Kat Kissick painting is a roar of color that wakes you up and draws you in. Vibrant acrylic paints and markers are layered on wooden panels – and, sometimes, skate board decks – then carefully edited away in a process Kissick calls “create and destroy.” Her subjects aren’t so much painted as they are revealed, with stories that pivot from whimsical to wary. The occasional white line lends contrast, but Kissick is clear that she doesn’t work with neutrals: “My art is for people who understand color and let it speak to them,” Kissick says.

Built in 1923, long derelict and often the target of vandalism, this multi-unit apartment building in Tower Grove had been an eyesore for many years. In spite of calls to raze the structure, a courageous developer undertook its rehabilitation in the early 2000s, with plans to convert the building into four three-story single-family residences. Then the housing market crashed, and construction halted. 

“When people walk into the room, I see them glance around and smile, and they say it’s really a happy room. And, it is,” says homeowner Nanette Stevenson. Manche has done nearly every room in the Stevensons' house, and the homeowners have followed even his boldest ideas. “Tom is very creative, and I trust him — a lot,” Nanette adds. When Manche decided Tarkay paintings from a nearby living room would set the newly built family room’s palette, he knew bright fuchsia and orange hues wouldn’t be an issue.

“I love everything about it – the granite, the crown molding, the built-in theater with seating for twelve, even the door handles. But I won’t buy this house. I just CAN’T with the red wall,” the wide-eyed reality show participant spouts off as she gives her final synopsis of the house she’s just finished touring. “The color just doesn’t feel…right. It isn’t me.”

If you’re tired of the stainless-steel look, consider adding a pop of color to one of your kitchen appliances. Stoves, refrigerators, mixers and more now come in a wide array of colors. Just keep it simple with one or two pops of color.

one: 48” Tuscany range in dark blue, by Viking, available at AUTCOhome and Authorized Builder Sales.

two: Professional 600 series 6-quart bowl-lift stand mixer in tangerine, by KitchenAid.