This custom 6,190-square-foot property sits on 2 acres in Sunset Hills. Despite being conveniently located near Gravois Road and Interstate 270, the house feels well off the beaten path.
“Oftentimes people will come to our house—whether they’re contractors, friends, or company—and they say, ‘My gosh, I had no idea this was back here,’” says Emily Villa, the home’s current owner. The house has five bedrooms and six bathrooms and was built by the parents of Villa’s husband John in 1985. Since then, it has been the background for long-lasting memories for the family.
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The home has an open floor plan. The main level offers an expansive view of the home’s surrounding trees, an impressive spiral staircase, and rainbow stonework with touches of Arkansas Fieldstone.
“It has a ton of character as far as just little nooks and crannies and areas that, from a decorating standpoint, are fun to play with and arrange furniture,” Villa says. “The way that the house sits, the way the lighting is—it all offers a really homey, comfortable feel.”
In the kitchen, there are SubZero Wolf Range ovens, stainless steel appliances, marble countertops, and a butler’s pantry. The contemporary style is balanced out by the character of the exposed ceiling beams, banquette seating, and a cozy fireplace. “There’s also a little area off the kitchen where we spend really the most time,” says Villa. “It’s intimate, it’s close, and the ceilings are low enough that you feel comfortable.” The nook Villa is referring to is a hidden space found around the corner to the right. The nook stretches back into a seating area with built-in cabinetry and French doors leading to the back deck.
Leading up the spiral staircase is the owner suite. The suite offers a seating area, double doors to the balcony, and two walk-in closets. The bedroom steps down into the owner’s bathroom which features a walk-in shower, vanity, and copious getting-ready space. The bedroom also embraces an oversight of the Great Room. Also upstairs are four additional bedrooms, one of which has a spiral staircase leading to the owner’s bedroom, making the room ideal for children. Each of the bedrooms has its own private bathroom. Downstairs is a fully finished basement, stocked with a 1,000-bottle wine cellar.
Outside are multiple patios and seating areas, which provide the opportunity to host many get-togethers in the spring, summer, and autumn months. The backyard has a lot to offer from the peaceful pergola and nine-foot-deep saltwater pool to the multi-level treehouse and zipline for kids to play. The homeowners completed extra landscaping to move the woods back to expand the backyard.
“It is such a serene setting,” Villa says. “A favorite pastime of ours is watching all the hummingbirds come in and the doves that nest nearby.”
The garage can fit four cars and has a multipurpose room with additional storage space.
Address: 9701 Fall Ridge Trail
Price: $1,300,000
Realtor: Cathy Scott, RedKey Realty Leaders, 314–518–5495
Design STL‘s On the Market posts are editorial. Featured properties are selected by editors.
