Written By Jessen O’Brien / Photography By Corey Hogrefe

When Cindy and Mark Heffernan set out to build their new home, they decided to put their faith in C&M Interiors, a new firm founded by two locally-trained young designers: Channing Krichevsky and Maria Hogrefe.

Although now, Krichevsky and Hogrefe have tackled several new builds, the Heffernan house was their first custom-home project as a firm. “It was an amazing opportunity,” says Hogrefe. “The Heffernans were one of our very first clients. Trusting us as 23- and 24-year-old fresh professionals — Cindy really gave us a leg up in our careers.”

Heffernan had seen an article about the duo; “I remember thinking, ‘Well, they look like fun!’” recalls Heffernan. “So I interviewed them and I really liked the fact that they were younger. They were confident, they were excellent listeners, and they reminded me of my daughter.” 

Heffernan’s eldest was at a similar point in her career. “Her daughter had just entered the workforce — we’re very close in age — and had been struggling with male-dominated fields and people not trusting that young women could do things,” says Krichevsky. “She was like, ‘Give them a shot, mom — you’ll be surprised.’ And here we are, five years later!”

Today, the Heffernan’s Frontenac home is a polished two-story with plenty of traditional charm, brought to life by the award-winning architects at Fendler + Associates and the expert builders at NJL Custom Homes. Just as the Heffernans’ had dreamed of, there’s a first-floor master suite and an ideal layout for entertaining. The back of the house has several sets of French doors that can be opened up, drawing family and friends through the house to the pool and outdoor kitchen and living area. In the front, a large porch and second-story balcony give the homeowners more excuses to go outside.

Finding the right lot was critical for a home that’s so integrated with the outdoors. The Heffernans were lucky enough to spot the perfect piece of land relatively quickly, but there was a hitch: in order to build their home, they’d first need to remove the 1936 house that stood on the site.

“I had a sense of guilt about tearing down the original home,” says Heffernan. Once again, an article held the answer. “I looked down at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and there was a story about a non-profit called Refab.” 

Instead of demolishing the house, Refab dismantled it so that its features could be reclaimed and reused. A number of them ended up in the Heffernans’ new home, including a cupid-shaped light fixture and a fireplace mantle that — with help from a furniture maker found by Krichevsky and Hogrefe — wound up in the master bedroom.

From Heffernan’s perspective, one of the best parts of Refab is that it employs vets, retraining them to deconstruct homes. “My dad served 22 years in the U.S. Air Force, so I’ve always had a soft spot for the military,” she says.

That history — both of her family and of the site’s original home — would lay the foundation for a challenging design brief: A home that paid homage to Southern-style architecture that once stood on the property (and which Heffernan had always loved) as well as an early childhood spent in Japan, where Heffernan was born because of her father’s military career. At the same time, Heffernan wanted a home that was traditional, warm, and comfortable. “Casual elegance” was the phrase she used when describing her vision to Krichevsky and Hogrefe.

“The Heffernans are the most welcoming people,” says Hogrefe. “They wanted their home to feel really elegant and elevated, but also act as a major gathering space for their family and friends.” 

Tank — the Heffernan’s labrador — was another consideration. “There was a ton of conversation about durability but also about not having things look like they were durable — making them look like beautiful handcrafted pieces,” says Krichevsky.

Quality and simplicity were the keys to keeping the space practical. Polished nickel plumbing fixtures by Waterworks and Amish-made cabinets by Kenrose Kitchen Kabinets provided features that would be refined and long-lasting. Maple flooring was used throughout the home because of its clean graining but stained a mid-tone color, in a nod to both tradition and durability. In the foyer and more formal areas, Krichevsky and Hogrefe encouraged Heffernan to opt for a dark inlay trim that adds an extra layer of visual interest. “I loved how they would push me out of my comfort zone,” says Heffernan. 

Another example: The kitchen island, which mixes Calacatta marble with a butcher-block-style countertop. The marble side makes up the workspace, while the wood designates the seating area. The finishing touches were a set of polished nickel rivets created by Architectural Elements that act as corner guards. “It was a really special design feature that we wanted to incorporate from the very beginning to add another bit of character to the piece and also give a protective quality to the corners,” says Krichevsky. The red-brick, herringbone backsplash and wall of white marble continues the room’s distinctive blend of comfort and grandeur.

Next door, Krichevsky and Hogrefe added a backsplash of antique glass brick to the butler’s pantry to open up the space. “They said, ‘You’re going to walk into this little butler’s pantry and feel like you’re stepping into your jewelry box,’” recalls Heffernan. “It expands the space and showcases my Waterford crystal and china. It’s useful too; I’ve learned when you see what you have, you tend to use it more. Otherwise, out of sight out of mind.”

Throughout most of the main floor, traditional and Southern design take the lead, with elements of Asian décor mixed in. But the script flips in the formal powder room, with botanicals forming a bridge between the two aesthetics. Here, the pineapples and palm trees that fleck the main living areas give way to the flowers and birds of a Chinoiserie-style Schumacher wallpaper: Brighton Pavilion by Miles Redd. An antique glass mirror, white pedestal sink, and marble slab finish the space.

The rich botanicals continue in the less formal guest powder room, towards the back of the house. Another Schumacher print — the playful Citrus Garden — covers the walls. “We sourced this amazing red, pagoda-style mirror in Palm Beach,” says Krichevsky. “That was our starting point. We knew that [Heffernan] loved this wallpaper and it just felt very serendipitous that the two worked together.”

There’s another burst of color in the adjacent mudroom, where the wainscotting, trim, doors, and cabinetry are all painted a shade of blue called In the Navy by Sherwin-Williams. Twelve bamboo-framed prints — selected by Heffernan and positioned by Krichevsky and Hogrefe — line the perimeter of the beadboard, which was added to make this high-traffic area more resistant to wear and tear. 

In the master bath, the palette lightens. “We've carried in a lot of really warm finishes,” says Hogrefe. “We have beautiful, rich wood vanities that nestle in a little nook. And one other important piece that we designed around: a pagoda-style china cabinet.” The Heffernans bought the cabinet when they were first married. “It was so much money for us then, but I somehow sweet-talked my husband into letting me get it,” says Heffernan.

Upstairs, another family heirloom — Mark’s father’s desk — sits on the second-floor landing, off of which are rooms for the three children. In the daughter’s bathroom, an abstract black-and-white Schumacher wallpaper is adorned with modern light fixtures by Kate Spade. A geometric pattern adds a touch of glam to the middle son's bathroom, while in the youngest’s a plaid tile floor looks convincingly like carpet.

In the end, Heffernan says she was even more pleasantly surprised with how the house turned out than she expected to be. “I respected them right away not just for their design but also for their business savvy,” says Heffernan. “Now, they do a lot of custom homes. They’re playing in what’s kind of been a man’s world — the builders’ world — with people who are a lot older than they are, but it doesn’t phase them.”

Krichevsky and Hogrefe are grateful for the support the Heffernans continue to give them. “We were so young when we first started the business,” says Hogrefe. “Cindy and Mark have seen us grow not only as professionals but also as humans. It’s been really cool to get to share that experience as they build their home.”