Cooking Class: The Kitchen
Designer: Kathy Israel, Accent on Cabinets
Once upon a time, John and Michelle Sullivan’s 37-year-old Frontenac ranch house had an old-fashioned, typical eat-in kitchen. Then they remodeled. They wanted more than mere space—they wanted a little slice of heaven. So they contacted Katherine Israel, with Accent on Cabinets, and Marshall Group Architecture. With the builder, they demolished the center of the home and created a two-story bridge from the old to the new.
The result: state-of-the-art perfection.
“The goal was to have a home they can enjoy—a home conducive to family gatherings and spacious entertaining,” Ms. Israel says. “John loves to cook and wanted a kitchen where people could gather round.”
And with that, “round” became their guiding star.
The two-story addition brought new bedrooms in the front of the home and a massive round kitchen with windows two stories high. French glass pocket doors to the living room and dining room and a pass-through bar move guests freely to rooms connected like the spokes of a wheel.
The central island is curved and built to create a finished furniture piece.
“This was an exciting project because of its contemporary design,” Ms. Israel says. “This family lives in this kitchen. It isn’t just for show, it’s for use.” There are two refrigerator drawers and a microwave drawer, so Mrs. Sullivan can help prep as Mr. Sullivan cooks.
“This kitchen is true to form and function,” Ms. Israel says. “Guests can sit at the island, drink their wine and watch as John cooks.”
Picture This: The Kitchen
Designer: Dana King, Dana’s Design Studio
It began with unpalatable pink ceramic tile and a problem picking out just the right color paint.
Now, Katherine Bish’s rejuvenated kitchen is like an alarm clock on the first day of school, ringing out reasons for her sleepy South County home to wake up from its 30-year nap.
Ms. Bish, a photographer whose work appears in several magazines including St. Louis Magazine and AT HOME, bought her home about a year ago. The kitchen was the first to be tackled.
On a limited budget, a wish and an unusual request for the designer, the project moved forward—ready or not.
“Katherine called me and said the painters were ready to go, but she had been called to Chicago on a photo shoot. She wanted me to pick out the paint colors for her kitchen,” says Dana King of Dana’s Design. “I had never picked colors when a homeowner wasn’t there, but Katherine said, ‘I trust you, I trust you,’ and I knew paint is always easy to fix.”
What inspired Ms. King was the very feature that troubled Ms. Bish. Decorative tile with a pink floral center covered the countertops and backsplash, and that pink definitely needed toning down.
“There was terra cotta and green in the tile, so I chose a khaki green color for the walls,” Ms. King says. “It almost made that pink in the tile read the same color.”
Ms. King then brightened the dark wood cabinets and the wainscoting with a fresh coat of white paint—a project that demanded only a good primer and a steady hand. No sanding required.
A coat of leftover khaki paint and a bit of roughing on the edges gave an old dark wooden table a perfectly distressed look. Black chairs given to Ms. Bish were the final touch.
Ms. King framed a montage of Ms. Bish’s photos in $6 white frames and then hung them, as well as adding a funky red lamp that Ms. Bish discovered in an antique store some time ago.
An iridescent copper bowl was placed on the island, and a few more accents were added, bringing the entire project cost to $900.
In-hue-ition: The Living Room
Designer: Janice Rohan, Park Avenue Design
The living area of this century-old home in Sunset Hills was beautiful in its own right, with its fabulous woodwork and French doors, but when it came time for an update, designer Janice Rohan of Park Avenue Design took it from fabulous to fresh, adding the colors cool blue and taupe.
The single-story plantation-style home was previously chic with its reds and yellows and French Country furnishings. But upon closer observation, Ms. Rohan found the balloon-style curtains and the bright-colored accents obscured much of the home’s architectural appeal.
She decided to put the woodwork “on stage,” by lightening it with bright white paint and toning down the walls with cool shades of paint. Ms. Rohan designed curtains that accentuate the woodwork rather than hide it.
The twin floor-to-ceiling bookcases seemed to disappear into the sides of a large framed window. But placing taupe and ice blue oversized plaid draperies just right set the bookshelves apart.
Ms. Rohan had the walls painted a soft taupe and ice blue to harmonize with the four subtle colors in the plaid of the draperies. Wainscoting in the room was given a coat of white paint—a decision that not only brightened the room, but also helped to further pull out the white of the bookcases.
A lengthy window seat was comfortably fitted with a stuffed cushion covered in ribbed-stripe silk. A series of throw pillows perch against the sides.
A Kravet sofa in the center of the room was chosen for its sculptural silhouette and simplicity. The sofa’s coordinating blue and taupe pillows match perfectly with the silk curtains and a luxurious area rug of striped cut velvet.
A two-tiered mirrored end table became the perfect place for a custom-made black porcelain lamp—a piece that helps reflect light into the room.
“The overall idea for the room,” Ms. Rohan says, “is that it becomes a place that is really used all the time.”
Rescue and Revive: The Family Room
Designers: Diane Breckenridge and Keli Nelson, Diane Breckenridge Interiors
When designers Keli Nelson and Diane Breckenridge of Diane Breckenridge Interiors were called upon to transform an outdated family room into a manly refuge, the first thing they did was rip down the pastel-colored wallpaper. Then they dumped the pastel-plaid sofa and replaced the pink-shaded carpet with new hardwood floors.
“The first goal was to update the room; the second was to make it warm and cozy,” says Ms. Nelson.
Ms. Nelson and Mrs. Breckenridge built the color palette around a Scalamandré fabric with a unique pheasant pattern.
“It’s a casual, elegant fabric, and because the room is designed in a masculine way, we didn’t want big florals,” Ms. Nelson says.
The walls are now a shade of soft gold. A brick fireplace is painted to match.
“In this room, we took the wall color up to the top and painted the beams white to allow them to pop,” Ms. Nelson says. “Recessed lighting was added to create brighter space, and dimmer switches allow the homeowner to create ambiance.”
After eliminating the dark walnut woodwork, the designers added new crown and base moldings, all painted velvet white.
“There are three sofas in this family room, two near the fireplace and television and one near the sunroom. Each is different,” Ms. Nelson says. One is in a shade of raspberry, one in gold and another in the pheasant fabric.
“It’s the overall feel when you walk in the room—it’s so inviting,” Ms. Nelson says. “The warm wood tones and the punches of color create a cozy environment.”
Light Work: The Den
Designer: Laura Armentrout, The Final Touch
All it took was the purchase of a $12,000 chandelier to put the design of this room into motion.
The electrical wax candle chandelier, designed by Kevin Reilly, uses real wax candles wired into the fixture. Mr. Reilly believes that candle-glow lighting can rule the ambiance of many rooms, and that’s exactly the way the designer felt.
“The overall goal was to have a more serene feeling with more monotone colors,” says Laura Armentrout. “It’s very simplistic, and there’s nothing complicated about the design. I basically went with plain-neutral.”
What sets this restful room apart are the textures of the travertine marble flooring, the weaves of the fabrics and the designs of the rugs.
Oh, and there’s the 18th-century walnut desk from a castle in England and a mid- 19th-century English mahogany ottoman, now reupholstered in chocolate mohair.
Rather than purchase new pieces, Mrs. Armentrout had every piece of furniture reupholstered and fitted with new trims. The main colors are camel, oatmeal and chocolate, with terra-cotta accents.
The coved ceiling above the chandelier is glazed in copper, creating an amber glow at its center.
The Conrad woven shades on the windows afford privacy, but allow the light to come in. To make the room more functional, a fine wooden cabinet unit houses a 42-inch television that disappears when not in use.
“The whole room is eclectic and transitional. It’s not traditional and not contemporary,” Mrs. Armentrout adds.
Interior Motives: The Library
Designer: Andy Villasana, The Lawrence Group
Updating an Italianate mansion in Lafayette Square for a homeowner vested in preserving old homes and historic integrity may seem daunting for most, but not for designer Andy Villasana of The Lawrence Group.
“It was the first project I ever worked on in a house of that era,” Mr. Villasana says. “The style of the architecture was wonderful. It was great taking something that had lost its glory and bringing it back again.”
Homeowners Chris and Mary Ann Goodson had one common goal for their 15- by 30-foot parlor: to love the room.
Walls, woodwork and the bookcases were painted a neutral cream color, and the 14-foot ceilings were curbed using a robin’s-egg blue.
“There was no stopping that ceiling with a light-colored paint,” Mr. Villasana says.
He selected soft-colored furniture and picked pieces that would blend with both traditional and contemporary styles. Key items were used to create a more contemporary style—like the camelback sofa with nailheads along the front.
“I wanted nailhead trim to appeal to Chris’ sensibilities. I wanted to make the room tactile,” Mr. Villasana says. “The sofa is woven with brushed cotton, silk and velvet with brushed fringe. I was trying to add touches of glamour without letting it go overboard.”
The sea grass area rug creates a cool contrast with the hardwood flooring and crystal chandeliers.
Overall, the house had wonderful “bones,” Mr. Villasana says. “I think I showed them that you can live today’s lifestyle in yesterday’s home.”
Tubby Time: The Master Bath
Designer: Emily Castle, Castle Design
The first thing Emily Castle did to transform a typical 15- by 17-square-foot builder’s-grade master bath into a dominion of modern luxury was gut the entire room.
“The homeowners wanted clean, modern luxury,” Ms. Castle says. “The wife wanted the private ritual of a bath.”
Ms. Castle and her clients spent much of their preparation researching tubs, but eventually opted for a BainUltra Chromatherapy freestanding bathtub that provides champagne bubbles and rotating color changes as one bathes.
Cabinetry was added, including one with a ribbed glass turned horizontally to repeat the stripe in the drapery.
The bath window features hand-woven blinds mounted to the ceiling to heighten a very short builder-grade window. The blinds with lined shades provide privacy.
Oval sconces situated on each side of a wood-framed vanity mirror impart a soft yet effective light that can be dimmed at will. Built-in marble storage columns are located near the tub at the end of the cabinetry, providing accessories within arm’s reach.
Another highlight is the crushed-mica wall covering, which creates an iridescent, pebble-like texture that reflects light. The carpet was replaced with cream-toned travertine marble tiles with a white vein that match the natural Calcatta Oro marble of the vanity and shower area.
“Space changed only after we removed the doorway of a toilet room,” Ms. Castle says. “I think everyone is happy with the results—and the bath is fabulous.”
Guest Quarters: The Bedroom
Designer: Mishi McCoy, June Roesslein Interiors
Barney and his stuffed animal friends have been relegated to a back room, forest green carpeting has been ripped from its rubber padding and the outdated drop-panel ceiling has been hauled away with the trash.
With the help of designer Mishi McCoy of June Roesslein Interiors, Steve and Shirley Lieber have updated their grown daughter’s bedroom to become the guest room, filled with relaxing shades of blue and cream and custom-made furnishings.
“For me, taking the Liebers into a more sophisticated and serene space, upgrading it to the elegance that they exhibit in their home—and needed to show in this room—was most exciting,” Ms. McCoy says.
Ms. McCoy designed the high-gloss upholstered custom platform bed, console and nightstands to conform to the shape of the room. Hardwood flooring was installed, and Ms. McCoy custom designed an area rug with just the right swirl to bring ambiance to this sophisticated new space.
“I wanted them to be able to step out of bed and put their feet on the rug, yet keep the beauty of wood,” Ms. McCoy says.
The room beckons guests with the glitter of a glass mosaic door—a work of art covering what would have been a typical frosted glass door. Faux finished walls contribute to the glam with a troweled, textured, cotton batting with mica to add just the right amount of shimmer. Ms. McCoy explained that the new ceiling was finished with a bit more iridescence to add a starlight quality.
Curve Appeal: The Exterior
The designer is also the homeowner (and due to security concerns, asked not to be named)
The owner of this elegant Ladue residence laughs when she says neighbors used to refer to the home as the “Taco Bell house” because of its dark coloring, flat roof and wooden porch, reminiscent of the original Taco Bell restaurants.
Now, after remodeling and redecorating, she is happy to report that the 65-year-old residence has a more formal five-star look with an aura of a city north of the border—New Orleans, to be exact.
“I love New Orleans and the look of the homes in the Garden District with their wrought-iron balconies and stucco,” she says. “That was my inspiration for this remodel.”
The home once had an earthy, country look, with dark green stucco and a wooden porch balcony that swept across the front upper level. The home’s roof was typical and dark-colored, but with help from Fendler and Associates Architects, the homeowner opted to have the roof rebuilt, lending a statelier look that embodies classical architecture. To brighten the façade, she chose a cream-colored stucco and contrasting black trim. After the complete restructuring, the home now has a new “old” look that appeals to the homeowner’s love of the French style.
“When we updated the second floor, we tore down the porch and placed two Juliet balconies on each side of the home, trimmed in wrought iron,” she says. “It opened up the rooms, and I absolutely love the wrought-iron look.”
To further bring out the look of a New Orleans–style home, four sets of French doors were built into the home. In order to provide easy access to the newly planted garden, the homeowner replaced the large picture window in the dining room with French doors.
“All landscaping was completely redone,” she says. “We planted an ‘alley of trees’ that form a canopy and an arrangement of boxwood hedges to create an artistic pathway.”
Continuing with the eclectic New Orleans style, the homeowner opted to keep the home’s main entrance on the side of the home, rather than go with a central door typical of most homes.
“The home has been completely redone, inside and out,” she says. “Now each room is wonderful on its own, and I love the architectural features of the house. The exterior design fits well with the homes in the area, and that’s important. I love the French architecture.”
