DesignSTL November/December 2021

IT WASN’T UNTIL this past spring, while I was in the throes of selecting a new sofa and swivel chairs for my living room, that I grasped the immense scope of furniture options available to homeowners. (Before going any further, let me pause here to say: If decision-making is hard for you, do not underestimate the power of an interior designer to help winnow the offerings.) In theory, of course, I’ve always understood that furniture is a world unto itself, an industry charged with satisfying innumerable tastes, lifestyles, and budgets. But when tasked with choosing between designer and vintage, or a mix of the two, and a custom sectional to solve a pesky corner layout in my living room, I realized the potential for good stories was all around me.…

CONNECT jamiecorley.com @jamiecorley Artist Jamie Corley’s digital illustration “Once I Hosted a Dinner Party and Only Served Cheese” captures a longing that so many of us have had over the past year and a half. Part of her Gathering collection, the inviting tablescape, in shades of pink, purple, and blue, is a reminder of an everyday act we often took for granted before the world shut down. “Creating this collection reminds me of the joy of a simple meal shared with family and friends or the ritual that can make even a solo meal feel like self-care,” she says. “I started cooking and baking a lot during the pandemic, and I’ve really enjoyed photographing various meals and tablescapes for inspiration for future works.” —AMY BURGER Q&A CORLEY NEVER IMAGINED she would…

WHILE MOST ST. LOUISANS may not recognize the name Gale E. Henderson, they’ve most likely seen—and admired—his work. If you’ve stepped inside St. Ambrose Catholic Church on The Hill, or appreciated the early 20th-century homes surrounding the Missouri Botanical Garden, you’ve beheld the artistry and craftsmanship of this talented and prolific architect. Now, one of his grandchildren, Catherine Kerr, is hoping to cement Henderson’s legacy and imprint on St. Louis with a new book dedicated to his impressive body of work. Gale E. Henderson, Prominent St. Louis Architect is a must-read for St. Louis history buffs and fans of historic design and architecture. Henderson’s 55-year career spanned from 1908 to 1963, with many of the homes he designed now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. During his early…

CONNECT @thefancypheasanthermann Hannah and Miles James, owners of the Vinchester Inn and The Schiller House, have added a modern-day general store to their portfolio of businesses in downtown Hermann. Like the two inns, The Fancy Pheasant is located in a historic building, dating back to the 1800s. Stocked with pre-packaged products and an array of cheeses, beverages, meats, and dairy, the shop offers tourists and town residents everything they might need or want. The couple commuted from St. Louis to Hermann in 2018, but have now settled in the quaint, historic city. Their plan is to eventually renovate part of the building to make it home. On tap is the opening next month of Evergreen, a cocktail bar, housed in the same location, as well as an expanded inventory of…

GRAND CENTER’S NEWEST residential development, On Olive, features a one-of-a-kind amenity: a food forest. In this edible garden, pathways weave among rows of asparagus, lavender, sea kale, lovage, and nearly two dozen other species of plants. The food-producing landscape, or foodscape, is nestled among the development’s single-family houses and condominiums, giving residents easy access to fresh chives for their dinner plate or a persimmon for a midday snack. “It’s a unique garden in that it’s more of a foraging experience,” says Matt Lebon, owner of Custom Foodscaping, the local company that designed and installed the project. “Residents can walk around and pick things as well as enjoy the flowers.” Custom Foodscaping collaborated with Mexico City-based architecture firm Tatiana Bilbao Estudio, one of several working on the project. Over the course…

JULIE ABNER DESIGNER, ABNER INTERIORS This Hans Wegner Wishbone chair’s timelessness and versatility appealed to designer Julie Abner. She remembers being at Niche, the former store and office space downtown, inspecting another item for a client when she spotted the chair and pulled it aside for herself. “This piece appeals to me because of its functionality and beauty in any interior space,” she says. The Wishbone, designed in 1949 for Carl Hansen & Søn, has been in continuous production since it was first introduced in 1950. The chair’s back and armrest are created from a single piece of wood. The seat, woven from roughly 120 meters of paper cord, takes about an hour to make. Says Abner: “It can really work anywhere: as a desk chair, a dining chair, really…