Alise O'Brien
When Aaisha Irwin (see "Home Court") was handed the keys to her Habitat for Humanity house, she bawled like a baby. "I did," she laughingly admits. "I just cried. And I realized that if you push hard enough and work hard enough, anything can happen. I'm 23 years old, and I'm a homeowner."
Not that her house came wrapped up as a package. She bought it and, like every other Habitat homeowner, put more than 400 hours of sweat equity into her home, working alongside an army of volunteers. JoAnn Barge, another Habitat homeowner (pictured above with daughters Sharell and JoAnna), did it while she was seven months pregnant with her baby, Jada.
But once built, the houses—all certified LEED Platinum—had plain-vanilla interiors and were largely unfurnished, with white walls and bare wood-laminate floors. That's where this story begins. For the magazine's 2009 community project, we took five Habitat for Humanity houses and, through the largesse of local retailers and readers, got them furnished. Then, more than 30 designers finished them off.
As a result, simple houses were transformed into simply lovely homes.
Home Bodies
The Barge Family
As soon as the first planning meeting at the magazine offices was over last January, the design team working on JoAnn Barge's house—Caryn Boultinghouse, Allied ASID, of BeauCasa Designs; Ellen Edwards and Becky Noelker of Inspired Spaces; Susie Kenkel of HILL House Designs; Dana King of Dana's Design Studio; Tom Manche, Allied ASID, of Tom Manche Interiors; and Jennifer Manganaro of Interior Design Consultants—headed downtown to get to work. The first thing that struck them was the art in Ms. Barge's house.
For instance, there was the stylized Marvin Gaye disco scene painted by family friend Kelly Miller in 1974—the year Ms. Barge was born. Despite its dilapidated frame, the designers agreed it deserved a place of honor. They had it reframed and, with Ms. Barge's input, built the living and dining room color scheme around it.
The mother of four daughters—Sharell, 17; Shanell; 15, JoAnna, 4; and Jada, 4 months—Ms. Barge works as a school bus driver for special-needs children in the Ferguson-Florissant School District. Her two teenagers are in college-prep classes leaning toward business management and journalism; JoAnna is already an animated songstress.
As a woman with a strong interior-design sense, Ms. Barge had a clear vision of how she wanted her first house to look. She wanted her bedroom to have a spa feeling, so the walls were painted a subtle sea-foam green and contemporary furniture was added. Sharell selected a color palette for her room of deep blue with red, black, and white accents, while her sister Shanell's room features lavender walls, faux-painting by Dana Diaz de Leon, and a paisley fabric-swag headboard. In JoAnna and Jada's room— it's all Hannah Montana—the lavender walls have been decorated with hand-painted butterflies and swirls, the room outfitted with white furniture and a special chair painted by artists at Oakville Elementary School. Draperies came from Jeanette Longfellow, the Material Girl.
Paul Pagano of Paul Pagano Designs and Ms. Manganaro transformed the unfinished basement into a large family room, complete with leather sofa, armchairs, end tables, and a bistro table and chairs. Commenting on the experience, Ms. Manganaro says, "We had the best team, we had the best house, and we had the best family. Period."
Designers: Ms. Boultinghouse, Ms. Manganaro, Ms. Kenkel, Ms. Longfellow, Ms. Noelker, Mr. Manche, Ms. Edwards, Mr. Pagano, Ms. King
Home Court
The Irwin Family
Eight-year-old Kiy Juan Irwin and his 4-year-old sister, Maleyah, play a game of their own invention—and they play it all ... the ... time. One stands in one doorway and pops her or his head around the frame to look into the sibling's bedroom. Then they run from one room into the other. And back again. And back again. And ... back again.
Before moving into their new house last December, they lived in a two-bedroom apartment in a south St. Louis high-rise.
This is the first time they've ever had rooms of their own.
Their mother, Aaisha, works at a MERS/Goodwill halfway house monitoring residents while pursuing her degree in criminal justice at St. Louis Community College–Forest Park. After completing her bachelor's, she hopes to get a master's degree, all with the ultimate goal of working for the FBI. Her boyfriend, Marcus Durham, an aspiring chef, is a full-time student studying culinary arts at the community college.
When the couple met with their designated designers, they said that they'd like the décor to be sleek and warm. The design team was headed by Retta DiFate and Zachary Cramberg of Schoen Wahl designlab. Assisting them were designers Susan Block of The Designing Block; Alan Brainerd, Allied ASID, of Alan E. Brainerd Interiors; David Richardson of Richardson Interiors and Rothschild's; and Annie Spencer. The team picked a color palette of light browns and taupes with occasional pops of color. Ms. Irwin and Mr. Durham wanted the master bedroom to be warm, neutral, and serene—your basic port in the storm.
For the children's rooms, the designers consciously veered away from taking an Extreme Makeover–style, overthe- top approach. "We wanted to have it so the rooms could grow with them," Mr. Cramberg says. "We did Kiy Juan's room in a light gray with basic furniture so when he becomes a teenager, he won't get sick of it. In Maleyah's room, all those dots on the wall are removable, so when she gets older and she wants it less playful, she can simply take them down."
The designers undertook the project as a team. "Instead of each person working separately, we worked together on each room," Mr. Cramberg says. "The advantage was a more rounded approach: The whole house came together because we were all part of every room."
The piéces de résistance for Kiy Juan are the autographed Tony Hawk skateboard, now hanging on the wall, and the autographed Kobe Bryant shoe, perched on a metal shelf—both secured through friends and contacts Ms. DiFate and Mr. Cramberg have in L.A.
Asked how the jazzed-up interiors have impacted their lives, Ms. Irwin says, "It has definitely made a difference. All of us are so excited—it's like we just moved in all over again."
Designers: Mr. Cramberg, Ms. Block, Ms. DiFate, Mr. Brainerd, Mr. Richardson, Ms. Spencer
Home Base
The Wright Family
As a volunteer painter rolls steely gray paint along the top of a wall, inadvertently slopping it onto the ceiling, Travion Wright, 15, shoots a horrified glance (this is,after all, his room), calmly puts down his own paintbrush, and quietly strolls out of the room. An artist interested in architecture and involved in a special Saturday pre-architecture urban futures program at Washington University, he knows well the importance of a pristine ceiling. He returns later to correct the mishap.
Outside, the sod is down, the fence is up, and the head of the household, Michelle Wright, is ready to plant spring flowers. An assistant housekeeping supervisor at the Drury Plaza Hotel, Ms. Wright is raising Travion and his two brothers, Delvion, 11, an honors student at the Imagine Academy of Careers, and Davion, 7, a first-grader at the same school.
When she first met with her design team—Jillian Oxler of Bond Wolfe and Joe Vodicka of Joseph Vodicka Designs—Ms. Wright had two requests: a counter-height dining-room table and a kitchen backsplash. Ms. Oxler and Mr. Vodicka, with an assist from Bond Wolfe's Lara Thiel, chose an overall palette of earth tones, including khaki, tans, and deep brick reds. The walls were bereft of artwork, so Martin Padilla of Bond Wolfe came in, took blackand- white photos of the family, then Photoshopped them into framable art for the walls.
Of all the houses, this one came in with the highest quotient of chic and sleekness. The cream-colored sofa and aubergine silk ottoman (both from Carol House) lent a Manhattan-esque sensibility to the living room. Ms. Wright's room was painted in a shade of pumpkin, with wide stripes of the same color gloss-finished to add panache. All the boys' rooms were artfully monogrammed, their names hand-painted by Graffiti Lounge artist Chris Sabatino. One bedroom was converted into a TV room and study, with tan walls, a green area rug, and one of two donated computers.
To reflect his interest in urban architecture, the team decorated Travion's room with a black metal-framed daybed, with a large cityscape portraying the Arch, Planetarium, downtown street scenes, and images of the family on the wall. While Travion clearly approved of his sleek new digs, Delvion's reaction was equally succinct: "I'm never going to want to leave!"
Designers: Ms. Oxler and Mr. Vodicka
Home Rule
The Thomas Family
Tiffani Thomas, an assistant clerk for the Division of Family Services, has taught her children—sons Tre'vione and Rayshon and daughter Raikelle— the importance of organization. Both Tre'vione and Raikelle attend Imagine Academy. A typed page outlining individual responsibilities and expectations is tacked to the door of each of the children's bedrooms.
The designers working on her house—Cary Baumann, Allied ASID, of Cary and Company; Deb Bokamper, ASID, of INTERIORS by Decorating Den; Joyce Cockrell, Allied ASID, of Joyce Cockrell Designs; Vicki Dreste, Allied ASID, of Victoria Dreste Designs; Angela Francis, Allied ASID, of Angela Francis Interiors; Carole Hiatt, ASID, of Carole Hiatt Design Associates; C.J. Knapp, Allied ASID, of Edwin Pepper Interiors; Julie Rooney, ASID, of Julie Rooney Interiors; and Diane Rosen, Allied ASID, of Diane Rosen Interiors—followed her organizational lead. Each one took a room and applied her signature style to it.
Ms. Thomas shared her ideas with the design team, but left the final decisions up to them. Ms. Knapp's design for Ms. Thomas' room featured a painted scalloped edge, giving the ceiling a soffited look. For Rayshon's room, Ms. Cockrell mounted shelves made out of skateboards (donated and hand-painted by Oakville Elementary School students). Ms. Dreste completed 7-year-old Raikelle's room in pink and white with spots of turquoise. Ms. Baumann hired Kathy Arnold to faux-paint the foyer and kitchen.
"When we moved in, we had a house," Ms. Thomas says. "Now we have a home! I can't wait to get back from work. I love being here!"
Designers: Ms. Baumann, Ms. Knapp , Ms. Dreste, Ms. Rooney, Ms. Francis, Ms. Rosen, Ms. Cockrell, Ms. Bokamper, Ms. Hiatt
Home Port
The Sims Family
When her mother passed away five years ago, Courtney Sims assumed guardianship of her sister, Nicole, then only 12 years old. With Ms. Sims' baby girl, Mykalah, in tow, the trio first moved in with Ms. Sims' brother and then into a rental house. Last December, Ms. Sims received the keys to her own Habitat home.
Today, Ms. Sims, 23, works full time as an assistant teacher at the New Northside Child Development Center. Now 17, Nicole is a student in the health/medical technology program at Gateway Institute of Technology. When she graduates next year, she hopes to go on to Washington University and ultimately work in the pharmaceutical field.
Together, the sisters share the work of raising Ms. Sims' children: Mykalah, 6, and son Mekale, 2, with Terrence Cooper, the children's father. They had specific concerns regarding Mekale's room; he suffers from nystagmus, an ocular condition that doctors say will soon cost him his vision.
Mykalah loves playing with dolls, reading books, dancing, and twirling—a lot of twirling—and has a limited color palette: pink. She wanted a room fit for a young princess. So after working on the rest of the house, the designers, Jill Bolzenius and Ellen Kurtz, both Allied ASID, of Ellen Kurtz Interiors; Lynne Bueler, Allied ASID, of Bueler Inc.; Caryn Burstein, Allied ASID, of CLB Interiors; Kris Keller of The Design Source; Patrice Munden, Allied ASID, of Patrice Munden Interiors; Wendy Noory of Atom Designs; and Barb Slavkin, Allied ASID, and Katie Finkenbinder of June Roesslein Interiors, painted Mykalah's walls pink and added a chandelier, polka-dot area rug, and French Provincial furniture.
But even after the designers had packed up their supplies, work on this project continued. Bill Croghan, president of Boa Construction, came in with his company to finish the unfinished basement. (He personally spent two days— paintbrush in hand—getting the job done.) Then a second crew—including Ms. Block; Amie Corley of Corley Interiors; Carol Frohlichstein; Laure Hullverson of Cortinovis & Hullverson; Mr. Manche; Mr. Vodicka; and several members of the magazine staff—came in to polish up the new space. "We love it," Ms. Sims says. "It's really beautiful and it's really made a difference in our lives. Thank you."
Designers: Ms. Bueler, Ms. Noory, Ms. Munden, Ms. Kurtz, Ms. Bolzenius, Ms. Keller, Ms. Slavkin, Ms. Finkenbinder
With Sincere Thanks
There is no way we can adequately express our appreciation to the wonderful retailers, readers, artisans, friends, and family members who generously contributed to the 2009 AT HOME/Habitat for Humanity Community Project. But what we can do is make sure that everyone knows that these individuals and companies lent helping hands to families that needed them.
The Donors
Accessories by Design
Alan E. Brainerd Interiors
Allison Larkins Decorative
Painting
Amie Corley Interiors
Amini's Home, Rugs & Game
Room
Anatol's Fabric Outlet
Angela Francis Interiors
Artisans Dawn and Melodie
Artmart
Ballenger's Carpet Workroom
Barron Mirror Glass & Door
BeauCasa Designs
The Bedroom Store
Benjamin Moore Paint
Michael Berezo
Boa Construction
Rebecca Bodicky
Bond Wolfe Architects
Peter Bono
Brad Boyes, St. Louis Blues
Brody's Lamp & Shades
Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Bueler, Inc.
Carol House
Carole Hiatt Design Associates
Cary and Company
Bill Chapman
CI Select
Citistar Painting
CLB Interiors
Cooper's Paint & Decorating
John Corn
Cortinovis & Hullverson
Curtain Call
Dan Vollmer Painting
Dana's Design Studio
Dana's Murals and Paintings
David Richardson Interiors
Decor Interiors and Jewelry
Decorative Concrete Resurfacing
Denny Bauman Painting
Design & Detail
The Design Source
The Designing Block
Dewey's Pizza
Diane Rosen Interiors
Directions in Design
Donna Goro Sewing
Draperies & More
Eckert Florist
Edwin Pepper Interiors
Danny Elchert
Elite Painting & Contracting
Ellen Kurtz Interiors
Europa Rock
Flowers of Clayton
For the Home, Ambassador Floor
Freeman Contracting Co.
Carol Frohlichstein
Gallery Framing
The Gifted Gardener
Ruth Gilbert
Giséle's
Joanie Glassman
Gomez Reupholstery
Gordman's
Graffiti Lounge
Patty Gregory
Griffin Brothers
Grimm & Gorly Flowers & Gifts
Habitat for Humanity Saint Louis
ReStore
Hall of Frames
E.M. Harris
Hartnum Brothers Wallcovering
Alene Haskell
Melissa Haupt
Tony Hawk
N. G. Heimos Greenhouse
Brad Heinze
Helios Construction
Herb'n Maid
HILL House Designs
Hilson Company
Hollyberry Catering
Home Decorators Collection
HomeGoods
The HomePort Collection
HomeSource Design Center
Inspired Spaces
Intaglia Home Collection
Interior Design Consultants
INTERIORS by Decorating
Den
ISC Surfaces
Ali Jafarian
Jaffe Lighting
Jon' Paul Designs & Collectibles
Joseph Vodicka Designs
Joyce Cockrell Designs
Julie Rooney Interiors
June Roesslein Interiors
Kathy Arnold Painting & Remodeling
KDR Designer Showrooms
Ralph N. Kleff
CJ Knapp
Sharron Langhammer
Allison Larkins
Larson-Juhl
Laura Gunn Studio
Daniel and Retta Leritz
Cyndi Levin
Little Shop Around the Corner
Local Harvest Café & Catering
Locks & Pulls/Design Elements
Linda Loewenstein
Tracy Long
Lowe's
LuLu Belles Inc.
Maureen Manget
Marcia Moore Design
Material Girl
Jamal Mayers
Beth McGovern
McGuire Moving and Storage
Metropolitan Glass Co.
Midwest Upholstery
Miriam Switching Post
MKS Designs
Mueller Furniture
Navis Pack & Ship
NewSpace
Niche Furnishings + Design
Oakville Elementary School
Dr. Sandra Mims' art classes
Lisa O'Brien
OfficeMax
Partners in Paint
Patrice Munden Interior Design
Paul Pagano Designs
Peter Bono Painting
Scott Pondrom
Pratt & Lambert Paint
PremierGarage
Prescription Plus Lebanon True
Value
Prints Charming Gallery
Sue Pruchnicki
Rice Painting Co.
Rod Knapp Construction and Painting Services
Room Service Fabrics
Rothchild's Antiques and Home Furnishings
Jonathan Ruder
Rug Décor
Saint Louis Closet Company
Mr. and Mrs. Larry Satz
Nancy Savala
Schoen Wahl designlab
F. Schumacher & Co.
Sherwin-Williams
Shyell Window Treatment
Bren Souers
Helen Sproull
Streib Electric Co.
Strothkamp Brothers
T. Rohan Interiors
Cindy Thierry
Adam Thomure
Tom Manche Interiors
Top Knobs USA
twigs & MOSS
Two Feathered Friend
Uncommon Threadz
Michael Uthoff
Victoria Dreste Designs
Vin de Set Rooftop Bar & Bistro
Vito's Sicilian Pizzeria
Chris Vodicka
Volk Construction
WCF Custom Framing
Weekends Only Furniture
Outlet
Westport Office Furniture and Total Facility Solutions
Wise Designs
Woodard Cleaning and Restoration Services
Dr. Judy Wuller
Target Contributers
Jodi and Maty Aronson
Marci Bikshorn
Laura Buhr
Angela Cramberg
Sandra and Larry Cramberg
Emily Faber
Nancy Galvin
Michael Gans
Lauren Graf
Amry Anne and Al Graf
Kim and Mike Harrison
Dottie Kemper
Anita Lamont
Sharon Langhammer
Jennifer Lyons
Maureen Manget
Anne Matheis
Susan McHaney
Tiffany Merenda
Alise O'Brien
Eileen O'Connor
Richard Poeling
Rev. Tom Ressler
Bernice Ruffner
Sara Shirley
Thirza Shupe
Christine Tessereau
Lindsay Timme
Michael Uthoff
Dr. Steven and Judy West
Diane Willis
Dennis Woldum
Cathy Wood
