The couple enjoys coffee at a vntage slate-topped Knoll table surrounded by four Harry Bertola grid-work wire chairs from the artist's famed 1950s collection.
Gardens, Pools & Spas
A Luscious Palette
A cozy sunroom harmoniously transforms into a flourishing, sunlit solarium with artistic panache.
BY
Lucyann Boston
PHOTOGRAPHY
Matt Marcinkowski

Stylized ceramic California bathing beauty from the Hotel Del Coronado on Coronado Island near San Diego, where Barbara and Milton vacation every year with their children.
Orchids take center stage in the newly transformed sunroom.
Lounging lady, one of the couple's whimsical sculptures, was a gift from their children, purchased on Coronado Island.
A custom-designed entertainment unit provides a generous space for electronics, books, collectibles and greenery.

Black-ad-white photograph of Paris Metro stop in front of Hotel du Louvre. 3-D collage purchased two years ago in New York featuring the marquees of all the top Broadway shows that year.
When Barbara Barenholtz called on interior designer Kris Keller to create a new look for her Clayton sunroom a few years ago, she wanted a space that blended the indoors and outdoors together with flair.

"The compact space was used for reading, watching television and even casual meals. I had to have storage for books and (various components of) an entertainment center," Barbara notes. "But I wanted everything to be light and airy in feeling. I liked wicker and an outdoor look."

Kris, president of The Design Source Ltd., delivered a multifaceted package. She used a light faux finish on the brick-walled room to create a castle-stone effect; accented the windows with pearl plantation shutters and glazed the ceiling a smokey shade of eggplant. "When the sun reflects off the ceiling it creates an interesting, almost watery effect," Kris explains. For the interior wall, she designed an Asian-influenced, espresso-stained oak entertainment center with places for electronic equipment, books and artistic accents.

Tucked neatly into the base of the piece are three ottomans on hidden casters with handsome leather pulls. "They can be instantly extracted and used as footrests, tray tables or extra seating, but take up no additional space in the room when they're not being used," Kris notes. Amethyst, aged gold and parchment woven fabric cover the pieces and complement the abstract print on the wicker-framed sectional sofa – beautifully placed to view the built-in wall system.

The espresso wood is echoed on the window ledge that runs the length of the room and displays small keepsake sculptures in a variety of materials that Barbara and her husband Milton Hieken collected on their world travels. The space is heated by radiators, cleverly disguised by custom covers, also stained in espresso, to coordinate with the rich look of the case piece.

A vintage slate-topped Knoll table surrounded by four Harry Bertoia grid-work wire chairs from the artist's famed 1950s collection provide additional seating in the room.

Although Barbara envisioned an outdoor look for the sunroom, she never dreamed it would bloom into a flourishing solarium during the chilly winter months. The botanical transformation took the talents of David Sherwood of Sherwood's Forest in Des Peres and the expertise of grower, Elaine Marshall. While the shelving in the sunroom was perfect for holding books, electronic equipment and small sculptures, the room's multiple windows also made it an ideal place to display plants. David and Elaine made their selections with an eye toward things that would be low maintenance inside and could be easily moved outside to Barbara and Milton's striking, all-white garden adjacent to the sunroom when the weather turns warm. The Pennsylvania bluestone-accented terrace with a contemporary feeling was designed by landscape architect Matt Moynihan.

David and Elaine, along with the team from The Design Source, Ltd., worked their magic to incorporate tropical and desert plants into the limited amount of space in the sunroom. Perfectly paired with the space, these plants are easily maintained, remain small and thrive with a moderate amount of light and a minimum amount of water.

Hoya: Also known as wax plant, this trouble-free vine grows well in bright indirect light with a moderate amount of water and should be allowed to dry out between waterings.Hoyas can trained to twine over a variety of surfaces. Older plants have an interesting, waxy bloom.

Pathos: Another trouble-free vine, pathos resembles a variegated philodendron. The plant can withstand low light and get along with very little water. Grown for its heart-shaped leaves and cascading foliage, it can be placed outside in either sun or shade.

Succulents: By mixing several different small plants in a single pot, "you get a variety of interesting textures and leaf shapes," Elaine points out. "They're easy-care; you only need to water them once a month." The more sunlight they get, they larger they'll grow, she adds. Without a lot of light in the winter, they'll stay small.

Orchids: "There's a whole science to growing orchids and it's difficult to get them to rebloom," Elaine notes. "But any plant lover can enjoy orchids, too. They bloom in January and February when it's cold outside and the blooms last a long time. One plant can provide several months of blossoms." If moved outside in the summer "put them in the shade where a sprinkler can get to them and fertilize them frequently. They need to be fertilized well when they are not blooming to get them to rebloom," she adds. "Orchids are definitely shade growers in our climate. You can lose one quickly by putting it outside in the summer sun."