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Veronica Theodoro, Amanda Bauer, Kristi Pinkham
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Veronica Theodoro, Amanda Baeur, Kristi Pinkham
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Suzanne Woodard, founder and owner of The Refind Room
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Gold beaded chandelier
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Japanese silk kimono, framed in acrylic
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Mid-century bamboo and glass side tables
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On December 6, I left kitchen and homework duty to my mom so I could step out for a few hours for a work event. When I say “work,” I don’t mean to imply interviews or reporting. I got to spend the evening shopping with Amanda Bauer, the lucky winner of Design STL’s shopping spree giveaway, and Kristi Pinkham, whom you may remember from our September/October cover story, which featured her incredible mid-century home.
Our goal was twofold: to help Bauer think through the decoration of the century-old farmhouse that she shares with her fiancé, and to find a few items that would make the house feel extra homey and personal. Bauer is partial to eclectic interiors; she sees no reason to limit her personal style to one particular look or design era. With that in mind, we headed to two favorite vintage and secondhand shops.
At our first stop, Miriam Switching Post, a blue-and-white garden stool with a delicate chinoiserie motif immediately caught our eye. In a Zoom call earlier in the month, Bauer let us know that she's a big fan of the Asian-inspired technique. As luck would have it, the stool's palette complements the colors in her living room. That night, the shop was also stocking a fantastic array of ornate and gilded mirrors. We thought one might be the right touch for Bauer’s charming lilac-painted dining room. In the depth's of the shop’s storage room, Bauer discovered a pair of mid-century bamboo and glass side tables, and she had the ingenious idea of combining them into one for the living room. This was all so much fun, and we were just getting started.
Our next stop: The Refind Room, where co-owner Suzanne Woodard greeted us with a glass of champagne. (Thank you, by the way, for opening up the shop on a night when you’re usually closed to the public.) Beautiful objects abounded! As Pinkham said, “Sensory overload.” A gold beaded chandelier in a floral shape was an early standout, as we all agreed that it had a certain Aerin Home quality to it. A turn-of-the-century Japanese silk kimono, framed in acrylic, was simply stunning. There were bamboo dining chairs, decorative wall panels, and portraits of pink flamingos, which Pinkham decided would make a festive addition to her dining room. We spent a fair amount of time sorting through stacks of art kept in a warren of rooms off of the second floor. Bauer, who studied painting in college, fell in love with a large landscape. She measured it, took a few photos, and promptly filed it under “Items to Consider.”
With a group text chain in the works, Bauer promised to keep us up to date on the design of her house. The experience left us all, I think, dreaming about our own homes and the complete joy that comes from caring for them.
Design STL thanks Miriam Switching Post and The Refind Room for hosting this special shopping experience!
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