Steven and Andrea Rosenblum’s Clayton neighborhood is more than a collection of houses owned by very nice people. It’s a community, where people have each other’s garage access codes and pet-sit for one another. An area where the proverbial cups of sugar are passed across backyard fences as easily as friendly chit-chat.
No wonder the Rosenblum family didn’t want to leave such a community, opting to stay in the heart of the neighborhood to build a new home, one that suits their needs now and can adapt to their needs in the future. Some time ago the couple purchased an older home five houses down from the house where they’d lived for nearly 20 years. “We always knew we intended to knock that older house down and build a home with a first-floor primary bedroom,” says Andrea. “We took our time in making our wish list and getting things together.”
Their first order of business: securing an architect. The choice of Lauren Strutman Architects was an easy decision, as Lauren had designed several other homes in the area. “Steven and Andrea asked me to design a charming traditional house, a ‘new old house,” with a classic, timeless look that would blend in with their neighborhood,” says Lauren, the president of her architectural firm. “They liked cream-colored stucco, black windows, gas lights and diagonal window muntins that resembled leaded glass.”
In early meetings, Lauren spoke glowingly of the work of builder Jeffrey Bernstein, with whom Steven had been acquainted for decades. “We knew of Jeff’s wonderful reputation as a builder, but when Lauren spoke so highly of him, that helped us make our decision,” says Andrea. And for design, the Rosenblums secured Scottsdale, Arizona-based interior designer Renay Toronto. “My parents have a vacation home in Paradise Valley, and they were introduced to Renay, who completely renovated that home,” says Andrea. “We’ve used many decorators in our 25 years of marriage, but Renay is just unbelievable.”
With the team in place, the couple made their wish list. In addition to the first-floor primary suite, the couple wanted home offices for each of them, a large functional kitchen open to the living area, suitable space to display their artwork and thoughtful design to accommodate aging in place. “For example, our master shower has no lip,” Andrea says of the zero-entry design. “We could roll a wheelchair right in should we have health problems in the future. We also have an elevator.”
In addition, Andrea wanted each bedroom to accommodate a king-size bed. “We have three sons and they are big, all of them six feet tall,” says Andrea. “Hopefully they will all come home for visits with partners someday, and I didn’t want a son and partner having to sleep in a full-size bed. I wanted everyone to be very comfortable.”
For the design, Renay describes the couple’s aesthetic as “traditional but with a little modern twist” resulting in a home that’s chic yet welcomes the family’s huge network of family and friends and brimming with special details throughout.
She points to the kitchen as an example. Designed in collaboration with Ken Henry, designer at Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath, the traditionally minded cabinetry and coffered ceiling with trim detail are timeless. “But when those classic elements are combined with the way we did the marble vent hood and backsplashes and the way we did the angled base of the island, it has a more modern twist,” says Renay. “It’s unexpected to see the marble fabrication done in a more modern way.”
Detailing can be found in functionality as well. “Steven and I both cook, and we entertain a lot,” says Andrea. “Our house is like a 3-ring circus with a lot of people in and out all the time.” Specifying two faucets in the island’s long sink makes prep and cleanup much easier for two cooks.
And details take what would be a lovely home office to an absolute showstopper. Inspired by a magazine photo she’d seen of a Ken Henry-designed high-gloss office with a library ladder, Andrea told her team she wanted a similar idea incorporated into her home office. “I told them I wanted a high-gloss pink, and Renay picked the shade,” says Andrea. Renay also chose jewel-like knobs and handles of gold and pink acrylic mimicking marble for the cabinet hardware. “The hardware is just as important as every other detail in this house,” says Renay. “It’s like the handbag and shoes of the outfit.” Overhead, intricate fretwork adds another layer of elegance to the sophisticated, cheerful space.
Such details are part of what makes a custom home truly custom. “To me, the best thing about building a truly custom home is that if the client sees something they don’t like, we change it,” says Jeff, founder of Jeffrey Homes LLC. “We walk the house and move walls around if needed, and in this case, we did that. For a whole secondary bedroom and bathroom, we changed walls around to accommodate a bathroom layout a little differently than what was designed on paper.”
The detailed fretwork, trim carpentry in the foyer, stone masonry on the exterior foundation and many other aspects are visual examples of the skill of the countless tradespeople Andrea praises. “Literally every single person who worked on this home was incredibly talented, honest and hardworking, they really cared about their work, and the craftsmanship and level of detail they exhibited was unbelievable,” says Andrea. “I would use all of them again in a second.”
And Steven notes that the process, from design to completion, was seamless. “There were no missteps,” he says. “We loved working with the architect, the builder, Renay and were extremely pleased with all. It all came to fruition perfectly and has been everything we hoped and wished for. It’s made our lives much easier.” See stlouishomesmag.com for resources and additional photos.
