A cozy living room with two white chairs, a wooden table, a small vase with flowers, and a lamp. There's a fireplace on the left, a large window, and double glass doors opening to a garden. The ceiling has dark wooden beams. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

From Outdated to Chic: A Modern Parisian Home in Frontenac

Rachel

This Frontenac home, while full of character and unique millwork, hadn’t been updated in decades. Finishes were worn, dark, and ultimately didn’t match the modern organic style of the new homeowners, who both loved to entertain. With the help of the Dana King team, the main floor of the home transformed into an open, airy, Modern Parisian style.

A spacious living room with large windows and wooden beams on the ceiling. It features a curved sofa, a beige sectional, a black marble fireplace, and a round table. Natural light floods the room, and a garden is visible outside. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

The Frontenac neighborhood in St Louis is an upscale residential area that has several historic homes, highly-rated private schools, and proximity to many award-winning restaurants and retailers, making it a highly sought-after location to live.

The Before & Establishing Goals

Peter and Han found a ‘diamond in the rough’ with the purchase of this home through their realtor Ted Wight. However, many aspects were far removed from their personal taste. Mismatched wood finishes and unpleasant shades of yellow were everywhere they looked, in almost every room. They knew they would want to remodel their home before they moved in. Ted– still happy with his Bernoudy kitchen we completed a few years ago– introduced them to Dana King.

Spacious room with wood-paneled walls, parquet flooring, and a fireplace. Three large windows feature decorative stained glass. White curtains partially cover the windows. The word "BEFORE" is in the top left corner. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

Dana knew her designers, Meg and Rachel, would listen and collaborate with Han and Peter to establish and realize their home goals:

  • Reimagine the space for easier entertaining
  • Modernize finishes & fixtures 
  • Imbue the space with a light and airy feel throughout
  • Connect the space more thoughtfully to the beautiful greenery outdoors
A vintage room with wood-paneled walls, parquet flooring, and a built-in bookshelf. A chandelier hangs from the ceiling. "BEFORE" is labeled in the top left corner. Sunlight streams through a window on the right. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

Han loved the organic elements of Wabi Sabi design. Wabi Sabi design finds inspiration in nature and accepts imperfections, which became an underlying design feature throughout the project– from finishes to fixtures and furniture.

Accomplishing these goals required artful decisions on what to keep and what to remove. Ornate curved railing and posts were removed, linear wall moulding and beams remained. A wall separating the living space and kitchen was removed so that the view of the tv could be unobstructed when sitting at the island.

The Transformation – Flooring

A modern living room with a cozy beige sofa and armchair, a textured rug, and a wooden coffee table. The room features a built-in shelving unit with decorative items and a hidden bar area, along with wooden ceiling beams and large windows. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

Stained glass was removed, and contrasting black windows and doors with grids were incorporated to highlight architectural details.

Before
After

The dated flooring was also addressed. Simplifying finishes and colors throughout the home created a visual calmness more prevalent in modern interiors. Using and retaining quality materials and architectural details kept a timeless quality.

Interior view of a large room featuring a tiled floor, a wooden staircase with intricate railing, and a chandelier. The room has wooden accents and stained glass windows. A fireplace is visible in the background under a wooden balcony. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

Polished ceramic tiles in the foyer and oak planks in the adjacent spaces brought warmth and balance of color.

Spacious modern interior with a beige round table topped with a vase and books. Above, silver spherical lights hang. The open room has a cream sofa, wooden floor, black fireplace, large windows, and greenery by the stairs. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

A Foyer Focal Point

The foyer has vaulted ceilings, which gave the Dana King team the perfect opportunity to create a dramatic focal point. A new, modern stair rail and balusters were installed, designed to complement the chandelier, the pièce de résistance of the foyer.

Before
After

The pendants were individually hung, directed by designer, Rachel. The overall shape of the 7 fixtures became another piece of art in and of itself! Hand-made and shipped from Great Britain, the Tom Dixon fixtures make this foyer view unmatched in all of St Louis.

Finishing the Rest of the Home

The dining room had beautiful picture frame moulding and crown. But the yellow paint and wallpaper paired with the vintage chandelier gave this room a very formal traditional feel.

A dining room with light hardwood floors, an ornate chandelier, and large window. The walls have white wainscoting with gold trim. An open doorway leads to a kitchen area with wooden cabinetry and stainless steel appliances. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

This room completely transformed by refinishing the floors to a neutral gray-brown stain, painting the walls a matte off-white color, and installing modern light fixtures.

A minimalist dining room with a marble table, four beige chairs, and a centerpiece of two green plants in bowls. The room features a modern light fixture and a geometric artwork on a paneled white wall. The floor is light wood. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

Through this editing process, the Modern Parisian style emerged– one that embraces old-world details, but brings in unexpected, non-traditional finishes, light fixtures, and furniture shapes.

“We had so much fun designing this with the DK team!”

-Han, homeowner

The home’s exterior could not be forgotten! Designers, Rachel and Meg embraced quality timeless features, like a brick facade and copper awnings. The exterior aesthetic was modernized with black and gray doors, trim, gutters, and fascia.

Before
After

A new modern full-lite front door brings in lots of natural light. The tall, linear sconce lights add a welcoming glow in the evening.

Furniture Layout & Styling

Early in the design process, furniture layout and design boards were developed. These tools informed both remodeling and interior design choices. Homeowners, Han & Peter, were able to use these to purchase corresponding furnishings that finally made their home suit their style and feel like ‘home’. Designer, Rachel, returned at the end with accessories to style the space and make it photo-ready!

A cozy living room with wood beams on the ceiling, a large window with black frames, a light beige sofa, two modern cream chairs, a black fireplace, a wooden coffee table, and a table lamp with a brown shade. Natural light fills the space. Dana King Design Build Remodeling | St. Louis Remodeling Company

See more of our whole home remodels!

At Dana King we strive to help you live better at home!

Schedule a design consultation by contacting us!

Get Started

Or, give us a call: (314) 914-2840

More Posts

See more posts on our blog