The intention for every room is to create a dreamy escape that also brings functionality to everyday life. This attic in a 1938 St. Charles home was once a cluttered, forgotten space and now beams with eclectic warmth, seamlessly matching the rest of the house. In a compact room, the inspiration was to construct a functional area that corresponds with the owner’s lifestyle. In older St. Louis homes, ripping down walls is not always the solution. Instead, the heart of this build was reimagining what was already there, preserving the home’s structural charm, while emphasizing individual style.
After waiting 20 years, the owner knew she wanted built-ins along the steeply angled walls and hoped to preserve the delicate wallpaper that had adorned the space for more than 30 years. At the start of the design process, two different patterned wallpapers were paired with a floral border, causing the room to feel as though it was competing with itself. Because the wallpaper was in such pristine condition, designer Erin Fleher with Liston Design Build suggested covering the border with white wooden trim to soften the visual busyness while continuing to highlight the history hanging on the walls.
As the room began to come together, Erin was intentional about maintaining its charm while allowing it to fully reflect the owner. “She’s taken her time…to curate the things she loves that have come together as very fun and beautiful, the things that are very her,” Erin explains. “I didn’t want to steal from all the things she already had.”
The majority of the furnishings seen in the final photos were already living in the space. With newly reimagined bones that introduce brightness and airiness, the room now offers a welcoming backdrop for the owner’s decor.
By honoring the existing character while thoughtfully integrating personal style, Erin created a space that is both practical and deeply personal. The careful preservation of the wallpaper, paired with custom built-ins along the angled walls, underscores the power of reimagining rather than reinventing. This attic stands as a reminder that the most meaningful spaces aren’t made by erasing the past, but by allowing it to evolve alongside the life lived within it.
Resources:
Granite/Stone Fabricator: StoneTrends
Fireplace: Foreshaw
Lighting: Metro Lighting
