Located on a private 3 acres in prime Ladue is this Bernoudy-designed contemporary masterpiece.
The centerpiece of the home is an open Living Room & Dining room with vaulted ceilings, coved lighting, built-in bookcases, a fireplace & an expanse of windows that look onto a wooded lot. The kitchen is bright & features granite counters, double ovens, stainless steel refrigerator & skylights.
The master bedroom suite is special with a dressing room that would satisfy anyone with a need for plenty of closet space. The master bath has been renovated with a soaking tub, walk-in shower, custom finishes & marble tile. Adjoining the master bedroom is another area with an expanse of closets & another full bath.
There is a cozy den with a fireplace on the main floor, laundry & office. The LL has a full wall of windows & sliding doors that lead to a terrace. There is a large recreation room with a wood-burning fireplace, 3 more bedrooms, 2 baths, new kitchenette, storage & a 2nd laundry.
“Mr. Wright has made a contribution to architecture in this country and a contribution which will no doubt (give) him a place of some importance in the history of architecture of this century when it may be written,” replied Benedict Farrar, then the president of the St. Louis Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. “But that the historian will take Mr. Wright’s own evaluation of himself and place him first and everyone else nowhere is hardly within the realm of possibility.”
Time may heal all wounds, and Wright, who died at age 91, would have been 150 Thursday.
And, despite Farrar’s predictions and Wright’s temperament, the American Institute of Architects in 1991 declared him “the greatest American architect of all time.”
Today, real estate listings here still boast about “Frank Lloyd Wright style” — some with more of it than others. Architects who studied under or worked for Wright left their mark in the St. Louis area, some designing structures with distinct Wright elements.
Walter Burley Griffin worked for Wright in his Oak Park studios. Although Griffin is known as the Frank Lloyd Wright of Australia, he designed several homes and buildings in America, including a private home on historic St. Louis Street in Edwardsville.
In 1932, University City High School graduate William Adair Bernoudy spent only one year at Washington University before he became a charter apprentice at Taliesin, Wright’s Wisconsin home and studio.
Bernoudy designed several private homes in the St. Louis area, including the Ladue home of real estate agent Ted Wight, who specializes in selling modern homes. Bernoudy himself and his wife, Gertrude, even lived in what is now Wight’s home. A cantilevered overhang, Asian-inspired screens and tight hallways opening to bigger living spaces are just a few Wright characteristics in his house, Wight said.
Wight says there’s a growing appreciation among customers for modern homes that are architecturally interesting. “Some people want to buy a house, but not just a house,” he said. “They want a house with a pedigree.” Bernoudy and modernist architects such as Isadore Shank and Harris Armstrong have supplied them. About three or four such homes come on the market a year, Wight says, though some have been torn down.
Over the years the Japanese garden in my backyard has slipped. You can see from the set of 2 photos that Bernoudy, who designed and lived in my house, had a pleasant garden with a granite Japanese lantern. When the house was sold, the possessions were sent to auction and the garden lost its lantern. My parents purchased the home from the estate in the early 1990’s. They had the garden rebuilt which made it larger and it became out of scale and the bricks surrounding the garden deteriorated. Since buying the house from my mother 4 years ago, I did not do much with the garden and it became an eyesore.
Last Fall I connected with Austin Tao, landscape architect, to design a new garden that echoed the old one, though updated the look. I wanted the garden to be brought to ground level entirely so that I could easily walk across it to get to the guest house. The need to walk across it is helpful in the rain also since my house does not have gutters.
Now I love my backyard and the birds seem to love the water feature in the middle.
Horstmann Brothers did the construction. Limestone pavers with small and large Mexican beach rocks in-between. The center water features is comprised of three rocks.
Cindy Belmont ASID, Takes On the Challenge of Designing the Interior of this Iconic St. Louis Home (A Listing I Closed Not Too Long Ago)
“I was so thrilled when my client called for assistance in designing the interior of this historic home. Their agent, Ted Wight, is an expert in preservation of classic homes and invaluable in assessing the value of this mid-century gem. Photographer, Reed R. Radcliff, beautifully captured its essence.” – Cindy Belmont ASID.
The original slate floor and beautifully sculptured banister are enhanced by the simple glass top console and intricate metal mosaic mirror. The accessories are in keeping with the simple, organic feel of the home.
Built-in sofas and tables are part of the home’s original architectural design. Reupholstering included a change in cushion style and adding custom pillows, all in a variety of interesting textures. The carefully selected furnishings and accessories offer a fresh feeling that is lighter and brighter.
// You can check out more from this home on a previous post I did when I was listing it. Below are a few of those posts.
This is Bernoudy at his best- the 1961 Kaplan House. The home is open & bright with vaulted ceilings throughout & an abundance of windows that bring the outside in & less low ceilings that are common in Bernoudy homes. Located on over an acre in Ladue at the end of a street with a lot backing to the Bogey Club, you could not ask for better placement. The Living Room and Dining Room open to each other with a gorgeous wide-plank oak floors, built-in bookcase, slate & bronze edged fireplace, bar, built in buffet with travertine top & an expanse of floor to ceiling windows that look onto the private yard. The master bedroom suite is private, apart from the other bedrooms & has a den, plenty of closets & a vaulted ceiling. The master bathroom has travertine tile shower & skylight. The eat-in kitchen features a vaulted ceiling with skylight. The large brick patios are the hallmark of the front & backyard that are idea for enjoying your lovely lot and entertaining! Recently finished lower level with a family room, wired for surround sound & plenty of storage. 2-car attached, heated & cooled garage. Main floor laundry. The home has been well maintained in a respectful way.
Designed by the esteemed firm of Bernoudy-Mutrux in 1952, the Simms house is a true masterpiece. The property went under contract quickly and there was lots of interest! I represented the sellers, and all I can say is that the spring market is truly heating up! Like I said in my last video, we are experiencing a sellers market, and this sale makes it ever-so more evident. If you haven’t seen this home yet, take a look at some of the gorgeous photos below. You can also check out this article on Curbed.com where it was featured!
(Shhhh….I have another Ladue Bernoudy coming on the market soon. High $800’s)
Yesterday I toured this lovely Bernoudy-designed home in Ladue. I remember going through it when it was for sale a few years ago and it was nice, though did not show that well. The current owner have done all the right things to this special home! As with many contemporary homes…the pictures do not do it justice!
“The extensive updates to this classic Bernoudy embrace the original elements of the home, designed to fit the contours of the property. Expansive windows form exterior walls in all of the main rooms of the home creating a sense of spaciousness which seems to extend onto the private terraces and beautiful gardens beyond. Brick, glass and distinctive wide wood decorative panels define the exterior and are also used inside so that, once again, you can’t tell where the exterior ends and the interior begins. In addition to the main room and dining space, the cook’s kitchen with adjacent hearth room, private den with fireplace and 4 bedrooms and 3 ½ baths complete the first floor. There is an additional bedroom, bath and family room in the lower level. The front, side and rear yards offer veiws to impeccably landscaped spaces. The updates that have been made to this stunning contemporary home allow both everyday living and entertaining to come with such ease.”
$1,379,000
Listed by Jill Azar & Fran Berger, Laura McCarthy, 314-725-5100
