Peggy Deguire and Richard Supanich took the leap from single-family-home ownership to condo living and haven’t looked back since. They purchased their St. Louis Hills home right out of college and thought they’d spend the rest of their lives there; but as time went on their plans began to change. “As we’ve gotten older, we want to travel more,” says Peggy. With 2,500 square feet to upkeep as well as a yard, the thought of condo living was very appealing to the couple.
Now settled into their “ranch in the sky” in the luxurious Chase Park Plaza residences, Peggy and Richard find their new living arrangements so freeing. Not only did they shed the maintenance and upkeep of their previous residence, but also they parted ways with most of their furnishings and décor. “We packed up our clothes and a few pieces of artwork and that was it,” Peggy says.
Taking a complete 180 in their design style, Peggy and Richard left behind the traditional for glam, luxe and modern. The art-deco style of the Chase Park Plaza building drove many of the new lighting, furniture and paint decisions. “I wanted this home to be a new step in our life…more freeing,” Peggy explains.
Since the space is so small, she stuck with a monochromatic color palette of black, cream and white to carry throughout the 1,400-square-foot unit. Vivid and bright colors were avoided to keep the eye from running back and forth across the condo. Dropping almost 1,000 square feet of living space would make most people feel squished, but Peggy and Richard say their new home feels larger because everything is on one level. Plus, the condo is perfect for entertaining since the kitchen, dining room and living room are virtually one in the same. When it came time for decorating, Peggy (who says she’s always been drawn to interior design) found it easy to put her personal touch on the space. With only two bedrooms, a living room and dining room the thought of refurnishing an entire condo wasn’t so daunting.
She took the same downsized approach with her holiday décor as with her furnishings. “We didn’t take any of our holiday décor,” says Peggy. “And I was the holiday queen!” Their old home had three different trees, traditional red-and-green embellishments and themes throughout. But even though they were embracing simpler condo living, Peggy just couldn’t fathom not celebrating the season. “We both love Christmas, and we wanted to have that feeling when you wake up near the holidays and see the tree up,” she says.
Working off the same monochromatic scheme as the condo, the decorations are simple, elegant and glam. Peggy’s inspiration started with her glimmering tree. With only seven feet of space to work with between the dining room and living room, she knew she needed a slim tree, plus she wanted something non-traditional. “I envisioned a modern silver tree with white lights,” Peggy says of her vision. With the tree in place, she searched local retail stores for ornaments that fit her color scheme. A black, glitzy Eiffel tower ornament at Pier 1 caught her eye and became a focal point of the tree. A mix of silver, black and gold ornaments complement the furnishings and accessories in both the living and dining room.
In the dining room, the black table can be extended if the guest list grows, and sleek chairs upholstered in custom champagne velvet are plush for comfortable seating. The dining table is set with a mix of old (china and champagne flutes) and new (sparkling runner and silver deer) as well as high- and low-end items. “I have so much fun going out and scouting for new items around the holidays,” Peggy says.
On the other side of the tree, the living room features a cozy seating area for after-Christmas-dinner drinks or gift opening. With the monochromatic scheme, adding texture through fabric and accessories was really important to Peggy to provide interest in the space. Subtle touches include the black fur rug and pillow, velvet champagne sofa with silver hobnail trim and two-tone velvet draperies. The distressed French cocktail table has an antique-mirrored top that creates the illusion of texture on a flat surface. The mixture of textures gives the room depth and richness.
A relaxing respite to catch their breath from the holiday merriment, the master bedroom is sumptuous and glam. The contrast of black and white makes a bold statement. Perhaps the most fun and luxurious piece in the condo, the white furry chair is to die for, says Peggy. “You could sit there and curl up all day on a Sunday, especially in the winter,” she dreamily declares. For Peggy and Richard, the biggest challenge in furnishing their small condo was making sure the scale of the furniture fit the space. Most of the pieces were custom ordered through Arhaus, which helped Peggy get everything just right.
Still in disbelief that she was able to convince Richard to sell their old home, Peggy is relishing the freedom of luxurious condo living. “Richard thanks me all the time when he comes home,” she says with a smile. “He loves to come into a beautiful space and not have to worry about cutting the grass.” The couple has no doubt that this Christmas will be spent enjoying time with family and friends and celebrating the joy of the holiday season from their glamorous ranch in the sky.
Resources
Furnishings and Fabrics: Arhaus, 314-968-3401
Building: Chase Park Plaza Residence, 314-633-1002
