Historic St. Louis Home Made Modern
Published by Beck/Allen Cabinetry
Posted on February 19, 2021
Built in 1891, little remained from the glory days of this historic St. Louis home. Most of its moldings, hardware, windows and interior finishes had long been lost. Its fate took a turn when the three-story brick residence on the city’s south side caught the attention of a young family in search of their new/old home.
They envisioned spaces created with a modern-day family in mind. With the help of Beck/Allen designer Louis Rybacki and local builder Mike Politte of Politte Renovations, their dream for this historic home’s kitchen was realized.
An exterior view of the home throughout its renovation.
Details captured during the renovation include the marble mantle and a collection of treasures found inside the walls.
Interior Transformation
We were fortunate to see the home during the early days of the renovation. We saw parts of their home nearly untouched, making the resulting transformation that much more profound.
While our focus remained on the kitchen and baths, we shared their excitement watching as new windows, floors and stairs assumed their positions and a marble mantle was uncovered after decades hidden beneath white paint.
Kitchen Design
Construction on the kitchen included the removal of its ceiling, extending the space to the full height of the second story. The second level would be framed in steel windows, allowing for an abundance of natural light in both the kitchen and upstairs bath. See the kitchen’s dramatic before and after below.
Unadorned brick and steel beams frame the space, highlighting the home’s structure. A dark, neutral painted finish—a complement to the beams—was selected for the kitchen’s frameless cabinets: Iron Ore from Eclipse Cabinetry.
Surrounding design details take cues from the cabinet color in shades of gray, from the grout and Stratus Suede Quartzite countertops to stainless steel hardware and appliances.
The story of this home continues, so be sure to find and follow @politterenovations on Instagram.
Many thanks to Mike Politte for sharing his photos taken during construction.
Kitchen Photography: Alise O’Brien
DESIGN DETAILS – Historic St. Louis Home
Kitchen Cabinetry
Eclipse Cabinetry in Iron Ore
Kitchen Countertops
Straus Suede Quartzite from Global Granite & Marble, fabricated by Stone Fabricators
Appliances
Café Appliances
Builder
Politte Renovations