If walls could talk, the ones at this century-old Ladue home would say, “a legacy continues”. 

This Ladue home is one of 160 houses in St. Louis on the National Register of Historic Places, designed by Raymond E. Martiz and W. Ridgley Young. In the 1990’s, this Spanish mission style home was almost torn down. Luckily, the property was purchased and saved by the original owner’s great niece. 

First built in 1924, the original house (built in the shape of a cross) needed an update. Insert Mitchell Wall Architecture and Design. “You can’t ignore the past when working on century homes,” says Tom Wall, the project’s architect and owner of Mitchell Wall Architecture and Design. The idea to link the past with the present? A conservatory inspired by the Crystal Palace, “an enormous wrought iron and glass structure” built for the 1851 World’s Fair in London. This addition created functional living space and ample room to host events.

Beyond structural continuity, Wall and his team also made sure the original and new spaces used the same “vocabulary”. According to Wall, “in order to maintain communication, you have to make sure that each part of the house is speaking the same language.” With great detail placed in replicating dental work and continuing the home’s color scheme, a century-old home was brought back to life. And, now, a legacy continues! 

For more on this home and how Mitchell Wall approached and executed the update, check out “A Legacy Continues” in our online issue. And, subscribe to SL for more design inspiration from St. Louis’ premiere homes: https://www.sophisticatedstlouis.com/mag/subscribe.