After 20 years in its original Clayton Road studio, Castle Design has relocated to a new space at 1215 N. Warson in Creve Coeur. The move, according to owner and principal designer Emily Castle, was timely and necessary.
“Over the course of that time the building owner let the building go and it was a constant nag to get things up to speed,” she says. “Parking in Clayton is also a major issue.”
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Nine months before the lease came up, a client, the local office head of commercial real estate firm CBRE, connected Castle with an agent and she began searching for a new location.
“I looked at about six spaces. Ideally, we wanted to stay on Clayton Road but the rents were two and a half times what I had been paying at my location,” she says. “We were looking for more space at approximately the same rent.”
She found it in a two-story, mid-century modern building on an industrial stretch of North Warson Road. With plenty of open space, loads of natural light, and a floating staircase leading to the second floor, Castle saw opportunity–and a clean slate. The large parking lot was a bonus, as was the proximity to vendor showrooms at the Interior Design Center of St. Louis.
Once the lease was signed, Castle considered what was lacking in the old studio to create a list of must-haves for the build out, which took around six months. The new building provided approximately 1,500 square feet of additional space.
“We have never had our own conference room with real doors. That was a big deal,” says the owner of St. Louis’ largest high-end residential design firm. “And we wanted additional conference spaces as well. Now we have the ability to have at least four meetings here at once.”
A residential-grade kitchen with a dishwasher was also on that wish list, along with a posh restroom reflecting the quality of work Castle Design provides to its clients. The firm’s fabric samples are neatly arranged in the second-floor library, which helps cut down on clutter in work areas. Open workspaces and additional meeting and collaboration areas create an easy flow around the centrally located conference room–a contrast to the old studio that was spaced across four individual storefronts.
“It’s so much more open, airy, and bright,” says Castle.
“We were busting at the seams,” adds designer Liz Basler, who has been with Castle Design since 2019. “This new office with the space and the light and access to the showrooms–it’s a great environment for us to be able to work as a team to support our clients.”
So how does an interior designer design her own space? “We wanted this commercial space to have a bit of a residential feel to it,” Castle says.
Designer Laurie LeBoeuf, who has been with Castle for 11 years, took the lead on the interiors. Her previous career experience in hospitality and commercial design helped guide the vision and process.
“Residential versus commercial really is a different approach,” she says. “We’re talking about how we live in a space versus how we’re performing in a space. With residential, we’re diving into clients’ personal lives and their families and creating an environment they can come home to every day. For the office space, we really wanted the shift to be more towards performance and efficient work flow.”
The overall approach called for a flexible work environment conducive to various styles of work – collaboration versus focus, for example – and identifying areas within the office that give employees some privacy but also the ability to work together.
LeBoeuf says it was important to not overdecorate, so as to maintain the feeling of a “blank canvas” that allows space for designers to dream and be inspired. “Instead of going in and heavily stylizing the space, we really wanted to keep it a little bit more of a simple backdrop to be fully creative,” she says.
Commercial carpet squares selected by Castle with hues of brown, gray, cream, and a touch of golden yellow formed the basis of LeBoeuf’s design, pulling its shades into the wallpaper, cabinetry, lighting, and other finishes.
The entry foyer makes a dramatic first impression, with its floating staircase serving as its centerpiece. The team wasn’t sure if they’d be able to save the original staircase, wrapped in carpeting and deteriorating with holes in the treads. After considering a number of options, Castle made the decision to repair the holes and coat the stair treads in a thick and durable epoxy that could be mistaken for terrazzo. The team elected to have a new custom railing fabricated and painted it gold to impart a more luxurious feel.
Phillip Jeffries’ “Peekaboo Petals” grass cloth wallpaper in “Glowing Garden” –a lovely metallic gold on white–provides the perfect backdrop for the staircase; three globe cluster chandeliers by Visual Comfort add drama from above.
“We wanted to make sure that we were still creating a warm environment, so we knew we wanted gold finishes with the lighting–a little nod to the mid-century modern vibe,” LeBoeuf says. “I always feel it’s so important to pay attention to the architecture of a space.”
There’s more warmth in the new kitchen, complete with custom wood cabinetry from Beck Allen, and hardware by Waterstreet Brass purchased at Locks & Pulls. Cosentino/Silestone countertops and backsplash and Sub-Zero appliances complete the look.
“We always like to work with lines that we use for our clients, because then we can talk about the function and what we like about it,” adds LeBoeuf.
The adjoining bathroom features Phillip Jeffries “Avon,” a mural-like wallcovering in Manila Hemp, offset by fluted porcelain wall panels, also from Cosentino/Silestone. A floating vanity and sleek sconces add a modern touch. Fully private stalls with louvered doors make it feel more “home” and less “office.”
It was important to have some natural light in the conference room, LeBoeuf says, noting the room’s transom windows that invite light in “but a little softer, a little warmer.”
A second modern chandelier and matching sconces provide additional soft light. The custom cabinetry enhances the feeling of warmth in the cocoon-like space. Castle Design’s numerous awards can be seen through the room’s glass-front cabinets.
“We really wanted to create a space in there that was first and foremost private–somewhere where we could go close the doors and have a formal presentation with a client or take a phone call when we need to focus without distraction or background noise,” says LeBoeuf.
Simple framed photos showcasing the firm’s projects serve as both wall décor and a portfolio throughout the studio. And, rather than starting completely from scratch, Castle kept all of the furniture from the old location, giving it a second life in the new space.
“Every time you walk in, it just feels clean and new and fresh and like a bit of a reset for our brains, where we can approach our projects with a little more clarity,” LeBoeuf says of the new headquarters.
The move isn’t the only recent change at Castle. On January 1, the firm acquired St. Louis-based Kelly Johnson Design, bringing it under the Castle brand and gaining the full-time expertise of interior designer Shannon Johnson. The new building helped facilitate the acquisition.
“We had the room to add Kelly Johnson Design. We have the room to add at least one more person before I have to make a floor-plan change, and could actually add more if that needs to happen. It feels like we have room to grow here,” Castle says.
She also considered the firm’s future when making the move.
“I turn 70 this year and I’m not going to own this place forever. This light, bright new space I think would be attractive to someone who might be interested in buying Castle. It’s a space you can grow in with a reasonable price in rent and that makes Castle even more attractive for sale.”
