A plumbing catastrophe that damaged rooms on both floors was just the excuse Margaret Lowery needed to update a home that was stuck in the ‘70s and ill-equipped for her 70s. While she’s a ways away from that age milestone, she wanted designer Debbie Jacobs of Alspaugh Kitchen & Bath to use the opportunity to plan a home that would serve her needs for many years to come, whatever her physical abilities will be.

CLASSIC

Black is always classic when it is part of the overall design concept and is architecturally appropriate. Based on the idea of historic iron and steel windows, black can add emphatic sophistication and solidity to a project. I would not recommend dousing an entire house with gray paint. I would not suggest painting trims black just to be trendy.  It all has to make sense.  Renée Céleste Flanders. 

With five grandchildren living nearby, a Kirkwood couple doted on frequent visits with the children. However, as the children grew and gained more independence, Grandma and Grandpa’s house, located on a winding, narrow road, proved problematic for the children riding their bikes or walking over alone. “It just made sense for us to move closer to them,” says the wife.

If ever a vintage house could be described as a “survivor,” this might be the one.  Built in the mid-1800s on nearly 60 acres of land in Kirkwood, the stately Gothic Revival two-story was locally known as the “Couch House,” so named for a prominent early owner. By 1909, the residence was still imposing, but most of the surrounding property had been sold off, and the town had begun to grow around it.