Come back soon for more event details! 

Saturday September 13th, 2025

10am - 3pm 

Charity: Wings of Hope

See your home in a new light with out-of-the-box light fixtures. 

By Maya Brenningmeyer

Buying What You Love

​​When customers come into the store, they often have somewhat of a plan but depending on merchandise, that may change. Finding big things, like mirrors and tables, are easy. Lots of times they find something they love and weren’t even looking in that vein. I always recommend buying what you love, even if you don’t have a place for it at the moment, you can often work it into your scheme.

Unique Uses

There are many ways to incorporate antique architectural items into your home. We have lots of clients who get very creative and find different uses for items that weren’t even meant for what they were built for. When customers share what they’re doing with something from the shop, I ask them to send us a photo to give inspiration to others.

Long-Lasting Memories

Nowadays, there are so many things manufactured in China or things that won’t last the test of time. Our pieces are beautiful, durable and have wonderful staying power that will make a statement today and for generations. There is nothing more beautiful than something hand-crafted and well-loved.

Fresh Features

In the store, brass items are always popular, and we try to feature items that relate to what’s coming up. We also try to feature items you may want in your home if you’re entertaining this year. It’s always nice to find something unique and beautiful when it’s time to give gifts, so we have many wonderful gifty items in store.

Variety & Inspiration

Our vendors and our business model are what makes us unique! We expect our vendors to treat their booth like a business and give their items attention on a regular basis. This is not garage sale material and having multiple vendors in one space adds variety, availability, inspiration and creativity. If a customer has a specific brand in mind, we have many vendors who carry brand names like MCM furniture.  Our vendors are proud of their inventory, so they will “toot their own horn” if the piece is authentic. Negotiating is always a part of the fun as well.

Close-knit Communities

We are very proud of this business in our community. We love The Hill and love it when people from around the neighborhood support us and think of us first when they need something special for their home or for a gift. It’s the reason we started The Marketplace!

Carleen Kramer, owner of The Hill Antique Market, walks us through what makes the 16,000-square-foot market so unique and the benefits of using vintage items and antiques. 

Edited by Maya Brenningmeyer

Like other aspects of interior design, custom furniture and cabinetry occur on a spectrum. There are terrific bespoke examples made by thoughtful craftsmen, and then, there are not-so-good ones. Rook Fine Furniture, founded by three craftsmen—Ken Stahl, Cory Herweck and Shawn Hoven—falls under the former category. They boast a passion for elevating furniture design and construction that zeros in on the nitty gritty details while producing work that runs the gamut of all kinds of fine furniture to custom kitchen cabinetry and other built-ins.

“There weren’t a lot of other shops in town that did everything,” says Stahl. “Some did custom furniture, others did cabinets, but never both. We want to be a one-stop shop for all the above.” Custom furniture can be a choose-your-own-adventure, especially when it comes to selecting your own fabric for an existing chair frame or developing plans for built-in shelves. What wood should you choose? What style? What design? Luckily, the team at Rook can answer all these questions and more, helping clients navigate the design and production process—to end up with a personalized piece customers will cherish for decades to come.

Case in point, the team recently made a bedroom set that included a custom bed frame, vanity and bookshelves they then transported down to Dallas. “The pieces were all white oak, which is a very popular material right now,” says Herweck. Each of the pieces boasted hallmarks of the team’s fine craftsmanship: clean lines, consistent grain work and smooth edging. “It was a great project to hang our hat on.”

To become experts in their field, Stahl and Herweck sharpened their expertise in some of the most respected woodworking shops in the state. In fact, both men met at another shop where they were working together and decided to team up to join forces and pool together their creativity and varied skillsets. “I was a contractor for a long time,” says Stahl, who then went on to study furniture making in Maine. Herweck, on the other hand, had worked in the nonprofit sector and then decided to branch out into woodworking before eventually meeting up with Stahl. Together, they have been working on creating personalized pieces of furniture and custom cabinetry for a year.

Typically, the team is contacted by designers, but they do work with customers directly and approach each project with the same excitement as they did their first. “We really focus on creating high-end custom work,” says Stahl. “We want to bring a level of attention to it we weren’t seeing done elsewhere.”

Portrait photography by Kim Dillon. 

The expert craftsmen of Rook Fine Furniture transform wood into works of art. 

By Michelle Mastro

The family of six living in this Fenton home is busy with work, school, sports, family gatherings and the hundreds of aspects of daily life in raising four daughters under the age of 14.

As the parents approached the idea of building a new home, they planned long term. They wanted a home their girls would return to as adults with their own families. And both the husband and wife have large extended families that continue to grow, and the couple wanted to host family get-togethers with ease.

Their immediate needs, however, included separate bedrooms for each daughter and more functional space for everyday living. “The layout of our previous house was kind of clunky and space was tight, especially on the main level where the laundry room, kitchen and pantry were,” says the husband.

The wife says they wanted a home with space where everyday living was simple but highly functional. “No extra rooms, but the rooms we had were used and everything had a place,” she says.

That functionality shines in a modern home with clean lines, an aesthetic the couple can take credit for because they made all the selections for flooring, cabinetry, tile, hardware, countertops and the like. “We did all that ourselves, and then we hired Joni (Spear) to help furnish the house and make it all come together,” says the wife. “It is a daunting process to pick out everything. And while I feel we did a great job ourselves, I think hiring someone to help from the very beginning would have been smart.”

Joni agrees. “It happens a lot that clients call me after they’ve selected their flooring, tile and plumbing fixtures, for example,” says Joni, the principal of Joni Spear Interior Design. “It’s always better to bring the designer in at the beginning of the process. It makes my job easier and makes the end result feel flawless.”

The wife explains she didn’t realize designers offer valuable insight in the beginning stages of a new build process. “We went in kind of blind to that, and a designer’s help would have made it easier and maybe made it better,” says the wife. “Designers see things you don’t in terms of knowing where you might need more lighting in a hallway, for example, or that you might want a drawer instead of a cabinet in a certain part of the kitchen, things like that.”

Regardless of when she’s brought to a project, Joni brings her expertise and decades of experience to deliver the client’s vision through thoughtful design. In this home, her top priority was to provide a plan for layout and furnishings of the family room.

“I like to start from the ground up, so I provided some options for a rug for the family room, and once we had that, we worked from there selecting the furniture,” says Joni. The room’s ceiling treatment served as the center point. “We built the floor plan for furniture from that gorgeous ceiling. And with four girls, she wanted very durable furniture with a clean-lined aesthetic.” Joni also suggested an ottoman with trays that would work both as a coffee table and as additional seating. “It’s huge and it’s multifunctional,” the designer says of the piece.    

The room’s focal wall features a linear, contemporary fireplace below a framed TV. Flanking the fireplace are a pair of arched bookshelves with black backgrounds. Family friend and stylist Nina Gregory curated the accessories for the bookshelves. “She wanted family photos on the bookshelves, but other than that, I just found great stuff and we moved it around until it was pleasing,” says Nina, owner of Wild Ember Design.

In the nearby eating area, Joni suggested teal chairs to pick up a hue from the family room rug. The vegan leather chairs are wipeable and hold up to the demands of an active lifestyle with children at home.

The way the family room, eating area with adjacent wet bar and kitchen flow easily and seamlessly is one of the wife’s favorite elements in the home. “This is my dream kitchen,” she says. “It’s spacious, and I’ve always wanted big windows and a panoramic door to be able to extend the entertaining area out to the patio.” There’s plenty of space outdoors as well, as the home is sited on a full acre lot.

Nina and the wife worked together to bring architectural interest to the blank slate of a lower-level guest bedroom. Nina found wood slat panels for the wall’s focal point based on the wife’s inspirational photos. “We ordered these in the stain we wanted and then cut them to the height we needed, says Nina. “I also installed them along with the wallpaper, which is a peel and stick.” Designer Joni Spear sourced the Bernhardt nightstands, which feature pearlescent capiz shells in a sunburst pattern. “Those nightstands are amazing,” says the wife.   

As the project unfolded, the couple realized designers have access to sources, vendors and trade partners the homeowners could not even imagine. “There are so many things going on behind the curtain, if you will, that they can figure out how to help you design your home,” the husband says of design professionals.

Joni agrees that bringing a designer on board at the beginning makes for a smoother process. “In the end, it came together very well,” she says. “It’s a stunning home and has an overall Zen quality to it, a very calm and peaceful house. And I think they were looking to create that quality with four kids always on the go.”

Resources: 

Cabinetry: Mark Hall Fine Cabinetry

Granite fabricator: MSI

Tile supplier: MSI

Wallpaper: Wall Blush

Photography by Miranda Kimberlin

Serene aesthetic, right-sized spaces bring the Zen to a lively family's forever home. 

By Kim Hill

Interior design by Joni Spear Interior Design

Stylist: Nina Gregory

A time capsule of its era right down to the fully wallpapered 1970s interiors, this stately English Tudor residence nestled in the heart of St. Louis’s posh Town & Country community has stood as a cornerstone of the neighborhood for five decades. But in 2023, the previous owner decided to sell the historic landmark, which was quickly scooped up by a young couple with an active family. But instead of a gut renovation, they envisioned a top-to-bottom refresh to honor the home’s history while embracing modern elegance. “We sought to preserve the Tudor character—decorative beams, leaded-glass windows and rich woodwork—while adding a fresh twist,” says the homeowner, who, along with his wife, aimed for a “modern, whimsical retreat” that balances playful design accents with the timeless charm of its Tudor architecture.

Located in a private community in St. Louis County, the dwelling spans more than 11,000 square feet across two stories on three acres of scenic landscaped grounds. To carry out their extensive remodeling goals, the owners tapped the expertise of interior designer Caryn Boultinghouse, founder and owner of the prestigious St. Louis firm Caryn Boultinghouse Design Studio. The renovation, which began in the summer of 2023 and wrapped up in fall 2024, left no space untouched. “Every bathroom was reimagined, and a new half-bath was seamlessly added between the study and great room,” says the designer. “Our goal was to preserve the home’s stunning architectural details—rich woodworking, slate floors and striking stone and brick elements—while alleviating the heavy, dim atmosphere often associated with traditional Tudor design.”

Spacious and functional, the home accommodates everyday life and entertaining on a larger scale. The carefully preserved Tudor features—steep rooflines and unique wood detailing—integrate effortlessly with contemporary finishes to enhance modern living. Soft neutrals like warm whites and taupes establish the color palette, offset by brighter hues in furniture, art and accent pieces. “From the outset, we wanted to highlight the home’s original 1970s Tudor architecture,” says the wife. “We restored and enhanced elements like the intricate wood beams and stone fireplace to serve as visual anchors. Then, we allowed ourselves room to play by selecting performance fabrics for upholstery and mixing in modern hardware finishes like brushed brass.”

Playful accents shine through via patterned wallpapers, unexpected color combinations and bold art pieces. The owners’ architectural approach generated a cohesive through-line—exposed beams, rich wood neutral backdrops—while sprinkling in cheerful flourishes that reflect the home’s cozy retreat vibe. Boultinghouse introduced clean lines, vibrant pops of color and imaginative touches that keep the historic architecture from feeling too formal. Together, they merged traditional Tudor with a more energetic aesthetic, ensuring the design never lost sight of its original charm. Neutral wall tones showcase architectural details, and carefully chosen bursts of pattern and unconventional lighting keep the interior feeling lively and unexpected. “We appreciate how the renovation honors the grand scale and historic character of a Tudor-style home yet feels bright, open and family-friendly,” adds the wife. “Whether hosting a large gathering or enjoying a quiet evening, the layout supports both communal and private moments.”

At first, the homeowners' differing design preferences presented a challenge, as the wife gravitated toward light, airy aesthetics, while the husband was drawn to the moody sophistication of darker woods. Boultinghouse’s diplomatic solution was to create a harmonious blend. “Key spaces, including the main living areas, received a bright and refreshing update with painted woodwork, elegant wallcoverings and vibrant textiles,” says the designer. “Meanwhile, the study maintained its rich, masculine character, infused with a menswear-inspired palette and refined textures. The result is a home that feels both timeless and revitalized—a perfect balance between tradition and contemporary charm.”

The kitchen required a complete redesign to enhance both functionality and aesthetic appeal. With the existing green slate floors—original to the home and with only a limited amount of leftover tile available—Boultinghouse had to be thoughtful in her approach. “For this young, on-the-go family, the kitchen needed to be highly functional while delivering a striking ‘wow’ factor, as it serves as the central hub for gatherings with friends and family,” she explains. “To honor the home’s English Tudor heritage, we infused the space with an English countryside charm.”

She also introduced tray ceilings to mirror those in the study, creating a cohesive architectural flow. Brass accents—seen in the strapping on the range hood, open shelving and lighting—emit warmth and depth. A curated collection of vintage transferware in rich chocolate brown further elevates the home’s timeless character, bringing an authentic nod to the classic English aesthetic. Serving as the heart of the home, the great room seamlessly connects to the kitchen on the right and the study on the left. The kitchen naturally extends from this central space, with a butler’s pantry creating a smooth transition between the dining room and kitchen. Throughout the entry foyer, kitchen and great room, the dwelling's original green slate flooring sets a rich, grounding backdrop, while the dining room and study retain their classic wood floors.

“Embracing the green slate as a foundation, we introduced soft blues throughout the first floor to create a cohesive, inviting flow,” says Boultinghouse. “A once-imposing dark wood bar in the great room initially felt heavy, but by incorporating a lighter blue palette, we transformed it into a warm and welcoming space—perfect for gatherings with family and friends on any occasion.”

True to the home’s original architectural era, all bedrooms are located on the second floor. For the primary suite, a balance of sophistication and comfort curates an elegant retreat that offers refined style and a cozy area ideal for curling up with a good book or a quiet refuge from the couple’s active family lifestyle. Ultimately, the two-story Tudor offers a balanced fusion of historical richness and modern-day vibrancy. Steep gables, half-timbering and traditional woodwork blend fluently with an easygoing, playful spirit—where Italian inlaid sculptures, statement wallpapers and bold lighting fixtures coexist, ensuring every corner of the house feels timeless and fresh.

“One of our favorite highlights was the post-renovation housewarming, where friends and neighbors experienced the updated spaces,” the husband recalls. “Watching them explore the interplay of Tudor details with whimsical modern accents confirmed that our vision had been realized in a way that truly resonates.”

“Adding to the fun was the family’s resident doodle, Boomer, who quickly became an honorary project manager," says Boultinghouse, "eager to walk the site with the contractor and our team or strike a pose for the occasional photo shoot. His playful presence made the renovation even more memorable, in addition to the homeowners, who were an absolute pleasure to work with, always bringing enthusiasm and trust to our design process.”

Resources: 

Appliances: Authorized Appliances

Cabinetry: Perspective Cabinetry & Duanes Cabinets

Granite fabricator: Granite Heros

Granite supplier: MSI

Interior lighting: Visual Comfort

Plumbing fixtures: Immerse

Window treatments: Wise Designs

Wallpaper: Thibaut

Outdoor furniture: Lane Furniture

Outdoor lighting: Wilson Lighting

Photography by Karen Palmer

A St. Louis couple preserves the English Tudor soul of their historic Town & Country home while breathing new life into its interiors by creating a modern, whimsical retreat. 

By Jeanne Delathouder

Interior design by Caryn Boultinghouse Design Studio

The words “sleek,” “clean” and “architectural” aren’t often used to describe landscapes and gardens. But in the case of this Frontenac home, they fit.

When they built their current home less than two years ago, the homeowners, now empty nesters, were looking for “easy livability.” The words “clean modern aesthetic” described what they wanted for the interior of the home, where the predominant color palette is “a mix of warm neutrals.”

The house needed to be comfortable when it was just the two of them having a quiet evening in.  But it had to easily accommodate the groups of family and friends they love to entertain.

Those criteria also applied to the exterior of the home and the grounds that comprise their outdoor living space. Drew Bradshaw, designer at Pool Specialists, and Tony Frisella, landscape designer and owner of Frisella Nursery, understood that directive perfectly.

Although the outdoor spaces are large, they mesh seamlessly with the interior of the home. Just stepping through the front door, a visitor immediately has views through the home to an outdoor terrace and the pool beyond. Drew worked with interior designer Leslie Cusanelli of Milieu to ensure that the pool tile and finishes blended with those on the interior of the home. Laminars shoot arching jets of water from the pool deck into the pool itself and echo the soaring ceiling of the great room.  They provide a dramatic architectural element, clearly visible from the house, particularly when the laminars are lighted at night.

While the sleek design of the pool appears more resort-water-feature than family swimming pool, it is user friendly for all ages. A shallow tanning shelf, complete with bubblers, allows a space for adults to lounge and grandchildren to play in a few inches of water. Just beyond the shallow shelf, the pool deepens and broadens out to allow adults to swim laps.  “The pool is designed for all stages of a family,” notes Drew.

For the times without crowds, a short flagstone path from the master bedroom leads to the outdoor hot tub and a boxwood-and hydrangea-lined walk goes to the pool. On the opposite side of the home, there’s a large heated and air-conditioned pool house. In nice weather it can be opened on two sides directly to the pool deck. An outdoor kitchen makes it perfect for entertaining groups. While the home features a beautifully finished lower level, the homeowners from the start wanted the pool and landscaped grounds to be incorporated into the home’s main level.

When it came to landscaping all that hardscape, the couple “left a lot up to us as far as being creative,” Tony explains. “They wanted a clean look, and they didn’t want anything crazy where maintenance was concerned.”

Tony also took note of the architecture of the house and tried to incorporate that architectural feel in the plants he selected. In one of the most dramatic changes to the landscape, he created a three-tiered boulder wall out of natural stone so that trees and shrubs could be layered around the outdoor structures, using the landscaping as a frame for the house and pool.

Mindful of the homeowners desire for a clean look and low maintenance, he carefully selected trees, shrubs and perennials with specific architectural shapes and sizes that would fit the landscape with minimal need for pruning and shaping. He also looked to varieties that would add year-round color and movement to the landscape without overwhelming the neutral palette the homeowners preferred. Grasses and perennials that might appear messy at ground level are concealed behind a “fence” of evergreen boxwood. Rather than using a vast number of different plants, Tony focused on varieties with a track record of thriving in a variety of conditions and used them throughout the landscape to make the spaces cohesive and blend together.

Evergreen magnolias and pyramidal arborvitaes provide screening around the outer perimeter of the property. Closer to the pool and house, he concentrated on plants that will provide multi-season interest due to their shapes, sizes and color. Here are some of his choices.

‘Red Obelisk’ beech: Very slow growing with deep burgundy leaves and a columnar shape, the leaves will turn coppery bronze in fall. Tony used these for the outer perimeter of the pool and firepit area. Although they can mature to 30-plus feet tall, the slow growth rate of maybe 3 inches per year means that in most cases the tree will be in the 10- to 20-foot range for a good long time.

‘Blue Pacific’ shore juniper: Planted between the beeches and growing approximately 1-foot tall with a spread of 6-7 feet, this groundcover, evergreen juniper with feathery blue green foliage will quickly fill in the empty ground and provide a beautiful color contrast with the burgundy beeches. It tolerates heat, full sun and a variety of soil conditions.

‘Techny’ arborvitae: Growing 10- to 15-feet in height and 6-to 10-feet wide, these arborvitaes will grow in sun to part shade and tolerate a wide variety of conditions. With soft, feathery evergreen foliage and a triangular shape, they are an excellent screening, background or specimen plant.

‘Green Mountain’ boxwood: Growing 4-5-feet in height and 2-3-feet at the base, ‘Green Mountain’ retains a triangular, pyramidal shape. These boxwoods provide architectural, evergreen interest throughout the year.

‘Green Gem’ boxwood. Growing 3-to 4-feet tall and wide, ‘Green Gem’ has a naturally rounded appearance. These shrubs tolerate a wide variety of conditions and also provide evergreen interest throughout the year.

‘Bobo’ hydrangea: This dwarf hydrangea is filled with white blossoms in summer that are held up on strong stems that continue to lengthen as the season goes on. As blooms age, they turn slightly pink. Growing up to 3-feet tall and 3-4 feet wide, they can fit multiple places in a landscape.

‘Incrediball’ hydrangea: A spinoff of the native hydrangea ‘Annabelle’, it has stronger stems that don’t flop and extra-large blooms. The white flowers emerge in mid-summer and age to a lush jade green that persists through fall. As natives, they tolerate a wide variety of conditions.

‘Denim n’ Lace’ Russian sage: With architectural trees and shrubs in place, Tony added wispy Russian sage for its soft blue-purple flowers and gray-green foliage. It fills in between more static shrubs to add subtle color and movement to the landscape. With a long bloom season, it tolerates a wide variety of conditions and grows approximately 2.5 feet tall and 3-feet wide. It also makes a good cut and dried flower.

‘Shenandoah’ red switch grass: A hybrid native prairie grass, the new growth emerges green with red tips. Gradually the entire plant turns a rich burgundy. Airy blooms appear in midsummer as hazy clouds floating above the leaves and seed heads provide a food source for birds in winter. Throughout the year, ‘Shenandoah’ adds movement and interest to the landscape. It grows to 4-feet tall and wide.

‘Karl Foester’ feather reed grass: A Missouri Botanical Garden Plant of Merit, ‘Karl Foester’ provides dramatic architectural interest. It is a clump-forming decorative grass, with an upward architectural growth habit, making it a dramatic specimen plant. Torch-like plumes emerge in spring, persist throughout the year and sway in the slightest breeze. It grows 3-5-feet tall and 3-feet wide.

Although the landscape conforms to the homeowners vision of being clean looking and low maintenance, that does not mean that things are boring. “There are a lot of layers,” notes Tony, who carefully selected trees, shrubs and perennials to make sure “something is always happening. It is not overpowering but if you put a timelapse camera on the plantings, it would look like fireworks going off with all the movement and changes taking place.”

Photography by Kim Dillon

Tasteful architectural accents, a neutral color palette and artful planting add depth to this family-friendly outdoor space. 

By Lucyann Boston

Landscape design by Frisella Landscape Group

Pool design by Pool Specialists

Architect: Schaub Projects

Builder: REA Homes

Interior design: Milieu

Bonsai trees are a cross section of art, architecture and nature. They’re a great outlet for expressing creativity through nurturing a natural plant. The plants are often associated with harmony, balance and inner peace. They offer a meditative outlet that requires thoughtful pruning and careful planning.

The Care and Keeping of Your Bonsai

Before you can begin shaping your bonsai, it’s essential to know how to care for it. Some elements of care depend on the species of tree used. Examples of common bonsai trees include ficuses, junipers and Japanese maples.

Location is Key

A bonsai tree can be kept either indoors or outdoors. For indoor trees, a bonsai will do best at a south-facing window, as ample light is crucial to its health. In addition to this, indoor bonsais are typically of a tropical species, meaning they do best in high humidity. Placing your tree on a humidity tray or an area of your home with a constant temperature can help your plant thrive.

For an outdoor bonsai, you’ll need to find a spot with lots of light. That being said, it’s important to be aware of how your environment may impact your tree. Missouri summers are hot so you may need to provide some afternoon shade for your tree to ensure it isn’t getting too much light. On the other hand, in the winter you may need to protect your tree from Missouri’s freezing temperatures and inclement weather by placing them in a greenhouse, using a cold frame or covering their pots to protect their roots. Do this after the fall, as the exposure to cooler temperatures will encourage the trees to enter dormancy.

When to Water

When it comes to watering your bonsai tree, there isn’t any set way to establish a watering schedule. One of the best ways to understand your tree’s hydration needs every day is by placing your finger about 1 cm deep into the soil to check moisture levels. If the soil is slightly dry, water your bonsai tree. If the soil is still moist, skip watering for the day. As you continue this process, you’ll gain a better understanding of what the soil looks and feels like when it’s time to water your tree and can slowly develop a set schedule from there.

The Right Mix

When it comes to the right soil, there are three qualities to consider: water retention, drainage and aeration. The soil needs to be able to hold enough water to provide the tree with sufficient moisture while releasing enough water so that the tree’s roots don’t rot. Aeration is important as small pockets of air allow for oxygen to make its way to the roots and encourage the development of good bacteria. Make sure the pot you’ve selected is the right size for your tree with ample drainage holes to prevent waterlogging.

Fun Fact

The most common components of Bonsai soil are akadama, pumice, lava rock, organic potting compost and fine gravel (also known as grit). Different types of bonsai trees will require different mixtures of soil. Make sure you pay attention to the species of tree you purchase to develop the best component mixture for your plant.

Taking Shape

There are two basic methods of styling your bonsai tree, pruning and wiring. Bonsai trees grow with apical dominance, meaning the most dominant growth occurs on the center steps. With pruning, you’re trimming the top and outer leaves of the tree, which encourages the bonsai to redistribute growth to its inner and lower parts. This helps in both maintaining the tree, and making it easier to shape yourself. If your bonsai is an outdoor tree, maintenance pruning can be done in early spring to late fall, pausing when the tree enters its winterized dormant state. Pruning is an essential part of controlling the growth and development of your bonsai tree and it's recommended to prune 2-4 times a year to maintain the tree’s shape.

It’s also incredibly important to prune the roots of your bonsai. Once you’ve selected your bonsai pot, you’ll need to trim its roots so that the root ball will fit without having to fold or tuck any long roots in. To start this process, un-pot your plant and then gently comb out the roots using a root hook or chopstick. When pruning, you’ll want to cut off thicker roots rather than the smaller, thin roots as they don’t absorb water as well. Once you’ve finished pruning the roots, place the plant back in the pot on a thin layer of soil, then slowly fill the pot, making sure to poke soil into the spaces between the roots to ensure they’re evenly saturated.

Wiring is the act of wrapping wires around your bonsai’s limbs to control and alter its shape. Bonsai trees are best wired in the winter when they have the least amount of leaves and wire made of anodized aluminum or annealed copper is used most often. For beginners, anodized aluminum is best due to accessibility and ease of installation. To start, wrap the wire around the base of the tree at least once to ensure the wire will remain secure to the tree. Then, begin wrapping one branch at a time at a 45-degree angle. This promotes growth while maintaining the wired shape. Branches can be wired in pairs or on their own, depending on the design. Once the tree is wired, you can bend and reposition the branches. Make sure to check on the wires as the tree goes, making sure to remove the wiring before it begins digging into the bark. When it’s time to remove the wire, make sure to cut it off rather than unwind it to help protect your tree’s branches.

Tool Kit

Here are some key items to have on hand when you’re ready to start your own bonsai journey.

• A pot for your bonsai

• Bonsai soil or the ingredients to make your own combination

• Clippers or garden shears to cut branches

• Anodized aluminum wire

• Pliers or a wire cutter

• Long and narrow scissors to prune leaves

Tap into your inner creativity through the peaceful, meditative process of bonsai. 

By Maya Brenningmeyer

Chinese Culture Days showcases traditional and modern Chinese music, entertainment, fashion and cuisine in the beautiful venue of the Missouri Botanical Garden in spring.

New this year, the Changchun Acrobatic Troupe from Changchun, China, will perform jaw-dropping acrobatics at the Garden’s outdoor amphitheater. The nine-person troupe is the largest to attend the festival in several years and will be performing stunts, juggling and balancing acts, as well as more traditional Chinese entertainment such as face-changing.

The Garden will also host four renowned, traditional Chinese musicians from St. Louis’s sister city of Nanjing, China. The musicians will play traditional music, including performances by Mr. Yu Dongbo who plays and studies the oldest surviving instrument in China - the Jiahu bone flute.

This year also marks the 29th anniversary of the Chinese Garden—formally called the Margaret Grigg Nanjing Friendship Garden. The Chinese Garden was a gift from Nanjing, and is a symbol of the two municipalities’ enduring connection.

Held during Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Chinese Culture Days is an opportunity for St. Louis’s Chinese-American community to celebrate and honor its history and culture while inviting others to appreciate and learn more. This annual festival is held in collaboration with the Chinese Culture Education and Services Foundation. Hundreds of community volunteers work towards producing a weekend filled with colorful Chinese pageantry, art, music and dance, history and legends, and of course, wonderful foods!

Photography of acrobats courtesy of Grand Shanghai Circus. Other photos courtesy of St. Louis Chinese Language School/Missouri Botanical Garden. 

The annual festival at the Missouri Botanical Garden returns May 3rd-4th, for an immersive weekend celebrating the rich history and culture of St. Louis's Chinese-American community with new musical and acrobatic performances by artists from China. 

By Jessika Eidson

One updated split-level ranch home makes a fine place for an annual Kentucky Derby party. It now also makes a mighty fine space for its homeowners to age in place.

Owners Leah and Stewart Albert share that after they searched West St. Louis County for a relocation home more suitable for their retirement phase, no other property tugged at their heartstrings. So, instead, they opted to renovate their 1963 home. "We decided we might as well start straight from scratch and do it right,” explains Leah. “So we basically knocked out the entire wall of the whole back of the house to create an addition that enabled a ginormous great room, ADA-compliant powder room, mudroom, master bedroom suite and blue tile walk-in shower because we love the ocean. Some home additions look like they’re attacking or dwarfing the houses, but ours can’t even be seen from the street.”

As a former Kentucky native, Leah says the renovation had to yield airy space, namely vaulted ceilings, to let in more light. Hence, collaboration with Kentucky-raised architect Susan Bower, of Maplewood-based Bower Leet Design, was destined to win the roses at the end of this residential reformation race.

Susan designed two linear vaults, one on the west side and one on the east, with two slopes. The lower slope matches the existing roof pitch, trussing the addition to the main house. “The upper portion of each vault has a steeper slope to provide a sense of height the original house lacked,” she states.

Architecturally, Susan designed the new floor as all one level for easy, intertwining flow into the existing kitchen, living and dining rooms. Under the west vault, she placed an extended family room with a two-sided fireplace and bar with stone slab. Under the east vault, she designed the Alberts’ suite with a large closet and a new walk-in shower with multiple heads and sprayers. “The addition’s west wall is all glass with views of the landscape and is great for bird watching,” Susan shares.

The property’s lot slopes down in the back, Susan imparts, so an unfinished basement was a beneficial inclusion, one now used for practicing pickleball, potting plants and outdoor storage.

RJ Mayer Development, headed by Randy Mayer, was selected as the project’s general contractor, with Davey Mayer serving as interior designer. Davey says she worked with Leah to refine finishes and to display the couple’s artwork collection. “Even the mudroom has carefully selected artwork placements, and the powder room has an illuminated onyx sink,” Davey adds. This unusual renovation was completed in about 15 months, Randy confirms.

“My new favorite spot is our Japanese-inspired, upper deck with a pagoda ceiling and covered porch, surrounded by landscaping created by landscape architect Erin McCown Foster and arborist Doug Beckman at MP Landscaping. They made our outdoor space feel lush and Kentucky-like. It’s so nice to be outside in nature,” Leah concludes. “We’re currently having a lap pool installed. This harmonizing renovation has been a 100% positive experience.”

Photography by Carmen Troesser

Homeowners transform their split-level ranch house for comfort and independence. 

By Julie Brown Patton

Architect: Bower Leet Design

Contractor: RJ Mayer Development

Interior design: Davey Mayer