A favorite Israeli artist-designed bench frames the sophisticated, architecturally rich hearth room along with Christian Liaigre for Holly Hunt designer chairs covered in Jim Thompson fabric. A simple, natural arrangement using twigs and berries adds an organic element to the fresh, fabulous gathering space.
Featured Homes
Thoroughly Modern
Dramatic details and brilliant works of art spotlight a suburban home designed with incomparable finesse.
BY
Leah Johnson
PHOTOGRAPHY
Michael Jacob


Faith Berger, art consultant and co-owner of Barucci Gallery, believes in being guided by and buying what you love, selecting pieces that you will love in 10 years – those that provide a “breath of fresh air” in your home.


The dining room’s brilliant modern design emanates throughout the home’s artful spaces, all showcased with pristine beauty.


A Macchia bowl by glass artist April Wagner is one of the original art glass pieces displayed on custom built-in bookcases in the hearth room.


Corey enjoys the custom-designed wine room in the home’s lower level where halogen lighting illuminates a considerable selection of wine bottles through sandblasted glass doors retrieved from the Bergers’ previous home.


The sophisticated, tailored master bedroom defines its luxurious style with a custom-designed headboard and bedding, Donghia lamps, Macassar wood nightstands, a John Whitticomb chaise lounge, and armoire from the Thomas O’Brien Collection from Hickory Chair. Sandcast glass figurative sculptures by Canadian artist Linda Fraser.
Rising from the ashes, much like the myth of the Phoenix, is the story of Faith and Corey Berger’s stunning contemporary home on a quiet, leafy, suburban street. After a freak electrical storm caused a devastating fire at their West County home three years ago, Faith and Corey took this opportunity to start anew, collaborate and meld their personal styles. In doing so, they created a “modern and sophisticated, yet relaxed and approachable” environment for their family. Looking at more than 100 homes in the Clayton, Ladue, and Frontenac areas, they chose a spacious nine-year-old, 4,500-square-foot home with outstanding architectural features. With an attractive open floor plan, master bedroom on the main floor, and room to expand on the bottom level, the house couldn’t have been more perfect for the Bergers. Faith called it a “turnkey” house, one that she could move into without changing, but her husband jokes that, “The house needed nothing, so Faith did everything.”

Over the years, Faith Berger, co-owner of the Barucci Gallery in Clayton with her mother Shirley Schwartz, has used her homes to showcase unique decorative glass pieces, as well as an impressive collection of modern mixed-media artworks. She explained that their former home was starker, using grays and whites, and leather and stainless steel – resulting in a harder-edged contemporary feel. This time, she sought to create a sanctuary for the family after the trauma of the fire, a place where they could relax, entertain friends, and enjoy a warmly balanced, minimal look. She consulted her husband on almost every major decision, buying slowly and selectively, purchasing only pieces that were meaningful or integral to the house. “Once you have lost everything, you appreciate what you have, what is meaningful, and realize that less is more,” says Faith. With purposeful thought given to each aspect of the interior design in the organized, uncluttered rooms, there is an overwhelming sense of streamlined elegance throughout the spaces. Using a palette that includes luscious leather and suede fabrics on upholstered furnishings juxtaposed against richly stained wood floors, its sleek, modern statement invites guests to enjoy the worldly aesthetic it exudes. With a selective use of granite, stone, and onyx, the home’s surfaces emanate a wealth of texture, depth and detail.

The hearth room, breakfast area, and well-appointed kitchen are true gathering places for the family. At the end of the day, it is a place for the family to unwind. Faith made a conscious effort to ensure the home would maintain a timeless quality by using a variety of striking materials, including camel-blue granite countertops and a backlit white onyx backsplash. Ceramic and stainless steel bowls and trays with simple, artistic beauty complement the suspended Artemide linear hand-blown glass fixture in the kitchen. In the nearby hearth room, a stunning honed-marble fireplace is flanked by a custom-built wall of cabinets featuring mahogany hand-grooved panels, providing a display area for a number of brilliant examples of some of the Barucci Gallery’s best contemporary glass artists. An Origami lacquered wood occasional table and custom-framed artwork in the hearth room, including an abstract, interpretive painting by Robert Motherwell, all complement the homeowners’ extraordinary display of art glass. Christian Liaigre for Holly Hunt designer chairs and a suede ottoman/ coffee table surround an inviting, plush sofa designed by Mattaliano. The Bergers’ love of raw materials is exemplified by the Italian-made, reverse-bezel, marble-topped breakfast table complete with aged fossils, set on untreated marble legs.

The dramatic dining room shows off Faith’s talent for mixing superb art glass, modern design and unique furnishings to bring an inimitable sense of style to her home. The Robert Kuster “Pod” chandelier is a spectacular custom-designed fixture of amber, lemon-yellow, tangerine and ruby-red glass offering fiery tentacles of light over the sculptured stainless steel dining table base by David Jawarski. The ebony Macassar sculptural breakfront is one of several pieces found throughout the house made from this African wood known for its striated appearance. The silver leaf and bronze relief artistic painting on the ceiling and custom mirror provide additional reflective surfaces to the extraordinary space.

Perhaps the most serene place in the Berger home is the master bedroom, where interior designer Steve Toedebusch of Frank Patton Interiors helped the couple achieve what Faith calls “a ’30s, French Moderne, Deco look.” A Hickory Chair armoire fills the room with rich ambience and impressive stature. Drawn to furniture as art, the Bergers consider the form and shape of each piece and how it enhances a room – in this case, their masterfully arranged bedroom. Captivating furnishings and stunning artwork define the spacious master suite. A luxurious master bath includes Faith’s personal touches, creating a relaxing space for the busy couple. Incorporating eye-catching arrangements of both custom silk and much-loved fresh flowers throughout her home is one of Faith’s favorite ways to accessorize, including the master bath floral arrangements.

Her home is a crowning example of how diverse decorative art and fine art mix successfully with the clean lines of artful furniture, to create an environment lovingly assembled piece-by-piece to reflect both the owner’s vocation and avocation.