PHOTOGRAPHY BY CARMEN TROESSER
I’m often asked how we find the houses featured in Design St. Louis. The short answer: any way you can imagine. Sometimes I’ll hear directly from designers and architects, who invite me to walk through a recently completed project with them. Friends, colleagues, and neighbors are invaluable sources, too. I can’t tell you how many times a casual conversation around town ends up as a spread six months later. And there’s no denying the power and reach of Instagram in discovering new talent and exquisite work. But most often, the best way of getting information is simple, traditional shoe-leather reporting: No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I’m always searching, taking notes, or making a mental file for something that’s caught my eye.
I call on all of these devices when creating the Most Beautiful Homes package. This year, we changed things up just a bit and selected properties where color is used to emphasize pretty details and architecture. Designer April Jensen’s Glendale house, beautiful inside and out, is this issue’s home interiors feature. We’re thrilled to take you on a tour of such a happy house, one where on Friday nights, friends gather for “porch cocktails,” an evening of summer fun and relaxation. I first noticed April’s house while working on the Beautiful Homes feature, but at the time I didn’t know it was hers. A few days later, when I showed up to interview April about the home’s interiors, I was delighted to discover that the house I had admired earlier in the week just happened to belong to her. (Serendipity plays a part in what we do, too.)
In fashion news, you won’t want to miss our visit with Tania Beasley-Jolly and deep dive into her gorgeous closet. I love that travel and personal passions inform her aesthetic, and, as sustainability and sound environmental choices become increasingly important, I appreciate her practice of buying quality over quantity. Elsewhere in the issue, we meet teacher/dressmaker Shan Keith, children’s clothing designer Claire Thomas-Morgan, and jewelry maker Adam Foster, who takes us around his beautiful showroom, brought to life by Arcturis and Castle Design.
