Founded in 1984, Liston Design Build has earned numerous awards and an enviable reputation for superior service to clients throughout the St. Louis region. At the helm since 2009, co-owners Keith and Jeanne Liston have continued the proud family tradition, assisted by their expert team of craftsmen, contractors and suppliers.

“We see ourselves as a concierge to the whole remodeling process,” says Jeanne, “accompanying clients to showrooms, helping them make their selections, then putting the layers together for the beautiful, functional new space they had in mind.”

Doug McLaren and Brandi Williams were looking for a centrally located home with sizeable outdoor space to begin their lives as a married couple. After looking at several homes, they found a 2-story brick home in Ladue close to major interstates. Completed in 1939, previous owners had retained much of the home’s character including an exposed limestone basement, handsome millwork and original wood flooring.

   Several weeks ago, the PBS station aired "A Place Worth Saving: The Story of the Central West End," chronicling the ups and downs of St. Louis' historic enclave since the World’s Fair era. Among those the documentary credits for revitalizing the neighborhood are the courageous rehabbers who began salvaging and restoring the CWE’s magnificent homes in the 1960s.

    It is often the greatest reward to see your vision come to life—and such was the case for this St. Louis couple who wanted to update their grand but outdated historic home in Shaw. Built in the 1890s on a quiet tree-lined street dotted with many other spacious multi-family dwellings, the house possessed a spectacular Victorian character they definitely wanted to preserve. After coming up with a specific design vision they wanted to achieve, they called on Ladd and Jen Suydam, owners of Ladd Suydam Contracting, LLC, to guide their extensive renovation.

To the medical community, this Kirkwood homeowner is known as Dr. Matt Bruckel, founder, CEO and president of TAUC® (Total Access Urgent Care), the fastest-growing healthcare organization in the region. To his neighbors, Matt is the congenial father of two who purchased and renovated the city’s historic “Spencer Smith house.”

In fact, Dr. Bruckel has a penchant for historic homes, and this is the third residence in the metro area that he’s renovated in recent years. But let’s go back to the beginning…

While moving to Virginia three years ago with her partner, Dan Stanton, St. Louis interior designer Joni Spear spotted a beautiful historic home nestled in the historic district of Smithfield. Built in the 1890s, the Queen Anne Victorian home had been sitting on the market for years. It was easy to see why it was a tough sell. The shotgun-style three-story home had undergone a bad remodel that was dark, dreary and stripped of its historic charm. Authentic architectural features including the original pocket doors, the Victorian-era millwork and even the fireplaces had been ripped out.