRE PITS,

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DECKS, GAZEBOS, SUNROOMS, PERGOLAS

LIGHTING, FURNITURE

314-968-3325 | caldecks.com

Outdoor Living Inc. Outdoor Living offers the widest selection of decking products in the area to contractors and homeowners.

The family-owned business has been in St. Louis for over 25 years.

314-966-3325 | outdoorlivinginc.com SERVICES: SALES AND INSTALLATION OF DECKS, FENCES, PERGOLAS, GAZEBOS,

INTERIOR MOULDING; PIPE & FITTINGS; DECKING

Webster Window and Door

Chesterfield Fence & Deck Company

Webster Window and Door provides the finest windows, doors, hardware and related products. Whether you are replacing windows in a historic St. Louis home, building an addition or building a new home, they can provide high-quality products and professional services.

For over 49 years, Chesterfield Fence & Deck has specialized in building beautiful fences, decks, sunrooms and patios. Chesterfield Fence & Deck serves customers with only the highest quality materials, along with expert installation teams and the most reliable warranties in the industry.

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SERVICES: FENCES, DECKS, PATIOS, PERGOLAS,

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GATHERI NGS

MEET AND MOVE ON A house party gives its guests plenty of reasons to be optimistic about St. Louis.

Y

OUNG PROFESSIONALS, name-

tagged and chatty, meander about a neon-decorated house.

There are academics and businesspeople, programmers and artists, with few commonalities but age and location. There’s just one rule: Don’t talk to anyone you already know. As soon as you encounter an acquaintance, move on.

A PhD student from Baltimore explains malaria in birds as transplants compare Justin Bieber to Chance the Rapper and a user-experience programmer trades podcast recommendations with St. Louis Public Radio reporters.

Host Karen Kalish calls the conceit “extreme networking” and an investment in St. Louis’ future. “It’s my contribution to keeping people here,” she says. Many guests are on their second (or seventh) party, and the connections become convoluted, with folks ducking out of conversations when a friend makes eye contact.

“St. Louis is a really hard place to meet people,” Kalish explains. “We need young people who are passionate and bright and want to be the next generation of St. Louis.” Giving people connections, reasons to stay, excitement—all of that yields community, and it’s what Kalish tries to create. It’s not successful with every guest; one woman swears that soon, she’s outta here.

But for many, it works.

Built shortly after the 1904 World’s Fair, Kalish’s American Mansard home is one of two in St. Louis County based on the fair’s Missouri Building. The home makes the perfect space for an optimistic party. Sherbet hues adorn chairs; an interactive coffee table is an old Rube Goldberg machine.

As the night winds down, friends who couldn’t talk during the party meet outside the house to plan their next destinations. —KATELYN MAE PETRIN

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JASON WINKELER

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

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INDEX

POWER TO THE HOUSEPLANT! Plants charm their way into every nook and cranny of the house. —CHELSIE HOLLIS

5

Plants are like children: They require a caretaker’s time and devotion to truly thrive. Because both can be scarce, I turn to the independent and low-maintenance fern.

They’re the rainforest plant, so having them at home is also a reminder of my South American youth. —VERONICA THEODORO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

1

Orchids are my favorite plant because they make a statement. Their shape is atypical and therefore makes a more artistic aesthetic. There is also a variety of vibrant colors to choose from.

But the best thing about them might be how low-maintenance they are.

—AUBREY DOSMANN, SALES AND MARKETING DESIGNER

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3

Aloe vera is super easy to grow; you just have to make sure the pot drains well. It’s also visually interesting and is like a medicine cabinet with roots. Cuts, mosquito bites, burns…there’s nothing better to treat them. But if you have pets, keep it in a place they can’t access—it’s toxic for dogs and cats. —STEFENE RUSSELL, CULTURE EDITOR

4

Basil. Stick it in a tiny pot, put it in a sunny window and reap the benefits— and savings—of fresh herbs in your cooking. Also, even if you tend to kill plants, like I do, it still lasts a while. —KATELYN MAE PETRIN, EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

2

Throughout college, my best friend tended to a small greenhouse on her bedroom windowsill. My favorite was her schefflera, which even had a name: Joonie.

Scheffleras are umbrella trees, and hers brought a warmth to our apartment.

—SARAH KLOEPPLE, DIGITAL EDITOR

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I’m capable of killing a philodendron, so give me a ZZ plant (Zamioculcas zamiifolia) any day. Each leaf lives six months in contentment—no growth, no blooms, no drama. A ZZ will forgive you for forgetting to water, forgetting to open the drapes, forgetting the anniversary of your purchase…

—JEANNETTE COOPERMAN, STAFF WRITER

I do best with unfussy houseplants like fat aloes and silent motherin-law tongues. A distressed Norfolk pine, named Norbert, came into my life last year.

Today, Norbert thrives! Maybe I can raise plants and join the indoor plant revolution. —PAT EBY, CONTRIBUTING WRITER

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I have a fair number of plants—I’m just not sure what any of them is called.

My favorites are the ones that don’t die.

—STEPH ZIMMERMAN, DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

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IN PARTNERSHIP WITH

ABBY CO HEN

2017 FITNESS PROGRAM DIRECTOR Abby Cohen has more than 25 years of experience in the health & fitness industry, having trained professional athletes and celebrities such as Lady Gaga. She is Head Trainer at Orangetheory Fitness Chesterfield, as well as a group fitness instructor at Life Time Fitness and CycleBar. Certified in all formats of group exercise and Pilates, as well as a certified NASM and CSCS Personal Trainer, Abby also trains private clients through her own business, ARC Body Solutions Personal Training and Nutritional Consulting LLC.

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ICON

ELECTRIC AVENUE An “electrical man” with a nature lover’s heart.

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY RALPH D’OENCH, COURTESY OF THE MISSOURI HISTORY MUSEUM

WHEN NIKOLA TESLA gave his lecture “On Light and Other High Frequency Phenomena” at the 1893 National Electric Light Association Convention, Hugo Wurdack was surely in the crowd. Only 22, he was already an established “electrical man;” after a few years with Laclede Power Co., he founded Wurdack Light & Development, where he built, and lit, St. Louis’ first public streetlights. He also sued Union Electric, interrupting its nearmonopoly, got sued himself by proto-environmentalists for his leadership in the Coal Users’ Association, and brought power to small towns decades before the Rural Electrification Act. Even when he stepped outside his office, electricity followed him. (A petty thief once approached him randomly, offering to sell him a black market dynamo.) But the institutions that ultimately bore his name had nothing to do with AC, DC, or even technology.

He summered at a 1,200-acre home in the Ozarks, now a research station for the University of Missouri’s College of Agriculture, Food & Natural Resources called Wurdack Farm. There, researchers experiment with cattle forage, as well as study soil ecology and native plants. In 1956, when this picture was taken in front of Wurdack’s house on Lindell, plant catalogs still sold exotic bulbs, bush honeysuckle, and DDT. The double rainbow of tulip plantings looks dated now, but in the 1950s, it betrayed an electrical man’s nature-loving heart—which, perhaps, is not a contradiction, knowing as we now do that bees find pollen-rich flowers not by color, not by scent, but by reading the electrical field of a plant and how it makes their yellow fur bristle. —STEFENE RUSSELL stlmag.com

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