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Category 1 / Historic Residential Renovation
Second Place: L.J. Torno Jr. & Associates, 34 N. Brentwood, 314-721-3911
The Project: On April 15, 1870, Otto Monnig purchased this building at East Front and Gutenberg streets in Hermann. He used it for his hardware and cutlery business; later, his son-in-law opened a drugstore and post office in the building. The second floor contained two apartments, and the third floor provided storage and meeting space for a fraternal order. In 1971, the building was included in the newly formed Hermann Historic District.
The owners of a local winery purchased the building in the 1980s. They decided to use the two upper floors as a bed-and-breakfast and remodel the first-floor kitchen. The architect’s assignment: Create four luxurious guest suites per floor, achieve ADA compliance with a new elevator and lobbies, update the HVAC systems, restore the patterned slate roofing and cornice gutters, replicate the cornices, replace the windows, and create a third-floor balcony—all in accordance with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation.
Third Place: Rosemann & Associates, 1221 Washington, 314-678-1448, rosemann.com
The Project: Once white and nondescript, this six-building complex, formerly home to a lighting company, rarely got a second glance. Today, its colorful transformation into lofts demands attention. Constructed in 1907, the 61,000-square-foot complex was sold in 2004. During the preliminary site assessment, one of the architects noticed one building’s exterior paint had chipped away, revealing a glittering, golden brick facade. The architects capitalized on that find, establishing an array of gold, green, blue, and brick-red that created a South Beach, Miami–inspired look. The firm chose contemporary interior aesthetics contrasting historic and modern features. Kitchens here contain granite countertops, stainless-steel appliances, and cabinetry with translucent-paneled doors hinging upward instead of sideways. Original ceilings and exterior walls remain intact and unfinished, resulting in a cohesive clash between old and new.
The outcome: 60 units ranging from 771 to 1,865 square feet. Most units include large wood or concrete columns with windows up to 15 feet wide and 7 feet tall. After construction wrapped up in June 2008, all units were leased in 58 days.
Category 2 / Small Remodel
Second Place: Tom Young, 6451 Oleatha, 314-471-3867
The Project: As a young intern architect practicing in St. Louis, it was a goal of Tom Young’s to use his first home as a prototype for exploring design and revitalization. His concept was that any well-built, aging structure could be purchased and tastefully retrofitted to accommodate the modern lifestyle of a young professional couple. He searched for a project that required an extensive renovation—and on a scale such that he could independently design and construct it within a modest budget of $40,000.
With this in mind, he and his wife began the search for their home in late summer 2007. The property they found was a 1920s bungalow located in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood in south St. Louis. It was approximately 1,000 square feet. Other buyers were discouraged by the home’s enclosed front porch, which had been constructed in a haphazard manner, as well as its outdated kitchen and bathroom and nonfunctional floor plan.
Conceptually speaking, Young believed a southern-facing, enclosed front porch was a great opportunity to create an entry vestibule. Moreover, the porch doubled as a light well to fill the public spaces of the home with natural light. By removing the partition that divided the kitchen from the dining room, the Youngs were able to create an open space adequate for entertaining. In addition, they maintained some of the original character of the space by restoring the existing stained-glass windows and refinishing traditional moldings unique to these south St. Louis homes. They then painted the walls and moldings white, to create a monolithic modern backdrop to the natural materials and furniture pieces displayed throughout the home.
And by executing all phases of the renovation themselves, they were able to complete this project within their very conservative budget.
Third Place: Studio|Durham, 1856 Menard, 314-664-4574, studiodurham.com/contact.html
The Project: A family of five purchased a traditional Tudor-style brick home in Clayton. With the exception of the kitchen and a poorly built 1980s-era family room addition, most of the house was in good shape. The client requested a larger kitchen and a more usable family room.
The design solution involved creating a larger kitchen by combining what had been the original kitchen and a butler’s pantry. The family room was replanned to make it easier to furnish; its exterior doors were all eliminated or relocated and its built-ins were removed. Existing decayed windows were replaced with larger units with aluminum eyebrows to reduce heat gain.
Flooring is 9- by 18-inch limestone tiles. Custom cabinetry is walnut, with honed black granite and stainless-steel countertops. The exterior of the family room had vinyl siding, which was replaced with horizontal cypress siding installed in a rain-screen system. New windows are clad in anodized aluminum with aluminum trim.
Category 3 / Large Remodel (Greater Than 1,000 Square Feet)
Second Place: Bond Wolfe Architects, 200 S. Bemiston, 314-863-4994, bondwolfe.com
The Project: This interior renovation project combined households. The Tudor-inspired duplex is owned and shared by a mother and her daughter, each occupying a separate unit.
The 1,519-square-feet east unit renovation, occupied by the mother, focused on finding space for programmatic elements such as the redirection of the lower-level entrance, a powder-room addition through a barrel vault, and creation of a functional mudroom. Numerous interior walls were eliminated to offer an open, eat-in kitchen and breakfast room with a traditional feel. Closets were removed and relocated, funneling natural light into the front foyer to highlight the owner’s art collection. The design allowed the original hardwood floors to be salvaged and reused.
The west side of the duplex, 2,067 square feet occupied by the daughter and her family of four, was modernized with a new and expanded contemporary kitchen, including a polished herringbone travertine floor pattern flanked by contemporary cabinets and furniture—eliminating a central “hall of doors.” A new family room in the formerly underutilized lower level was created. The lower-level family space includes a kitchenette, bar, media center, and laundry area. This new space offers the family a comfortable group area for playing games, watching television, and relaxing.
Second Place: Jeff Day & Associates, 2722 Hampton, 314-644-2775, jeffdayllc.com
The Project: Originally built in 1925, the modernization of this home received historic tax credits. The entire home was refurbished. Not one window, door, or room was left untouched, bringing an upscale new life to this 4,500-square-foot classic home. The former attached garage was transformed into a new hearth room that opens into the newly renovated kitchen.
Above the renovated kitchen, the former master bedroom was converted into a master bath and closet, and a new master bedroom was added above the hearth room. A brick three-car garage was added to replace the previous two-car garage.
Third Place: Busenbark Carpet/Excellence Design, 8060 E. I-70 Drive, Columbia, Mo., 573-474-7550
The Project: What to do you do with a country home that has an awkward layout and a primitive interior? Radical surgery. Walls came down in order to better use space and improve traffic flow and function. Rooms were redesigned to fit with adjacent structures. For example, a kitchen closet and a study were converted into a butler’s pantry and dining room.
To remedy an awkward, seldom-used sitting room in the front of the house, the fireplace was moved to the corner of the room and enhanced with a Giallo Beach granite surround and finished with a maple mantle and bookcases on either side. Finally, the maple paneling was antiqued in its entirety with a chocolate glaze.
To create the illusion of breadth in the long, narrow great room, wooden beams were placed along the ceiling. An old-world fireplace was created in the center of the room, which was finished in travertine stone.
Category 4 / Addition to Existing Residence
Second Place: Fendler & Associates, 5201 Pattison, 314-664-7725, fendlerworld.com
The Project: This elegant stone house in Ladue was constructed in the early 1930s and lacked a modern-day kitchen and family room. Existing site constraints, most notably a pool and carriage house, prohibited an addition on the back of the house. The architects therefore designed an addition to the front and side of the existing structure including an “outdoor room” with a fireplace built onto the existing carriage house, which helped to connect the new addition to the existing garage. The house is a very visible and prominent structure on the street—so one of many challenges was designing an addition to the front of the house that would blend seamlessly with the existing structure.
The family room boasts an impressive vaulted ceiling with paneled walls, a fireplace with flanking built-in window seats and bookcases, and a second-floor balcony.
Third Place: Marc Christian Fine Cabinetry, 2366 Schuetz, 314-994-7111, marcchristian.com
The Project: This lady’s bath—an addition to the existing residence—was designed to be a luxurious retreat. The custom bow-front vanity with honed marble counter is flanked by beveled mirror–faced linen cabinets and augmented with a complementary bow-front lingerie dresser. Custom white cabinetry appoints the walk-in closet with personalized storage for folded and hung clothing, shoes, and boots. A mirrored purse-storage armoire features a built-in jewelry cabinet.
The shower and soaking tub are wrapped in honed Carrera marble that complements the marble floor. The monochromatic color scheme is finished with satin-nickel fixtures and accessories.
Category 5 / Addition Independent of the Home
No entries
Category 6 / Best Residential Architecture (Less Than 4,000 Square Feet)
The Winner: Ralph Eglin Wafer, 1221 Locust, 314-241-0762, ralpheglinwafer.com
Category 7 / Best Residential Architecture (Greater Than 4,000 Square Feet)
Second Place: The Lawrence Group, 319 N. Fourth, 314-231-5700, thelawrencegroup.com
The Project: The design comprises the main house (2,500 square feet) for a family of four and an attached carriage house as the grandfather’s residence. The upper level of the carriage house works as a flexible studio space, with north-facing clerestory windows accessible by a bridge from the main house.
The structure is placed near the driveway along the east edge of the property. This consolidates most of the outdoor space on the west side of the structure. The existing garage is used at the northeast corner, with a new motor/basketball court added. The main house’s private spaces are located to the east, with the bedrooms receiving morning light, and the public areas are located to the west. The grandfather’s residence in the carriage house is configured in a “shotgun” plan.
Exterior materials include cedar siding with translucent stain, mahogany doors, zinc-coated copper roofing on the carriage house, white TPO roofing on the main house, and zinc-coated copper coping. Interior materials include maple strip flooring in most areas, drywall partitions and ceilings, a mixture of stainless-steel and maple kitchen cabinets, and stainless-steel and granite countertops. Bathroom finishes include stone floors and a mixture of stone, glass, and ceramic tile on the walls.
Other features include aluminum-clad wood windows with clear insulating glazing with a low-e coating, a superinsulated attic, high-efficiency furnaces, ENERGY STAR appliances, and water-saving toilets. Rainwater is collected via downspouts leading to collection boxes recessed in the ground. Outlets lead to underground perforated pipe, which irrigates portions of the yard. Walkway pavers are made from recycled, precast concrete cladding salvaged from a demolished drive-through bank building.
Third Place: R.G. Apel Development, 14515 N. Outer 40, 314-542-9900, rgapel.com
The Project: The clients wanted a new home in St. Louis County with a similar aura as their home in Montana.
The challenges: First came the task of ensuring the home would be compatible with the homes surrounding the purchased lost. Also, the rear elevation needed as much detail and scrutiny as the front. The creation of well-placed private exterior living areas for this home, including patios and an exterior fireplace, facilitated the Western feeling the owner was seeking.
One of the most difficult spaces of this project was the interior solid fir beam configuration above the kitchen. The two main 10- by 12-inch beams that extend from end to end are 34 feet long and were installed as one piece. Handmade metal brackets were designed and forged by a blacksmith to meet the required dimensions. After all beams and brackets were in place they were stained to give them the character of extremely dated structural beams.
Cabinetry was specifically selected to achieve an updated look with a rustic touch. Even the range hood, with its hand-cut stone, was fabricated in the field to ensure an exact fit.
The success of this project was due to a collaboration between developer, builder, and cabinetmaker. In the words of one client when they moved in: “This is our Montana home on steroids.”
Category 8 / Best Green Construction of a Home
The Winner: Glantz & Associates Architects, 501 N. Lindbergh, 314-993-2160, glantzarchitects.com
Category 9 / Best Urban Renewal Project
No entries
Category 10 / Best Residential Swimming Pool/Spa
The Winner: Goessling Design, 1005 S. McKnight, 314-569-0900, goesslingdesign.com
Category 11 / Best Deck/Patio/Porch
Second Place: Mitchell Wall Associates, 2 The Pines, 314-576-5888, wall-associates.com
The Project: This growing, active young family wanted outdoor living areas that would serve as extensions of their shingled, Martha’s Vineyard–style home. First and foremost, it was important that the residence not overwhelm the neighborhood. Additionally, it was important that all areas blend and reflect the prevailing architecture of the house.
The front porch greets visitors and welcomes them inside the home while providing the structure with an appropriate grandeur. A large front swing was installed. Outdoor spaces to the rear of the house include a patio, a deck, a covered outdoor living room with fireplace, and the owner’s private balcony.
The deck provides a connection to the patio and the outdoor living room, as well as providing a transition from the kitchen. The outdoor living room acts as an extension of the gathering room. The stained tongue-and-groove wood ceiling of the outdoor living room completes the connection.
Third Place: Mosby Building Arts, 645 Leffingwell, 314-909-1800, mosbybuildingarts.com
The Project: The original deck on this custom home suffered from water damage. After determining that replacement was smarter than repair, a local architect designed a grand expansion.
The upper level closely adheres to the footprint of the original deck, updating the materials, securing water management, and building vertical brick piers that match the house.
To create more outdoor room, the usually ignored underside of the deck became a ground-level patio. More interactivity with the land inspired the landscape addition of a waterfall stream connecting to an existing creek. And for easier access, there are now three outdoor approaches to the deck, in addition to five entries from inside the house.
Category 12 / Best Residential Landscape Design Construction
Second Place: Goessling Design, 1005 S. McKnight, 314-569-0900, goesslingdesign.com
The Project: A healing garden equipped with sculpture garden, labyrinth, and moon gate echoes the Arts-and-Crafts style of the house. The garden was designed to look as though it had always been there and to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.
Completely screened and elevated from the street, the front yard became a perfect place for a sculpture garden. When the design process started, the backyard was vacant except for a magnolia tree and Japanese maple, which were designed into the new landscape. To balance the feng shui, the designers incorporated a secret garden that also acted as a viewing garden from the house. Within the garden, the moon gate draws visitors into the space containing a charming gargoyle fountain with koi.
Due to little slope, the drainage in the backyard was problematic, thus the design sought to create a drainage field under the labyrinth. The labyrinth is used as a walking meditation for problem solving and peace of mind. Surrounding the labyrinth are stone walls that swoop up and down in a manner reminiscent of Arts-and-Crafts organic design.
Third Place: McKelvie Lighting Design, 1306 S. Geyer, 314-822-7114, mckelvielighting.com
The Project: With this project, the lighting designer worked with the landscape designer and architect to provide just the lighting the residents envisioned. The large porch was designed where an existing deck stood. The owners wanted a dramatic space where they could relax in the evening and also host sumptuous dinner parties.
Coves were created by the lighting designer to provide up-lighting to literally highlight the natural wood ceiling’s beauty. To complement this soft illumination, accent lighting was used to bring out the columns and decorative plants. Filters were used to bring out the true colors of various landscape groupings.
One spring, birds decided to nest in the coves. The solution: The lighting was brought up to full brightness, at which point the feathered friends found it “too hot for comfort.” The lighting for both porches and the landscape is on a control system into which a number of “scenes” have been programmed. The light levels are set for entertaining, dinner parties, low-light level for coffee, sunsets, etc. For security, at 11 p.m. the system automatically dims down until sunrise.
Category 13 / Best Bath
Second Place: Glen Alspaugh Kitchens & Baths, 9808 Clayton Road, 314-993-6644, glenalspaughkitchens.com
The Project: In this bath, in order to maintain the most efficient use of space while still achieving the homeowner’s requests, a standing makeup area transitions into the angled wall with a radiused cabinet. The inset cabinetry was designed to look like furniture and the fleur-de-lis adornments give them a decidedly French style. Lighting was very important to the customer, so a valance above the mirror conceals both down and up lighting, while sconces provide light on each side. Cabinetry is conveniently located next to the freestanding tub, providing storage in a generally problematic point of use. The cabinetry and paneling surrounding the freestanding tub matches that of the vanity. The combination of creamy, light colors and soft textures culminates in an airy, feminine space.
Third Place: brooksBerry Kitchens & Baths, 751 Old Frontenac Square, 314-872-7720, brooksberry.com
The Project: This master bath is part of a master-suite addition to a Victorian home located in a National Register Historic District and built to allow the homeowners to live on one floor.
Armed with a modest budget but a lofty vision, the homeowners wanted a space that lives big, including a doorless shower, soaking tub, large vanity, abundant storage, and a walk-in closet.
Drawing on the talents of the eager homeowners to do much of the finish labor and using many salvaged materials allowed them to spurge on some high-end finish materials while remaining environmentally friendly and bringing many naturally distressed elements in to bridge the new and old portions of the house. A full-length mirror on the wall behind the vanity visually multiplies the size of the space and allows a back-of-the-head look at the vanity. A pocket door opens up the doorway.
The recycled, 100-year-old claw-foot tub was donated by a neighbor. Three mismade antique glass doors and a cabinet shop’s old door samples were used on the front of cabinets built by the homeowner for the vanity and over the tub. The octagonal window was found at a salvage store; the Venetian-style mirror and historic woodwork were purchased at yard sales. The splurge item was variegated Carrera marble tile in several sizes and shapes: large tiles on the countertop, decorative nosing trim on the shower soap recess, wainscot transition and counter edge with mini mosaics inlaid carpet runner–style on the floor, surrounded by silver limestone.
Category 14 / Best Kitchen (Less Than 300 Square Feet)
Second Place: CLB Interiors, 1866 Craigshire, 314-721-3232, clbinteriors.com
The Project: The homeowners downsized after their children moved away. In their new home, the 15-year-old country-style kitchen with floral wallpaper was completely remade to become clean and contemporary.
Custom maple cabinets were given a natural finish. The floors were replaced with maple as well, and the ceiling was painted with a rich coat of dark black. The new kitchen is efficient, with side–by-side stainless-steel double ovens and granite countertops. A signature of the kitchen is the set of frameless frosted-glass doors above the double ovens. Pendant lighting and black granite create a distinctive and efficient island, and the breakfast table sits in the bay. The kitchen is enveloped in natural light reflecting off the lake.
Third Place: Glen Alspaugh Kitchens & Baths, 9808 Clayton, 314-993-6644, glenalspaughkitchens.com
The Project: Balancing the height of the vaulted ceiling proved a challenge in this kitchen addition. The solution: Varied cabinet heights prevent a prominent horizontal line from accentuating the high ceiling and instead allow the ceiling to flow from the rest of the room.
A large two-story window dominates one wall, accentuated on each side by the visual weight of a double refrigerator armoire and a mantel hood. A neighboring area was annexed for double duty as an office and walk-in pantry space. To create more tall storage closer to the point of use, pullout pantries were recessed inside doorjambs at the kitchen entry. A concealed TV area requested by the homeowner was located above the refrigerator. Other unseen storage features include pullout trash bins, pullout spice columns, a pullout cutting board, soap-pad trays, rollout shelves, and deep rollout drawers. Stylistically, exposed ceiling beams, chunky turned legs, and leaded-glass inserts in walls, cabinets, and the pantry door convey the ambience of an English manor. The 245-square-foot two-room addition is fully appointed with the following appliances: two dishwashers, a steam oven, a double oven range, a warming drawer, two sinks, a microwave, and two refrigerators.
Category 15 / Best Kitchen (Greater Than 300 Square Feet)
Second Place: George W. Johannes Architect, 6366 Cedar Ridge, Edwardsville, Ill., 314-276-4565
The Project: The design of the kitchen and breakfast room was part of a comprehensive remodeling of this Central West End home.
In addition to the kitchen and breakfast room renovation, the scope of the project included provision of a new elevator accessing the three main floors of the turn-of-the-century mansion, as well as a basement level in which a spa has been designed as part of the overall renovations. To access the house itself, a wheelchair lift has been provided that enters into the remodeled kitchen and provides a useful means of loading groceries and provisions into the house.
The kitchen’s plan is designed to maximize the utility of the existing kitchen openings, in particular maintaining and utilizing the daylight entering the space from two floor-to-ceiling windows. The west window was converted to a full-lite door access to the wheelchair lift, while the north window is covered only by the countertop, a rolling open utility table that parks beneath the countertop, and glass shelves for display.
While the new kitchen is intended to be contemporary in its clean lines and simple organization and massing, the cabinetry is constructed of a medium-stained quarter-sawn oak to harmonize with the original, restored oak trim and paneling used throughout the house. The countertops are a coffee-toned granite. Hardware and appliances are of brushed stainless steel. All walls of the kitchen are the original white glazed brick. The breakfast room includes a second sink, refrigerator, wine cooler, and warming drawers.
Third Place: brooksBerry Kitchens & Baths, 751 Old Frontenac Square, 314-872-7720, brooksberry.com
The Project: Before: This kitchen had a typical 1970s floor plan with traffic-flow problems through the work area, inadequate appliances, and a space that didn’t work for entertaining. Views of the nearby lake were glimpses; the asymmetrically vaulted ceiling dwarfed the 7-foot-tall cabinets, and there was no flow between the living room, pool/BBQ deck, and kitchen.
After: Working in the same space allowed high-end materials and reduced the inconvenience to the household. The working kitchen area was moved to the inside wall and a center island, and the built-in bench seat was removed, allowing a gorgeous view of the pool, lake, and woods through full-height windows across the back. The vaulted ceiling side allowed cabinetry to be maximized, with cabinets staggered to 10 1/2 feet tall and the custom low-voltage floating “boat” fixture providing both ambient and pendant lighting on dual dimmer switches.
Adding a second stairway to the sunken living room and pulling the wine bar into the kitchen improved traffic flow, function, and visibility between the spaces. An artwork niche was created on the two-story living-room side, which was smooth-troweled with a terra-cotta Venetian plaster and accented with bronze light fixtures. The kitchen now has two barrel vaults over the stairs (inspired by the existing house doors) with an elliptical arched area centered for future collections. Three different floor tiles were arranged in three areas with varied patterns, and both sets of stairs were outlined with the black cleft slate nosings, with Imperial Tempora limestone on the treads and risers for safety. The hutch area was built to maximize storage and minimize the previous “dumping” counter tendencies.
Category 16 / Best Master Suite
Second Place: Beck/Allen Cabinetry, 633 Spirit of St. Louis Boulevard, 636-519-1611, beckallencabinetry.com
The Project: The significant aspects of this master bath design include his-and-hers lavatory areas, a vanity area on her side, ample storage for linens and personal-care items, open storage for a TV, elegant architectural accents, a morning bar with concealed refrigerator drawers and a microwave, a planning and filing station near the morning bar for her daily planning activities, and a finish selected to coordinate with the homeowner’s antique pieces.
Third Place: Beck/Allen Cabinetry, 633 Spirit of St. Louis Boulevard, 636-519-1611, beckallencabinetry.com
The Project: The significant aspects of this master-bath design include his-and-hers lavatory areas, ample storage for linens and personal-care items, and a dressing area with a bench seat and beverage center.
Category 17 / Best Dining Room
Second Place: CLB Interiors, 1866 Craigshire, 314-721-3232, clbinteriors.com
The Project: With traditional floral wallpaper abounding, this dining room was a great candidate for a contemporary makeover. Following the homeowners’ wishes, the designer used existing architectural elements to enhance the new contemporary design.
To simplify the space, the walls were faux-painted in a warm neutral and the coved ceiling was treated with a rich black paint to add drama. By adding a sleek black dining table and a contemporary pendant over the table, a great focal point is created and then anchored with a warm area rug. To finish off the look, the designer added contemporary window treatments and cornices to the previously untreated windows.
Category 18 / Best Powder Room
Second Place: CLB Interiors, 1866 Craigshire, 314-721-3232, clbinteriors.com
The Project: The space for this powder room was very limited and the homeowners wanted to keep the existing architecture intact while creating a beautiful contemporary space that incorporated existing architectural elements including the niche beside the commode and the bay with the pedestal sink. The designer created a custom countertop to fit the bay and used a black-granite and stainless-steel vessel sink to create the contemporary look the client wanted. In the niche by the toilet, she created a unique contemporary feature by using backlit frosted glass. With the addition of large-scale mirrors, the designer created the illusion of space in the small powder room.
Third Place: Edwin Pepper Interiors, 909 S. Brentwood, 314-862-6330, edwinpepper.com
The Project: The center stage for the powder room is the inverted pyramid wall mounted vanity. The top and bottom layers are composed of a back-lit honey onyx sandwiched between a lava stained cherry wood. This cabinet juxtaposed against the black wall gives the illusion that the vanity is floating in the space. Crowning the top rests the rectangular vessel lavatory, which acts as another layer of the vanity. The black granite floor melts into the charcoal-colored walls. A flush-mounted linen wrapped lighting fixture diffuses and quietly lights this space.
Category 19 / Best Living Room
Second Place: Suttle Mindlin Architects, 345 Marshall, 314-961-0102, suttle-mindlin.com
The Project: The client purchased this penthouse knowing that it did not yet reflect their taste. The previous owner had expanded several smaller units to create a single two-level residence with views on three sides and filled it with aggressive complexities: black walls, red columns and cabinetry, neon, and bold tile flooring grids.
The designer’s task was to drastically edit the complexity and create more spaciousness with a “new contemporary” aesthetic incorporating soft, comfortable materials. By using the client’s art collection and combining the kitchen and living/dining areas into a single concept, it became calming, understated, and refined.
The space is surrounded by architectural built-ins: a tambour wall (bar), ledges at glass perimeter (built-in sofa), and an art wall (flat screen). The furniture grouping “floats,” surrounded by the views, art, and conversation.
Third Place: Jamieson Design Associates, 4100 Laclede, 314-371-1777
The Project: The living room of this midcentury home in St. Louis was designed for a bachelor who collects contemporary American art, traditional African masks and sculpture, and Asian art. Because of the strength of the pieces themselves, the overall design of the interior spaces had to be warm and welcoming, yet subtle enough to complement and not compete with the art itself. The Asian aesthetic, which dominates the design of the residence’s interior, accurately reflects the basic principals of the midcentury architectural envelope.
Contemporary furniture designed by French interior designer Christian Liaigre complements the Asian antiques and antiquities, employing the same restraint traditionally used in the design of Ming Dynasty furniture. The result is a calm, peaceful oasis, one that acts as a backdrop for a lifelong collection of art, friends and memories.
The contemporary art collection is a mix of American minimalism and American Neo-Geo and Neo-Expressionist works. The Asian ceramics and works of art are from the Tang, Han, Warring States and Spring and Autumn periods. The African collection includes examples from the Dan, Mossi, Kuyu, Baule, Punu, Tshokwe, Lwalwa, and Kota peoples.
Category 20 / Best Wine Cellar
Second Place: Beck/Allen Cabinetry, 633 Spirit of St. Louis Boulevard, 636-519-1611, beckallencabinetry.com
Category 21 / Best Children’s Room
Second Place: Directions in Design, 1849 Craig, 314-205-2010, didinc.com
The Project: Description: This whimsical but grown-up girl’s bedroom offers the perfect spot for a preteen to grow into a young woman. The “gumdrop” color palette is one of pinks, yellows, and greens. The owner’s existing chests were repainted to match the new headboard. Ivory carpeting is the backdrop for a tone-on-tone circular area rug. Two ottomans offer extra storage and seating for friends. The pale green sheer fabric at the windows sports butterfly drapery rings. To add a touch of contrast, a painted mirror frame and silver-toned lamp bases were added.
The gumdrop colors—complete with raspberry accents, ivory carpeting, and the same circular-themed fabrics—are carried into the TV/sitting room area. An espresso-toned entertainment cabinet houses the television. A custom-made storage/display cabinet was crafted to blend with the ready-made entertainment unit. One of the goals was to provide adequate storage for games, dolls, art, and craft hobby projects. One corner of the room has a study area with a round table. The “retro-style” furniture has a fun, contemporary look, but the seating pieces are sturdy and holding up well to use by the room’s owner, family, and friends.
Category 22 / Best Traditional Interior Design
Second Place: Bridwell Interior Design, 2195 Highway 61, Festus, 636-937-1700, bridwellinteriordesign.com
The Project: The clients decided to move out of their freestanding house with a garden and into a high-rise condominium. They chose a 21st-floor space of 5,000 square feet with a south and east view. The space was open and unplanned except for plumbing chutes and structural columns.
The clients requested the designer plan the space and interiors to reflect their travels in Provence. It was a very comprehensive project; sometimes the designer ended up planning a space around an antique bench or armoire that was found in process. The interior needed to have a look of “age and collected charm.”
The designer conceived a plan that had a strong 8-foot-wide east-west axis. That became a series of small rooms: an entry “porch,” a formal foyer, a wine-tasting room, and a study with an eastern view of the Arch. This wide corridor axis had strong architectural arches and millwork and custom-made doors of wood, mirror, and iron.
The master suite, complete with a very large bath and dressing room, is located to the north. The kitchen/family room, office, laundry, guest bedroom, and baths are at the south. The conservatory, located at the southeast corner, has two balconies, a fireplace, and a fabulous domed ceiling created in the plenum space.
Third Place: Renee Celeste Flanders, 4814 Washington, 314-454-0900
The Project: Following the devastating loss of their home after Hurricane Katrina, the clients made the difficult decision to transplant to St. Louis. Only a few prized and treasured pieces survived the flooding and accompanied them in their move north. The challenge was to create a new home, one that would provide them with warmth and comfort, as well as reflect their world travels and intellectual interests. This home was appealing to them for the reason that it was an old property, but entirely refurbished, not too large, and in a friendly neighborhood. They christened it their “Condo Home” for its convenience of lifestyle and maintenance.
The color palette for the entrance hallway, living room, and study was taken from the hand-woven rug. All woodwork was painted the same as the wall color in the living room and study. The fireplace mantel was faux-painted to match the marble fireplace surround. Antiques are juxtaposed with contemporary artwork and lighting. One of the clients’ favorite pieces is a net fabric resin–impregnated chair. It reminded them of the fishing nets in New Orleans.
Category 23 / Best Contemporary Design
Second Place: Jamieson Design Associates, 4100 Laclede, 314-371-1777 with Gunn & Smith Architects, 6244 Clayton Avenue, 314-644-3150, gunnandsmith.com
The Project: In any collaboration, the balance between the participants is crucial to the outcome. When the object of the collaboration is to articulate the voice of a third party, the melding of ideas must become singular in order to properly speak as that voice. The collaboration between the architect and designer for this Brentmoor Park residence was such a melding of minds, ideas, and spirits. The clients, a young family of five, chose to build a new residence within a historic residential enclave of stately homes, all of architectural significance. The new home was to be designed in such a way that it blended into the architectural landscape of the neighborhood and possessed an interior that would complement and accommodate the young family’s casual lifestyle.
The simple Mediterranean style of the home was in essence the basis for the casual interior, which the clients naturally gravitated toward. The clean, spare interior spaces would be organized in such a way that they would open to each other without sacrificing the classical principals from which the original design evolved. The rooms comprise a series of enfilades, which unfold to reveal relaxed, casual spaces. True to the classic Mediterranean style, the home maximizes the use of natural light by maintaining a long, thin series of disciplined rooms.
The interior design reflects the clients’ clean, contemporary tastes. Wood doors and trims were stained dark to contrast the light, limed oak floors. The walls were painted a soft white, creating contrast between the furniture. The furniture was arranged to welcome both large and small groups. The dark woods, coupled with the soft earth tones of the upholstery, create a series of interior silhouettes that evoke different moods depending upon the time of day. A collection of African and Pre-Columbian art lends a feeling of substance and speak to the heritage from which the design evolved.
Third Place: Tom Young, 6451 Oleatha, 314-471-3867
The Project: As a young intern architect practicing in St. Louis, it was a goal of Tom Young’s to use his first home as a prototype for exploring design and revitalization. His concept was that any well-built, aging structure could be purchased and tastefully retrofitted to accommodate the modern lifestyle of a young professional couple. He searched for a project that required an extensive renovation—and on a scale such that he could independently design and construct it within a modest budget of $40,000.
With this in mind, he and his wife began the search for their home in late summer 2007. The property they found was a 1920s bungalow located in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood in south St. Louis. It was approximately 1,000 square feet. Other buyers were discouraged by the home’s enclosed front porch, which had been constructed in a haphazard manner, as well as its outdated kitchen and bathroom and nonfunctional floor plan.
Conceptually speaking, Young believed a southern-facing, enclosed front porch was a great opportunity to create an entry vestibule. Moreover, the porch doubled as a light well to fill the public spaces of the home with natural light. By removing the partition that divided the kitchen from the dining room, the Youngs were able to create an open space adequate for entertaining. In addition, they maintained some of the original character of the space by restoring the existing stained-glass windows and refinishing traditional moldings unique to these south St. Louis homes. They then painted the walls and moldings white, to create a monolithic modern backdrop to the natural materials and furniture pieces displayed throughout the home.
And by executing all phases of the renovation themselves, they were able to complete this project within their very conservative budget.
