What started out as an unexpected disaster quickly turned into an opportunity for change when Town and Country homeowners discovered a crack in their basement floor. Foundation issues that needed immediate attention pushed them to redo their lower level, turning it into the space they had always dreamed of.

After building their home in 2006, the couple thought they had built the perfect basement. It had a bar, a gym and a place for guests, but after several years in the home, they found they never used the space and, honestly, just did not like it.

“She looks just like Katie Hendricks! You know the 8th grader.” A doe-eyed teen holding a school worksheet pulls out her iPhone to snap a photo of a 1970 Mel Ramos painting of Jane Fonda.

“Yeah...I guess.” Her field-trip partner turns her head to see the piece from another angle. She frowns. “But I think she’s famous or something. She wouldn’t be in a painting like that unless she was popular.”

Toss your keys, change and other pocket essentials in a pretty tray. You’ll always know where to find these odds-and-ends items when you need them if they are stored in a catchall tray.

one: Heritage catchall, available at West Elm.

two: Bird catchall, available at Pottery Barn.

three: Leaf tray, available at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams.

Donald Judd, Untitled, Laumeier Sculpture Park, St. Louis, MO

Photography by Kevin J. Miyazaki and Laumeier Sculpture Park

For our March modern issue, we asked local design professionals if Lucite furnishings and accessories are a classic or a craze. Here’s what the professionals had to say.

Classic
“Lucite furnishings have been around for quite some time now. I believe they have become a design classic and will continue to be used in the future. Whether in a contemporary setting or a traditional one, a Lucite piece can always be appropriate.” Tom Manche, Tom Manche Interiors.

Illuminate your kitchen island with a functional yet decorative lighting fixture. Pendants, chandeliers or track lighting are all options that will provide plenty of light while amping up the style in your space.

one: Summit pendant, by Tech Lighting, available at Metro Lighting.

two: French oak opened framed lantern, available at Amini's.