In an era when unique homes are often demolished, Scott and his wife transformed a quirky “subterranean Swiss chalet museum” into a family home that honors its past.
Q: What made you and your wife decide to buy the home?
Scott: When we initially saw this listing, we called it "the Yowza House." We went to take a look as a joke, but within a minute of being in the house, it felt like our space. It was comfortable, big, and had character.
Q: What stood out to you about the house?
Scott: The house's appraisal read "mid-century modern, subterranean Swiss chalet museum." A lot of the features in our house are similar to those in the Biltmore. Part of me felt like this was a Central West End-style house with all the woodwork; it doesn't belong in St. Louis County.
Q: Did you know anything about the home's history beforehand?
Scott: We knew it was Sid Salomon's house; he was the original owner of the St. Louis Blues. He built it in the late 1950s and also served as JFK's finance chair during his presidential campaign, during the golden era of politics.
Q: What was your vision for the renovation?
Scott: The house sat on the market for five months, and the only two offers were to tear it down. When we started thinking about it, the question was: "How do we preserve the character, the uniqueness, and the funkiness yet modernize it?"
Q: What original features did you keep?
Scott: The buffet bar is built-in and hand-painted, with beautiful marble on top. The leaded glass throughout that room is exceptional, including the Salomon family crest, which features their Latin motto: "Leisure with dignity."
The fireplace is original, a wood-burning model just under four feet tall and seven feet wide. The logs are nearly five feet long. We've been trying to convert it to propane but haven't figured it out yet.
The bourbon bar in the great room is part of a giant built-in cabinet. We had a historic wood expert come in. She said it was a rare piece, and the molding on the doors is carved in an oversized, linen-fold style with exotic doors.
In 1960, Mr. Salomon installed an Asian-themed theater room. The doors have lead carvings poured into them, featuring Oriental trees and other elements. I'm really pleased that Bob and Joan, the previous owners, took the time to ensure they found someone who appreciates the house's charm. We may have stumbled upon it as a joke, but it was meant to be.
To the left of our entry foyer, you see 17th-century French cookie presses from the Breton region, repurposed into doors. We didn't even notice them at first; Sheila pointed them out. They're about four and a half feet tall and were initially used to press large decorative cookies. The Salomons had them made into swinging doors that separate the bedroom wing of the house; one door led to his bedroom, and the other to hers. When you open them, you step into a hallway lined with original silk wallpaper and gold accents. They're incredibly unique.
Q: Who did you work with on the renovation?
Scott: We went through four different interviews, and only one of the designers loved it for its uniqueness and funkiness—everyone else wanted to tear all the woodwork out. We were fortunate to find Tamsin with the Tamsin Design Group because she really embraced what we wanted to do. It was just as important to find the right construction group; we needed people who wanted to preserve and love the house but were also ready for the challenges that lay ahead. Bob and Julie Mosby, owners of Kirkwood Home & Landscape and Julie's Garden, were going through their own renovation at the time and understood that every time you hit a hammer, something else breaks. They were ready for that.
Q: What do you love most about the finished space?
Scott: We're excited to share it with people through fundraisers and charities. It's a house people should see, not as a joke on the internet, but to appreciate it. It's fun seeing people's reactions when they come into the house for the first time—not seeing the funkiness or ugliness, but saying, "Oh my god, this is so cool. This is beautiful." It's rewarding to see that the time and money we invested with Bob, Julie, and Tamsin have turned into something better. You can take something that is "yowza" and funky and—with the right touch and without a huge budget—make it feel like the house it always wanted to be. It's bright and open yet still retains its personality. It feels like home.
We may have stumbled upon it as a joke, but it was meant to be.