Tony-nominated Broadway star Taylor Louderman moved to St Louis to reside closer to her family, but the region held other enticements, too. “My husband and I moved from New York City, so we had been used to the concrete jungle. What also drew us to the suburbs was the one-acre lot and the outdoors, not that I want to go camping or anything,” she laughs, “I haven’t done that since I was a kid, but we just wanted to have the open spaces and an inviting outdoor area.” Things that don’t typically come without a hefty price tag in the big apple.

Since moving into their beloved Olivette home 25 years ago, this couple had only done minor renovations due to their busy lifestyle raising four children. When the time came for them to make a change, they decided to remodel their existing home rather than moving. “We really like our neighborhood and our neighbors,” comments the wife. “It feels comfortable for us here.”

For Luke Morgan, family and business have always gone hand in hand. As a third generation builder, he learned the basics of construction and remodeling from his dad, Terry. Now president of his design build firm MorganCo, family is still at the forefront in his business with Terry serving as a skilled carpenter and mom, Chris a skilled painter.

When Scott and Joan Holley left their large family home for a smaller-scale villa, they soon realized the new layout needed some tweaks to suit their new lifestyle. Recent empty-nesters, the couple were attempting to downsize but were still very involved with their church, friends and family. They wanted a comfortable home for their daily lives, but also one with the ability to accommodate large and small–scale entertaining for any occasion. But soon they noticed their spaces were too cramped.