J. Elinor Lerch Jay Baker

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Designer Carolyn Grove says that a fabulous finish can make all the difference – whether it’s furniture, fabric, or lighting. Some tips to consider when choosing these pieces for your home: EDUCATE YOUR EYE. Shop around and learn to spot expert craftsmanship and quality furniture finishes. Examine furniture surfaces closely, and learn about different stains, protective lacquers and use of veneers. TOUCH! With time, you’ll recognize the “hand” of a fine fabric and understand construction details, such as why a fine silk must have an inner lining to drape properly. ASK. Experienced salespeople should always be ready to educate their customers about the quality of their product. And if you have the opportunity to learn from craftsmen, artists or designers, you’ve discovered fabulous resources! REMEMBER. An expertly crafted finish on a light fixture or chandelier can make the difference between ho-hum utility and oh wow! illumination.

“We see a deer in the yard now and then, and the occasional small fox.”

The observation from a St. Louis homeowner is a surprise, considering their yard is an easy walk to the Clayton business district. But the most enchanting surprise awaits the visitor inside the traditional brick home, where exquisite fabrics and a palette of rich, confident colors speak with bold eloquence.

The home, built in 1929 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was originally just one room deep. The transformation began in 1996, when the current owners chose Mitchell Wall to design a kitchen/family room addition. The new space blends seamlessly with the earlier structure, even replicating the home’s original arched plaster doorways.

The owners chose designer Carolyn Grove to bring the new interior spaces to life. It became the perfect partnership when the designer and the homeowner discovered a shared passion for one important element. Smiling, Carolyn explained it simply, “We both LOVE color!” — and every room illustrates this enthusiasm.

Evocative, unexpected hues bathe the formal rooms at the front of the home. In the step-down living room, marble floors and a stone fireplace surround are warmed by walls masterfully finished in a custom-blended shade Carolyn christened “pumpkin.” The color is subtly enhanced by natural light from the triple exposure windows, as well as light from antique wall sconces and a floor-standing candelabra. An eclectic furniture grouping — including a William Switzer chair upholstered in Schumacher fabric — is accented with pillows in an array of fabrics and detailed trim. East and west windows are framed by custom draperies fashioned from Clarence House silk. The colors and fabrics infuse the setting with warmth, grace and timeless appeal. It’s a feeling Carolyn believes is critical to the finished look. Generous use of opulent fabrics with intricate details adds to the one-of-a-kind ambience.

“Good design must evolve over time — by osmosis and by experience. You must listen and learn what’s important, and build on that knowledge for each individual, for each unique space.”

Passing through the foyer to the formal dining room, the eye is intrigued by hand-printed Schumacher paper, giving the illusion of cove molding at the ceiling, and brightened by an antique light pendant the designer found at the Paris Flea Market at Clingnancourt.

Brunswig & Fils silk taffeta window treatments and luminous color set the stage for memorable gatherings in the formal dining room. Here, another custom-blended paint showcases the William Switzer furnishings. (Carolyn describes the color as “raspberry,” adding that it was a blend of “3 or 4 shades – one of those was flamingo!”) Clarence House fabric appears in this room as well, on the eight dining room chairs. Fabric becomes art with four squares of Indonesian silk framed identically and hung as a single work.

Like the living room, the dining room also benefits from a triple exposure of natural light. After nightfall, dinner parties are illuminated by the impressive Nierman Weeks chandelier – a masterpiece of exquisite detail with a superb finish.

Beautifully crafted light fixtures and chandeliers are also critical elements in Carolyn’s work.“Lighting is so important,” she emphasizes. “No light fixture in this home is generic – there is no repeat. We also used Nierman Weeks in the breakfast room. Other fixtures are antiques – like the living room candelabra on the antique mantel, outfitted by Hewitt & Hitchcock for electric use.”

Formality yields to warmth on a grand scale in the wonderfully proportioned family room, the largest portion of the 1996 addition. The vaulted, two-story space is at once majestic and inviting. Again, color is key – this time a striking caramel/gold/honey crackled glaze that somehow resists a one-word description.

In another inspired use of fabric, two patterns of Schumacher chintz were used to make a tie-back curtain dividing the space between the kitchen and family room. When pulled to one side with a tasseled Robert Allen tieback, the panel softens the door frame, creating a charming, stylish entryway.

An Art Deco-inspired arched sofa anchors a cozy seating area, punctuated with Schumacher pillows and Maitland-Smith accent pieces. A well-equipped wet bar, papered in a Brunswig & Fils safari print, serves up a lighthearted response to the somber presence of a “wake table” on the room’s east wall. (Wake tables were commonly used in the 18th and 19th centuries to hold the body of the deceased during a wake procession in the family home.)

Second-floor balcony doors, originally overlooking the backyard, were preserved and converted to windows, offering a panoramic view of the family room and the gardens beyond. It’s the perfect spot to enjoy a new vista from an old perspective, and perhaps get a glimpse of those elusive Clayton deer.