Built in the 1970s, Tom Kraatz’s Kirkwood home possessed some anachronistic elements in the master bath that kept the retiree from fully enjoying the generous 375-square-foot room. 

“While there was a lot of space, it was all disconnected and in smaller separate rooms,” Tom says. “The prior owners presumably wanted independent bathrooms, which made for redundant fixtures, aisles and restricted natural light into the different spaces.”

Your choice in tile can take your bathroom to the next level. Whether you stick with classic neutrals or bold brights, a showstopping tile in the shower creates the perfect spa-like ambience in the bath.

1. Zellige decor in graphite, Mestizaje collection by WOW, available at Virginia Tile. 

2. By Jim Walters, JP Walters Design.

3. By Sharon L Sherman, Thyme & Place Design. Photography by Peter Rymwid Architectural Photography.

Visit Lodi, and you’ll get a sense of what Napa Valley was like during its heyday in the 1960s — “Back when Napa didn’t have all of the giant wineries — the monuments,” says Russ Munson, owner of Wine & Roses, a luxury hotel in the heart of the Lodi AVA. 

Nisha Tailor had almost forgotten how very colorful color could be. After 18 years away from her native India, the interior designer, who owns Nisha Tailor Interior Design, recalls the “shock” of seeing the bold — almost garish — hues on every wall of every home she visited.

Longview Farm, Town and Country, MO
Photography by Kim Dillon

We asked local design professionals if sliding barn doors are a classic or a craze. Here is what they had to say.