Do you know where your ancestors were 126 years ago? You may know what country they were in; you may know what their profession was or, like many of us, you may have little information at all about them.

“I decorate our home for every major holiday,” says homeowner Renee Stout. Christmas, though, is special — and you’ll know it the moment you pass the rustic, restored working sleigh in Stout’s front yard. This particular piece resided in the Crestwood Commons Schnucks lobby for years, until Stout convinced the owner to sell it! Now, it’s the first indication that, for the Stouts, Christmas is more than a mere day. “It’s a feeling,” Stout says. “A scurry extending from Thanksgiving weekend into the New Year.”  

Turn your fireplace into an eye-catching focal point in the room with seasonal flourishes. SLHL asked three local design shops to put their spin on mantel décor in a beautiful custom-designed home in Creve Couer by SR Homes. With only 30 minutes to dress up the space, the results are astounding. Ribbons, bows, garland and ornaments transform the mantel from everyday to Santa’s workshop.

After 17 years in their O’Fallon home, Lisa and Todd Hatz were ready to rejuvenate a lower level that had outgrown its original purpose and outlived the trends of the time. By January 2016, it was time to bring the space into the 21st century and out of its cold demeanor.

“I remember growing up going to my aunt and uncle’s house,” recalls Ross Anzalone, director of home furnishings at Amini’s Galleria in Chesterfield. “I dreaded it. They’d say ‘you’ve got the sleeper sofa.’” He groans. “It was miserable.”

I’ve lived in Colorado since middle school and had never visited the Western Slope, as we call it. Grand Junction was always just a gas stop on the way to the National Parks in Utah. This past week, my husband and I decided it was high time to explore the region. If you’ve limited your Colorado trips (or potential trips) to Denver and the ski resort towns, you’ve missed a side of Colorado that we want to visit over and over.