A New Dawn

Chris Berry (yes, she’s the Berry in brooksBerry Kitchens & Baths) loves being part of the “city renewal” in St. Charles’ Frenchtown historic district. And giving back to the community is one of the most exciting rewards for this adventurous homeowner and kitchen designer extraordinaire. Taking her century-old, once-condemned Victorian home “back to its roots” was accomplished while focusing on creating multifunctional spaces. “Though there are no hallways in the house, the house feels bigger than it is. Rooms sweep into the other rooms. I know that I gave a second life to this house,” she says. A historic sign signals visitors to the home’s origin in 1895 – one of the first houses built in Frenchtown on the north end of the city.

“I love to invest in history. My parents were both teachers and we always traveled to historical places. They were and still are antique collectors,” says Chris. “And I think the only new things in my house are my sofa, side chairs in living room, lamps, circular carpet under the dining table, and the Wolf range. Everything else has come from someplace else and had a life of its own. I just like old stuff.” And with a remodeling plan that has evolved over the past three years, (and Chris admits, is still evolving), the transformed home features a great use of space. Chris opens her home to family and friends on special occasions throughout the year. In the cozy library space that transforms to a relaxed place for casual dining (her Empire-style table opens to seat 12), Chris happily hosts get-togethers with ease, including her gourmet dinner group. “That’s the beauty of an old table – you can just keep wedging people in,” says Chris, who turns the table at an angle in order to accommodate a “house-full.” An eclectic mix of conversation starters are written by Chris in calligraphy on her dining room chandelier shades and provide both wisdom and whimsy for guests, including “How silly to have killed the servant; now we can’t find the marmalade!” from Agatha Christy. Other quotes from the Dalai Lama, Mark Twain and Winston Churchill provide inspiration on life’s teachable moments.

And many of the lessons learned have been ones that Chris has gladly shared with others in her close-knit neighborhood. “There's an incredible camaraderie between people who own old houses and are into history. We all face the same problems – how do you fix this or fix that,” she explains. Chris delights in teaching “the newbies” in her neighborhood to sand floors, refurbish old windows or transplant old house parts.

“I have an affinity for collecting old house parts - giving them their due repair. It's a sickness, really,” laughs Chris, and calls her own storage space, where she saves and recycles parts her “House Hospital.” For Chris, “it is the ultimate green movement” – taking an old house and stripping it down to the bare bones and adding new or reclaimed materials to it. “Old houses can give back to old houses. I ended up with a zillion bricks from my back lot – all of which I've used now on one renovation project or another.”

The home's charming cottage ambience begins in the front yard, where Chris planted hundreds of tulip bulbs and a wave of daffodils delights the eye at first glance aside an inviting front porch. Chris' outdoor space is extending – in New Orleans courtyard style – around the side of her home, and the process has been a labor of love. “None of us have enough space beside our houses to do anything on a large scale. My neighbors suggested sharing our patio areas. And now we call it ‘hangin' on the patio.' ” And part of the “zillion bricks” from Chris' back lot now line the patio between the two houses.

With its renewed spirit, the irresistible historical area is like a breath of fresh air for Chris. “I can walk to Main Street, I'm two blocks from the Katy Trail, and near a nature walk right against the river (the eco-park). It's beautiful – you don't even know you're in town – it's the way the riverfront was when Lewis & Clark came through – a town within a city.”

“The house has a lot of good energy. It's the kind of place where people come in and say ‘Oh – This is great!'” Chris' niece sums it up just perfectly. “I just love going to Aunt Chris' house. It's just so homey!”