When architect Nathan Dirnberger purchased a home in the city in 2003 for just $37,000, it was in desperate need of repair. The roof had leaks. The basement was half full of water because pipes had not been winterized. “It was pretty beat up,” Nathan says.

Over a span of seven years, Dirnberger took the neglected home and transformed it into a cool, contemporary urban dwelling. One of the biggest renovations was the rebuilding of the three-story home’s multilevel staircase.

When two Clayton homeowners broke ground on a major addition in the early 2000s, they left the original master bathroom untouched, repurposing it into a children’s Jack-and-Jill. But a decade later, as the room’s young occupants approached tween-hood, it was time to bring a dull, outdated space into the colorful 21st century.

Situated along a quiet tree-lined street in a quaint Central West End neighborhood is an exquisite historic home. A home the Slentz family fell in love with after moving to St. Louis from Montréal, Quebec. Familiar with a city environment conducive to walking to shops, restaurants and parks, the family immediately fell in love with the area.

When the owners of a charming Lafayette Square residence moved in, they knew their outdated kitchen had to go. It just simply was not functional for their family that loves to cook. With a goal to create a more contemporary space with a functional layout, the homeowners enlisted the help of interior designer Tamsin Mascetti, of Tamsin Design Group, to help them achieve the look they desired while holding on to the historic charm of their new neighborhood.

When two Frontenac homeowners added serious square footage to their estate, a crowded mudroom found new purpose as a handsome, centralized anteroom – both bar and Butler’s pantry – inspired by the rich feel of the old Westchester gentlemen’s clubs.

Decorator Garison Salinas of Garrison, Ltd. dubs the room denim-and-diamonds dapper. “The homeowners don’t entertain black tie or even coat and tie all the time, so they were interested in a bar that was elegant but also warm,” he says of a space suitable for lavish soirees and family get-togethers alike.