STLOUISHOMESMAG.COM AUGUST 2019 35
uring her three-decade career in the industry, award-winning
designer Gigi Lombrano has assembled an impressive list of
clients who wouldn’t dream of working with anyone else. These
owners, first discovered her talents 20 years ago and, even when
relocating to other cities, called on her to personalize their homes.
Returning to the St. Louis area in 2006, the couple purchased
this traditionally styled, 8,000-square-foot residence in Frontenac,
where they raised their twin sons. When the boys left home,
Lombrano and the wife joined forces to create a new look for their
empty-nester lifestyle. By this time, what had begun as a designer/
client relationship had evolved into a close friendship. “Gigi is a
great listener, and she knows me like the back of her hand,” says
the wife. To which Lombrano responds, “We collaborate on
everything; nothing intimidates her, and we never tire of each other.”
Last spring, with houseguests scheduled to arrive for the PGA
Championship in August, the creative duo seized the opportunity
to give the home another complete makeover. Describing her
client as “very tailored and couture, but loving details,” Lombrano
suggested a “neo-glam” aesthetic, stylish and sophisticated with a
bit of “flash.”
The décor would focus on beautiful shapes and lines, intriguing
textures and patterns, meticulous detailing and a dignified palette
of gray, blue, silver and black. For “flash,” they decided on fuchsia,
one of the owner’s favorite hues. The challenge for Lombrano was
to incorporate this bold color choice — and other surprising
elements — into each space so seamlessly that they would
complement, rather than detract from, the elegant ambience.
With only five months to achieve their goal, the redesign was a
major undertaking. “Friends and family are everything to us, and
we entertain a lot,” the wife explains, “so I wanted the spaces to
flow together.” Starting at the front entrance, the exterior was
accented with limestone, and a custom, dark mahogany entry
door with a neo-classic X motif detailing that would be repeated
elsewhere in the home. Inside, the main-level oak flooring was
stained and refinished to match the entry door.
Open to the foyer, the formal dining room is a perfect illustration
of their collaborative ingenuity. An alcove on the back wall was
eliminated and rebuilt as a full-wall refrigerated wine cooler with a
498-bottle capacity. The remaining walls were covered in metallic
grasscloth, accentuating the high-gloss, dark-toned furnishings,
which include the owners’ original dining table and chairs,
reupholstered in a Kate Spade silk with striped velvet backs and
metallic trim.
Positioned against a side wall are a gracefully curved Jonathan
Charles bombe chest and mirror in black eucalyptus with
lustrous hardware and trim. An antique silver tea set, EdwardianInterior Designer: Gigi Lombrano InteriorsD
By Barb Wilson
Photography by Anne Matheis