April 2023

Home Builder Prestige Custom Homes Architect Srote & Co Interior Designer Laurie LeBoeuf, Castle Design

Photography by Megan Lorenz.

pages 22-31

Come rain

or shine

With the arrival of spring, our world becomes an explosion of colors! Yellow daffodil flowers and forsythia shrubs make an early debut, followed by multi-colored tulips, azaleas, peonies plus the wide range of pink blossoms in cherry, redbud and dogwood trees! It's no surprise we welcome spring with open arms.

With an a verage 202 sunny days a year accompanied by 105 rainy days, our gardens rely on those raindrops to provide the macronutrients that flowers and trees need to flourish.

Nature's colors are seen throughout the interior design industry with the purpose of brightening even the gloomiest of days. For centuries, homeowners have incorporated cut flowers from their gardens into their homes just as interior designers have continued to embrace nature's colors, textures and forms into home furnishings designs, wall coverings and accessories. Their fine tuned "eyes" embrace the perfect color combinations.

Color pops off the pages of this issue. Hold on tight, you just might be blown away!

Enjoy!

Suzie Osterloh Publisher/Owner

pages 48-50

pages 32-39

Photography by Colin Miller/Strauss Peyton

A LASTING First Impression

PUBLISHER/OWNER: Suzie Osterloh

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Melissa Mauzy

MANAGING EDITOR: Molly (Moe) Godat

CREATIVE DIRECTOR: Kim Dillon

COPY EDITOR: Carol Wayne

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Lucyanne Boston, Jeanne Delathouder, Kim Hill, Catherine Martin, Michelle Mastro, Wendy Noory, Gina Parsons

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Patrick Barta, Lynn Donaldson, Tom Incrocci, Gabe Border Photography, Tom Graham, Megan Lorenz, Anne Matheis, Colin Miller/,Strauss Peyton, Alise O’Brien, Karen Palmer, Prakesh Patel, Patrick Schmitt, Spacecrafting Photography, S Photography

SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: Colleen Poelker

DISTRIBUTION MASTER: Barney Osterloh

MARKETING + SOCIAL MEDIA SPECIALIST: Maya Brenningmeyer

ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: sosterloh@stlouishomesmag.com

EDITORIAL INQUIRIES: molly@stlouishomesmag.com

FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: Email bosterloh@stlouishomesmag.com or visit www.stlouishomesmag.com

St. Louis Homes + Lifestyles Magazine

255 Lamp + Lantern Village Town & Country, MO 63017 636-230-9700

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©2023 by Distinctive Lifestyles LLC. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint or quote excerpts granted by written request only.

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St. Louis Homes + Lifestyles

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REFINISHING

2023 CONTESTS:

2023 Baths of the Year: entries due May 3

2024 Kitchens of the Year: entries due Oct 4

For downloadable entry forms and detailed information about each contest, please visit stlouishomesmag.com.

FURNITURE MAKING

Designed & built to be used as a bedside table in straw marquetry and walnut

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION Nine fabulous issues/year

FINE FURNITURE FINISHING & RESTORATION CUSTOM BUILT FURNITURE & ACCESSORIES

VIVA MAGENTA

Use Pantone’s 2023 Color of the Year, Viva Magenta, to inject your space with vibrance!

By Moe Godat

Fabric and wallpaper in Mystic Garden, by Thibaut, available at The Great Cover-Up.

Marcello Velho Catwalk petite accent chair, available at Anthropologie.

Origin maze doormat, available at West Elm.

Split colorblock indoor/ outdoor pillow in magenta, available at West Elm.

Whittaker daybed with Tasha Berry fabric, by CR Laine Furniture, available at Design & Detail.

Watercolor Cascade III wall art, available at Ethan Allen.

Designers’ Advice

We love to use this color as an accent color in artwork, accessories or even books. It adds a great pop of color and brings a fun energy to any space.

Tamsin Mascetti, Tamsin Design Group.

Viva Magenta as described by Pantone is “powerful and empowering. It is an animated red that revels in pure joy, encouraging experimentation and self-expression without restraint.”

The color is a cross between warm and cool tones, a brilliant red blended with warm pink. I am not a fan of “statement walls.” My theory is go big or go home. However, the key to using a bold statement color is balance. If you commit to using this or any other dynamic color, it’s best to incorporate complementary or contrasting colors to work with it. Rooms that may benefit from the color could be a library, dining room, sitting or family room. If you simply want to enhance your space with this radiant hue without dominating the room, consider covering a chair in a plush velvet upholstery. Incorporating accessories like art, pillows or flowers is an easy approach to include the color of the year in your home.

Joni Spear, Joni Spear Interior Design.

Sophia floral block print cotton napkins, set of four in pink, available at Pottery Barn.

Famille rose section oval platter, available at Williams Sonoma.

Vintage etched pitcher in pink, available at Williams Sonoma.

Fuchsia orchids in glass vase, available at Ethan Allen.

Marcoux sofa with Radiant Orchid pillow fabric, by CR Laine Furniture, available at Design & Detail.

Hot Hues

The industry’s top paint companies have forecasted their predictions for this year’s top new hues. Paint serves as a key element to any home’s aesthetic.

By Melissa Mauzy

Benjamin Moore

Raspberry Blush 2008-30

Raspberry Blush is a dynamic, charismatic color that encourages color confidence. For more neutral color pairings with Raspberry Blush, look at Etiquette (AF-50), Gray Owl (OC-52), and White Heron (OC-57). These colors create a perfect pairing while letting Raspberry Blush be the focal point in the space.

Ariana Cesa, Associate

Color Marketing & Development.

Manager,

Sherwin- Williams

Redend Point SW 9081

Redend Point is a calming, minimal and intriguing hue. The soft neutral is highly flexible and imparts a cozy warmth and natural earthiness to any space. Try accenting Redend Point with grounding neutrals like Urbane Bronze (SW 7048) and Foothills (SW 7514) or tonal clays like Toile Red (SW 0006) and Malted Milk (SW 6057).

Behr Blank Canvas DC-003

Blank Canvas is a hopeful and welcoming warm white with limitless possibilities. The hue can serve as a supporting neutral when paired with both light and dark colors, like Even Better Beige, Tranquil Gray, and Cracked Pepper. If you are looking to add a pop of color, Blank Canvas works well with a dark green like Vine Leaf, or with a blue-gray like Adirondack Blue. Erika Woelfel, Vice President of Color & Creative Services at Behr Paint Company.

Knowing the Tone

Edited by Moe Godat

Portrait photography by Colin Miller/Strauss Peyton Interior Photography by Karen Palmer

Choices, Choices

Color choice in the home is highly subjective, and for that reason, it’s not the palette as much as the execution that matters. A wellappointed home distinguishes itself by the story it tells about its inhabitants. There are no wrong colors, but there is psychology at play. Warm colors like red, orange and yellow tend to elicit heightened mental activity like creativity, while cooler tones like blues and greens inspire calm; a room’s purpose should largely guide color selection.

Client-Centric Color

Most individuals don’t know where to begin in terms of adding color to their home. Oftentimes, I’ll ask clients if I can peek into their clothes closet. More often than not, I find clues there. Without realizing it, most people’s favorite colors are reflected in their wardrobes. When painting a client’s home or purchasing fabrics, I ask if they prefer blue to red, giving me the idea if they like warm or cool colors. From there, I break it down further, asking if they choose blue over green or red over yellow. After a few conversations, we can determine their favorite shades and I begin building a client-centric palette.

A Monochrome Moment

The key to successfully creating monochromatic rooms in vibrant shades is an all or nothing proposition. You need to be ready to fully commit to the adventure! A room best suited for showcasing such striking colors is a powder room, home bar, a vestibule, game room or library or any room in which you want to soulfully add drama and unexpectedness. However, your home will not feel thoughtfully designed if only one room is addressed in saturated colors, while neighboring spaces are ignored. For this reason, powder rooms are my favorite place to dazzle; it’s the one place most house guests will visit and a space whose aesthetic needn’t marry with adjacent rooms.

Room by Room

When using one dominating color scheme in a room such as a living room, it’s best to carry the theme into other rooms. This is not to say if you have a predominately blue color scheme that every room has to be blue. Simply pluck and apply the color with pillows, art or an accessory in the other spaces. A home’s rooms should harmonize while still having ultroneous moments.

Joni Spear brings us inside the colorful mind of a designer with over two decades of experience.

Spring Flings

This spring we are seeing bright, cheerful colors popping up on everything from table wear to outdoor fabrics. We’ve taken last year’s terra cotta craze and gone a step further on the reddish tones. We are seeing more burnt orange, vermilion and vibrant corals than ever before—possibly as a nod to the '70s. Fabric lines are introducing it into upholstery and printed fabrics. The pandemic had a lot to do with the resurgence of bolder colors.; being homebound for that protracted period found homeowners craving excitement.

Color of the Year

Annually, Pantone teases us with The Color of the Year. This year’s color is Viva Magenta, a velvety cross between red and pink. It’s a lovely color, but I suggest using it judiciously. If you want to embolden your home with a this or another statement color, consider sprinkling it in with a vase, drinking glasses in the kitchen or towels in the powder room or guest bath—items that can easily be swapped out if you fall in love with next year’s comely siren.

Finding Favorites

When working with clients, I don’t have a favorite color or palette. I let the owner’s personality and personal taste guide my choices. I often suggest colors based on a muse; most folks have a family heirloom, a favorite rug or something sentimental they want to display. I try to find something within the composition that successfully captures the spirit of the individuals and build upon it. Often, people don’t recognize an item’s beauty and view it as simply something they feel obliged to keep. I nudge them to embrace it, and more often than not, it’s the most delightful moment in the home.

Seeking Rest

I recommend seeing your home as a sanctuary. Smart design is not about keeping up with trends or buying out an entire catalog of furniture. I encourage clients to take their time and enjoy the journey – collect art or bring back something special from travels, and let that be your inspiration. Follow your heart and everything will fall into place. See stlouishomesmag.com for resources.

COLOR

By Michelle Mastro Portrait photography by Colin Miller/Strauss

Art can have a powerful impact on a viewer, whether that ’s inspiring feelings of sadness, joy, sublimity or wonder. Though her art does this and more, artist Adrienne Sandusky makes paintings meant to inspire conversation.

Adrienne’s perspective on art is a unique one. She majored in business and accounting in college originally but went back to school later in her 30s for art, she says. “In college, I started to hit the ground running in the art world. I work as a makeup and wardrobe stylist and utilize a lot of color, so I think that initially inspired my work along with traveling. After graduation, I continued to draw and paint, and it was something I just needed to do.”

In her pieces, color, shape and lines dance and sprawl across the canvas. The pieces are abstract, and thus while they have no clear message, the point of her art, Adrienne says, is to take the deeply personal experience the viewer has with the art and inspire him or her to share it with fellow viewers and compare notes.

“Depending on the viewer’s vantage point, they will have a different perspective than the viewer standing next to them. I am challenging them to hold a space to have that conversation, allowing it to evolve organically by really listening to the other person’s take on the art,” says Adrienne. “Sometimes we spend too much time on our own thoughts and not on conservation.” Hence seeing things differently and sharing diverse opinions is the point.

Artist Adrienne Sandusky creates dynamic and playful art meant to inspire conversation.

But that doesn’t mean the conversation has to be cloaked in seriousness. Actually, a sense of “play” is also the goal of her work. “Through the pandemic, my art evolved. Within a year, the circles started forming,” she says. Adrienne had done watercolor on lines and circles before, but now she had graduated to producing larger scale pieces with huge circles. “To me, the circles became playful and reminded people that a conversation can be playful and add fun to the day.”

The circles and lines, even color, look random, but they aren’t. In many of her pieces, she starts with acrylic or oil paint to create a background then layers in paint pens, oil pastels, gold leaf or gold foil on top. It’s an organic multimedia approach to creating art. “While creating, I’ll step back and look at a composition and see what I need to add to balance everything out,” she says.

“I place shapes in different spaces, allowing the eye to dance all over the painting. A lot of people have commented on that,” she says. “I think about the viewer’s experience of my art in that way.” She lays out color to draw the eye from left to right, and viewers must step back and see the overall painting time and again to take in everything. “People interested in my work want a fun experience, or at least, a piece to add something playful to their home.”

Those interested in purchasing Adrienne Sandusky’s work can find her on Instagram. She will have a show at 31 Art Gallery until April 8th and at The Royal opening March 9th through May 22, 2023. She currently has a piece hanging at the Angad Arts Hotel. See stlouishomesmag. com for more photos and resources.

These architectural firms are doing some of the best work in the Greater St. Louis area. We’re proud to call them our architect partners. Look to them first for your next project.

Jim Bulejski Architects jbarchitect.com

Srote & Co Architects sroteco.com

DL Design DLDesign.com

Brendel Architects, LLC brendelarchitects.com

Donna F. Boxx, Architect, P.C. boxxarchitect.com

William D. Cover, Architect LLC williamdcoverarchitect.com

Jeff Day & Associates jeffdayllc.com

Lauren Strutman Architects P.C. laurenstrutmanarchitects.com

Dick Busch Architects dickbuscharchitects.com

Schaub Projects Architecture + Design schaubprojects.com

Christopher D. Marshall Architect, LLC cdmarchitect.com

FUMAGALLI & LAMPE, inc. Lorif@flistudio.com

Calling Home

Mario Iaccarino, owner of Casa Don Alfonso, welcomes guests to enjoy the elevated cuisine of his youth on the Sorrento Coast.

By Moe Godat

Restaurateur Mario Iaccarino felt destined for the world of hospitality; growing up in southern Italy along the Sorrento Coast, he spent many hot summer days at his family’s restaurant, Don Alfonso 1890, and around his grandmother Titina’s dinner table enjoying four generations of hard work and well-loved recipes.

Mar io followed his calling for hospitality, beginning his professional career in London and then France before continuing his studies at Geneva Hotel School. After traveling and mastering their craft, Mario and his brother Ernesto made their way back to their family’s two-star Michelin restaurant, helping to cement Don Alfonso 1890s reputation for acclaimed cuisine and distinctive service.

Several international projects related to Don Alfonso 1890 have surfaced throughout the brothers’ 20 years at the restaurant, encouraging them to open their first United States location right here in St. Louis. Casa Don Alfonso, named for his family’s restaurant in Italy, showcases the Mediterranean lifestyle and simplistic cuisine that sculpted Iaccarino’s childhood.

“After being introduced to The Ritz-Carlton, St. Louis, I knew that this city was the perfect place to open our first restaurant in

Photography by Colin Miller/Strauss Peyton

the United States,” says Mario. “The hotel and I share the same philosophy in hospitality and treating one another with the utmost respect.” Mario also notes the strong Italian community, local love for Mediterranean cuisine and deep respect for traditional recipes and regional cooking helped solidify his choice.

When asked how Casa Don Alfonso differs from Don Alfonso 1890, Mario explains that “Don Alfonso 1890 is the ‘flagship’ location, but Casa Don Alfonso is the ‘home.’ We want to share the traditional recipes that our grandmothers have passed down in our family for generations and give the guests a taste of the dishes that we grew up eating and creating special memories for us.”

The menu reflects the Iccarinos’ roots with long-loved family recipes showcasing ingredients from the Sorrento Coast and its traditions. “There is a story and a memory behind each dish, and that is what shapes it,” Mario says. The Campania region in Italy is heavily influenced by the Mediterranean diet, meaning that many of the dishes are cooked in extra virgin olive oil with aromatics, herbs and of course, tomatoes. Seafood and legumes are the primary protein sources. Eating in this manner, Mario explains, “encourages longevity and leaves you feeling healthy and nourished.”

From ingredients to atmosphere, Casa Don Alfonso aims to conquer the hearts of its guests through an overall experience of Southern Italy’s origins, history and traditions. “We want to share our Mediterranean world. We want to share an entire culture.” See stlouishomesmag.com for more information.

St. Louis Homes + Lifestyles

Casa Don Alfonso

Fall in love with the Sorrento Coast at our cooking school!

11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery.

WHEN: TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 11:30 A.M. – 1:30 P.M.

COST: $35 PER PERSON

** WHERE: Ferguson Bath, Kitchen and Lighting Gallery 17895 Chesterfield Airport Rd. Chesterfield, MO 63005

RSVP by calling 636-230-9640, ext. 27 or email bosterloh@stlouishomesmag.com

Reserve your seat online: stlouishomesmag.com/events

COOKING SCHOOL MENU

Burrata Caprese Salad

This culinary recipe is the expression of an entire culture, featuring the most-used ingredients in our everyday life in this part of Italy: cherry tomato, burrata, arugula, oregano and pesto.

Housemade Fresh Tagliatelle

This recipe is part of Don Alfonso 1890 history: fresh pasta scented with citrus, accompanied by shrimp, bisque and marjoram.

Tiramisu

An Italian dessert favorite, Tiramisu features flavors of coffee, chocolate and cream.

MODERN MARVEL

A thoughtful renovation maintains a midcentury home’s quirks and character, yet adds functionality for today’s lifestyles.

By Kim Hill

Photography by Anne Matheis Architect Aesh Design Builder Aleto Construction Group

Natural sunlight streams in through the Velux skylights, throwing patterns from the fireplace's disco centerpiece.

AAmanda Hehmeyer doesn’t describe herself as a midcentur y modern aficionado. At least, she didn’t used to. Amanda, her husband Rob, their two daughters and beloved Weimaraner, Greta, lived in a traditional two-story brick typical of the architecture found in their St. Louis Hills community. Although the family had outgrown the 3-bedroom, 2-bath home, they were sailing along until the pandemic hit, shuttering Amanda’s business as a corporate event planner.

“I wasn’t working for the first time in 25 years, so I spent that time painting and sprucing up our house to see what happened in that wild real estate market,” Amanda remembers. They sold the home in one day and moved to an apartment, taking their time searching for a larger home in St. Louis Hills similar to the one they’d just sold. “We love it here,” Amanda says of the area. “It’s a really special little community.” When her real estate agent learned some high school classmates planned to sell their midcentury modern home, Amanda realized it was the same house she’d long admired. “During quarantine, I walked past this house every day and just thought it was so cool,” Amanda recalls. “But it was not what I thought we’d end up with.”

Viewing it for the first time, Amanda was struck by the home’s flow and sense of openness. “I just knew this was the house for us,” she says. “I didn’t fall in love with it because it’s midcentury modern. I fell in love with it because of how it makes you feel.” The home’s floor-to-ceiling windows, four bedrooms and purposeful design appealed as well. “It’s well planned,” she explains. “That impressed me because I’m a planner. And the level of detail made it really special.”

And once she committed to the home, Amanda was all in on midcentury modern, researching the aesthetic with its focus on clean lines, big windows to let the outside in, simple shapes and minimal ornamentation and

“The beautifully executed combination of stone and woodwork with varying angles and shapes showcases what midcentury modern is all about,” says Patti Aleto. The living room’s etched wood beam is one of the home’s charming quirks. “We’ve been told the Hawaiian Islands were an inspiration to the original owners when they designed this house,” says current homeowner Amanda Hehmeyer. “We believe the wood beam is supposed to be a shark and the etchings are a representation of volcanoes in Hawaii.”

This page top: Homeowner Amanda Hehmeyer designed the front entry’s new pivot door made of walnut from Webster Window & Door. The oversized glass panel replaced a vertical row of frosted glass sidelights. Greta, the family’s Weimaraner, keeps a watchful eye on the neighborhood.

Bottom: “I decided I wanted an egg chair for this corner reading nook and searched forever for the right one,” says Amanda Hehmeyer. “Every kid who comes over curls up in this chair with a snack or maybe two kids crawl in it and play a game on their phone.”

Opposite page: In the home office, homeowner Amanda Hehmeyer replaced a louvered closet with a built-in bookcase with open shelving. “We are big animal people, and I just loved the teal color,” Hehmeyer says of the leopard motif wallpaper. She continues the big cat theme in the cane chair’s fuchsia seat cushion. “I am a huge lover of pink, and my daughters are, too,” she says.

neutral tones with occasional splashes of color. The house wasn’t quite perfect for the family’s needs, however. The living room was large and spacious, but there was no family room for lounging and watching TV. The windows were mismatched from various renovations over the years, and many of them weren’t energy efficient. The kitchen had been redone in the 1990s, but the light oak cabinets and travertine floor weren’t Amanda’s favorites. And a lanai at the back of the home, which Amanda describes as “an amazing part of the house, cool and very special” wasn’t entirely practical. “With screened windows and doors, we really could only utilize it in fall and spring,” she says.

Converting this space to a family room was high on Amanda’s wish list. The team at Aleto Construction Group turned the outside lanai into an indoor living space that now flows seamlessly throughout, with just a nod to its original indoor/ outdoor layout, says Patti Aleto, owner of the design-build firm. The exterior brick walls were removed, the existing woodburning fireplace converted to a gas, double-sided fireplace, the ceiling reframed to receive seven new skylights and finishes added throughout to highlight the home’s one-of-a-kind features, says Aleto. “The skylights, wall of windows and full-view triple door unit flood the family room and adjacent space with natural light, connecting the indoors to the outdoor entertainment patio,” says Aleto.

Rattan chairs and a jute rug add texture to the formal dining space. The built-in walnut credenza is original to the home. Homeowner Amanda Hehmeyer topped it with Danby marble during the remodel. Aleto Construction Group replaced dated louvered doors with the built-in black cabinetry at far right.

At the family room’s end, sliding doors leading into the primary bedroom were replaced with drywall. “This new wall allowed us to hang a TV here,” Amanda says. She dressed the TV wall in a whimsical green and pink floral wallpaper and further accented the wall with a custom wood frame stained black. “This is my solution to the fact I couldn’t find any built-ins that didn’t look too traditional or too permanent,” says Amanda. “And I can lean artwork on the ledges if I want.”

The k itchen received a mini makeover. Amanda removed the upper cabinets and painted the existing lowers a crisp white. The Aleto team removed the travertine floor and extended hardwood into the space. They also removed two dated closets and added a built-in black cabinet. “This feature showcases décor in a stunning way that coordinates well with the existing features of the home,” says Aleto.

She notes that one of the home’s most unique elements is the terrazzo flooring. “It flows like a stream from the front entry, through the house, to what was the lanai on the exterior,” says Aleto. The front entry experience was further enhanced with a new, oversized walnut pivot door. A series of frosted glass sidelights were replaced with one large clear glass panel, letting even more natural light stream into the space.

Walls thr oughout the home were repainted white, a departure for Amanda. “I’ve always had very bold paint colors on my walls, but in this house, there is so much else going on

“I just like to have a little pop of fun things here and there in my home,” says Amanda Hehmeyer. “Things like paint or pillows or even floral wallpaper don’t have to be forever. If I like it and I feel like it works in my home, I go for it.”

with the architecture, I felt a cool-tone white was right and I’d just put pops of color and pattern in spots,” she explains. Case in point: the home office. Amanda removed a louvered closet door and commissioned the construction of built-ins with closed cabinetry for additional storage and open shelving for keepsakes. “This was another place I could have some crazy wallpaper,” she says of the teal paper with leopard motifs.

“Most things in a home don’t have to be forever,” Amanda says of the leopard wallpaper or the dramatic, almost-black paint she chose for the primary bedroom. “Smaller-ticket items can always be redone down the road. I like to have a little pop of fun things here and there.”

Now that she is well-versed in midcentury modern design, Amanda eagerly shares the renovated home with others. She documented the overhaul on social media and even agreed to participate in St. Louis Homes + Lifestyles Luxury Home Tour with proceeds benefiting Haven of Grace. “I’m pretty passionate about this place,” she says. See stlouishomesmag.com for resources and additional photos.

This page top: The home’s original woodburning fireplace was converted to a gas, see-through fireplace looking into the newly constructed family room. Hehmeyer commissioned Royal Design Company in Kansas City to build the pub-height walnut table at far left. Bottom: In the primary bedroom, painted the walls in Farrow & Ball’s “Inchyra Blue,” a dramatic aged blue grey hue. Neutral linens lighten the mood. Although a new piece of furniture, the wardrobe’s geometric squares-on-squares nod to the home’s midcentury modern aesthetic. Opposite page: For budgetary reasons, Hehmeyer kept the existing lower kitchen cabinets but painted them white to update the look. She replaced the cabinetry hardware and kitchen faucet, and splurged on Danby marble for the counters. The black-framed windows from Webster Window & Door were part of a whole-house window replacement.

HAPPY

With a history of inspired collaborations, a homeowner and designer reunite to create an enchanting cottage fit for the grandkids.

PLACE

By Jeanne Delathouder

A massive custom banquette with dressmaker details and a Murano lemon chandelier take the spotlight in the dining room. Dainty, ruffled white chairs complement the setting, and a brilliant work by Madison Summerlin adds a colorful focal point.

Photography by Karen Palmer

Interior Design by MKS Designs

After creating six homes together, it’s safe to say that i nterior designer Maggie Jewell of MKS Designs and her long-time client are perfectly in sync with each other’s styles. Their most recent endeavor, a jewel box of a home nestled in the charming St. Louis neighborhood of Glendale, looks like a colorful dream come to life. The homeowner, a St. Louis resident of 27 years, had recently relocated to Florida to enjoy life on the coast. But when her daughter married, settled down in Glendale and was awaiting her first child, this grandmother-to-be had a change of heart. She knew that once her granddaughter was born, she would want a house nearby to watch her grow and, as she puts it, “do all the fun GiGi life with her.” So, the first thing she did was call on her faithful designer and friend, Maggie Jewell.

“I k new she would know exactly how to turn one of these Kirkwood/Glendale charmers into something special just for me,” says the homeowner. “So I purchased a cozy cottage with classic painted white brick and black shutters, and I couldn’t get over how quickly I fell in love with this quaint and quiet street. The neighborhood is full of families walking dogs, children playing, and friendly neighbors. Plus, it’s just a quick six-minute walk to my daughter’s house, which is the most exciting part.”

The owner and Maggie quickly got to work deciding what walls would stay and how they could open up the spaces to make the house more open and usable. “After walking through the home for the first time, I knew I wanted to keep the original feel but make it more functional,” says the designer. “We completely moved the kitchen into what was formerly the sitting room and took down walls to make the home more welcoming. The owner knew she wanted to incorporate hues of purple, so I ran with that to create a bright and airy feel. Using different textures, patterns and bright colors really brought this home to life.”

After a dramatic facelift, the kitchen offers an open, airy space that visually connects with the living spaces. The blue hues of the cabinetry harmonize with the beautiful veining in the stone countertops and backsplash, and another Murano lemon chandelier echoes the dining room’s playful aesthetic.

The design duo knew the kitchen was the first big decision they needed to tackle for this project. It was a tiny galley kitchen that had no storage or counter space. The sink was the size of a prep sink with no room for dishes, and there wasn’t an island for gathering around, eating, and socializing. “That is very important to me,” says the homeowner. “I love a kitchen that is open to the great room where everyone is hanging out and watching TV. That is why the kitchen and butler’s pantry are the highlights of this renovation and turned out to be the team’s biggest challenge. There were walls everywhere that closed the rooms off from one another. In addition, there was an exterior wall that couldn’t be removed or moved and two additional walls that created a separate dining room and TV area. So, they had to decide what walls would come down and move to open up all these areas.

They called on Mike Beck from BeckAllen Cabinetry to help them create the kitchen and butler’s pantry spaces. He figured out how to incorporate an island, larger sinks and lots of creative storage. Their plan for an open-concept kitchen, dining and living area soon became a reality. “I couldn’t believe how the downstairs had completely transformed,” says the homeowner. “Once we had selected all the kitchen cabinets and appliances, I left the rest of the project in Maggie’s hands. I told her I wanted to have an experience similar to an HGTV redo and reveal—and it was so much fun!”

“I was able to fully embrace my creative side with this project as the owner is not afraid of mixing colors, patterns and design elements,” says Maggie. “I like to mix antique and vintage furniture with new pieces, and she gave me full reign to design the home how I saw it. As a result, I feel each space was created to be a happy and warm place for all to enjoy.”

Opposite page top: The living area’s custom chaise-lounge sofa creates a cozy and casual gathering spot for family and friends. Bottom: The charming open stairwell is embellished with elaborately patterned wallpaper and a quaint stainedglass window that lets in the sunlight.

This page top: Bursting with color and pattern, the sunroom features a vintage settee upholstered in a vibrant floral fabric. Bottom: A guest bath at the top of the staircase includes a brass and marble vanity atop luxurious marble floors.

This page: Splashed with bright color, the master bathroom emanates whimsy with its wildly patterned floral wallpaper against a black vanity with woven rattan cabinets and drawers. Opposite page: Reiterating the joyful color scheme of the bathroom, the master bedroom is outfitted with painted furniture and floral wallpaper. Patterned fabrics for the pillows and an eye-catching chaise lounge blend beautifully together.

Maggie implemented several special features into the home, including a custom banquette and two vintage Murano lemon chandeliers. In addition, she opted for a custom sofa from Expressions Furniture that is ideal for lounging and placed a vintage settee in the sunroom from Warson Woods Antique Mall that she had reupholstered. Beautiful lacquered pieces from Resplendent Crow decorate the sunroom and both bedrooms upstairs. “We also displayed original artwork and custom rugs throughout for a signature look,” notes Maggie.

Every detail was carefully considered— even the closet spaces. Since the owner loves to have organized, finished closets, they called on Jenny Elfrink of New Space Inspired Home Organization to design plans that would maximize all the closet spaces in the home. Almost anywhere you look, creative solutions were applied to nearly every square inch of this house.

When the owner returned to St. Louis to finally come and see the finished remodel, she admits she was completely in awe of how Maggie had taken this house and turned it into a home. The massive banquette she had custom-built fit precisely into her dining area and created an intimate space for both morning coffee and big family dinners. The Murano lemon chandelier that hangs above the table lends the perfect touch to all the cheery bright pillows that accent the banquette. Maggie had also taken the time to hang the owner’s beloved house prayer right beside the front door. The choices of lighting and wallpaper — along with the grandeur of the art — truly bring each room to life. In addition, several original works by Madison Summerlin, one of the owner’s favorite artists, bring meaningful beauty to the home’s interiors.

“Every space has its own personality, and each room invites you to sit, relax and let small details weave a story,” says the homeowner. “These pictures highlight the best of my cozy cottage, but you have to experience it in person to feel the vibrance and true joy of this home.” See stlouishomesmag.com for resources and additional photos.

Every space has its own personality, and each room invites you to sit, relax and let small details weave a story

—Homeowner

By Lucyann Boston / Photography by Kim Dillon

COLOR SPLASH

Flowers and foliage combine in this colorful Ballwin getaway.

Lori Stringer’s Ballwin garden glows with color. It shines in summer from the golds of native Missouri coneflowers, gray-headed prairie coneflowers and ox-eye sunflowers. The color wheel revolves to the cooler shades of purple coneflower and lavender wild bergamot (bee balm). Brilliant red spikes of Cardinal flower act as exclamation points in the floral display, while native swamp hibiscus, taking advantage of wet spots in the garden, add saucer-shaped blossoms in pinks and burgundy.

But “color is not always about the flowers,” points out Lori. Varying shades of green add their own dimension to the color palette. A huge, evergreen Gold Thread cypress adds a chartreuse punch to one back corner of the yard. In the opposite corner, a rangy Tiger Eyes sumac with reddish purple stems has foliage that begins chartreuse, turns gold in summer, then orange in autumn. Red orange dots of color provided by the dangling drupes/fruit almost appear as though a flock of cardinals flew into the branches, Lori notes. An immense, shrub-like baptisia plant with soft, blue-green leaves provides a foliage counterpoint.

There are layers of terra cotta colors in the sandstone, limestone and granite used to create the swim pond that sparkles with clear, turquoise water. Nearby, goldfish and koi flash red and orange as they glide through the water lily-filled fishpond.

While all these colors can be found in nature, Lori and her wife Gerri Rosen have injected a shot or two of color on their own. Resplendent in a wooden pavilion overlooking the entire garden, two bright red chairs salvaged from the former Busch Stadium offer the best seats in the house. Elsewhere in the garden, Gerri, a huge Cardinal fan, has tucked other Red Bird memorabilia.

It was a flash of yellow that drew Lori into her passion for gardening with native plants. The story of how that happened, however, takes a while to unfold. Having graduated from college and embarking on a career as an athletic trainer in the St. Louis area in 1982, Lori suddenly switched careers and moved to Minneapolis in 1984 to help run a bakery owned by her wife’s family. When the bakery changed hands four years later, Lori and Gerri needed jobs quickly and both landed at the post office when, as Lori points out, there were not a lot of women working as letter carriers. In 1994, Lori’s aging parents, who lived in Affton, were in an automobile accident and she felt uncomfortable living so far away. A combination of cold Minnesota winters and concern for her parents brought both Lori and Gerri back to St. Louis where they continued to work for the post office.

The Ballwin home they bought was on a cul de sac with a pie-shaped lot. “We fell in love with the land, not the house,” Lori recalls. The property featured a hillside planted with a variety of ground covers, some raised garden beds and a small fish pond. Coming from Minnesota and overwhelmed by the heat of St. Louis summers, Lori and Gerrie added a drop-in fiberglass swimming pool. “We’ve made the yard a lot better than it was then but for the time it was fabulous,” Lori recalls.

With a grandmother and mother who loved gardening, Lori paid attention to landscapes and plants as she walked her delivery routes. Her interest in gardening became more firmly rooted in her own back yard in 2010/2011 when Lori and Gerri realized they needed a landscaping overhaul. The fish pond they inherited, created from a cattle tank that had been sunk in the soil, was rusted and leaking. The fiberglass swimming pool was tiring. They headed for the St. Louis Home and Garden show to look for ideas and were blown away when they took in the display created by Chris Siewing of Nature’s Re-Creations. “He brought the woods and a creek into the convention

center,” Lori recalls. “There were really cool moss-covered tree stumps. We told Chris we wanted Johnson’s Shut-Ins in our back yard, and he said, ‘I can do that.’”

“Our design goal when we are creating features is to try to mimic or simulate natural features that you would come across in a native Missouri landscape,” Chris explains. “We pay a lot of attention to the stone and how it was pulled out of the ground. Stone has a top, a face and a bottom according to how it has been sitting on a hillside and weathering. The best compliment we can ever get from homeowners is that the water feature we created looks like it has always been there; it looks like they built the house around it.”

Initially, Lori and Gerri asked for only a fish pond but when the bid came back under budget, they added a swim pond as well, cutting some of the cost by reusing and installing themselves the pump and filter system from the previous

pool, which they were used to maintaining. With the stones and water features in place, Lori began the landscaping process. She elected to leave the bottom trunks of dead trees for their natural, architectural interest. She added large shrubs to provide the landscape with permanent structure and also introduced some new groundcovers. Where perennials were concerned, she was looking for what she called “the usual suspects” plants that would offer a continual parade of color and in addition require the least amount of maintenance possible.

Everything changed, however, in 2016 when she was walking her mail route and noticed what she thought was a bright yellow escaped canary. “I said, ‘Lady is that your bird?’” Lori recalls with a laugh. On learning that it was a goldfinch feasting on native coneflower seeds, Lori was fascinated. The native gardener on her mail route became her

mentor in terms of both information and plants. Fascinated, Lori began to do more research, purchasing a copy of "Bringing Nature Home" by Douglas Tallamy, which highlights information on "How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants."

At her own home, frustrated by the lack of birds in her yard, she began methodically changing out perennials that were not Missouri natives for those that were.

The perennials she planted initially have reseeded and spread. She is delighted to let those plants find their happy place. “They continually surprise me,” she says. “I love watching what comes up. If I like where they are, I leave them. If I don’t like where they are, I move them. If I don’t like them at all, I chop them down. I haven’t tried to rein it in because, so far, it is working for me.”

Chris worked with Lori to add native aquatic plants such as blue flag iris, hardy canna, purple flowering pickerel weed and lizard’s tail with striking green and white foliage to the margins of the ponds. Those plants supplement the water lilies that accent the surface of the fish pond.

Even before she retired after 30 years at the post office, Lori began adding to her gardening knowledge by enrolling in the horticultural program at St. Louis Community College-Meramec, where she received a Certificate in Proficiency in December. She currently works part-time in the aquatic plant greenhouse owned by Chalily Ponds & Gardens in Manchester.

Through her connection to Meramec, Lori learned about the Wild Ones, a native plant education organization. That knowledge has led to her yard being certified as a Missouri Native Landscape by Wild Ones, where she has become an active member. Her landscape also is Platinum Certified by the St. Louis Audubon Society for outstanding wildlife habitat, use of native plants, water conservation, wildlife stewardship and invasive weed eradication.

In addition, Lori has taken her enthusiasm for and knowledge of native plants to the Gateway Professional Horticulturist Association, where she serves as vice president. And those birds Lori was hoping for? They are slowly discovering her yard. Hummingbirds have flocked to her Cardinal flowers. Hawks have made an appearance. The snags of dead wood from the decaying tree trunks are proving popular nesting areas. And last winter she sighted an elusive Missouri bluebird. See stlouishomesmag.com for resources and additional photos.

Buzz Words

Learn all the simple ways you can keep the bee population in your garden thriving!

By Moe Godat

All About Bees

All potential stings aside, bees pack a powerful environmental punch. Though you may not realize it, bees are responsible for pollinating one in every three bites of food we eat! They’re the tiny, behind-the-scenes workers promoting the health and prosperity of countless ecosystems. While so important in our everyday lives, the future of bees is in peril; according to the Center for Biological Diversity, “more than half of North America’s 4,000 native bee species are in decline with one in every species at risk of extinction.” There are several simple steps you can take in your own garden to encourage the local bee population’s growth and well-being.

Plant for Pollinators

Whether your garden sprawls across acres or is limited to window boxes, there are opportunities to plant for pollinators, especially bees, in even the smallest of spaces. The best way to naturally support your local bee population is to plant Missouri natives that these species are attracted to for pollination, aiming to have several natives to make your bloom season range continuously from spring to fall. You can also opt to plant in clusters; this essentially gives bees a target to find, allowing them to move from flower to flower easily. When choosing a site for these natives, select one removed from wind with at least partial sun near water if possible!

After a long day of pollinating, bees need a drink, too.

Gimme Shelter

Although honey bees live in hives, many wild bees and Mason bees take shelter elsewhere. If you’re interested in giving them a little extra help, adding a bee box to your yard or garden (especially near wildflowers and a water source) gives these bees a place to rest and nest. You can also allow material from dead branches and logs to remain as nesting sites, as wild bees take refuge in dead trees and branches, weedy hedgerows and old animal burrows. Ground-nesting bees can only properly burrow in the ground without mulch, so consider leaving parts of your garden bare for ground nesters.

The Impact of Pesticides

Many people turn to insecticides to eliminate pests; however, these insecticides have also been greatly harming the bee population, killing off species vital to natural plant pollination and survival. Consider using non-chemical management methods on your lawn and garden where you can, including introducing beneficial insects, such as spiders, yellow lady beetles, wheel bugs and praying mantises. (A more comprehensive list can be found on the Missouri Botanical Garden’s website). You can introduce these beneficial insects through planting natives that attract them! If you MUST use pesticides, please read all labels and directions carefully to limit the risk of harming beneficial insects and bees.

Flowering Missouri Natives

Information provided by the Missouri Botanical Garden

Purple coneflower: This long-blooming, showy ornamental tolerates a wide range of growing conditions from full sun to part shade. Many species of insects are highly attracted to the flowers, including bees, butterflies and beetles. The flowers are often subtly fragrant. Finches are particularly fond of the seeds, harvesting them in summer, fall and winter.

Joe Pye weed: These attractive mauve pink flowers spring up from July to September, typically lasting about one month. The nectar is highly attractive to bees, butterflies, skippers and moths.

Common boneset: This underutilized perennial wildflower bears spreading clusters of fragrant white flowers in late summer to early fall, often lasting for a month or more. Either nectar or pollen attracts many types of pollinators, including bees, butterflies, flies, wasps and beetles. Tolerant of flooded conditions for short periods of time, common boneset can make an excellent choice for rain gardens.

Wild bergamot: This mid-summer bloomer flowers for about one month. The nectar is particularly attractive to bees, butterflies and ruby-throated hummingbirds. The caterpillars of several moth species feed on the foliage. Other Missouri native monardas that are also attractive to pollinators include spotted bee balm (Monarda punctata) and Eastern bee balm (Monarda bradburiana).

New England aster: An important source of nectar for Monarch butterflies migrating south to their wintering grounds in Mexico, New England aster flowers also provide either nectar or pollen to many other butterflies and a variety of bee species.

Purple coneflower

Wild bergamot

STEEL MAGNOLIAS

The Missouri Botanical garden preserves rare and endangered magnolia species.

By Catherine Martin

Half of all magnolia species are threatened with extinction in the wild. They are found around the globe and are mainly threatened by logging activity as well as habitat loss due to land conversion to agriculture. The Missouri Botanical Garden will be planting 12 different magnolia species in the new landscape around the Jack C. Taylor Visitor Center, including rare and endangered species.

Magnolia acuminata is a large magnolia tree commonly known as cucumber magnolia. It is native to eastern North America, reaching its largest size in the southern Appalachian region. It is the only magnolia native to Missouri. Unlike most magnolias, the flowers are not showy. It is named for the green, warty, cucumber-like fruits that follow the flowers.

Magnolia ashei is a rare, small, deciduous magnolia with very large leaves and attractive white flowers. It is considered the rarest species of magnolia in North America and is restricted to scattered sites in the Florida panhandle. This tree is already planted in the south landscape. Magnolia tripetala, commonly known as

umbrella magnolia, has leaves that appear in whorl-like clusters at the stem tips resembling the spokes of an umbrella. Magnolia tripetala is a widespread species, occurring from Florida to Massachusetts and west to Oklahoma. Although secure through much of its range, it is restricted to relatively small, relictual, mesic habitats in its southwestern range. The smaller, disjunct populations that occur in Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Florida do face a number of threats. The biggest threat these populations face may be global climate change and its impacts, but they are also at risk due to the nature of the small scattered populations, limited gene flow, development and land clearing.

The M issouri Botanical Garden is actively working on an ex situ conservation project involving Magnolia tripetala, funded by the American Public Garden Association and United States Forest Service Tree Gene Conservation Partnership, establishing a living gene bank for under-represented populations of this species.

Photography by Tom Incrocci

Magnolia Ashei

Photography courtesy of Tropicos

Some Maximalist Color

Designer Emily Hall chooses a bold color palette to play on the rest of a home’s mostly black and white aesthetic.

By Michelle Mastro

When her client wanted a space distinc t from the other rooms inside the home, Emily Hall decided to do something a little more unexpected. Emily, principal designer and owner at Emily Hall Interiors, chose vivid colors for this cocktail room, a grand departure from the house’s other mostly white and black interiors.

“The rest of the home has a much more neutral color palette with hints of black,” Emily explains. “So, I essentially flipped the palette for the cocktail room. The client loves clean white spaces, but also loves something more fun and dramatic. So we really decided to go for it in this room.”

Despite its seemingly out-of-place choices, the room fits in with recent trends in home interiors where there’s been an overwhelming a resurgence in maximalism. Key pieces in the room like the curved sofa, over-the-top chandelier and playful art hint at a maximalist design perspective, but, here, this dramatic style extends to the room’s color choices.

Many homeowners these days have been leaning towards brilliant peacock blues and vibrant emerald greens on the cooler side of the spectrum. It’s a gradient of color this cocktail room also employs. “I

love the contrast of the rich greenish blue walls with the vibrant pink of the art,” Emily says. “The marbleized fabric on the pillows help tie it all together while adding in even more fun colors.”

The result is an unexpected escape perfect for a cocktail space where guests can kick up their heels a bit and let loose. Emily adds, “The console table works great as a bar setup when entertaining and the fabrics are all performance, so bring on the red wine.”

And yet, she was sure to pull elements from the room throughout the home to make sure everything flowed as well as the wine. Colors in the space reference an entryway rug, for example, and the creams of the sofa hint at the mostly white tones in other rooms.

To hit the r ight notes of fun, Emily mixed different elements, colors and textures. “The marble coffee table with fluted wood console, jewel tones mixed with different shades of white, boucles with velvet and silk, everything paired together creates such a warm and appealing space,” she explains. With all this varied splendor, she says, “You just want to be in the room.”  See stlouishomesmag.com for resources.

Photography by Megan Lorenz Interior Design by Emily Hall

By

Going Green

After moving to Wildwood, a homeowner wanted to add her favorite color into the kitchen. She first tried a simple update by painting the kitchen island green and replacing the lighting fixtures. However, the new paint on the island was chipping and the cabinets had dated Tuscan millwork that the homeowner didn’t like. Her designer, Amy McCoy, owner of McCoy Design Studio, suggested doing a full kitchen remodel.

“The homeowner loves green, so it’s scattered throughout her house. It’s her love language color,” Amy says. “We had to remodel that space so she could get that color she wanted.”

Amy showed the homeowner about 10 different shades of green for the kitchen cabinets, and she chose Billiard Green by Sherwin-Williams. “She knew what she wanted. She was set on it,” Amy says. “I think color is definitely a way to showcase your personality. I love that about it.”

Kitchen and bath designer Chris Paul of Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath designed the kitchen’s cabinetry. “I think people are definitely leaning more toward color,” she says. “Bold color too. They’re not easing into it. They’re going with jewel tones and bolder, brighter colors.”

In addition to adding the favored green, the remodel goals were to eliminate the fussy details, update the space with materials and make it functional for a family with young children.

In the cabinet design, Chris included double trash pull-outs plus dedicated spaces for spices and oils. “We’re making sure that everything

opens and closes the way she needs it to, and there’s a place for everything,” Amy says. “It’s more of a usable space for her. It’s important when you’re a busy mom with two kids under two.”

They added polished nickel cabinet pulls in a longer size to balance the traditional styling. They upgraded the range hood, so it functions better when cooking. One of the columns beside the island is structural and couldn’t be removed so the columns were integrated into the island’s design.

The y removed the ceramic tile flooring and replaced it with hardwood to establish a warmer, softer, yet still durable flooring surface.

The backsplash is quar tz. They searched to find a piece that had the right amount of vein because they wanted it to add visual interest without competing with anything else. “I think the whole thing with going with a bold kitchen like this is that all the elements can’t be bold. They all have to be in harmony with one another,” Amy says.

The chairs at the island were sourced from Made Goods. “They’re the right chair for that space. They added a little bit of dimension,” Amy says. Since the family has two small children, having chairs with backs, which also are wipeable, was important. “We’re always making sure we balance the aesthetics with the functionality. I think we achieved that for her. Now, she goes into her kitchen and it makes her so happy. It’s something she’s really proud of.” See stlouishomesmag.com for resources.

A Tuscan-themed kitchen gives way to the verdant look the homeowner desires.

Gina Parsons Photography by Alise O’Brien Kitchen Design by Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath Interior Design by McCoy Design Studio

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES IS MAY 3, 2023

BATH OF THE YEAR 2023

If you are the owner or designer of a brilliant bathroom, enter our BATHS OF THE YEAR (BOTY) CONTEST. Winning baths will be featured in the AUGUST 2023 ISSUE of St. Louis Homes + Lifestyles.

ABOVE: Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath, 2021 Gold winner.

Photography by Anne Matheis.

Anne Marie Design Studio

annemariestudio.com • 636-821-3395

Anne M. Boedges, President and Designer of Anne Marie Design Studio, LLC has been helping clients fall in love with their homes all over the St. Louis area since 2001. She obtained her BFA in Interior Design from Maryville University in St. Louis, MO.  She has previously taught the NKBA Bath Design Certification Course at St. Louis Community College.  Specializing in Kitchen and Bath Design, Anne’s positive and down to earth approach helps clients feel anything is achievable, and her unique attention to detail distinguishes her work amongst the rest.

Creating beautiful rooms with cohesive styles is the key to making your home comfortable, fashionable and inviting.

The Great Cover-up

Teddy Karl, Allied ASID

9708 Clayton Road, Ladue, MO 63124 314-995-5701 • greatcoverupdesign.com

Your home is a haven and a place for personal expression. We are inspired by this notion and ready to help you create a space that is truly yours. We are a client-focused team, partnering with you to create special spaces for you to enjoy for years to come. Our passion lies in providing thoughtful solutions and remarkable results. We love working in a variety of decorating styles and strive to make each client experience both time-honored and unique. Whether it is a whole house project or putting the finishing touches on a single room, we are here to help make your home everything you expect it to be and more. Call or Visit us today! Beautiful Spaces Designed Just For You.

KH Interiors, LLC

Krista Howard, Allied ASID khinteriorsstl.com • 314-517-5502

KH Interiors, is an award winning design-remodel collaborative. We create interiors that are comfortably classic, rich and relaxed. Interiors that reflect your spirit and give you a place to call home. It begins with listening to our clients about their dreams of how they see themselves in their surroundings. We share how design can make their home flow more beautifully and give meaning to their space. Our team then gets to work instinctively to recreate the home they once knew into a haven that reflects their true essence. At KH Interiors, we ensure that every detail, every decision, and every moment is meaningful, intentional and gorgeous!

The Design Source Ltd.

636-391-7640 / thedesignsourceltd.com

Celebrating our 30th Year! At The Design Source LTD., our talented designers not only create award winning interiors, we create personal spaces that support well-being and uplift the spirits of the people who live there. We value creative expression, service to others, listening and honest and trusting communication. You can count on us for creating environments that honor those who live in them.

We thrive on homeowners' input. The more input we get, the happier we will all be at the conclusion of the project. Combining savvy design and functionality are our primary concern. After a thorough interview with the homeowner and learning how they intend to use each room, our team gets to work making the homeowners' dream become a reality.

NEAT Method

jami.cohen@neatmethod.com

jennifer.barton@neatmethod.com

314-919-5885 • @stlouisneat

Established in 2010, NEAT Method strives to incorporate beauty and function in every home through our personalized organization services and in-house designed products. NEAT will create the customized calm that you and your home crave. Our team transforms spaces such as closets, pantries, kitchens, bathrooms, and kids’ spaces. Our process covers every detail from editing, space layout, product selection, and custom labeling. We also offer unpacking and logistical planning services for moves. Visit neatmethod.com for photos of our work or to inquire about an in-home consultation.

See our work on pages 54-55.

Yours By Design JE Design Group, LLC

Ellen Wortham, ASID

314-984-0003 • jedesigngroupstl.com

At JE Design Group we believe your space should be a reflection of you. We focus on your unique needs to create a space that perfectly melds style and life. We pride ourselves on creating beautiful, timeless spaces with attention to personal style, function and comfort while providing excellent customer service and lasting client relationships.

Our extensive knowledge of the build and remodel process as well as our relationships with industry trade partners gives us the tools to provide our clients with expert design advice to successfully navigate any build or design project.

314-283-1760 • Yoursbydesign.net

C.J. Knapp is an accredited Interior Designer who has been in the business for over 25 years. At the core of her design philosophy is the belief that your home should reflect your style long after she leaves. With this in mind she created Yours by Design, a design firm that focuses on creating spaces that are unique and uniquely yours.

From single room transformations, remodeling, kitchens , baths or lower levels, to selections for your design build project, their team will guide you through the design process . They would love to meet you. Give them a call before you start your next project and they’ll help you create the home of your dreams

DESIGNERS IN DEMAND

Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath

Ken Henry, CKD, CBD

314-993-6644 • glenalspaughkitchenscom

Ken Henry is a senior designer at Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath and has been designing and selling projects for Alspaugh for 35 years. His art and architecture education, coupled with his work experience, has allowed Ken to express his creativity through his high-end kitchen and bath designs — always with fastidious attention to detail and exceptional organization. He has designed many other spaces in the home besides the kitchen and bath: closets, family rooms, complete lower levels, study’s, bars and more. Ken’s construction experience is an added benefit to builders, homeowners and interior designers he works with to complete projects that meet the highest expectations of the clients he serves.

JCR Design Group

314-706-2727

jcrdesigngroupstl.com

Jenny has been serving Saint Louis as an interior designer for close to 20 years, and in 2011, founded JCR Design Group. Located in the Interior Design Center, the firm specializes in high-end custom interiors, renovations, kitchen and bath design and new construction collaboration. Together with her team, they work closely with homeowners, architects and builders to create distinctive and functional designs and interiors that are current yet timeless, and sophisticated yet comfortable.

THE DARK SIDE

These days, a dark home exterior doesn’t equal gloomy or spooky. Choosing a black façade creates a striking, dramatic look. And when mixed with the right outdoor lighting, a home’s black exterior finish wows with an attention-getting ambiance.

By Melissa Mauzy

By Aspect Design Build.

This home was constructed near the shores of Lake Minnetonka in the western suburbs of Minneapolis, where the “cottage” look is a prevalent theme locally. This home is an updated, moodier, more rugged version of the cottage based on what you might see at a turn-of-the-century Lake Superior lighthouse that has been beaten by its harsh waters for years.

Photography by Spacecrafting Photography.

By Old Town Design Group.

Combining bold exterior paints and a traditional elevation, this modern farmhouse is a homeowner design. Interior design partner Everything Home wanted to make an additional impact with a statement front door, choosing Sherwin-Williams Frolic to complete the look.

Photography by Tom Graham.

By Penny Lane Home Builders and Architect Eric Vollmer.

The "Nordic Modern" exterior is composed of clear cedar vertical siding, black-painted Hardie lap siding and corrugated steel siding. Strategic window placement captures light and frames views while providing privacy from the next door neighbors. Four operable skylights bring daylight and ventilation deep into the house.

By

Glo Windows, VY Architecture, Structural Edge Engineering and King Building & Remodeling LLC.

The artfully designed Boise Passive House is tucked in a mature neighborhood surrounded by 1930s bungalows. Its classic profile gleams from days of old while brining simplicity and design clarity to the facade. The black exterior bridges the gap between eras with the dark color selection, ushering it in to the current decade.

Photography by Gabe Border Photography.

By Core Group.

An empty lot in the popular Summerhill neighborhood of Atlanta is turned into a stunning 2-story home with transitional styling and dark exterior. Black on black on black, and on trend, with accents of stained wood, this house represents bold design choices and a can’t miss eye-catching exterior.

Photography courtesy of Core Group.

By Jay Marc Homes and McCullough Architects.

This home was custom-built to provide a space where the family can host large gatherings and have relatives stay for long periods of time. A folding glass wall unveils over 1,000 square feet of deck space that features partially covered lounging, a casual dining table and an additional lounging area with large side-mounted umbrellas and a sliding window in front of the kitchen sink that can be converted into a bar top. Both restrained and refined, this home has a great combination of materials and colors. It feels warm, yet open, is tasteful and unique, and overall came together really well.

Photography by Lynn Donaldson.

Photography by Patrick Barta.

By Hays + Ewing Design Studio.

This Virginia Beach modern home has a striking presence as seen from the water. A linear fountain strikes a line along the entry path, disappears below the house then reappears as a pool and foreground to Linkhorn Bay. A trellis further strengthens the connection between the water elements and the shoreline; it travels along the entry walkway, through a vestibule to hover above the pool. Exterior materials include concrete, glass, stained wood and composite metal panels.

Photography by Prakash Patel.

By Lowell Custom Homes.

The exterior is a transitional contemporary farmhouse with dark gray metal siding and rustic burnt orange accent trim. The exterior blends seamlessly with nature and features expansive views of the lake and wooded property.

Photography by S Photography.

BE BOHLD

By Wendy Noory

How does a color become the color of the year? What influences these palettes to make them successful, popular or a noted key color for an entire geographical region? Today, the top manufacturers of home décor, appliances, paint companies, fashion houses and even automotive rely on color trend research and forecasting. Long before the color trend hits the market to the consumer, there is a product development team creating the concepts and new masterpieces which will soon be the greatest colors and materials for the season.

This year, Color Marketing Group (www.colormarketing.org), a leader in the professional color forecasting industry, has noted that the color Bohld will be a key color for the North American region for 2023. Bohld is a deep, neutral black. A grounding, rich, universal hue representing strength and power. This color will be very influential to the architecture and interior design industries. Black is back, but did it ever really go away? It is a color with a changing lifecycle; it is either more prominent and in the forefront of design or it is just an accent color, but it will always have a presence. The color trend is already becoming a statement in kitchen design and home décor, such as paints, cabinetry and furnishings.

Black was one of the first colors used in art in the Neolithic cave paintings. Beginning in historic ancient times, the color black in art had a negative connotation. Shown in ancient Egypt and Greece, black was the color of the underworld or darkness and over the centuries it was frequently associated with death and mourning. Going forward many years, a complete opposite meaning for the color black evolved into a sophisticated, classic, modern, elegant and powerful color. The little black cocktail dress, the black BMW, luxury black handbags all create the vision of being expensive or worth more. Color plays a factor in all designed spaces and products, each creating a unique mood or experience while viewing. Graphic design uses the strong opposite factor of black when paired with white; it expresses extreme opposite. This is shown in typography, the yin and yang, salt and pepper and night and day.

In architecture and design, the trend for the classic and historic equals black windows, shower frames and faucets in a matte black finish, wrought iron gates and fencing and simple black lighting fixtures. Black furnishings that have a handcrafted elegance will be paired with golden pulls and handles. 2023 is looking like a modern, stylish, minimalist time with color that will forever be BOHLD.

Bump pendant light, available at Centro.

Glasshouse Midnight wallpaper, by Graham & Brown.

Fern storage cabinet, available at Anthropologie.

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By Moe Godat Leping Social Entrepreneur Headquarters, Beijing, China

People’s Architecture Office, headquartered in Beijing, China, knows the importance of comfort in everyday life; they brought this ideology into their design for Leping Social Entrepreneur Headquarters. The Leping Foundation is a non-profit organization founded and focused on social innovation. Their newly designed office needed to promote a healthy work environment for their own tasks as well as for four of their investing companies, all working in different and diverse fields.

To create an office for “social well-being” as the architects note, they had to find a way to connect the fields of job training, agricultural research, preschool education and microfinance into a cohesive, functional workspace. A central running track with suspended vegetation above ties together each distinct company.

“While intense exercise is mostly disruptive to office work, moderate activity often is not,” the architects write. “Simple activity over a sustained period can be as beneficial as vigorous exercise in promoting brain activity.” This layout provides a connection between each company, promoting conversation and opportunities to incorporate movement into various modes of work, such as walking the track while on a call.

Places

to go, things to do and see and people who are leaving their mark on the world of style.

Leping

headquarters for

the Leping Foundation is conceived with wellness in mind.

Photography provided by People’s Architecture Office Design/Architecture by People’s Architecture Office

Utilizing indoor plants has been proven to assist mental wellbeing and lessen anxiety or stress; the suspended plant loop also houses an advanced air filtration system to elevate the office’s air quality. Because of Beijing's significant pollution issues, many offices are now employing similar systems to collect indoor air quality and monitor it. Vegetables and aromatic herbs from the activity loop and other hydroponic gardens throughout the office communally harvested and prepared on-site for lunches.

To fur ther mix working and lounging, the “mini mountain” sits at one end of the office space. The “mini mountain” boasts a variety of accommodations to support different postures. Other spaces for specialized activity in the office are a separate gym, meditation space and meeting room.

Overall, the design of Leping headquarters is meant to promote innovative work for social impact, which requires collaboration and interaction while strengthening an employee’s comfort. Social well-being cannot be achieved without taking personal well-being into account first. See stlouishomesmag.com for resources.

AMINI’S

The Grandee hot tub by Hot Spring comfortably seats a party of seven with enough room for everyone to enjoy state-of-the-art jets, including Watkin’s proprietary Moto-Massage. It’s equipped with a patented, Freshwater Salt System that promotes better physical, mental, and relational wellness. Hot Spring hot tubs—every day made better, only at Amini’s. 636-537-9200, AMINIS.com

SCHMITTEL'S NURSERY

Since 1994, Schmittel’s Nursery has provided a complete solution for all your landscaping needs. Our professional landscape services are second to none, we focus on delivering the highest level of customer service and offer only the absolute finest nursery landscaping products and materials. Our landscaping services include landscape design and landscape installation as well as what is known as hardscape services. Our hardscape services include retaining walls, paved patios, firepits and water garden construction. 314-469-8900, schmittelsnursery.com

CHESTERFIELD VALLEY NURSERY

An outdoor kitchen not only makes a statement but provides a great space for the whole family to enjoy during spring, summer, and fall! From a smaller grill area, to a full package with a custom counter top, outdoor refrigerator, grill, sink and storage space, we can transform your outdoor space into an extension of your home! 636-532-9307, ChesterfieldValleyNursery.com

CLASSIC METAL CRAFT

An ornamental iron drive gate will look beautiful at the entrance to your home. Call on Classic Metal Craft to design a custom gate just for you that works perfectly for your driveway entrance. Or see the large selection of gate designs shown on our website. We can meet with you in person to discuss or we can provide a budget quote based on photos and measurements provided to us of your driveway entrance. 314-535-2022, classicmetalcraft.com

FORSHAW

New at Forshaw is the the Pointe Collection. It's mix of innovative materials includes furnishings built for worry-free enjoyment given the eco-friendly and weather-resistant attributes of each piece. Inspired by mid-century modern design, each piece in this collection is made from solid natural marine-grade teak and UV-resistant resin wicker, the frames strengthened further by the mortise and tenon joinery. The subtle curves and shaping on the arms set this collection apart, as does the way the cushions are designed to fit seamlessly into the curved seat. Forshaw features Pointe and many more beautiful collections as a leader in the outdoor furniture business! 314-993-5570, forshaws.com

DESIGN & DETAIL

We represent the top vendors and offer the best design resources in the industry. Universal Furniture partners with Coastal Living for an outdoor collection that has a casual, sophisticated style. 314-781-3336, designanddetailstl.com

BAUER FALLS

Imagine an organic luxury koi pond that sits five feet deep with a floating patio and stairway overlooking a waterfall that pumps 14,000 gallons of water per hour. Imagine a sheet waterfall that dives into a 100 foot split stream and stumbles down vertical fall, tumbling under an artisan bridge. Imagine your backyard bursting with natural springs that fall gently and spill beneath oak and dogwood trees. Bauer Falls recreates nature at its finest. 636-357-3495, BauerFalls.com

STAY IN THE BLACK

CRAZE

Exterior colors and styles come and go following interior design trends. Black exteriors are just a trend like black window trim. If you love it and want to implement it on your home, take into account resale value. The exterior coverings of your home whether it is siding, brick, stone or a painted surface is a large investment. Consider how long you will live there. If your answer is 20 years, move forward, but if the answer is five to 10 years, I would be careful making such a large investment on a trend.

CJ Knapp, Yours by Design.

Using black as an accent color in the right setting can enhance the look of a room or a home’s exterior. I think using it as a main interior wall color or as the home’s exterior color is a craze. Neutrals are always classics, whereas dark colors, such as black, can be trendy and heavy. So never a classic, but it has become a craze.

Georgine O’Donnell, O’DESIGNS.

Black exteriors including black trim and windows are most definitely a craze. The use of black for windows and trim has been popular at other periods and fades into non-existence. Black absorbs and retains heat, which is an issue if we are to limit energy use in locations where there are long periods of warmer and/or sunny weather. As we move toward greater and greater need to design and build with energy conservation at the forefront, black will be abandoned. Oxidation is, and has been, an aesthetic issue. Finally, black, like pure white, perhaps even more, shows dirt. In terms of interiors, black has its place like theaters and counter materials, but outside of those applications and a few others what we are seeing is definitely just a craze that will disappear.

David Schneider, PURE Home Design.

BOTH

The use of black entirely on the exterior or the interior of a room is trendy, or you could say a craze. Although, if implemented properly, black home interiors and exteriors are a classic. The color black is bold, dramatic, minimalist, modern and never goes out of style since it can be used as an accent color or the main focal point. When using black, remember that you need to add in a contrast color such as a white or bright color to balance out the light absorption. Black is infinitely versatile as it can be used on different finishes, textures and materials that create different effects catching your eye throughout a design. In the long run, the color black is not going anywhere making it a classic.

Savannah Sells, Youtopia Designs.

A trend from the coasts is spreading to St. Louis! All-black exteriors and predominantly black interior rooms have been popping up in luxury homes and communities in the area.

CLASSIC

Black interiors and exteriors can be timeless when the design is executed with the correct balance of textures and metal finishes–like styling that little black dress that doesn't seem to age. The dark color draws you in but it's the details that will make the lasting impression to work with every season.

Becki Huels, Anne Marie Design Studio.

There is a popular saying, “Every room needs a touch of black!” While that is true, using black in the entire space brings a level of sophistication and drama to a space like nothing else can. Black works with every color, texture, metal and design style for both interior spaces and exterior facades. To decorate an entire room or exterior in black might seem bold, but the outcome is chic, moody and stunning. Black spaces never feel dated and it works with every design style. All black interiors or exteriors are a timeless look and therefore a classic design element.

Barbara Collins, Barbara Collins Interior Design.

Edited by Moe Godat Design y Patrick Schmitt, Designer Inc. / Photography courtesy of Patrick Schmitt

Design by Ken Henry kenhenry@glenalspaugh.com

Photography: Alise O’Brien Photography

9808 Clayton Road Ladue, MO 63124

314.993.6644

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