HOME style
summer
MAGAZINE
PUBLISHER Jim Shrader (618)463-2580 jshrader@thetelegraph.com
EDITOR IN CHIEF Dan Brannan (618)463-2560 dbrannan@thetelegraph.com
EDITOR/PHOTOGRAPHER Kathie Bassett (618)463-2562 kbassett@thetelegraph.com
COLUMNS Editor’s note
4
Potluck parties
The Gardens at SIUE
5
Water wise gardens
Ask a Professional
19
D&R Energy Services
CREATIVE DIRECTOR Georgia Mills (618)463-2554 gmills@thetelegraph.com
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Johnny Aguirre (618)463-2543 jaguirre@thetelegraph.com
SALES COORDINATOR Sue Ellen Boschert (618)463-2532 sboschert@thetelegraph.com
CONTRIBUTORS Laura Griffith Hannah Sheppard Danette Watt
FEATURES Chic condo
8
Chickens roost in stylish coop
Man cave
12
A reel adventure
‘Barn trash’ to treasure
15
Couple turns hobby into dream For the Anderson's potluck celebration, Angie Adams made a decadent chocolate mousse. To view Angie's recipe, visit www.thetelegraph.c om and search for the "What's my Home Style?" blog titled "Divinely Chocolate Mousse."
Cottage charm
See Potluck parties, page 4
Trellis motif defines home
20
Alton couple tends to garden for 50 years
Backyard oasis
23
Companies offer custom pools
Ornamental Design
25
Decked for outdoor living 28 Couple enjoys view from back yard
www.thetelegraph.com 2
Summer 2012
618-466-5847 or 656-2441 618-466-5847 or 656-2441
Soft, Classy & Elegant the Luminette by Hunter Douglas
Home Style
3
editor’s note
kathie BASSETT
Potluck parties
H
ot summer afternoons are the perfect time to gather around the pool and to relax with friends by enjoying good food and drink. Mark and Diane Anderson moved into their Middletown home three years ago. They immediately began renovating and redecorating the 125-year-old house to make it a more contemporary living space suited to their active lifestyle. Fortunately for them, the home came with an in ground pool with a partially covered pergola that can provide shade for guests on a sweltering summer day. One of their first exterior projects was to reconfigure the deck and staircase leading down to the pool area so that they could comfortably entertain a
Denise Wolff's Fruited White Sangria pairs well with fresh summer salads. large group of friends. Given to impromptu entertaining, the Andersons and their friends often get together for potluck parties. "My friend Angie (Adams) and I are two
Italian girls and we just love to cook," Diane laughed, as she put a platter heaped with caprese salad on the table. They have named another of their favorite salad concoctions affectionately after Angie's husband Dan. "It's really simple and really good," Diane said of the red leaf lettuce, yellow and red grape tomato and green onion salad tossed with olive oil and red wine vinegar. "We probably have the 'Dan' salad at least five times a week." Complementing the salad's fresh flavors is Denise Wolff's fruity White Sangria, made with a chardonnay as its base rather than a more robust red wine. Also on the table are plates of red and yellow peppers, a creamy wild mushroom, thyme and goat cheese dip and pita triangles for nibbling while waiting for the meat to grill on the nearby barbecue pit. For a sweet finish, Angie has made a decadent chocolate mousse topped with whipped cream and seasonal berries. To view Angie's recipe, visit www.thetelegraph.com search for the "What's my Home Style?" blog titled "Divinely chocolate mousse."
Fruited White Sangria 1 bottle of chardonnay 1 bottle of moscato 1/3 cup apple schnapps 1 Granny Smith apple, or another green variety, sliced 1 lime, sliced 1 lemon, sliced 2 cups strawberries, sliced
4
Summer 2012
Jane
DRAKE DIRECTOR OF THE GARDENS AT SIUE
Water Wise Gardens he planting frenzy of spring has come and gone and it is time to settle into a summer maintenance routine for our yards and gardens. Gardening in the Midwest is not for the faint of heart; our climatic extremes have convinced many to turn in their trowels for good, but for those that carry on the rewards can be absolutely stunning. Growing up in the desert southwest and the Great Plains I learned that water is never a sure thing. Like gardeners everywhere I delight in a weather forecast that calls for rain! While gardening chores are second nature for most gardeners, it is never too late to reevaluate some of our maintenance habits. The following water-wise practices will help ensure that your garden benefits from every drop. Add organic matter every chance you get, you will greatly increase the water retention in your soil. Amending your beds with compost is a very effective, affordable way to add organic matter. It is simple to establish home composting and it is readily available commercially for folks without the space to develop compost at home. While compost is well known for increasing soil fertility, the real magic of compost is its ability to improve soil tilth. Tilth refers to the "workability" of the soil. Soils with adequate tilth have good permeability that allows moisture to soak deep into the soil profile and roots to penetrate deeply. Deeply rooted plants can withstand dry spells much more successfully than shallow rooted plants. If your garden soil develops a hard crust after watering or a rain, add 1-3" of compost each spring and fall and you will be amazed at the results in a relatively short time. If you haven't tried cotton boll compost, I recommend giving it a try. Cotton bolls are the bud leaves of the cotton plant, available commercially as a by-product of the cotton industry. Cotton boll compost works wonders in heavy soils; it is light enough to incorporate easily, but substantial enough to stay put as seasonal mulch. Mulching garden beds reduces weed pressure, increases water retention, and adds great curb appeal. Be creative, use grass clippings in the summer and shredded leaves in the fall, and top dress with compost. For a
T
more finished look, place a layer of your preferred hardwood mulch over the grass clippings, leaves, or compost. Being mindful about when and how often we water our lawns and gardens is important to our success. A long, slow soak in the morning is optimal for both lawns and garden beds. Watering early prevents evaporative losses in the heat of the day and gives foliage an opportunity to dry out during the day. Keeping plants wet overnight should be avoided as it may invite fungal disease to your plantings. Once plants are well established watering once a week should be adequate with 1-inch per week a good rule of thumb. Container plantings may require more frequent watering in the heat of sum-
mer. Drip irrigation and soaker hoses use less water by targeting an application zone and are great tools for slowly percolating water deep into the soil profile while keeping foliage dry and healthy. Incorporating water wise gardening techniques reduces water consumption, lowers your water bill, and supports healthy vibrant gardens. Here's to spending less time on maintenance chores and more time enjoying our gardens with friends and family this summer.
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Home Style
5
RETRO REPURPOSING
Known as a “plantaholic,” Chris Kelly, who owns the Cottage Garden Nursery in Piasa with her husband Bill, has a keen eye for mixing together a wide assortment of succulents to create a lush container overflowing with beautiful leaf shapes. Typically found in contemporary interiors, succulents planted in whimsical animal containers have an unexpected “cottage” look. By artistically arranging the plants in one-of-a-kind vintage containers, Chris has created a style that can complement either traditional, country or modern interiors. Many of the fanciful animal containers have been picked up at yard sales and flea markets. The unique succulent containers are available for purchase at the Cottage Garden, located at 6967 Route 111, or at My Just Desserts at 31 E. Broadway in Alton. Photos taken at Phil and Amy Alfeld’s Godfrey home.
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Summer 2012
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Home Style
7
Chic condo chickens roost in stylish coop
Perched aside Bob and Mitch Meyers’ beautiful Edwardsville home, a French-inspired coop is home to six chickens. 8
Summer 2012
By HANNAH SHEPPARD n an effort to eat more organic foods, one can shop at specialty grocery stores or carefully scan labels, but for Bob and Mitch Meyers there’s nothing like waking up in the morning to fresh produce from their garden and eggs from Casa Chicondo. Perched aside their beautiful Edwardsville home, the French-inspired chicken coop is home to Mitch's six “sweet, little fluffer-muffers.”
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“ ” The girls, however, aren’t just chickens, they’re pets.
The coop, which is surrounded by Mitch's vegetable beds and enclosed by a copper trimmed iron fence from Gringo Jones, stands next to their home and garden that looks out over a scenic lake. The Meyers began the project last October when they bought heir first three
The Meyers’ chicken coop doubles as a potting shed. The enclosed area contains their vegetable garden, which allows the chickens ample grazing. silkie chickens that they named Thelma, Louise, and Sassy. The coop they had at the time wasn’t ideal for the egg-laying chicks, so they decided to make a project of it.
Mitch collaborated with contractor Dave Nevins on designing the coop and began See Chic, page 10
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Chic From page 9 building it in December. By February the chicken’s new home, Casa Chicondo, was up and running and had three more “girls,” a Buff Orphington named Whinne, a Rhode Island Red named Rhoda, and an Auracana named Clockey. From the unique rustic entry gate that came from Belgium and the sign painted by Edwardsville artist Joanie Santoro (see Winter Home Style, 2011, p. 18) to the scalloped cedar detail on the coop, there was no doubt the Meyers had not put together just an average chicken coop. Once the structure was in place, Mitch began planting her garden in late February and into March. The project was finally finished at the beginning of summer with a matching beehive, aptly named Ruche d'Abeilles, or beehive, to pollinate the garden's flowers and vegetables. Joanie also painted the bee chateau as a whimsical pendant for the coop’s rustic charm. Half of the building is for Mitch's use while the other half is devoted to the chicken's comfort. Inside the shed portion, Mitch has a potting bench made from an antique dresser where she stores her gardening tools and supplies. On an adjacent wall, a panel door opens to reveal the chicken's nesting area, giving easy access to cleaning and gathering the eggs. The spacious coop gives the chickens plenty of room to move about and provides them with a cantilevered staircase from the outside coop to inside the nesting area. For their safety, the chickens have been given a small, screened yard. Mitch comes to garden every day and lets the chickens roam about her yard with her two dogs: Gibson, a Wheaten Terrier, and Fender, a Golden Doodle. Although they are herding dogs by nature, the pups behave well and act as “guardians” to the chickens. For Mitch, having chickens wasn't much of a challenge, as she had grown up on a farm and knows how to care for them. Along with vegetables from the garden, the girls are fed cracked corn, flaxseed and fruit, and according to Mitch “they love the tops of strawberries and fight over them.” By feeding them only organic ingredients, Mitch feels she is ensuring that the chickens are not only healthy but she also enjoys being able to spend her afternoons in the garden and having fresh homegrown eggs and produce for use in her kitchen. “The girls, however, aren’t just chickens, they're pets,” she said. “When I go to our home in Colorado, I put them in a big dog crate and they come in the car with me.” hsheppar@slu.edu
10
Summer 2012
Rhoda, a Rhode Island Red; Whinne, a buff Orphington; and, Clockey, an Auracana, at feeding time.
Gibson and Fender rest after romping with the chickens.
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Home Style
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A reel adventure:
man cave
SPORTSMAN COLLECTS LURES By KATHIE BASSETT hen Brad Beck was 8 years old, he fell "hook, line and sinker" for fishing, literally growing up with a rod and reel in hand. An avid sportsman who has widely trav-
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“
A lot of lures were designed to catch the fisherman, not the fish. BRAD BECK sportsman
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eled to participate in bass tournaments, Brad naturally cast his interest to learn more about the lore of lures. Over the years, Brad has assembled an eclectic collection of antique and vintage lures of different styles, shapes and color schemes, ranging from rainbow-colored minnows with glass eyes from Germany to rare, metal torture lures. "A lot of the factories that made live-bait lures closed in the 1970s," he explained. "After that, lures became more sporting See Lures, page 13
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Brad Beck holds a rare, turn-of-the-century "torture" lure that clamps onto a fish.
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The wall showcases fish caught by Brad and his wife, Jennifer, on their travels.
Lures From page 12 instead of trying to mimic looking like a food source." The various factories produced unique lures that are now prized by collectors who research not only the colors produced but also the numbers manufactured. These factors determine the value of a particular hand-painted lure that can have more than 20 coats of paint applied to its surface, the Godfrey man explained. Many pieces in his collection are from the 1920s, with some of the more rare lures created as early as 1900, making them well over 100 years old. "A lot of lures were designed to catch the fisherman, not the fish," he laughed, noting that wasn't the case with his aptly named torture lures that would clamp onto a fish when a spring hook was triggered. "These torture lures are rare because guys used to throw them away. "What's interesting, too, is that sometimes the boxes the lures came in are worth more than the lures themselves," he said. "Also, finding a lure in pristine condition can Continued on next page
The TV room is devoted to the family’s sporting life, mingling mounted fish and lure displays with taxidermied ducks and geese.
Home Style
13
Lures From page 13 be difficult because they are often marred by teeth marks." Brad and his wife Jennifer, who also collects lures, display them in shadow boxes, grouping them according to model and manufacturer. The collections are hung next to taxidermied fish and birds in their family room along with pictures of the family on outings. For five years, Brad wrote a column for The Telegraph called "One More Cast" that gave him the opportunity to fish all along the East Coast, traveling as far as Guadalajara and then back up the west coast as well as going on excursions to both Canada and Alaska. When he's not out fishing or hunting, Brad can be found most days at the Alton-Wood River Sportsmen's Club in Godfrey. The Becks have passed their love of the sport onto their son Hunter, who caught his first bass (a nine-pounder) when he was seven years old at Lake Kissimmee in Florida. "The fish looks like it's one-half his size," said the proud dad, pointing to a picture of Hunter, now 23, hanging in the living room.
Vintage lures manufactured by one company are displayed together in a shadow box.
Hunter, then 7 years old, is pictured catching his first bass in Florida.
One of his most cherished possessions is a large Northern pike that prominently hangs over the TV, serving as a focal point for the Beck's themed family room. Brad's father caught the fish more than 30 years ago.
"It means a lot to me to have something my dad caught," he observed. "Every trip is a great fish story because of the people who are with you or the fish that you catch, and this fish reminds me of that."
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Summer 2012
One’s ‘BARN TRASH’ is another’s TREASURE MACOUPIN COUNTY COUPLE TURNS HOBBY INTO DREAM HOME AND BUSINESS By LAURA GRIFFITH
S
ome young girls collect dolls, but Molly Rosentreter collected antiques and interesting bits of architectural salvage, eventually turning a hobby into a unique aesthetic based on recycling materials into one-ofa-kind pieces of furniture and accessories.
When she and her husband Brent imagined a life together, they knew they wanted to live on a farm halfway between their hometowns of Carlinville and Dorchester. They found a barely livable 1867 two-story farmhouse and began renovations. They kept the pine floors, entryway and front porch, and hired a contractor to help with major renovations — but it was Brent and Molly who added the touches needed to
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complete their dream home, using materials from Molly's collection. The home was completed in 2009, and the couple was married that summer. Molly put her creativity to work, sketching out projects for Brent to build - and he did just that, using woodworking skills learned from his time in 4H as a boy. See Treasure, page 16
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The Rosentreters have restored their 1867 farmhouse to vintage splendor, adding wood trim for embellishment.
Treasure From page 15 "Truckload after truckload we had to strip out the entire house down to the studs," she said. "Now, nothing is newer than 1920. Most of it is turn of the century antiques." The kitchen incorporates griffin ceiling tins for backsplashes, a cabinet with original windows from the home and salvaged trim and corbels. The dining room features a table made from cattle feed bunks out of a local barn and wall decor made of grain cleaning screens from an elevator in Dorchester, circa 1880. All seven chandeliers in the home are salvaged, and the French doors came from a local Sears home that was demolished. In the bathroom, the sinks are buffets or dressers with basins dropped in. The couple's original idea was to make the pieces they wanted for their home, and then sell what was left at a local sale. But as they started receiving more and more interest in their work, just like that - Barn Trash was born. One end of the business involves restoring antiques; the other, making things out of the architectural salvage. Customers can come in, request a piece of furniture (specifying dimensions and color) and be as hands off or hands on as they want in the project. They can go through Molly's Continued on page 18
16
Summer 2012
Molly refinishes a salvaged railing that Brent has transformed into a candlestick.
Helping out in the family business, 16-month-old Madeline joins her parents in the barn where Barn Trash objects are created.
Home Style
17
The bathroom epitomizes Barn Trash style, recycling a dresser into a counter for the basin. Unusual elements such as ceiling tins mounted as the backsplash can be found in the Rosentreters' kitchen.
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Summer 2012
collection and hand pick salvage to be used in their project or even bring family heirlooms and their own salvage pieces to be incorporated into a "new," usable piece of furniture. "Brent does the building and I do the finish work — the painting, stressing, glazing — the aesthetics," Molly said. "Personally, I like anything embellished. I'm drawn to Victorian styles. I call what I do 'churching up' pieces. I'll take a completely plain cabinet, for example, and add appliqués and Victorian hinges; maybe some crown molding. I make it beautiful." Molly's favorite piece is a blanket chest made from wood that her grandfather, the late Charles Ladendorff from just south of Bunker Hill, used to mill. Brent gave it to her as a gift last Christmas. In addition to being full-time farmers, the Rosentreters also take Barn Trash on the road several times a year to attend shows. Every year, they go to a three-day show hosted by Country Living magazine in Atlanta, Ga. They also attend local shows like the Carlinville Christmas Market and the Grafton Flea Market regularly. Learn more about Barn Trash at www.barntrash.com or by visiting Barn Trash on Facebook.
Come Home... to Villa Rose The owner and president David Gotter, along with the company mascot, Chase, setting up a sign in the LED lighting showroom at 4131 Alby St. in Alton.
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Home Style
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COTTAGE CHARM Alton couple lovingly tends to garden for 50 years By KATHIE BASSETT
B
eds brimming with fragrant cottage flowers line the brick paths and surround Marvin and Shannon Adler's picturesque home of more than 50 years located near a densely wooded area of Alton's Milton neighborhood. Their garden's abundant display changes with the seasons; tulips, narcissus and irises herald in spring with the garden coming to full glory in the summer. An array of Echinacea, coreopsis, daisies, bee's balm, roses, dianthus, hydrangea,
Marvin and Shannon Adler are avid gardeners, working together on all projects. Their back patio overlooks the old Wickenhauser orchard in Alton's Milton neighborhood.
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Summer 2012
snapdragons along with other "old-fashioned" flowers spill forth in a riotous display of color. "We never had a master plan in mind," Marvin said. "We planted simply what we like." At first, Shannon tried to establish a blueand-yellow color theme in the garden but rapidly discovered that not all the plants thrived, disrupting the palette. "We don't pay too much attention to color schemes any more," she said. "We just love a wild abundance of color found in a cottage garden." Marvin, who worked in operations at Shell for 33 years, put in the first garden on the
618-466-8946
“
We never had a master plan in mind. We planted simply what we like.
”
MARVIN ADLER gardener
Charm From page 20 east side of the house for Shannon shortly after he was released from military service in 1962. "We kept making the garden area bigger so that it soon covered the whole side lawn," Shannon said. "Then, that wasn't enough space so Marv put in a fence and then he rented a backhoe and started in the back by putting in a patio." Their property abuts the old Wickenhauser peach orchard, which required terracing of the backyard to create the large tree-lined patio that runs along the length of the house. Marvin is responsible for all the brickwork, building the walls and laying the promenade himself. Several Osage Orange Hedge trees, with distinctively gnarled trunks, provide shade. Surrounded by diamond-shaped beds, the terrace is planted predominantly with shadeloving hostas and ferns. Passionate about gardening, Shannon said she is "like a one-eyed cat in a seafood store" when it comes to plants because she always wants to add more gardens. As the planting areas have expanded over the years, the couple has tried to follow the basic rule of letting sun, shade and soil conditions guide plant placement. "Even so, we have learned that some plants die no matter what you do," she said. To compensate for perennials' vagary, they use containers of annuals to fill in bare spots as needed. When their son Shawn was a young boy, he could only help in the garden by assisting in mixing the mortar with his father; but, as a trained architect and art teacher, he has been instrumental in most design decisions, offering suggestions and executing drawings and plans for the couple. "He and his wife Diane have given us so many beautiful presents for the garden, too," Shannon said, noting not only plants but also art pieces. About 15 years ago, Marvin collaborated with a contractor, Clyde Ishmael of C.D. Ishmael Construction in Godfrey, to build a three-quarter scale summerhouse with butter yellow shutters that echoes the architectural style of their traditional home. The couple still actively debate just how "frou frou" the shed's interior is, with Shannon emphasizing the shed's utilitarian function for potting and storage purposes rather than its decorative flourishes. The summerhouse, painted in pastel shades, contains a galvanized steel topped potting bench and well-placed hooks to hang garden tools on for easy access. Next to the front window stands a bistro table and two Continued on page 22
The Adlers have surrounded their traditional home with cottage gardens, expanding over time to cover almost the entire yard.
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Charm From page 21 chairs that allow guests a panoramic view of the garden. On the numerous shelves, Shannon displays an assortment of gifts and gardening mementoes, including two vintage watering cans that Marvin painted in complementary shades of sky blue, rose pink and lime green. Pots are neatly stacked with labels clustered inside, serving as a permanent bouquet. "Even after all this time, the garden is still a work in progress," they said. "We really enjoy working in it together as much as we can."
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CUSTOM POOLS OFFER UNIQUE BACKYARD OASIS Greg and Jenni Sands, owners of Backyard Dreams Pools, Spas and More, show customers their own pool as an example of their designs. Photo above by Billy Hurst of Front Row Photo, Godfrey. By LAURA GRIFFITH
S
ince the beginning of time, people have congregated around sources of water, and today's backyard oasis is no different. Swimming pools add a refuge from the heat of the summer sun as well as a source of entertainment, and continue to bring families of all ages together. "Grandparents want them to encourage their children to bring the grandkids over. Young families love them for entertainment, and parents like me have high school-age kids who love it," said Jenni Sands, whose husband Greg owns Backyard Dreams Pools, Spas and More on Godfrey Road in Godfrey. "Pools definitely bring families together, but they do require some attention." Backyard Dreams and Atlantis Pools in Alton are just two options for local residents who are interested in taking that leap and putting in a pool, and both offer a variety of services and products to help customers maintain those investments for years to come. Both companies strive to create unique backyard experiences for their customers, which is really popular right now, said Patrick "Doc" Halliday, manager of Atlantis Pools' Alton store. The new trend is concrete walled pools with vinyl liners, Doc said. They come in varying shapes and sizes and can be made unique by using different colors and textures and add-ons. Freeform shapes and features like stairs, seating around the edge of the pool and sundecks are all part of a "Party Cove" concept that is popular right now, as are LED lights. Deck jets and waterfalls can also transform a pool into a backyard fountain.
Atlantis Pools designed this Caribbean style in-ground pool belonging to the Robertson family who lives near Lockhaven Country Club in Godfrey. "I've never seen two (pools) alike. From stonework, tile and landscaping, there are too many options for someone to mimic," said Cory Wooden, operations manager at Atlantis. Another popular trend is installing pools that have an organic look provided by a gunite finish, a textured concrete, rock and shell surface. See Pools, page 24 Home Style
23
Atlantis Pools designed and installed this spillover spa and in-ground pool for the Murphy family in Edwardsville to make the most of their lakeside vista.
Pools From page 23 Depending on the extras such as waterfalls, slides, hot tubs and vanishing edges, pool projects can range widely not only in price but also installation time. Smaller jobs can be finished in about a week while more complicated ones might run a few weeks, Doc said. Some pools even come with pre-programmed remote controls to run the water features, and others have tie-in apps available on iPod and iPad. Customers can get a good look at what's available by stopping by the Alton store's recently renovated patio, where three in-ground and two above-ground pools are on display. Backyard Dreams has been at its current location for two years but doesn't currently have a pool display at their store, though one is in the works, Jenni said. In the meantime, the owners show clients what they can do in the family's own back yard. "We sit our customers down and ask them questions to try and get an idea of what their vision is for their backyard," she said. "Everybody's seen pictures in magazines, so we have to come up with a way to take those ideas and make those affordable for the customer." Customers need to consider how long they plan to stay in their homes before planning to put in a pool, she said. Once the decision is made, maintenance is easier now than ever, thanks to saltwater systems that self-chlorinate throughout the
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For Brad and Nilly Farrell of Godfrey, Backyard Dreams created a freeform shaped pool that incorporates a basketball hoop for family fun. Photo above by Billy Hurst of Front Row Photo, Godfrey. season. Both Atlantis and Backyard Dreams also sell above ground pools, which may be better suited to some spaces and budgets. "Most people's backyards can accommodate some type of pool," Doc said. "And, if you have water, you'll have fun."
ORNAMENTAL DESIGN: trellis motif defines home By DANETTE M. WATT t her Middletown home, Sue Doucleff's love of flowers is evident both inside and outdoors, from the Georgia O'Keefe poster on her dining room wall to the many blossoms in her garden. There was a time when Sue, 67, envied her parent's large yard. Now, she appreciates her courtyard moon garden for its ease of care, planting flowers in a multitude of containers and small beds. Unlike the bright blooms that decorate many gardens, flowers in a moon garden are white, cream or light yellow. Some only bloom at night, when they take on a luminous quality in the moonlight. "When I get up at 2 a.m. to go to work and the moon is full, all the flowers seem to glow," says her husband, Mike, 67. The Doucleffs are the owners of Duke Bakery. "It's beautiful in the early morning and late afternoon when it's shady," says Sue. The moon garden consists of a mixture of annuals and perennials, some in pots, some
A
See Design, page 26
The lattice shutters are original to the house, suggesting a garden theme that the Doucleffs have extended throughout their Middletown home.
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Design
Mike and Sue Doucleff
From page 25 planted, but all are white: daisies, hydrangeas, lilies of the valley, snapdragons, mandevillas, azaleas, dusty miller and gardenia. The brick patio hosts a white iron table and chaise lounge so the Doucleffs can enjoy the sights and scents of their garden up close. Adding interest and offsetting the white theme is a flat green trellis against a neighbor's concrete block garage. An arbor in the same soft shade of green is placed next to their own garage. A neighbor's fence on the third side gives the yard a courtyard effect, although the side facing their home is fairly open with a walkway to their driveway. Interspersed among the plants and trees are garden accents such as a wall fountain, an obelisk, a white gazing ball and a figure of a woman holding a lute. Echoing the trellis and arbor in the garden are the white wide-slat wood shutters lined with sheers that hang in the living and dining room windows. The living room's window treatments, sky blue walls, a glass-topped coffee table and light colored accent rug all give the living room the feel of a summer cottage. This theme is carried throughout the first floor. Throughout the nearly 100-year-old home, flowers — real, painted and photographed — dot the walls. Collecting Portmeirion China is one of Sue's passions. She started buying the Botanic Garden pieces from Famous-Barr in the early 1990s. Several Portmeirion plates hang on the walls, their painted peonies and anemones perfectly matching those in the wallpaper in the breakfast nook and kitchen. Sue's favorite is the peonies.
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The Doucleffs treasure family pieces such as the buffet that has been painted by Phinny Evans to complement the home's Impressionistic color scheme. The courtyard moon garden contains only white flowers, mixing annuals with perennials.
A buffet handed down through Mike's family stands in the dining room, painted in an Impressionist palette by family friend Phinny Evans. The decoration picks up motifs from the upholstered dining chairs, reinterpreting their floral pattern into a work of art.
Unlike the constancy of cherished heirlooms, Sue says she likes having her garden look a little different each year. "I love going on the hunt for something new," she said. "I might be looking for a particular plant one year and can't find it but then I'll come across it the next year."
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A series of outdoor living spaces, including a balcony, patio, deck and a gazebo, define Jeanine Kelly and Mark DeVer's bluff top yard.
Decked for outdoor living COUPLE ENJOYS VIEW FROM CONTEMPORARY YARD By DANETTE M. WATT or Jeanine Kelly and Mark DeVer, living on Rosenberg Lane in Godfrey is like being on a permanent vacation. "I have always wanted to have a river view," said Jeannine, who grew up in Wood River. "To me, the river is very peaceful." From her backyard, Jeannine, an environmental attorney, can look down on the river where she can watch river traffic and water skiers. To the east are the Clark Bridge and a perfect view of the annual July 4 fireworks. To the west are bluffs, hidden by trees in the summer but in full sight during winter. To take advantage of the panoramic view, the homeowners have added a gazebo, a patio and a deck for a variety of seating options to fully enjoy their scenic backyard. A concrete path zigzags to a large square patio that looks deceptively like black slate. Jeannine sponge painted it to give the patio some character and specifically chose the color for its "stone" look. A step up from the patio, poured by CD Ishmael Construction in
F
See Decked, page 29
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Summer 2012
Jeanine sets out plates for a small gathering of friends in the gazebo.
Decked From page 28 Godfrey, is a smaller square deck, with a complementary black-and-gray railing. The interlocking design of the two seating areas underscores the strong geometry of the home's architecture. Jeannine wanted a relatively maintenance-free deck so she opted to have it made from recycled plastic lumber. The hexagonal gazebo positioned on the side lawn is large enough to contain a couch, two chairs and ottomans and a coffee table. Curtains are hung to allow for greater privacy. With a breeze coming off the river and blowing the chandelier's crystals and tiles, it's easy to see why Jeannine says this is her favorite spot. The home was built in the 1960s by the family that owned the Hanlon & Haegele Menswear store in Godfrey. The back retains a mid-century modern aesthetic, emphasizing windows, wood and geometric lines while the front has been faced with brick for a latecentury look. A cascading wall fountain stands on a balcony that runs the length of the second story. Decorative plates in rich tones lend a Japanese sensibility to the scene. "It has an Asian flair," Jeannine says. "Inside the house, the décor is contemporary but I like earthen accents, such as in the pottery." The Asian theme extends to two large urn fountains, one in the front yard and one in the back. The color motif is predominantly blackand-white, with vibrant floral accents that play off of the plate colors. "I call our style 'Modern Earth,'" she laughed.
“
I have always wanted to have a river view. To me, the river is very peaceful.
”
JEANINE KELLY environmental attorney
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It’s in the garden! By KATHIE BASSETT
G
ood garden design is the sum of its parts, paying attention to such notions as balance, contrast and the layering of color and texture in a way that delights the eye.
Just like a home, the repetition of a particular theme or the inclusion of a surprising plant, architectural or sculptural element can achieve pleasing garden design. The various ways this goal can be accomplished can be seen in homes throughout the River Bend: Rod and Margaret Nolte of Alton have wittily and literally created a bed in their back yard. Incorporating an antique bed frame that Margaret discovered at her husband's family farm in Calhoun County, she has positioned orange, green and yellow perennials to look like a quilt and pillows. Similarly, Katie and Chris Smejkal of Edwardsville framed their pergola with red windows from his grandmother's farm in O'Fallon, Ill., to add interest and color to their back yard, echoing the hue in a table Chris made for the spot. The couple enjoys sharing a glass of wine underneath the Continued on page 31
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Summer 2012
It’s in the garden! (continued)
From page 30 grapevine-covered arbor, and they have extended this celebratory mood by hanging a light fixture festooned with wine bottles as an expression of their love for varietals. With a slightly different effect, Dan and Nancy Faulkner of Edwardsville use the eye-popping yellow of the painted trellis to attract attention, and they complement this splash of color with matching pillows. In contrast, Chuck and Joan Sheppard have placed a vibrant Mediterranean blue dining set against a muted stone wall on a shaded patio off their kitchen, which balances the deep red foliage of the coleus in the hanging baskets. Small accents add charm to Ed and Patty Morrissey's backyard patio, which doubles as a serene spot to watch birds. To encourage avian visits, the Morrisseys have placed a wide array of feeders around the patio.
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