Home + Design

Intro To Composting

How To Create Rich Soil Article by Mel Boban ​​​​​​Benefits of composting reach far and wide. Not only does compost feed plants with nutrients out of kitchen waste, it diverts trash from the landfill. The only cost to composting is time and the bins required to 'cook' the compost. The soil created can reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers and can hold more water than other soil types, keeping plants hydrated and healthy. Plus, plants will love it! First, select bins. Luckily, some...

Home + Design

Houses Built To Last For Generations

Fischer Homes' Professionals Provide Forever Homes, Caring Communities Article by Julie Brown Patton | Photography by Provided by Fischer Homes Homes are where people's distinctive stories begin, and solid beginnings are vital for homeowners. "Promise only what you can deliver, and deliver what you promise," were the wise words of Henry Fischer, co-founder of Fischer Homes, along with his wife, Elaine, during 1980. While they launched the company in Kentucky, they expanded the business into...

Home + Design

2025 Home Remodeling Trends

Discover 8 Inspiring Ideas To Transform Homes and Create Beautiful, Functional, Welcoming Spaces Article by Michaela Pearce | Photography by Anne Matheis With four decades of experience in the home remodeling industry, Liston Design Build team members have helped clients ideate and integrate a myriad of design/build decisions to meet changing needs and preferences over the years. In 2025, several exciting trends are emerging that focus on creating personalized, functional and welcoming spaces...

Home + Design

2025 Color Of Year: Mocha Mousse

Anne Marie Designs’ Exclusive Take On This Year’s Most Coveted Hue Article by Kelley Lamm Pantone announced its Color of the Year for 2025: PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse , a warm, rich brown that exudes both sophistication and comfort. This decadent hue is reminiscent of lavish desserts, espresso martinis and the inviting embrace of a winter cabin. "Mocha Mousse is a luscious, earthy tone that brings natural comfort," says Anne Marie of Anne Marie Design Studio. "It’s a perfect accent in any...

Home + Design

Diving In, Head First!

How Nicole Newkirk Fuses Fashion And Function Into Outdoor Living Article by Stacey Collins Bibb Don’t let the fashionable, free-spirited, relaxed attitude of Nicole Newkirk fool you. Beneath that fun-loving, dreamer exterior, Nicole is a shrewd creator and businesswoman. Many people have undoubtedly seen, and fawned over, her designs. Nicole is co-owner of Oasis Pools. Being a leader in a male-dominated industry of pool design and construction, Nicole says she finds that one of the most...

Health + Wellness

“Return to Sport” For Older Adults

Return to sport is a term commonly used with high school, college and Olympic athletes. It looks at how quickly you can return someone to a high level of competitive performance after an injury. The goal is to minimize lost playing time by returning the athlete to full health and physical fitness as soon as possible. How could this mindset apply to aging adults?Even though most of the people we interact with every day do not play a competitive sport, we work with many clients who have a love for...

Home + Design

Secure Standby, Steadfast Electrical Power

Generator Supercenter Experts Joyfully Provide Comfort, Peace-Of-Mind For Customers Article by Julie Brown Patton Lengthy electrical outages can be nerve-racking and costly. Generator Supercenter   of St. Louis professionals assert their generators repower entire houses within 30 seconds.  Providing a sense of preparedness and convenience in unexpected situations is one of several benefits of having Generac standby generators, says David Lockwood, general manager of GSC of St. Louis. "Unlike...

Home + Design

Wimzy Walls

'This Ain’t Your Grandma’s Wallpaper' Article by Robin Seaton Jefferson | Photography by Jenna Whitmore “This ain’t your grandma’s wallpaper.” Though the Chinese are said to have invented wallpaper by pasting rice papers to walls as far back as the Qin dynasty, most of us are more likely to think of the little ducks or flowered patterns on our grandmothers’ bathroom and kitchen walls. This isn’t that. Veronica Schwab and her husband started their custom vinyl wrap company, Cool Touch...

Arts + Culture

Ultra-Personal, Bicycle-Themed Lifestyle Destination

Le Vélo Inn: Welcome To A New, Quaint And Thoughtfully Curated Boutique Hotel Article by Julie Brown Patton | Photography by Provided by Le Vélo Inn Given that Susanne and Bill Owens restored a historic 1871 building into a boutique hotel just two blocks from the bicycle-inspired Katy Trail, and given that the French word vélo translates to "bicycle" or "bike" in English, it stands to reason that they christened the new destination spot as Le Vélo Inn.  The imaginative bike hotel in...

Arts + Culture

Nothing Says Love Like Chocolate

How A Heart-Shaped Box Of Chocolate Became Ultimate Sign Of Love On Valentine’s Day Article and Photography by Stacey Collins-Dixson Chocolate. The very word elicits a sense of euphoria. The smooth, rich creaminess of the perennially-favorite confection continues to capture hearts and taste buds every Valentine’s Day. But why does chocolate have the hold that it does? The answer is more nuanced than simply “it tastes good,” otherwise, people would delight each other with heart-shaped boxes of...