Rochelle McAvin, an interior designer with LU Design Build in St. Louis, knew her clients’ kitchen would be a top priority when renovating their home in historic Webster Groves. For a young family that cooks often, a kitchen is to be lived in and enjoyed, so she aimed for a cozy atmosphere with natural light, colors and materials.

“People often have ideas of how to make their homes better, but they’ve been in the same house for so long, they can’t see all the possible options. That’s where we come in.”

Sad at the prospect of having to move out of the home they’d lived in for 40 years, this retired St. Louis couple hoped to find a renovation option that would allow them to age in place.

Darker, moodier colors seem to be catching on. Mattison sees a lot of emerald and deep teal being used in kitchens, especially for islands, like the Deep Sea Dive by Sherwin-Williams on the island in this St. Louis kitchen by Jennifer Chapman Designs. 

Wondering if it’s time to hire a design-build firm? Unlike the more traditional path (known as “design, bid, build"), which involves hiring a designer and a builder separately, hiring a design-build firm gives you design and construction services under the same umbrella.