Bar Les Frères was never supposed to be a restaurant. When Zoë Robinson opened the Paris-inspired bar on Wydown in Clayton in 2012, she really only envisioned it as a cozy waiting area for patrons itching to get into her popular Italian restaurant, I Fratellini, across the street. But the bid for a liquor license required food, and Robinson is not one to do food halfway.

In discussing elements of mid-century modern design, one will likely encounter an amalgam of descriptions most throw around aimlessly. It’s classic, it’s organic, it’s simple, boring, strange, retro, disposable, on and on and on with a wealth of others depending on who’s doing the describing and how many cocktails are involved. Certainly it’s been all of those things, for better or for worse. But occasionally one approaches examples that are anything but aimless, which embrace a concept mid-century modern embodied at its very best: mindfulness.

Purchased in 1999, this stunning residence in Ladue had thoroughly captivated the new owners with its lush grounds and classic French Tudor styling. Embellished with rough-hewn beams, finely crafted woodwork, arched entryways and magnificent fireplaces, the multi-level home was built in 1925 and symbolizes the luxury of its era. 

For most people, one garden would be enough. But not for Kathy Dubuque. In the six years she and her husband John have lived in their Ladue residence, Kathy has created five or maybe six different gardens, depending upon how you count. All surround the couple’s European, country-style home; all have their own personalities.

If you have a back yard water feature, consider adding aquatic plants to not only enhance the look of your pond, but many plants provide beneficial nutrients and oxygen. We asked local landscapers to share their favorite aquatic plants.

Water Lilies

"Tropical or hardy water lilies are a must for your pond or water feature.  Not only do water lilies bloom all summer long, they also provide shade and protection for your fish and help keep the pond water clean." David Sherwood, Sherwood’s Forest.

The Shaw Nature Reserve (SNR) encompasses 2,400 acres of natural Ozark landscape, breathtaking Meramec River frontage, and an extraordinary diversity of native plant and animal habitats. The Missouri Botanical Garden founded the Shaw Nature Reserve, formerly known as Shaw Arboretum, in 1925 when coal smoke in St. Louis threatened the living plant collections at the Garden. The orchid collection was moved to the Reserve in 1926, but pollution in the city abated before it was necessary to move the entire plant collection.