Interior designer Julie Abner launched her business in 2006, designing homes for clients out of her own residence in the
St. Louis Hills neighborhood. After two years, she realized that it was time to look for a separate studio space. “I had a dedicated office, but meeting clients at showrooms just didn’t feel right,” she recalls. “I wanted to be able to prepare and have them come in and have samples laid out.”
Abner knew she wanted to stay close to her home in the city—and finding the right spot was a bit serendipitous. While holiday shopping at DiGregorio’s Italian Market on The Hill one day, she noticed a “For Lease” sign in the window of a brick building across the street.
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“It was meant to be,” Abner says. “The brick and the high ceilings and the natural light really drew me to this particular space but also the neighborhood. I’m only a few miles away from home. I like being in an area where it feels so vibrant. I’m a big proponent of a community feel, and I can walk my dog at lunch.”
Built in 1907, the space at 5149 Daggett was originally a neighborhood tavern. In 2008, when Abner moved in, it housed a law firm with built-out offices, making it an easy and cost-effective transition. “I was a young designer just starting out, and I didn’t want to overinvest, so it worked great,” she says. “It checked all the boxes.”
In the years since, she’s only had to change the light fixtures. Heading into her third decade as an interior designer, however, she was ready to put her own stamp on the place. “I felt like I wasn’t inspired in my space anymore, and as a designer, that’s bad news. I needed a little inspiration.”
So in November 2025, she began a four-week refresh. “I wanted it to be a reflection of my taste but also make it feel like home. I’m in residential design, so I didn’t do a corporate look,” Abner says. “I wanted it to feel warm, inviting, and serene—sophisticated, but not too serious. That’s what I tend to gravitate toward, and I think my clients do, too. I like to consider approachable design and make sure it’s functional.”
“I LIKE BEING IN AN AREA WHERE IT FEELS SO VIBRANT. I’M A BIG PROPONENT OF A COMMUNITY FEEL, AND I CAN WALK MY DOG AT LUNCH.”
A cozy lobby area highlights the building’s original exposed brick and tin ceiling, which are offset by a striking modern chandelier and furnishings from Serena & Lily and Crate & Barrel. “I’m drawn to historic elements with a little touch of the modern,” says Abner. “My intent was an area where I could pull away and have a coffee or take a phone call.”
In her private office, she ditched a corporate hand-me-down desk and replaced it with a clean-lined, modern oak model from Kathy Kuo Home, complemented by a grasscloth-faced credenza from Vanguard Furniture.
The central conference room is a hub for working, dining, and meetings. Natural light from the street-facing hallway windows floods the room, and there’s a stylish overhead fixture from Visual Comfort. A simple wood table from RH, along with midcentury-modern-inspired chairs, give Abner the space to spread out design plans and materials, which she keeps in nearby built-ins along the back wall.
“When I meet with clients, it’s important for me to have a clean visual. I like it to feel warm and residential, but uncluttered so that people don’t get overwhelmed,” she says.
The office kitchenette got a refresh as well. Abner removed the dated upper cabinets and installed open shelving in their place. She lightened the room with new finishes and added a built-in beverage refrigerator. The remodel has had a positive impact, which Abner hopes will carry her into the future.
“I want to really enjoy it for the next 10 years and on. It feels like a celebration of all the work I’ve done and the clients who’ve helped me get to this point,” she says. “It’s a lot of hard work, but it’s so much fun.”
