|
     

    Tiling a bathroom or kitchen can be a long, intensive task. With the introduction of peel-and-stick tile, homeowners are able to create short-term solutions for design problem areas throughout their home.

    Decorative DIY

    |
     

    Opportunity literally knocked at the door for St. Louis couple Bradley Fratello and Doug Moore. While admiring their dwelling in The Grove from the street, a stranger walked up to their front door and offered to buy it for a generous price well above what they had spent building it. Quickly seizing the moment, they accepted the offer and moved into a condo in the Central West End. After a couple of years, they still craved city life but preferred to have more land with a seamless indoor/outdoor connection.

    |
     

    Creating a meticulously designed space from a blank canvas is a unique challenge. Looking for someone to take on the challenge, this new homeowner reached out to Morgan Brown of Castle Design after a neighbor’s home was transformed with Brown’s help. “She saw my work, and liked it, and so we went from there,” recalls Brown.

    |
     

    One vibrantly-hued item provided the inspiration for a colorful transformation in the bedroom of a home in Webster Groves. “We really started with the area rug that had been in their family,” says designer Karen Korn, owner of Karen Korn Interiors. “That is what inspired the color story. It had the reds and the blues in it. We were trying to coordinate with that area rug without taking away from it.”

    |
     

    With a reverence for traditional design and classic architecture, the new homeowners of this 1917 colonial revival gem were intent on preserving as much of the original structure as they could during an extensive restoration. The 5,500 square-foot home, designed by Gale Henderson—a prominent architect who worked with Raymond Maritz and Angelo Corrubia—sits in a coveted location just across the street from Forest Park. Upon purchase, the home required a complete overhaul, including all plumbing, electrical and heating/cooling systems.

    |
     

        Jimmy Rohrbaugh and Ignacio Lopez Costa love the character and charm of the old houses in St. Louis, particularly the historic houses in the Central West End and DeBaliviere Place areas.  “To us these homes are aesthetically more appealing than new construction, and we also love the history that comes with them,” Ignacio says. “Neither of us is a big fan of open floor plans and prefer to have distinct rooms with unique qualities. That’s something these old houses have that new construction often lacks.” 

    Pages