What’s up, friends?

Today we’re headed downtown… and back in time… to 1896! We’re got two rarities for Homestarophes: really old and in an urban environment. Nestled between skyscrapers (and other old, tall buildings), today’s home seems a bit drab from its dated facade… but don’t let that fool you! 

Located in St. Louis, MO, this single-family-residence has 2 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, over 10-thousand sqft, and a price tag of $800,000. The listing describes this place as a “5-story mid-rise with 5 levels, all elevator-served” -and while that sounds like a small apartment building, yes, it’s all one giant home. 

Inside, we’re immediately bombarded with candy for the eyes… it’s so… much! There’s “custom tile, glasswork, and hand-painted artwork” throughout the space. 

Here’s the Gameplan: We’ve got 5 levels to explore, BUT since the photos aren’t labeled (by floor), I’m gonna make up my own levels…

Level 1: Kitchens

Two kitchens seems a bit much, but I think that the secondary fridge is for convenience, when you’re 3 flights of stairs away from the primary kitchen. 

Level 1.5: Fireplaces

The two fireplaces in this home are on opposing floors: 1st and 5th. The cement fireplace is on the 1st floor, as a firm base of the building. The ornate wooden fireplace is on the 5th floor -more on that later!

Level 2: Living Areas

Back in the 1890s, the wealthy elite didn’t have modern living rooms, they had formals bars, mezzanines as conference rooms, and random couches…? Huh? This is beginning to get really disjointed… 

Level 2.5: Staircases

Again, there is an elevator in this building. But there’s also plenty of old-fashioned stairs -which are beautiful. They vary in craftsmanship: carpet-lined, metallic, ornate railings, no railings. Next to the stairs, the decor is maximalist and adheres to the aesthetic of the floor it’s on.

Level 3: Doors & Doorways

Peek at the elevator as you take in some beautiful, handcrafted work: a carved wooden door, 

a strained glass door, and stained glass walls. 

Level 4: Bathrooms

At the very least, the owners paid good money to keep the bathrooms semi-updated and clean. Because, with how some of this place looks, I was getting scared to step in here. 

Level 4.5: Just a Lot of Stuff

Nevermind, now I’m scared. What the heck is all this stuff? It looks like a prop house met a hotel met an antique store. And I must highlight the 3D clown artwork in the third photo.

Level 5: The Top Floor

Folks, we’ve made it to the Penthouse! It feels expensive with that shade of green, the intricate windows, and small home theater space. Here, we finally see the semblance of a bedroom: an elevated floor with a Queen-Sized bed and a couch. Huh.

Well, I don’t like heights so let’s take the elevator back down -because I’m not taking 5 flights of stairs!

Since we’re back at the ground floor, let’s exit through the back.

Maybe we can chalk-up that place to being “of a different time” because it was gorgeous… but it was also confusing, mismatched, and a little bit scary. At least, we got a glimpse at a few pretty shades of green. Sometimes that’s all you can ask for.

Sarah @Hometastrophes