405 Home Spring 2021 by 405 Magazine

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Cheers for Spring! TABLESCAPES TO LE T THE SUNSHINE IN

SETTING THE NEW STANDARD IN

STYLISH

LIVING

Whether you are remodeling the home you currently love, or building the home of your dreams, inspiration is always fun, fresh and lively at Wilshire Cabinet + Co. From contemporary to transitional, casual to traditional, or a uniquely eclectic mix — let our expert team of design specialists help you make the perfect choices to fit your individual style and budget, with an unrivaled level of service. Complete your project with stunning selections from our hardware, range hood, Cambria ® quartz countertop, and accessory collections.

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features

Two Women, Lives Intertwined

DON RISI

Kristin Bohanon and Sarah Geiger are close friends, business partners and home décor enthusiasts, and they balance it all with aplomb.

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“

We started our family-owned business in a small space with

barely enough merchandise to fill it, and have grown through

several expansions thanks to the support from long-time

customers and new ones stopping in to explore. Just as styles and trends change through the years, so have we, and we are proud

of what our store is today. We couldn’t have done it without our FURNITURE • DR APERIES • BEDDING • UNIQUE ACCESSORIES 848.9663 • 7650 N. W ESTER N, OKC

wonderful clients and friends; thank you for trusting us with

your most sacred place… your homes. We are truly grateful!

”

Amie and Janice

departments

G A L L E RY 16 BE THE RAINBOW

Vibrant glass vases let the sunshine in.

1 8 M O O D B OA R D

It’s a two-fer: calm neutrals or riotous color. You decide.

MAKERS 24 S A L S A A N D T H E C I T Y

Meet a handful of locals hand-crafting jars filled with one-of-a-kind flavors.

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Krystle Robinson-Hershey’s self-care solutions.

L I V I NG 54 DINING & RELAXING

This couple’s space balances color and calm.

56 DORR’S PRIZES

Designer Dustin Dorr’s shop is filled with perfect finds.

58 THE UNCOMMON MARKET AT C O M M O N P L AC E A gourmet bodega in Midtown OKC .

A LFR ESCO 62 LET THE GAMES BEGIN Classic yard games mean fun for all!

66 PORCH SIPPING

A springtime tradition in Oklahoma.

I N E V E RY I S SU E 1 2 F R O M T H E E D I TO R S

Finding balance in an unbalanced time is exactly what we need from our homes right now.

7 2 LO O K I N G A H E A D

We love design, whether it’s functional, beautiful, challenging or soothing. Our fall issue will be 405HOME’s inaugural issue dedicated to all things design.

ON THE COVER Don Risi

Photographer Carli Economy captured the simple beauty of perfect little vases, a couple of blooms and a wash of sunlight. We love the little things. After all, they’re the big things! 8

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New to BC Clark Life:Style at Classen Curve

classen curve

PUBLISHER

Jordan Regas jordan.regas@405magazine.com EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Christine Eddington christine.eddington@405magazine.com Editorial EDITOR-AT-LARGE | STYLIST

Sara Gae Waters COPY EDITOR

Steve Gill CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lillie-Beth Sanger Brinkman, Evie Klopp Holzer, Greg Horton, George Lang Art ART DIRECTOR

Christopher Lee CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Chris Castro, Carli Economy, Rachel Maucieri, Charlie Neuenschwander, Don Risi, Brandon Smith, Steve Sisney, Rachel Waters, Mel Willis SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE

Emiley Sexton emiley.sexton@405magazine.com

Advertising ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES

Cynthia Whitaker-hill cynthia.whitakerhill@405magazine.com

STORY IDEAS AND LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Your views and opinions are welcome. Include your full name, address, daytime phone number and email to editor@405magazine.com. Letters sent to 405HOME Magazine become the magazine’s property, and it owns all rights to their use. 405HOME Magazine reserves the right to edit letters for clarity and length. SUBSCRIPTIONS

405HOME is a special publication of 405 Magazine. It is published twice a year (Fall and Spring) and accompanies a subscription to 405 Magazine, which is available for $14.95 (12 issues), $24.95 (24 issues), or $34.95 (36 issues). Subscribe at 405magazine.com/ subscribe or by mail, send your name, mailing address, phone number and payment to: 405 MAGAZINE

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©2021 Hilltop Media Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction of 405 Home content, in whole or part by any means, without the express written consent of the publisher is strictly prohibited. 405 Home is not responsible for the care of and/or return of unsolicited materials. 405 Home reserves the right to refuse advertising deemed detrimental to the community’s best interest or in questionable taste. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of ownership or management. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to 405 Magazine, P.O. Box 16765, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6765. Subscription Customer Service: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. - 7 p.m. CST. 405 Magazine, P.O. Box 16765, North Hollywood, CA 91615-6765, Phone 818.286.3160, Fax 800.869.0040, subscriptions@405magazine.com, 405magazine.com/subscribe

The OKCMOA Store is now the exclusive vendor for Jonathan Adler furniture and lighting in Oklahoma. C O N TA C T U S

S TO R E @ O KC M OA .CO M

Need help? We can help haute your home with a free design consultation. (405) 278-8233

F R O M

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E D I TO R S

Balancing Act natural state. As human beings, we crave it, whether it’s the balance of flavors in our favorite dish, the ever-elusive work-life balance or the balance of neutrals and pops of color in our homes. It can be a trick to find our balance (think back to learning to ride a bike!), but once we do, look out! In this issue, our third to hit mailboxes and newsstands during the COVID-19 pandemic, balance has become more important than ever, especially within the confines of our homes. Is this the den, the schoolroom or the office? I’m pretending my dining room is a cute bistro. Hey, who put this Peloton in the breakfast room? Everyone knows that the laundry room is the gym! I want cocktails and comfort food immediately and constantly but I also want to be healthy and fit. Any of this sound familiar? A great way to reset and renew each morning is to turn your morning shower into a mini self-care sesh. Krystle Robinson-Hershey, founder/owner of Sage & Elm Apothecary, makes the most beautiful, decadent, emollient soaps so lush you’ll feel pampered every time you shower. Her journey hasn’t always been an easy one, though. Her story starts on page 28. Do you lean more toward clean, calm neutrals or bold, mood-boosting color when it comes to home decor? Maybe, if you’re like Chad Previch and Jordan Nichols, you prefer some of each. This couple strikes a great balance between the exuberant sky blue, floral wallpaper of their dining room with the cool white, cream and tan of the adjoining great room. Work-life balance is something Kristen Bohanon and Sarah Geiger, friends and co-owners of KASA Wallpaper Studio, know all about; balancing the needs of their clients, their families and themselves. Their homes are as beautiful as you’d expect, with an emphasis on welcoming beauty. Speaking of welcoming beauty, who is ready for spring? Bring on the flowers, the porch-sitting and sunshine! Until next time,

BALANCE IS OUR

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CHRISTINE EDDINGTON

SARA GAE WATERS

Editor-in-Chief

Editor-at-Large

405.272.0821 I 100 N. Classen Blvd. OKC I youngbrosinc.com Visit our website to book an appointment!

“The greatest beauty lies in the greatest clarity.” Gotthold Ephraim Lessing

MERCY HOSPITAL PHYSICIANS TOWER

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G A L L E RY Ideas, Objects and Life Hacks We Find Fascinating, Helpful and Beautiful

Color Me Happy

CARLI ECONOMY

Tiny joys are what we dream of most these days. One precious bloom, one perfect little vase. Bring the joy of spring into your home, one flower at a time. Turn the page for more!

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G A L L E R Y

C O LO R

The Rainbow Collection J OY I N E V E RY CO LO R BY S A R A G A E WATERS PHOTO BY C A R LI ECONOM Y

plucked and placed in the perfect vessel, is the purest form of art and beauty. This spring we are taking notice as bulbs push through the soil, new flowering branches emerge, herbs blossom forth and even our weeds sprout their best flowers. The littlest of things can bring joy, and taking the time to notice these small beginnings, maybe even placing them into the perfect bud vase, is a marvelous way to celebrate the change of the season.

A S I N G L E B LO O M ,

Vases from the author’s own collection; Bebe’s, 6480 Avondale Dr., Nichols Hills; OKCMOA Museum Store, 415 Couch Dr., Oklahoma City and Cayman’s, 2001 Main St., Norman. Place your pretties in a sunny spot so the vases can double as stained glass, creating lovely color and shadow.

Choose your flowers based on what’s freshest at your florist or what’s blooming in your garden. Sturdy stems matter!

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We saw this beautiful image and immediately thought of the Beatles: “Here comes the sun, and I say, it’s all right.”

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G A L L E R Y

M O O D

B OA R D

Pick Your Palette C A LM O R CO LO R FU L BY S A R A G A E WATERS PHOTOS BY C A R LI ECONOM Y

color. It draws us in, brings delight to the eyes and the soul. The art of finding the right combination, partnership, union of color, can be the trick to good design. Maybe it’s multi-colors, maybe it’s ombre, maybe it’s monochromatic- whatever combination of color you choose, make it dreamy.

S AT U R AT E D, B R I G H T, B O L D

Bright bursts of color energize our spirits and cheer our hearts. We love a bold floral wallpaper, a cerulean string of beads wrapped around a wrist or a curlicue of green velvet tying up a ponytail. Don’t be afraid of color; its sole purpose is to bring us joy! 18

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Color! What a deep and mysterious language, the language of dreams.” – PA U L G A U G U I N

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G A L L E R Y

M O O D

B OA R D

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” –LEONARDO DA VINCI

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N AT U R E D O E S N ’ T A LWAYS have to be about the color of things. Even in neutrality nature provides us with a comforting palette to either add color to or to embrace the calm. The subtle brown designs and hues from the backs of sand dollars, rough burlap, beeswax, linen and classic details of black and white need not only be relegated to the foundation of design. They can be the showstoppers themselves.

There’s nothing dull about neutral, natural hues, especially when we add a big dollop of texture. Carved details, the delicate grooves of a seashell, smooth beeswax tapers…pair them with pretty greens for a classic palette with a little je ne sais quoi. SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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V I L L AT E R E S AO KC . C O M

M A K E R S Meet the People Who Make Life a Little Lovelier.

Soap Opera

RACHEL MAUCIERI

Krystle Robinson-Hershey is the genius behind these glorious, habit-forming, handmade organic soaps. Learn more about her dedication to mental and physical self-care and her company, Sage & Elm Apothecary, on page 28.

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M A K E R S S P I C E

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We Love Salsa T H E P OW E R H O U S E CO N D I M E NT BY GR EG HORTON PHOTOS BY R ACHEL WATERS

of a salsa brand includes the line “Testing the results of his efforts on his golfing buddies…” there may be a bit of an authenticity issue. David Pace’s creation wasn’t really authentic in the strictest sense, but the original products were developed in the back of a gas station to serve as a condiment with food, so it began small and with the best of intentions. Campbell’s – the soup company – purchased Pace in 1994 for just over $1 billion, so it’s fair to say Americans loved the product, and clearly still do. That Pace served as the introduction to salsa for so many Americans is actually unfortunate, if the goal is to taste what the people who created a dish actually had in mind when they created it, and if the spirit of the dish is to be preserved. A story from culinary creative and partner at The Market at Commonplace Chris Castro (both his parents were from Mexico) will help illustrate the issue. “When I got to college, I made salsa for the week,” he said. “It’s a condiment, so it goes on eggs, tacos, anything I would eat that week. When I got home from class, my salsa was gone. My roommates had destroyed it with a bag of chips. I had never seen anyone eat salsa on chips. I love it, now, and so does my family, but that was a weird moment.” For Mexican and Mexican-American culture, salsa is something you make at home. Castro said there is only one place in town he’d even consider stopping to buy salsa he didn’t make himself: Supermercado Morelos. It’s also meant to be a condiment, like chimichurri or pesto, not an appetizer, but it’s pointless to argue that the genesis of the thing should determine its ultimate purpose; salsa has made the transition to appetizer, and no one is mad about it. Sarai Gutierrez makes all four salsas sold at Café Siete, a taqueria tucked inside Total Express and operated by Café 7’s partners. Traditionally, taquerias make their own salsas, and they pride themselves on the quality and distinctiveness of their products. Just take a tour down SW 29th or SW 44th and taste the various salsa verde choices and you’ll notice a pronounced lack of sameness.

W H E N T H E H I S TO RY

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Urban Agrarian makes three varieties of salsa each week. Above, Roy leaves the seeds in for medium salsa and removes them for mild.

Gutierrez makes a habanero salsa, red, green, and a pineapple-arbol that is one of the best salsas in the city. The recipe is hers, but she talks easily about the components and the process. “We make it by the gallon, so it’s a whole pineapple and a pound of dried chile arbol,” she said. (Reducing is pretty straightforward math.) “We cook the pineapple with white onions, garlic and salt on the flattop, and then flash fry the dried chiles.” Cooking the chiles both rehydrates them and deepens the flavor, and if you have time, roasting is the best method. When all the ingredients are combined, a cup of white vinegar is added. Vinegar, like salt, is a flavor enhancer, and per Gutierrez, it adds a nice tang at the end. “Vinegar also reduces the heat of the chiles if they’re too intense,” she added.

It’s also meant to be a condiment, like chimichurri or pesto, not an appetizer, but it’s pointless to argue that the genesis of the thing should determine its ultimate purpose; salsa has made the transition to appetizer, and no one is mad about it.

LEFT: Vivid ripe tomatoes await their star turn. BELOW: Urban Agrarian founder Matt Burch.

For a sweeter variation, she uses mango. Sugar and vinegar both work to tone down heat. Spicy salsa is fine for those with tolerance for it, but Gutierrez believes that heat has to be tamed to a certain point. “You want to be able to taste the arbol.” What Pace really did for non-Latinx America, though, other than introduce us to an obscure (outside of the Southwest) condiment, was train us that salsa is something you buy at the store, not make at home. The salsa explosion really began in the late 20th century. When Pace came to prominence in the 1970s and 1980s, chips and salsa wasn’t a common restaurant option outside the Southwest. Desire drives development, though, and every chip company soon had its own jars of salsa helpfully placed directly on the chip aisle. Matt Burch has built a business on connecting local producers with local buyers at Urban Agrarian, and for people who

want the convenience of buying salsa at the store, UA makes three different varieties: mild, medium and hot. “We use seeded jalapeños to make the mild,” Burch said, “and we leave the seeds in for medium. We’ve played with a few varieties for the hot, depending on what’s available, so we’ve used Serrano and ghost peppers, and every summer we do a special edition with whatever we can find like reaper or scorpion.” Burch’s goal is to let local tomatoes shine, so the ingredient list beyond the peppers is basic, as good salsa should be: tomatoes, yellow onion (for a touch of sweetness), cumin, lemon juice, salt, pepper and, of course, vinegar. By focusing on the flavor of local tomatoes, Urban Agrarian is able to buy them year-round from local farmers. “We didn’t want to make watery salsa, so we reduce the water weight of the tomatoes by half before we blend them,” SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

M A K E R S S P I C E

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Urban Agrarian salsa is made with a secret technique. After cleaning and coring, the tomatoes are frozen, which removes excess water and lends the perfect not-too-chunky texture to the finished product. 26

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Burch said. “It gives us that perfect texture between chunky and pureed. It’s an everyman salsa, very approachable. In fact, the mild has no discernible heat, and the hot is maybe an 8 of 10. We weren’t interested in making weaponized food.” Commercial salsa tends to run high on the vinegar content. Todd Jackson, owner of El Rancho Salsa Company, said 10-14 percent is typical. Urban Agrarian uses one cup per 30-gallon batch. Gutierrez is significantly higher, closer to six percent by volume. “We make our salsa without distilled vinegar,” Jackson said. Oddly enough, like Pace, El Rancho began in a local Shamrock station, where it was made to go with the burritos the gas station sold. Jackson bought the company in 2013. “Rather than rely on vinegar, ours relies on the natural acidity of the tomatoes,” he said. El Rancho uses jalapeños with seeds, salt, granulated California garlic (better

potency per Jackson), cumin, and a combination of crushed and diced tomatoes. The goal, again, is that texture between chunky and pureed. El Rancho’s green sauce is made much like the salsa verde you find in taquerias or aji verde in Colombian kitchens like El Fogon de Edgar, at SW 72nd and S. Western Ave. “We don’t use tomatillos,” Jackson said. “It’s a blend of jalapeños and spices. That’s it. It’s perfect as a dip, or to add heat to a dish.” Using all peppers means the heat can vary from batch to batch, and because he doesn’t use vinegar – which can balance heat – Jackson expects more and less heat per batch depending on the season. The same is true of salsa verde in the taquerias, and unlike Pace – the Diet Coke of salsa, to be honest – variation is one of the exciting things about trying new salsas. El Rancho is available at several local grocers, including Homeland and affiliates, Natural Grocers, Williams stores and Cash Savers.

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SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

M A K E R S S OA P

S TA R

Robinson-Hershey uses only organic botanicals in her soaps, body oils and balms. You’ll find her each week at the OSU-OKC Scissortail Park Farmers Market among many others.

Beyond Skin Deep S AG E & E LM A P OTH EC A RY PRO M OTE S W H O LE - B O DY W E LLN E S S BY EV IE K LOPP HOL ZER | PHOTOS BY R ACHEL M AUCIER I

Vetiver roots soothe. Coffee beans exfoliate. Krystle Robinson-Hershey carefully picks organic botanicals for her Sage & Elm Apothecary products. Turmeric, cloves, dandelion and grape – each serves a purpose in her therapeutic toolbox. While she educates customers about how various plants benefit the body, she also talks about how important it is to take time for yourself every day. For Robinson-Hershey, the benefits of using her products are beyond skin deep. “I feel like the products give people a few minutes to think about themselves, their choices and their desires,” she says. “We all have our hygienic routine of showering or bathing. Sage & Elm was born by combining mental health and self-care into a product.” In 2013, Robinson-Hershey began tinkering with fresh blueberries, cranberries and other raw ingredients in her kitchen. She wanted to create a bar of soap rich in antioxidants, texture and color, so she carefully folded whole berries into the pulp mixture. “I put some pictures on social media of some things I made with fresh berries, and people commented, ‘Oh that’s so beautiful. I love it,’ and I was like ‘You do?’” Robinson-Hershey says. “So, people started to ask me about it. If someone wanted a bar or two, it was no big deal; I was just doing it for fun.” Soon, the all-natural products gained more attention, and the requests increased. Even with the obvious demand, the “tinkering” remained a hobby until 2018. That was the year a tragic event caused Robinson-Hershey to rethink everything in her life. “I lost my brother to addiction,” she says, adding that no one knew how much he was struggling. “To find him in that place was so difficult. We were very very close. Trying to cope and heal became my new reality.” After losing her brother, Robinson-Hershey discovered her true passion: to help others heal. She realized she could reach people through her products, spreading a message of mind-body wellness and encouraging wholebody self-care. “That’s when I really started working on my craft, researching and learning which plants are great combinations for a variety of things,” she says. “I chose the name ‘Sage & Elm Apothecary’ to embody the peace and positivity of sage, and the strength of an elm tree to represent the individual journey of each person. ‘Apothecary’ symbolizes the use of plants in a beneficial manner.” Today, she hand-mixes small batches of more than 100 products, including face masks, lip balms, oils, sprays, shampoos, conditioners, salves and loose leaf teas. She also crafts more than 60 bars in every texture, color and scent she can pull from nature. Best-selling bars include Cocoa Star Bar, Mangum Mint and Jasmine’s Gold Bar. Sage & Elm’s popular Elder Healer bar contains sage and elderberry – good for immunity and relaxation – and has an earthy, sweet scent. S U N F LO W E R S H Y D R AT E .

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Sage & Elm Apothecary founder Krystle Robinson-Hershey

“I infuse different plants and herbs in each different batch, so people can take time to reflect while also giving something great to their being,” Robinson-Hershey says. Fans can view and learn about her “bar of the week” on Instagram @sageandelmapothecary. “Let me take care of you,” she says in an Instagram video highlighting the Citrus Sensation bar. Robinson-Hershey is always experimenting with new ingredients, like aged starfruit or fermented tea. “We like to give people variety, and we like to introduce things that you never in a million years thought you could love,” Robinson-Hershey says. How about trying an all-natural toothpaste? Sage & Elm toothpaste is simple: baking soda to remove grit, mint to freshen and coconut to cleanse. “It’s no frills,” she says. “It’s really common in countries outside of the West, where they use those ingredients to clean their teeth without having to deal with the harsh chemicals that can be found in a commercially made toothpaste.”

Robinson-Hershey is passionate about supporting other small businesses. She sources her plant-based ingredients from local farmers’ markets and shops. Mean Beans Coffee Company provides the Costa Rican beans used in the Roasta Rica Clay Mask, which is used to exfoliate, hydrate and detox the skin. Robinson-Hershey describes herself as “an artist at heart.” She has a degree in theater and loves to paint. She combines colors and textures in her products to surprise and delight, taking an artistic approach to every new creation. “I think about the colors, I research different plants, and then I’ll begin to design it,” she says. “I want my bars to look as rustic as possible. I want you to feel the earth as you use it. I never want it to look perfect, because we are not perfect people.” With Sage & Elm, Robinson-Hershey’s goal is not perfection, but rather improvement – daily nourishment for the body and mind, courtesy of Mother Nature.

N ATU R A L H E A LERS TO TRY Juke Joint Salve

Passion Flower For reducing inflammation and pain

Elder Healer Bar

Sage and Elderberry For immunity and relaxation

Roasta Rica Clay Mask

Costa Rican Coffee Beans For exfoliation, hydration and detoxification

Perplexed by Vet Bar

Vetiver Root For calming skin irritations and relaxation

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The Bohanons’ daughter Ellie picked out the butterfly wallpaper by Brewster for her own bathroom. Quartz stone countertop is by Cambria.

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Kristin and Sarah’s Excellent Adventures in Home and Business BY LILLIE-BETH SANGER BRINKMAN

•

P H OTOS BY D O N R I S I

A Harlequin wallpaper from KASA Wallpaper adds a big splash of color to the Geigers’ daughter’s bathroom with a luxurious AKDY bathtub. The art is a reprint of an Andy Warhol painting of a cat.

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rom their newly finished homes to their longtime friendship to their wallpaper design business, Kristen Bohanon and Sarah Geiger have lives filled with a lot of bright colors. The two have been friends for years and spent a lot of time together when their children were little, dreaming up business ideas. Early on, they designed and sold custom embroidered children’s dresses and T-shirts. “We had our babies together, we were best friends … Then our kids got older, and we were doing lots of lunches and lots of laying out by the pool,” Geiger said. They decided that they could sit around and drink Sonic cokes and coffee, or actually do something. Both loved to decorate, and they both loved wallpaper. And so, KASA Wallpaper Studio was born. It’s a boutique wallpaper shop located in the Howell Gallery at 6432 N Western in Nichols Hills. The two friends curate their favorite wallpapers and help people use them to make their homes beautiful. There aren’t many other shops like theirs, Bohanon said. “We can just take a lot of guesswork out of that process and kind of make it fun and easy,” Bohanon said. “There’s a wallpaper for every style. There’s a wallpaper for every taste.” Bohanon, an interior designer, used to work for the interior design part of Howell’s business, and much of the art in both of their newly remodeled/built homes came from the gallery. Geiger’s background is in communications and retail. In spite of the pandemic, KASA has have stayed busy in the last year as more people have turned to home projects. “People are sitting in their homes and doing a lot of home improvements right now. I know that’s a thing all across the board,” Bohanon said. “Luckily, that includes wallpaper, too.” The ladies have used wallpapers in their own homes to add splashes of color in certain spaces. Both have recently downsized as their children are grown or nearly grown, and moved into inviting homes to which they added their own colorful touches. The Geigers’ youngest, Sydney, 18, is a high school senior; their oldest, Chris, is 22. The Bohanons are now basically empty nesters as their son Andrew is 22 and daughter Ellie is 19 and in college. In decorating, both Geiger and Bohanon used a mix of old and new furniture and collectibles, some pieces holding sentimental value as it once belonging to family members and others adding a striking contemporary look. Both have cheery art on display throughout their homes. 34

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A statement modern art painting by George A. Bogart hangs above the console, which Bohanon used to inspire design throughout the house. To the right is a painting by the late Oklahoma City artist Michi Susan.

Items on the shelves in the living room feature a collection of family items that means something to the Bohanons, including a blue jar belonging to David Bohanon’s grandmother; her daughter made the paisley ceramic piece.

Throughout her modern transitional home, Sarah Geiger has used eclectic items she has acquired from friends and business associates. The marble-topped dining room table came from Kristine Bates Interiors in Oklahoma City; the chandelier from Lighting Concepts. The landscape painting above the coastalstyle console is from the Howell Gallery and by Checotah artist Jerry McWilliams. Geiger said she was drawn to his work before she realized he painted landscapes from the area where her mother grew up – Durant – which made the painting even more meaningful.

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Above: Bird and Thistle wallpaper by B & Fils adds depth to the powder bath, with its painting of a cat from the Howell Gallery by J.W. Cobb and a ceramic doll by OKC artist Linda Warren. Below: Floating shelves flank the cast stone fireplace in the Bohanons’ cozy living room. A Samsung Frame TV, which can be programmed to look like art when it’s not in use, hangs above it.

The Geigers’ master bathroom features Thibaut wallpaper from KASA, porcelain tile floors, custom cabinetry and Vena Mar Metro Quartz countertops. The gold and black geometric tile surrounding the bathtub is one of Sarah’s favorite looks.

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There’s a wallpaper for every style. There’s a wallpaper for every taste. - KRI ST E N B O H A N O N

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Kristen Bohanon

A landscape painting by Thomas Stotts hangs in the living room. To the left is one of Linda Warren’s ceramic dolls.

In the master bedroom, gold accents are a running theme, between the chinoiserie-style pedestal table, custom pillows, the lamp and pictures.

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Sarah Geiger

Hanging above the chinoiserie-style console in the entry way is an original painting by Clementine Hunter, a Black folk artist from Louisiana who depicted slavery and early 20th-century plantation life through paintings. Her paintings have become well known to collectors in recent years, but Sarah Geiger’s parents bought the paintings long before the artist gained a big following. The statue came from the Shawnee home she grew up in.

Calming colors make up the Geigers’ master bedroom, which features a platform bed. Sarah Geiger wanted a simple matelassé coverlet that is easy to wash because the family has three dogs and two cats. Side tables belonged to her parents.

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In the Geiger home: kitchen lighting from Lighting Concepts. Countertops are Dynergy quartz from AGM. The honed Calcutta marble subway tiles came from Hom Kitchen + Bath in Oklahoma City. Kent Stanford and James Staggs with Stanford Remodeling redesigned the vent hood with decorative details.

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The Bonanons’ kitchen overlooks the living and dining room. It features natural quartz countertops by Cambria and marble subway tile all the way to the ceiling accented by Roman shades. The refrigerator, finished with cabinetry matching the rest of the kitchen, is by Fisher & Paykel.

Mishka the cat poses perfectly in the Geigers’ living room with swivel chairs and a sectional from ME Home, the home furnishings store co-founded by Balyeat sisters Mindy Cunningham and Elaine Price. The octagon-shaped coffee table with wooden, bamboolooking legs once belonged to Sarah’s grandmother, and it is one of her favorite pieces. Custom embroidered pillows include fabrics by Manuel Canovas from KASA Wallpapers.

For the last two years, the Bohanons have lived in a newly built, 3,200-square-foot home in Wilshire Point, a new housing project that Kristen Bohanon’s husband, David Bohanon of Blackstone Commercial Property Advisors, developed along with Johnston Builders and John Parsons’ CC Capital. This group, calling themselves Burlington Crossing LLC, worked together on this gated community of private homes at NW 72nd and Classen Boulevard. Bohanon decorated their own home. As the Bohanons built a home on a zero lot line, they kept in mind what they wanted with each square foot. As a result, the home is more functional than the larger one they moved out of, Kristen Bohanon said.

“We live in every part of it. There’s no wasted space,” she said. Sarah and her husband Bryan Geiger live in a 3,200-square-foot Nichols Hills home that they owned years ago, when their children were babies. The Geigers moved because they needed more space, and Sarah’s mother, Lynn Clarke, moved in from Shawnee, living there until she died in 2016. After renting it to a friend for a few years, the Geigers have remodeled, added on and moved back in. They collaborated with close friends Kent Stanford and James Staggs of Stanford Remodel and Bohanon on the design and decorating. “I love it because even though it’s a totally different house, it always had great bones. I can still feel my mom here. I know she’s here. I know she loved watching this process,” Sarah Geiger said. Her mom was the grandmother that everyone loved, so Sarah’s own kids and their friends spent a lot of time there as well. As Geiger and Bohanon both talk about each other, their homes and how their wallpaper business started and grew, it’s easy to tell how much laughter and fun memories they share between them. Geiger said the KAS in KASA stands for Kristen And Sarah ... and the A they’re not sure about. “We don’t know what the last A is for. Sometimes it’s ‘a-hole.’ Sometimes it’s ‘awesome.’ It depends on the day with us,” she joked. Moving into the Howell Gallery has been a fun marriage between art and design, Bohanon said. “It was a perfect opportunity,” she said. “We call it our pop-up shop.” SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

ARE YOU LEAVING YOUR FAMILY YOUR MONEY? OR A MESS?

TrustOk.com | (405) 840-8401

2516 NW Expressway | Oklahoma City Protecting Your Assets. Growing Your Wealth.

Advising You For Life.

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Hiring a professional for a home project or repair requires a little bit of research and a great deal of trust.

The larger the investment, the more of each you need. We’ve eliminated some of the guesswork for you and have assembled a group of proven residential professionals you need to know.

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6933 E Waterloo Rd, Suite 4 | Edmond, OK 730347 | 405.806.0003 | castlesandhomes.com 44

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P RO M OT IO N

Sharon Castles

CASTLES & HOMES REAL ESTATE Managing Broker, Realtor SHARON CASTLES, Managing Broker and producing REALTOR® for Castles & Homes, a real estate firm headquartered in Edmond, has never consider herself a “salesperson.” Nor do her colleagues. “I’m an analytical geek who cares deeply about people. I just want to do the right thing,” Castles says. “I am grateful to have learned my work ethic, perseverance and love of helping others from my parents. I started working at 7 and had my worker’s permit by 10 1/2 years of age. Lord willing, I plan to continue working to help others for many years to come.” Castles started her career in real estate over 33 years ago, while she was still in college at Taylor University in Indiana – and said changing her major to psychology was beneficial to her future career. “For the majority of people, a home is the largest purchase of their lives, so having a background in psychology helps with clients’ expectations, understanding and even their emotions during the process.” That is also why she believes large online companies coming into the real estate industry are unable to support the needs of most buyers and sellers. “People are, and will always be, relational. Most would prefer to have a professional with experience to look out for them,” she says. “Especially since there’s an average of 184 tasks and processes that REALTORS® oversee and guide our clients through on each sale. I’m in it to help people. Whether I get their business or not, I want to do what’s best for them.” Sharon met her husband, Jed Castles – weekday meteorologist for News9 – online, and in 2012, the two were married. She would continue her real estate career and obtained her Oklahoma Real Estate license in 2013. And in early 2017, they started Castles & Homes in Edmond. “Although Edmond and the OKC metro are my main focus, I will go where my clients need me – including Tulsa, Grand Lake, Tenkiller, Norman, Shawnee, Blanchard and more,” she says. “I also engage the help of the fabulous REALTORS® that live all around the state and work at Castles & Homes. Although we do not have ‘teams,’ everyone is quick to help each other.” Her altruistic nature is one of the major factors in the success of her business, says her husband, Jed Castles. “Sharon is such a giver. She gives her time and her possessions any chance she can. She is easily one of the most giving hearts I’ve ever known. She has taken in ladies who were recently widowed, a pregnant, 16-yearold foster child, and many others in need, to stay with us

with an open-door policy.” Jed Castles said. “Sharon has a beautiful, instinctual gift: she is keenly aware of others’ unspoken needs and takes it upon herself to see that those needs are met. That same giving spirit is what drives her in real estate and makes her successful.” Her work and charitable attitude have carried her through numerous jobs and lots of volunteering roles over decades: Foster parent of children since 2004, Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), special event coordinator for fundraising events, advocate for foster kids via radio, events and speaking engagements, even fostering and adopting rescue dogs. Sharon Castles’ business continues to grow since she started in Oklahoma, bringing in more than $69 million in sales. “While maintaining a professional reputation is important, building genuine relationships, doing what is right, and treating others as I want to be treated are my top priorities,” she says.

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Michelle Woford (left), design consultant, and Jerrie Lynn Miller, owner

Jerrie Lynn Miller CALIFORNIA CLOSETS Owner, Design Consultant JERRIE LYNN MILLER and her husband and business partner, B.J., opened their original Edmond showroom and manufacturing facility on April 1, 2001. Since then, California Closets - Oklahoma has been dedicated to creating custom storage solutions for the entire home; closets, garages, home offices, and pantries - virtually any space in your home to be used for storage. “Since starting the custom storage concept in 1978, California Closets has been the industry leader offering innovative materials and accessories for efficient and aesthetically pleasing storage spaces,” said Jerrie Lynn. “When we first opened in 2001, the emphasis was on maximizing the amount of your possessions you could store in a given space. Today closets are multi-functional areas, used not

only for storage but providing a comforting space to start your day and a well-organized, relaxing environment to end an otherwise hectic workday.” They incorporate not only functional storage but convenient accessories such as coffee makers, combination safes for security, wine fridges, full-length mirrors and even televisions. Jerrie says, “Our professional design consultants collaborate with our clients to create the best possible outcome for a more organized life.” They start from scratch, measure your space, inventory and measure your possessions, design, fabricate and install your storage system, incorporate accessories to meet your needs and your budget. “That level of custom organization can help people clear out clutter and provide more time to focus on the things that are most important.” In 2013, Jerrie and B.J. opened a new showroom in downtown Edmond at 111 South Broadway. They kept the manufacturing facility in its original location in Edmond, where the components for each installation are locally fabricated and then installed by their professional installation team. Jerrie invites you to visit their Edmond showroom to experience the possibilities.

111 S Broadway | Edmond, OK 73034 | 405.844.4880 | californiaclosets.com 46

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Aaron Bark

COVER YOUR PERGOLA Regal Plastics Manager

PERHAPS IT’S RARE, but there are companies that give their employees a sense of “buy-in” and the freedom to build the business in their own way, says Aaron Bark. He’s the manager of Cover Your Pergola, a plastic fabrication company that services Oklahoma homes with outdoor coverage including pavilions, gazebos, greenhouses and, of course, pergolas. Cover Your Pergola opened in OKC in February 2020 as a pilot location under the umbrella of Regal Plastics out of Dallas. The family-owned franchise, operated by the Gono family, saw a business opportunity in Oklahoma’s fondness for outdoor living. “This polycarbonate see-through material is designed for roofing applications,” says Bark. “With outdoor living, these systems are a perfect match, combining protection from the elements while still bringing in the light. Oklahomans will absolutely benefit from these systems. We have created our own network of contractors in the OKC metro and Tulsa, as well as Edmond, South OKC and Norman.”

The company has made $1 million in sales in 10 months since opening, with only three people at the location including Bark. The company currently operates on a business-to-business model, but it will accept residential projects as they arise. Prior to Cover Your Pergola, Bark was in the oilfield, where he learned he loved to work with his hands. The energy sector’s volatility left Bark looking for other work and reviewing job postings online like the one that caught his eye in late 2019. “’No bureaucracy. No bull****. Work doesn’t have to suck,’” he recalls. “I liked what they had to say, so I called them. When I started on Jan. 6 last year, I walked into a 5,200-square-foot empty shop. Now, we have a full shop of material and even added a delivery truck to better serve our partners. It’s just great to be at a place that celebrates growth.” At Cover Your Pergola, people aren’t treated like transactions, Bark says. It is in business to make partners while helping to create lifelong memories for Oklahoma families.

7424 Melrose Ln | Oklahoma City, OK 73127 | 405.506.0112 | coveryourpergola.com SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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BEFORE

AFTER

J. Mark Taylor, RID

TRADITIONS FINE FURNITURE & DESIGN Principal Designer TRADITIONS FINE FURNITURE & DESIGN is a residential and commercial interior design firm headquartered in Edmond. As masters of space planning, envisioning and reinventing spaces, founding owner J. Mark Taylor and his staff are dedicated to taking any client’s vision from concept to completion. Using their home furnishings showroom – a vast collection of furniture, flooring, tile, custom framing and a wide array of art and accessories – the Traditions designers make it simple and efficient to find the ideal way to make a space as unique as their customers. The firm also offers 3-D renderings, floor plans and construction documents for new buildings or remodel projects, allowing the client to visualize their completed product in advance. Taylor’s inspiration toward interior design began at an early age when he became aware of architectural elements and how they work together to form functional, beautiful places for people. “I was fascinated with motor homes and airplanes – how they fit so

much function into so little space – and how beautiful places could be with good design,” Taylor said. “I began drawing plans for homes and motor homes when I was 10 years old. Little did I know that those simple drawings would lead to a lifelong career as an interior designer.” Consulting a true professional is best when it comes to interior design. Hiring an Registered Interior Designer (RID), ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) or an NCIDQ-certified designer ensures each client that their designer is equipped with the knowledge of codes and materials to provide for health and safety, and technical skills needed to design a space to each person’s specification. Whether it’s contemporary, traditional or anywhere in between, Traditions’ philosophy has always been to provide design solutions tailor-made to fit their clients’ personal style and taste. By listening and clearly communicating goals and project direction, they collaborate with their clients to create unique designs within a desired budget.

3409 S. Broadway, Suite 100 | Edmond (33rd & Broadway) | 405.608.8899 | traditionsedmond.com 48

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Andy Rapoport Dale Kremeier

DECADES REVISITED, A VINTAGE MALL Owners AN ATYPICAL ANTIQUITY experience is expected at Decades Revisited, A Vintage Mall – an antique store inside the Portland Plaza Shopping Center in Oklahoma City – says co-owner Andy Rapoport. “We’re not your grandmother’s antique shop,” Rapoport said. “While most everything is either vintage or older, we’re not a museum; we’re selling unique items not mass-produced anywhere else.” As the name indicates, the mall is made up of approximately 60 other small businesses designed to sell items from various time periods to customers in the market for dated decor with functionality. From repurposed, retro furniture, Mid Century Modern, Industrial Modern Decor to stylish oddities for designing one’s home, this rotating inventory has something for everybody. Rapoport, along with his partner, Dale Kremeier, bought the store from the existing owner on Mar. 1, 2019. One of the first things Rapoport saw as crucial to the business was developing an online presence; an instinct that paid off in the pandemic.

“Because of that online emphasis, particularly with social media, we were able to stay afloat during the pandemic,” Rapoport said. “When we closed our doors for three weeks in April, we saw what restaurants were doing with curbside pickups and thought, ‘Why don’t we do the same?’ We were the first to do it in our market and, before you knew it, everyone was doing it.” Customers jokingly referred to it as “curbside antiquing,” a practice Rapoport says they plan to keep post-pandemic. To Rapoport, this is yet another way to better service a growing clientele of people looking for structurally well made pieces to accentuate any living space with a neighborly tone. “Something we hear over and over from our customers is how clean our store is compared to an average antique store,” Kremeier said. “We try to make it fun while keeping everyone on a first-name basis; that’s what keeps people coming back to see us.”

3639 NW 39th St | Oklahoma City, OK 73112 | 405.601.6800 | decadesrevisited.com SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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Blind Alley Allyson and Joe Zupin

BLIND ALLEY - HUNTER DOUGLAS GALLERY Owners ALLYSON AND JOE ZUPIN, the married owners of Blind Alley – Hunter Douglas Gallery Dealers’ Oklahoma City metro location for window treatment service – have a business philosophy: They refuse to sell anything they don’t believe in. “People in sales might say it’s our biggest fault, while customers might say it’s our biggest asset. It’s just how we like to do business,” Allyson Zupin said. Blind Alley is a locally-owned, family-operated window treatment business dedicated to design solutions and home decoration through everything from window shades to blinds across the metro area and beyond; even as far as Grand Lake O’ the Cherokees in northeast Oklahoma. Prior to Zupin’s Blind Alley ownership, the two met while being stationed in Alaska during their military service. The two would relocate

to multiple states, ultimately planting roots in Allyson’s home state of Oklahoma. After serving 20 years in the military and retiring, the two prayed about the direction they were wanting to go next. The Zupins then received word about a local friend’s father planning to sell Blind Alley. The two invested in 2016. “Having never been in retail before, we had to teach ourselves everything,” Allyson Zupin said. “We had no experience outside of purchasing blinds at a Home Depot. It was an eye-opening experience.” Since then, the two have provided window services across Oklahoma, offering their clients a customer-first approach to every transaction from the largest project to the smallest request. “I should have never gone into sales because my number one focus is people, not profit margins,” Zupin said. “I’d rather have happy customers and low income than have it just be for the money.”

3839 NW 63rd St | Oklahoma City, OK 73116 | 405.848.0099 | blindalleyokc.com 50

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Brent Swift | Patrick Schrank | Alisse Ellis SWIFT CO. REAL ESTATE - KELLER WILLIAMS REALTY MULINIX BRENT SWIFT, FOUNDER and real estate agent for Swift Co. Real Estate – a Norman-based organization dedicated to building, renovating and selling homes with character and unmatched craftsmanship – is a name synonymous with Norman’s historic neighborhoods. Operating under Keller Williams Realty Mulinix, Swift Co. Realty is a top Keller Williams Mulinix team, utilizing over two decades of home development and realty experience to provide clients with a home made for memories. Made up of Swift, Alisse Ellis and Patrick Schrank, Swift Co. Realty’s extensive expertise of home building and design, as well as their combined lifetime knowledge of Norman’s neighborhoods, are what separates them from other local competitors. They can help anyone at any level and understand what it takes to buy, renovate and sell a historic home - which can be a tricky and complicated transaction.

“When I’m on a site, I’m calling people I know I can trust; people who have been in business with me for years because I trust their quality of work,” Swift said. “You never want to be cheap when it comes to your home.” Swift’s journey into real estate began after resigning from his news writing position at Channel 5 News and Reuters in 1997 to pursue home remodeling and renovation in Norman around the University of Oklahoma campus. The scope of what would be known as Swift Co. Realty expanded after purchasing his first house in 1998. “It was an owner-financed house from this lady I knew and liked on Avondale Drive,” he said. “I remodeled it and, about 10 months to a year later, I sold it and made a little bit of money off that. It was enough to get the idea that I could make a living doing this.” Since then, Swift Co. Realty has focused on selling high-end real estate with traditional beauty and flawless modernism throughout Norman and central Oklahoma.

3421 W Rock Creek Road | Norman, OK 73072 | 405.831.8222 | brentswift.com SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

O R G A N I Z AT I O N R E D E F I N E D Wilshire Cabinet + Co continues to revolutionize luxur y living in Oklahoma and proudly introduces Wilshire Closets . From personalized closets to home offices, media centers to pantries, and laundry rooms to garages — our talented and highly specialized designers transform these spaces to fit your individual and lifestyle needs. With dozens of finish options and a full line of innovative accessories and tailored lighting, our custom solutions complement your design aesthetic and enhance your organizational experience. Call for your free in-home consultation today or visit our Galler y or Annex to learn more!

GALLERY

ANNEX

405-286-6282 wilshireclosets.com wilshirecabinetco.com

@wilshireclosets @wilshirecabinet

320 W Wilshire Blvd Oklahoma City, OK 73116

226 E Main St Norman, OK 73069

L I V I N G Each Day, Give Yourself the Gift of Living Well

Clean Modern Lines

RACHEL MAUCIERI

Design visionary Dustin Dorr in his Paseo District studio and shop. Learn more about his design philosophy, and treasure trove of a gallery, on page 56.

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Large windows that flood their living room with a lot of natural light and coffered ceilings make the living room of Chad Previch and Jordan Nichols a comfortable place to gather right off the dining room. A Samsung Frame TV above the fireplace disguises the traditional black screen in favor of their choice of a digital artwork, which they control through the related Samsung TV app. The fireplace has a Carrara marble surround and decorative wooden friezes original to the home.

Bold Color and Calm Neutrals O N E CO U P LE ’ S BA L A N C I N G AC T BY LILLIE-BETH S A NGER BR INK M A N PHOTOS BY DON R ISI

Chad Previch and Jordan Nichols had recently moved out of one historic home they loved in favor of another one they loved in the Plaza District. But just as the couple put their vacant two-story Shepherd Historic District home on the market, their under-renovation Plaza home caught fire and burned. So back to the Shepherd District house they moved, finding it the perfect haven as they rebuilt their Plaza home and as the pandemic confined them at home, including for work, more than usual. “After the fire, it felt safe. It was like a safe place to return to, and it’s really just worked so well for us,” Nichols said. Nichols is a set stylist for Hobby Lobby, designing project sheets for inspiration and styling items for social media. Previch is external communications manager for Love’s Travel Stops. The two have known each other for years – they met through a mutual friend – and started dating in 2015. In November, they’ll celebrate their third wedding anniversary.

I N 2019,

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They’re looking forward to their Plaza District home rebuild being complete as early as this spring. But they also have focused on changing things up in their current home, which is nearly 2,000 square feet and was built in 1939. Moving back into it after the fire gave them a chance to look at its design with a fresh eye, the couple said. Both acknowledge that Nichols has the eye for design and detail that has contributed to their home’s charm since they first moved in, and joke that Previch has had a lot to learn over the years. The first time Previch and Nichols moved into the Shepherd District home, they loved the quiet, family-friendly street that was a much better place for their dogs. They were drawn to its charm and the metalworking accents added inside by a previous owner. At the time, though, every wall was a different color – blue, lime green, a brown ceiling, etc.- and in one place all the colors came together in one spot where the walls met, the couple said as they laughed. Then color-averse, Nichols painted the interior of the house white and other neutral colors. “My style is very neutral. I love color. I have like a secret crush on color, but I have never been brave enough to really do it in my own house,” Nichols said. He noted that a visit to the colorfully decorated Bradford House, the newly opened boutique hotel in Oklahoma City, emboldened him to play during their second stint in the Shepherd District home. At the Bradford House, “it’s like color exploded in your face. And I just loved it,” he said. “And so I was like, ‘You know what? I’m going to experiment a little.’”

Turquoise wallpaper gives the dining room a burst of color that both Previch and Jordan love. The pattern is Van Gogh Blossoming Almond Trees from Walls Republic. An antique chandelier with modern bulbs hangs above the dining room table.

That’s when Nichols, who once was a floral designer, found the turquoise floral wallpaper he loves – Van Gogh Blossoming Almond Trees from Walls Republic. But the idea of using so much blue freaked him out, and he hesitated at first. Now they both love it. “I’ve learned to trust Jordan over the years,” Previch said. “If he would have had this idea maybe three years ago, I would have asked a lot more questions. But I’ve learned to trust him.” The openness allows for an easy flow of traffic from the kitchen to the dining room to the living room and also lends itself to entertaining, which the couple loves to do when there isn’t a pandemic. They host small gatherings with close friends, as well as a big Halloween party, in normal years. Their cheerful, cozy home today reflects the life they have created together and memories they have made. A large geode from the NOLA Rock Co. in the French Quarter of New Orleans - one of their favorite cities to visit – sits on the coffee table in their living room. Another New Orleans find, a heavy antique crystal chandelier, required the strength of both of them to carry through the French Quarter back to their hotel room. It fell during the fire but survived intact (they replaced some of the crystals with modern bulbs), and it now hangs in their dining room, packed with sentimental value. When they move back into their Plaza District home, they’ll bring with them their dogs: a boxer mix named Baker who survived the fire, and Harper, a goldendoodle. They’ll put their current Shepherd

L to R: Previch, Harper the goldendoodle and Nichols.

Historic District home back on the market. They’ll likely keep broadcasting the “Wild Society: True Crime Podcast” that they do together for fun each week, discussing bizarre crimes with friends. And they’ll also bring with them to their new house a mix of memories, laughter, old and new items and the gratitude that has carried them through this far. SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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One-of-a-kind items with beautiful lines and an artful quirkiness are a specialty of Dorr’s.

Clean Lines, Strong Designs D US T I N D O R R B R I N G S A N E Y E F O R M O D E R N I S M TO H I S WO R K W ITH O K L A H O M A C IT Y I N TE R I O RS BY GEORGE L A NG | PHOTOS BY R ACHEL M AUCIER I

growing up in Oklahoma City, Dustin Dorr frequently visited his mother and stepfather in Palm Springs, California, a desert town whose character is largely defined by its mid20th century architecture and interior aesthetic. Surrounded by the space-age designs that John Lautner and E. Stewart Williams created for superstar clients like Bob Hope and Frank Sinatra, Dorr discovered his love of curvilinear objects and the disarming simplicity of modernism.

W H E N H E WA S

The man himself in his studio, DUSTIN DORR art. object.design, 401 NW 30th St in Oklahoma City

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Back in Oklahoma with his father, Dorr learned how to select pieces for use in interior design. “Growing up, my father was an antiques dealer and into real estate, so we were always fixing up homes, going to auctions, estate sales, garage sales for that matter, truly just picking good things out of these situations,” says Dorr, “So, from a very early age, that’s where I started putting all of this together.” Both worlds are represented in Dorr’s work. In the 1927 Tudor home Dorr shares with his wife, blogger Sarah James, and their two children, the warm traditional architecture is juxtaposed with modernist objets d’art, like a 96-inch white oval table designed in 1957 by Finnish-American architect Eero Saarinen. Dorr incorporates comparatively inexpensive pieces into the home like a Room & Board Modern Architecture Bed, emphasizing smart and simple designs over anything particularly ostentatious. “I would say there’s a common thread through my work, and that’s clean lines,” he says. “Regardless of style or period, you can look at the work and be like, ‘Oh, that’s clearly destined to work.’ Most importantly to me, that it functions and fits a client.” After living and working for 12 years in the Laguna Beach and Newport Beach areas, where Dorr worked with high-end clients to achieve their design dreams,

Dorr and James moved to Oklahoma City in 2014 and resumed their businesses in a new/old environment, working out of an Art Deco building located at 401 NW 30th Street near the Paseo Arts District. With an extensive portfolio of work, Dorr quickly built a reputation for creating bright, carefully assembled spaces that fit clients’ tastes and lifestyles while exposing them to new ideas. “I mean, the best clients are either repeat clients or referrals from other good clients, you know, just because most importantly it’s just trust and respect in this business,” he says. “And if you don’t have that in a client relationship, it’s just, it goes nowhere, quick. So yeah, a big part of it is just having a history as a reference with other clients.” But having an ear for listening to the needs and desires of a client is just as important as having an eye for good design, Dorr says. For instance, when he is working with clients who have young children, he is able to bring empathy and understanding to that project. Above all, Dorr designs spaces with an eye toward permanence. He wants his projects to have long lives and to bring joy and comfort to his clients for years, and when he brings objects into someone’s home or office, his hope is that his clients will build relationships with those pieces, embracing them into their own personal histories.

For Dorr, one of the most crucial skills he’s developed is the ability to really listen to his clients, and to view the project through the lens of their needs.

Regardless of style or period, you can look at the work and be like, ‘Oh, that’s clearly destined to work.’ Most importantly to me, that it functions and fits a client.”

By taking care to do everything right the first time and keeping his rates within reason, Dorr maintains good relations with his clients, finding the careful balance of price and work quality that results in referrals. “When a client and a designer get sideways, it’s often due to overcharging,” Dorr says. “I mean, that happens all the time when designers are not upfront with a markup or a fee or whatever it might be. And sometimes, bad work has nothing to do with being honest or dishonest, it’s just a lot of designers are out there doing work that shouldn’t be done and making decisions that shouldn’t be made.” Like almost everyone, Dorr was forced to make adjustments to his work during the COVID-19 pandemic. He currently is working on a project back in Palm Springs, but much of the work on the project was done remotely to minimize travel and exposure. But even when the work must be finished virtually, he is constantly learning from his clients, which he said translates into better designs in the future. “It’s really just feeling out client by client, person by person,” Dorr says. “And I feel like ... you know, my wife says this about me all the time: I just have a ‘good read.’ “It’s an educational process for me because, in order to make someone’s home their own. I’ve got to just take it all in and kind of assess and digest everything about who we’re working for,” he says. “I give them what suits them, functions well for them and hopefully is timeless for them.” SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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The Uncommon Market at Commonplace A G O U R M E T B O D EG A F O R TH E M O D E R N E R A BY LILLIE-BETH S A NGER BR INK M A N PHOTOS BY CHR IS C ASTRO

Organic fresh fruit and veggies make a delicious still-life arrangement at the Market.

at Commonplace and you immediately recognize that this is a different kind of grocery store than you’re used to seeing in Oklahoma City. Every item feels like a special find. You first notice the display of interesting cheeses, olive varieties, meats and other items, as well as the attractive woven bags hanging on a stand for use while shopping. Then you realize you’re going to need one of those totes to hold all the items you can tell that you will want even before you dig deeper into what this unique store in Oklahoma City’s Midtown offers.

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That lavender-flavored shortbread cookie looks really yummy, and it was made on site, in the Market’s kitchen, among other homemade offerings like hummus, burritos, chicken salad and sandwiches. Then you see some items you actually need and can get here in an easy trip instead of making a cumbersome one to a large grocery store – the fresh-looking tomatoes, bananas, the ground pepper, eggs and milk, the peanut butter, locally made bread. But wait, you realize, instead of peanut butter, you want to try the delicious-looking maple pumpkin butter by Laura Ann’s Jams, and then you see

that Laura Ann’s makes other interesting jams that might be the perfect gift for your mom. As you wander, you find other ideal food-related gifts for other people in your life – the salted licorice, the traditional Mexican hot chocolate and so many more interesting flavors and brands. All of that goodness happens before you stumble into the shop’s second room filled with specialty wines. You won’t see many of them elsewhere, as they are picked out with intention by wine sommelier Eric Beruman, managing partner of Market at Commonplace, along with Chris Castro and a group of local investors. Since the space isn’t big enough to organize wines by grape varietal, the wines are grouped according to fun categories like “Made by Her” and “Dinner Party.” They’re also relatively inexpensive – most under $30 – come from all over the world and are harvested with sustainable farming, often organic or produced according to environmentally friendly, biodynamic practices, Beruman said. He knows many of the stories behind the vintners who make the wines he chooses for the shop. “It starts in the vineyard,” Beruman said. “There is a lot of great wine out there, being made in a way that I believe in.” Castro said it made sense to make wine a focus because of Beruman’s expertise as an inhouse sommelier.

TOP LEFT: Small batch goods, some local and some with international roots make browsing at the Market fun. Helpful staff can tell you all about the items you may not readily recognize. MIDDLE: Chris Castro and Eric Berumen BOTTOM: Spice blends from Savory Spice Shop are among the many local

products available.

It feels very like a fun place to come and explore wine without a lot of knowledge and [know] that you’re going to get something good.”

“It feels very like a fun place to come and explore wine without a lot of knowledge and [know] that you’re going to get something good,” he said. So the shopping goes at the Market at Commonplace, a unique little bodega … specialty grocery market … backup pantry … whatever you want to call it … nestled in the middle of a walkable area dotted with local shops. Natural light from east-facing windows floods the place; the floor-to-ceiling wooden shelving cubes are light and happy. The atmosphere is calm by design. The shop is in the same strip as Commonplace Books, Sincerely Coffee Roasters and Gogi Go!, down and across the street from Waffle Champion and within walking distance from neighborhoods like Mesta Park and Heritage Hills surrounding it at N 13th and Walker Avenue. The store opened in August 2020 – in the middle of the pandemic – with a goal of being the neighborhood market for an area where there aren’t many nearby grocery store options, Castro and Beruman said in a recent Zoom interview. But then they realized that, even in a pandemic, the specialty items were selling better, so they shifted gears a bit to focus on those items while still carrying the everyday ones. “That’s really been an interesting challenge, I’d say, opening during a time like this,” Castro said. “I think you have to be willing to

pivot a little bit and adapt to what’s happening.” That pivot has been fun for both Beruman and Castro. In addition to food, the store sells items like locally made pottery by Taylor Dickerson, Oklahoma-themed cards, Della Terra pasta made in Oklahoma City and even a traditional pitcher and a molinillo – a wooden whisk – used to make the Mexican hot chocolate. Castro grew up drinking chocolate made that way at his grandmother’s house in Mexicali, Mexico, across the border from Castro’s childhood home in California. “People are wanting to come in and buy fun stuff from us. And so that’s really exciting for us. We’d pick up this fun kind of obscure thing and people were buying that,” Castro said about the pivot. “The things that people were looking for from us are like little home goods and gifty items.” Since it opened, Castro and Beruman have enjoyed tweaking the store, listening to suggestions from customers who feel like the Market belongs to them, too, and creating a safe space for people to shop. “I want people to know they can come in and get everything they would need for dinner or lunch from fresh organic produce, locally made pasta, wine, flowers,” Beruman said. “That’s key to me … I think of us as a specialty store in that we take time to curate things, but our focus isn’t limited to that.” SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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A LFR ESCO Enhancing Your Corner of the Great Outdoors

Croquet, Madame?

CHARLIE NEUENSCHWANDER

With much of our lives centered very much at home this past year, classic yard games are making a huge comeback. Writer George Lang reintroduces us to some familiar faves and some that may be new to you.

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Bocce ball or Pop Art? A classic set won’t set you back too much. A basic set is as little as $29.99 at Academy Sports.

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Go Play Outside G A M E S BY T H E YA R D BY GEORGE L A NG PHOTOS BY CH A R LIE NEUENSCH WA NDER

always on its way, no matter that the sky looks like hammered gunmetal and the backyard is a cool shade of brown. This year, after months of quarantine and social distancing, getting out in the yard and soaking up sunshine is more enticing than ever, and a good way to limber up and unfold yourself from your Zoom posture is to get active with some yard games. Some of these games go back centuries and even millenia, while others are relatively new inventions, but all of them require an expanse of ground and some good aim. Consider this a great starting point for a fun-filled summer that will hit all the right targets.

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BOCCE This perennially popular yard game proves that not everything about life during the Roman Empire involved wretched excess. Modern bocce is played throughout the Western Hemisphere and is descended from boules, a two-millennia-old Roman game in which balls are rolled toward a target ball, referred to as a “jack” or a “kitty” in the English version (known as bowls), with the goal of being closest. Bocce is typically played on a smooth piece of soil, asphalt or crushed granite surface and is traditionally played with wooden balls, though modern sets can be made from heavy plastic. A classic Perfetta Bocce set of wood balls goes for $129 at Seattle-based Playaboule.com, but the company also sells a line of plastic LED balls ranging from a $48.95 travel edition to a lithium-powered set priced at $77.95 — perfect for after-dark games.

KADIMA Originating on Israeli beaches around Tel Aviv, kadima or matkot is as simple as paddle games get, but “simple” is not always synonymous with “easy.” Played with at least two players, kadima uses 12-inch round paddles and a ball similar to what is used in squash. The goal is to keep that ball from hitting the ground while achieving the highest number of volleys. Because they are not as involved as badminton sets — there is no net in traditional kadima — kadima packages tend to be reasonably priced. A good set from ProKadima starts at $12 and maxes out at $25.95, making this an inexpensive game that will provide endless hours of backyard or beach fun for people with good aim and depth perception.

HORSESHOES Compared to the boules-descended yard games, horseshoes are a relatively recent phenomenon, emerging in the late 19th century. The game, in which opponents toss either actual horseshoes or U-shaped pieces toward stationary stakes or poles, is closely related to quoits, a ring-toss game that gained popularity in northern England in the early 1800s. Single points are scored when any inside edge of the horseshoe is within six inches of the stake, and a “ringer,” which hits the stake and fully encircles it, will score three points. A child-safe rubber set made by Champion is available for $16.75 through Amazon, but for the serious adult player who does not have to worry as much about cracking heads, regulation steel sets can range from $31 to $276. Remember, “close” counts in horseshoes, and the game is much safer than hand grenades.

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CROQUET Like badminton, croquet traces its lineage to London toymaker Isaac Spratt, who codified the rules for this game involving mallets, wooden balls and hoops (or wickets) in a 1856 pamphlet that is now housed in the United Kingdom’s national archives. The game evolved from bocce, but the presence of the wickets, through which the balls pass in gameplay, provides greater challenges, and the use of mallets is easier on back muscles. For those who like challenges, the more complex “association croquet” involving four balls is the sport of choice, while “golf croquet” is a less involved variation that is growing in popularity. A good, solid six-person croquet set from Franklin Sports starts at around $35 at Amazon, but a handmade Amish set will set a croquet enthusiast back $299. When shopping for a croquet set, pay attention to the width of the wickets — the narrower the opening, the more challenging the gameplay. 64

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CORNHOLE Saddled with a name guaranteed to make adolescents snicker, cornhole was originally marketed in Great Britain as “Parlor Quoits” in the 1880s, meaning it was similar to a ring toss game but safe enough to play indoors. A set usually includes two angled wooden panels with six-inch holes and 16-ounce bags of dried corn, and gameplay involves spreading the panels 27 feet apart and aiming the corn bag at the farther panel. A hole in one will earn the player three points while landing on the panel is worth one point. A good, durable cornhole set made with traditional materials usually costs around $140, but a reasonably skilled woodworker can make a set with relative ease. HGTV.com even offers free design instructions approved by the American Cornhole Association, because there is such a thing.

MÖLKKY Hailing from Finland, Mölkky or Kubb is young by the standards of most lawn games, it first reached the marketplace in 1996, but it has its roots in a centuries-old game called kyykkä, which involved flinging heavy wooden bats at a set of “skittles” or wooden pins, making it the aggressive cousin to lawn bowling. Playing Mölkky does not require feats of strength, however; in this relatively new version, gameplay does not require forearms of steel. It does, however, require good aim to knock over as many pins as possible in the fewest throws. A brand-name Mölkky set costs $38.59, but there are more generic Kubb sets available for slightly less, including an Amazon Basics version for $34.35.

FLARTS Children of the 1970s raised on Super Elastic Bubble Plastic and other dangerous toys remember lawn darts or javelin darts, a game involving two plastic rings laid on the ground and a set of large red and blue darts with sharp metal tips. The goal was to hit the center of the ring by tossing these projectiles under-handed. As early as 1970, Consumers Union was petitioning the federal government to ban lawn darts, but courts denied the ban until 1987, when a child in Riverside, California was killed by a stray lawn dart. The following year, the Consumer Products Safety Commission issued an outright ban on these weapons. Flarts, a new, safer version of the game, involves tossing weighted, inflatable rockets onto a massive scoring mat based on a traditional dartboard. A set from Giggle-N-Go is reasonably priced at $29.95.

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are placed almost completely out of sight, but make a clear, remarkable difference in keeping your yard free of airborne pests. The machine is set to automatically spray a solution that targets and kills annoying mosquitoes, but your yard will be safe for children, pets and food immediately after misting. Included is a hand-held remote so that you can have mosquito control in the palm of your hand. Your system can be monitored by SWAT via Wi-Fi and that service also includes a smart phone app – letting you enjoy the outdoors in comfort, with a system that’s completely worry-free. SWAT also offers reliable and expert service for existing systems as well as scheduled yard spraying, so even if you don’t have a system installed they can help eliminate

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The Gulpability of Porchdrinking in the Spring O U T D O O R CO N V I V I A LIT Y, O N E G L A S S AT A T I M E BY GR EG HORTON PHOTOS BY BR A NDON SMITH A ND MEL W ILLIS

F O R M Y M AT E R N A L grandmother, it was sweet tea; for her neighbor, beer. They lived next door to each other in Bowlegs, Oklahoma, and to escape the heat inside the house – whether from cooking or late-afternoon sun – they’d migrate to their porches and greet each other, “Hello, Neighbor.” Capitalized, because they never used names; Neighbor was the name. As kids, we’d watch the neighbor drink beer and wonder if the taste warranted the lip smacking and deep sighs of contentment. My grandmother seldom drank, mostly because of her Pentecostal faith, but like many teetotalers, she could occasionally be lured by fruit-based wines; sand plum and peach or the like. We had to be content with our sodas or sweet tea, left to ponder the adult mystery of alcohol. Porch drinking, which really should be a single word (porchdrinking), evolved naturally out of the habit of spending time on the porch in the world before air conditioning. In that sense, it’s not specifically tied to the South, nor is it a strictly Okie tradition, but its best iterations do happen in those places where a big porch is just part of the housing landscape. To the persnickety, a porch is the covered portion outside the front and perhaps back of the house, while a veranda extends to the sides. In the parlance of the South, though, that’s a wrap-around porch. What’s the appeal of porchdrinking? Sharing a drink with friends and neighbors is part of building and sustaining a community within a larger town or city. Clayton Bahr, sales manager for Artisan Fine Wine & Spirits, has long hosted a rosé party on the porch of his home in the urban core as the weather turned warm. Because he’s a real Okie, some of those parties turned into thunderstorm watch parties, the rosé giving way to heavier reds and cocktails. 66

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“We had a neighborhood porch crawl, too, until the pandemic,” Bahr says. “We’d walk in groups from home to home and entertain each other on the porch.” It’s a tradition he hopes to see return post-COVID. While rosé is a favorite – “It’s hot outside and rosé is cold and delicious,” he explains – Bahr also recommends tequila-based cocktails. “They have these earthy, green-pepper notes that lend themselves to being outside in the heat.” Bradford House is already a popular destination for brunch on its large wrap-around porch (veranda), and given the quality of the cocktails and wine list, it’ll be a hotspot for porchdrinking as well. Its Gin and Jam is a modified gin rickey sans sparkling water, with the addition of house-made jam. Currently, it’s black cherry, but any berry or stone fruit would go nicely with dry gin.

LEFT : A cool, wide swath of porch at Bradford House. BELOW: A Gin & Jam

What’s the appeal of porchdrinking? Sharing a drink with friends and neighbors is part of building and sustaining a community within a larger town or city.

The Copper Lady is an excellent vodka-based cocktail – typically ideal for warm weather porchdrinking – with ginger beer, lemon, thyme and orange syrup. It’s light, refreshing, and just complex enough that you won’t want to chug it. Gulpability, which also ought to be a word, is a good measure of what constitutes appropriate porchdrinking wine. Bahr recommends rosé for that very reason, and some chillable reds. We’re agreed that frizzante-style wines also work, but Champagne, Cava and Prosecco aren’t the best choices. The acid gives them a weight that requires slower drinking, and no one wants warm bubbles in their glass. Choose wisely, partake safely and raise a toast to more sociable drinking in the days ahead. SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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Hue are You? B O LD, N EUT R A L O R SO M E W H E R E I N - B E T W E E N ? BY S A R A G A E WATERS PHOTOS BY C A R LI ECONOM Y

of color vs. neutral you really can’t have a loser. Some people say they’ve never met a color they didn’t love. Others revel in variations of white, gray, brown, caramel. Sometimes less is much more and sometimes more is wonderfully more. This spring when you’re setting your table, why not do both? Change it up. If you gravitate toward wild color why not dial it back and try your hand at something more calming and subdued and perhaps even less work? If you don’t normally go all-out when setting the table, maybe it’s time to revel in an over-the-top, color-filled setting. Here are some ideas and some hints for you. Above all? Have fun. Enjoy the art of setting a table. Our colorful table setting is a symphony of vivid and rich pink tones, from light to dark, layering luscious Italian wares atop beautiful block-printed linens from India. We added vintage crystal, gorgeous new flatware and pale pink taper candles. Flowers take center stage with a mix of roses, waxflower, scabiosa and sweet peas. Everything about this table boldly declares that more is decidedly better. One note, even if you are making a big splash with big colors, balance that out with a small detail here and there. The bamboo skewers, each adorned with a pearl, are small but definitely not something to miss...especially with a couple of fresh raspberries for your drink of choice. Neutrals do not have to be color’s dreary stepsister. Sometimes an easy and fresh table is just the thing we need: beautiful but not complicated. Swipe a few potted plants from a windowsill, or buy them specifically for the table and place them around the home later. This is a quick and organic way to start the centerpiece of your table, and

IN THE WORLD

New to bold color? Choose one hue, pink for example, and layer shades, shapes and patterns. Indian block print fabric is the perfect foil for vintage linens, pink tapers and vibrant raspberries. SPRING 2021 405 HOM E

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A well-edited, neutral palette can be a soothing respite for the senses.

something I mention here often. No need for placemats or tablecloths, a simple linen napkin or even a striped french dish towel can give you that laissez-faire feeling. A simple, clear-glass pitcher of any size with a big bunch of one variety of flower right in the center is so easy and beautiful. White waxflower is the perfect candidate, simple and breezy. Choosing wicker wrapped glasses and clipping sprigs of olive branches (seen here), or ivy, or boxwood, furthers the natural and neutral theme. For that attention to detail, a handwritten place card atop the greenery shows you’ve given this occasion a little extra thought. All that is left is a little music, drink in hand and oh yes...the food!

Color table: Richard Ginori Oriente Italiano table top and pink carafe from Bebe’s @shopbebes Tablecloth from India and Ivy @indiaandivy Juliska flatware and white napkins from Tulips @tulipshome Crystal from private collection Neutral table: Clear pitcher from March @march.sf Terracotta pots from The Flower Shop @theflowershopok and Terrain @shopterrain Glasses from @tulipshome Flatware, plates and linens from private collection 70

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Clip a few sprigs of olive branches and let the worn beauty of a rustic table stand in for a tablecloth. A palette of neutrals can yield a level of easy sophistication.

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By Design BY CHR ISTINE EDDINGTON | PHOTO BY CH A R LIE NEUENSCH WA NDER

The Fall 2021 installment of 405HOME will also be our inaugural official Design Issue. Within its pages, you’ll meet a fellow who collects significant chairs created by significant designers, architect Russell Megee. His collection numbers more than 100. One of which, above, is a 1991 Big Easy armchair by Ron Arad, in glossy red, made in Italy by creative master

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furniture maker Moroso. Megee is holding an exhibition of his collection in Oklahoma City in October, and we’ll preview it for you here. We’ll also bring you our third installation of our popular Home Away column, for which we’ve explored Dallas’s Adolphus Hotel and Kansas City’s 21c Museum Hotel. Where will we go next? Wouldn’t you like to know. Of course 405HOME is always about

design, directly and indirectly. We love a perfectly-turned table leg, a breathtaking chandelier or a hand-painted silk drapery more than most people. We love kitchen implements so well-designed they can’t be improved upon, the humble bench scraper we lauded in our Spring 2019 issue, for example. But we’ve never done a serious Design Issue. Until now.

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A LEGACY OF FINE FURNITURE FOR 62 YEARS

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