See the winning projects of Design STL’s 2020 Architect & Designer Awards

Addition

Matt Wolfe, Wolfe Architecture & Design

An addition that included a three-car garage with an apartment, family room, wine cellar, and courtyard turned a modest two-story stone home into a residence that’s far more comparable to the other houses on the street. Wanting to remain true to the original design, the architect scoured the internet for salvaged building components. Through Craigslist, he acquired a cut-stone entry floor, steel windows, millwork, timber trusses, wood paneling, and a grand stair. 

Children's Room

Leslie Sumner, Leslie Rose Design

The design of this children’s room was inspired by a piece of art that hangs above a little girl’s bed. The designer combined bold patterns with bright hues such as green and pink; touches of black throughout ground the space. A chest of drawers, passed down by a family member and lacquered in an on-trend shade of coral, lends a modern air. 

Commercial Restaurant Space

Oculus Inc.

The architect transformed a 4,000-square-foot former restaurant space in downtown St. Louis into a bold second location of the Hi-Pointe Drive-In. According to the submission entry, the new location “leverages ’50s drive-in nostalgia to create a brand experience.” Colors prevalent in comic books, as well as references to science fiction narratives, provided inspiration for the interiors. A floor-to-ceiling corner tower of red-painted metal and a 20-foot sci-fi mural helps bring the vision to life.

Custom Furniture Design

Marc Kurlander

Kurlander’s Mirage Collection was designed to provide worry-free outdoor furniture incorporating weather-resistant aluminum, quick-dry cushions, robust cast concrete, and made-to-order finish and fabric combinations. The collection puts a contemporary spin on the traditional rattan furniture framework and its slender rounded profiles, soft curves, and meticulous woven fibers. Metal banding helps hold the furniture’s form for years to come. The Cascade Tables are inspired by the fluid, smooth motion of wind and water.  

Dining Room

Ken Stückenschneider, Stückenschneider Decoration & Design

Ken Stückenschneider has emphasized this barn-inspired space’s beam structure with an antique Italian chandelier. The Edwin Lutyens–inspired table, handcrafted from white oak, complements the white oak paneling. Six Warren Platner chairs, upholstered in a well-worn brown leather, add a touch of modernity. “The design juxtaposes textures, rusticity, and modernity, and the round table makes for a nice balance against the linear elements,” says judge Corey Damen Jenkins.

Fireplace + Use of Interior Lighting

Kelly Johnson, Kelly Johnson Design · Jim Howard, Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath

This 20-foot fireplace posed several design challenges. Located at the end of a long room, it called for enough architectural interest to make it a focal point but not so much that it overpowered the barrel-vaulted ceiling and two walls of floor-to-ceiling windows. The wall above the cast-stone mantel is built of rectangular panels of stained rift-sawn white oak. A motorized lift raises the center panel to reveal the television. 

In a home built for art enthusiasts, it was important that the lighting complement the collection. A series of black-and-brass oval pendants adorns the length of the foyer. In the dining room, a gold mesh fixture captivates the eye but doesn’t detract from the painting. In the master sitting room, a bespoke floating art glass installation adds an element of surprise. A Sputnik-style fixture punctuates an Asian-inspired library, and the fixture in the gathering room complements the Jackie Saccoccio painting.

Foyer

Amy Studebaker and Michelle Thore, Amy Studebaker Design · G. Terbrock Luxury Homes

The homeowners had two desires for this space: Add an upstairs bedroom and create a connection to the master suite through the foyer. The team removed an iron staircase and a massive chandelier, added plastered walls and a plank ceiling. Note how the front door surround and stone flooring provide a nice contrast in color to this airy, inviting entry.

Great Room

Amy Studebaker and Michelle Thore, Amy Studebaker Design  · PK Construction · Fendler + Associates

A mix of color, pattern, and texture in the design would yield a vibrant, family-friendly great room, but the original asymmetrical vaulted ceiling would need to go first. The ceiling was made level and replaced with wide planks and box beams, all finished in high-gloss paint. The addition of a fireplace gave the room a focal point, and a new banquette increased the seating options.

Historic Residential Renovation

Dottie Eaton, Design Style

The clients are passionate about Midcentury Modern design, so the renovation of their new-to-them 1950s ranch home needed to be true to the original style. In refinishing the floors, designing a new kitchen, and adding more lighting, the team was able to maintain the original style. The furnishings are a combination of heirloom vintage and modern pieces, and leather has been removed from the house to accommodate the clients, who are vegans. No detail was overlooked: Even the vintage stereo now incorporates Bluetooth technology. 

Lower Level

Amy Studebaker and Jamie Reeves, Studebaker Design · PK Construction · Fendler + Associates

The renovation of this lower-level space yielded a sophisticated and cohesive sitting room, bar, theater, and bathroom with easy flow. Wood paneling is rendered in a rich, deep stain to impart the desired moody ambiance. Wallpaper, mirrors, and painted wood panel insets are used to differentiate the spaces. 

Master Suite

Laurie LeBoeuf, Castle Design · Chris Paul, Alspaugh Kitchen and Bath

A spa-like master suite provides an oasis for the client, who cherishes this space more than any other in her home. Dramatic prints and luxury finishes yield a moody effect, and subtle touches of gold and crystal lend glamour. The new floor plan merged his-and-her closets into one large space; French doors and millwork provide a seamless transition from closet to bathroom. Finding the perfect tub for the client’s needs and comfort proved the biggest challenge. Kohler’s Memoirs Air Bath was selected for its heated surfaces and massage options. 

Millwork

Todd Rausch, Karr Bick Kitchen & Bath

Repurposing was a theme in this project: The bar occupies what once was the house’s screened-in front porch, and wood for the beamed ceiling was harvested from a white oak that was dying after having graced the home’s front yard for almost two centuries. The client’s love of history is reflected in leaded glass cabinet doors, Gothic arches in the glass and woodwork, a ceiling bearing a panel of backlit stained glass, and hand-built brass countertops. Care was lavished on every detail: Finding just the right barstools took months.

Modern Bath (Greater Than 150 Square Feet)

Dana Romeis, Castle Design · Chouteau Building Group

The goal of this renovation was to give a 1980s bathroom a contemporary design and modern conveniences. The original choppy layout was eliminated—three rooms were combined into one—to yield a long, narrow space holding a walk-in shower and water closet. (A floor-to-ceiling door of etched and clear glass helps prevent a “bowling alley” effect.) The selection of fixtures, materials, and finishes, including a soothing cream paint color, has produced a tranquil environment. Subtle hints of gold enhance the design. 

Modern Bath (Less Than 150 Square Feet)

Jacob Laws, Jacob Laws Interior Design

Laws has created a calm yet dramatic retreat in limited square footage with a modern look influenced by Le Corbusier and the International Style. Rejecting ornamentation, the designer used repetitive forms and flat surfaces, as evidenced by the floating red–lacquered credenza holding a rectangular cast-concrete trough sink and the surrounding polished charcoal-gray ceramic tile. A 600-pound cast-concrete bowl tub, which sits atop a platform, matches the sink, and the oversized mirror and curved faucets are a nod to the International Style.

Modern Interior Design + Use of Color

Mitchell Wall Architecture and Design · PK Construction

“Fresh and vibrant! What an unapologetic approach to color, pattern, and architectural lines!” exclaims Jenkins. An addition on to this modern ranch home nearly doubled the size of the house, where a double-height living room is bounded by a partition reaching up into the above work and play area. Oversized George Nelson pendants highlight the vaulted second floor space while making an impact in the living room below. The new master bedroom features floor-to-ceiling windows and a colorful wooden geometric statement headboard framed in walnut. In the owner’s bathroom, the designer used a gradient glass-mosaic wall that dissipates from ceiling to floor. On the lower level, a bright bar and lounge are set off by a custom graphic mural backdrop.

Modern Kitchen (Greater Than 300 Square Feet)

Robert Idol, Robert Idol Design

The client wanted a cook’s kitchen with an area for friends to relax, out of the way of prep zones. Custom full-height white cabinetry, floor-to-ceiling concave tile, and natural countertops imbue the space with light and shimmer. Banks of cabinets divide each work zone: refrigeration/food storage, prep/cooking, coffee, and serving. A breakfast seating area with a custom steel window wall (not pictured) gives way to a terrace. 

Modern Kitchen (Less Than 300 Square Feet)

Jacob Laws, Jacob Laws Interior Design

In this condo kitchen renovation, every finish was upgraded from builder-grade to custom-made. A dated island that jutted into the living room was replaced with a shortened version set further into the space. White open shelves set against honed black granite replaced a wall of cabinets. Completing the edgy look are the custom hood plastered to resemble polished concrete and the island wrapped in oxidized brass with bronze corners. “Both swanky and sexy,” says Jenkins. 

Outdoor Living Space

Matt Wolfe, Wolfe Architecture & Design

The new pool and pool house, designed to match the style and detailing of the original house, were built on an axis with the living room, kitchen, and family room. Connecting the house, guest suite, and visitors’ arrival area is a slightly elevated colonnade that surrounds half the pool and terminates at the pool house. Opposite the colonnade is a vista overlooking a large side yard and wooded area. The pool house sitting area is flanked by a changing room and kitchenette.

Paint Technique

Ken Stückenschneider, Stückenschneider Decoration & Design

A stunning mural by St. Louis artist Peter Engelsmann takes a formal dining room from beautiful to spectacular. Planning the mural involved research and discussion by the team;  Stückenschneider suggested the work of 18th-century Italian painter Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, famous for his pastel palettes in European frescoes, as inspiration. The artwork depicts herons, poised for flight and in conversation with surrounding John James Audubon prints hanging on the wall. Large pots echo the planters in the home’s front entry.

Powder Room

Wendy Kuhn, Karr Bick Kitchen & Bath 

Dated floral wallpaper and a pedestal sink were removed from this small powder room to make way for modern elements. Glossy black subway tile, wall-mounted brushed-brass faucets, and a round mirror draw focus to the sink wall. Elongated pendant lights complete the dramatic look.

Remodel

Chouteau Building Group

The clients wanted an area that could function as a family room and as a bar space for entertaining. The original brick wall was lime-washed, and a stone hearth was installed in the fireplace. The secretary was cut in half and mounted on the wall; now a desktop can be pulled down to provide a surface for homework and crafts. The homeowner took it upon herself to restore the table and make it mobile with casters, allowing it to serve both as a breakfast table and as a bar or serving table for guests. Herringbone floors in whitewashed white oak give the space extra sophistication. 

Specialty Room

Jessie D. Miller, Jessie D. Miller Interior Design

314-494-1398, jessiedmiller.com

The designer worked with cabinetry designer Christopher Peacock to redesign this home’s lower level in order to fulfill the client’s dream of owning a large cellar with an arched window. Each brick in the double-barrel vaulted ceiling was individually selected, and the mortar was mixed on site. A table and hide-covered chairs provide the perfect spot for wine tastings. An antique brass chandelier is the crown jewel of this dramatic space. 

Traditional Bath (Greater Than 150 Square Feet)

Jessie D. Miller, Jessie D. Miller Interior Design

For this bath, situated on the lower level of a large custom home, the black soaking tub was selected first and every other design element was chosen to complement it. The walls are covered in Calacatta Gold marble, the vanity cabinet is custom-built, and the shower door is designed to mimic the industrial feel of the windows that overlook the surrounding grounds. Burgundy drapes with Greek key trim provide privacy when needed. A vintage runner, sourced locally, completes the look.  

Traditional Bath (Less Than 150 Square Feet)

April Jensen, ADJ Interiors

This Art Deco–inspired bath evokes grandeur in a home’s renovated lower level. The room is finished in black and gold elements, in keeping with the palette used throughout the floor, and wrapped in floor-to-ceiling marble tile with a period-appropriate basket-weave pattern underfoot. A custom vanity with a marble top is accented by an antique mirror and statement brass sconces. 

Traditional Interior Design

Brett Clark, Savvy Design Group

The design of this historic living room with magnificent millwork had fallen short of the room’s potential. The designer began with a color story of mint green, gold, and red chosen from one of the most special design details in the home: a print depicting the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair that had been discovered rolled up in an attic closet during construction. Clark located the digital version of the lithograph in the Library of Congress and had the image printed on museum-quality paper. The result is a dramatic art installation reintroduced in a grander form. 

Traditional Kitchen (Greater Than 300 Square Feet)

Keith Gegg, Gegg Design & Cabinetry

This fresh, bright kitchen design features many unique details. The island’s bold glossy color contrasts crisply with the white-painted perimeter. Frameless cabinetry incorporates several details carried into the window trim at the sink wall. The sloped ceiling was planned to incorporate flat stretches along the length of the room, allowing the use of perimeter cabinets that terminate into a flat ceiling and therefore avoiding gaps above the cabinets. Wainscot panels above the cabinets control proportions in the 10-foot walls. 

Traditional Kitchen (Less Than 300 Square Feet)

Justin Maine and Michael Wyrock, Nistenhaus Design

In this kitchen renovation, historic guidelines limited expansion of the footprint, so a separate room was used as a butler’s pantry and two doorways were merged into one to improve flow into the adjacent hallway. A palette of charcoals and creams lets the original millwork and flooring shine; mixed metals—seen in the light fixtures and cabinetry hardware—contribute to a layered look. “Loads of panache! Love the lighting choices and their placement, as well as the designers’ choice to go with a warm stained finish for the window casings,” says Jenkins. 

Use of Fabric or Wallcovering

Amy Studebaker and Jamie Reeves, Amy Studebaker Design · PK Construction · Fendler + Associates

The clients wanted the guest bedroom suite to be frilly and fancy to balance their growing boys’ not-so-frilly bedrooms. The two-tone leather-upholstered nightstands, reminiscent of Dorothy Draper’s design, were the first items to be sourced. Wallpaper bearing a pink pineapple design provides a whimsical backdrop to the white lattice bed. The bedding continues the palette of greens, blues, and pinks. 

Window Treatment Design

Jessie D. Miller, Jessie D. Miller Interior Design

A young girl’s love of nature and science inspired the décor of this bedroom, and a set of butterfly ornaments, sourced by the designer, became the basis for the design. When Miller found fabric bearing that same butterfly design, she knew that it was meant to be and incorporated it as a backdrop to the headboard. The adjacent anteroom’s drapery fabric depicts a colorful mix of dancing feathers. The distinct but complementary rooms reflect the child’s creative and artistic nature.

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2020 Judges

Gary Brewer 

Robert A.M. Stern Architects

New York, NY

Ellen Kavanaugh 

Ellen Kavanaugh Interiors

Palm Beach, FL

Corey Damen Jenkins 

Corey Damen Jenkins & Associates

Birmingham, MI; New York, NY

Brigette Romanek 

Romanek Design Studio

Los Angeles, CA