Crocus Hill Condo
Design, Project Coordination, Sourcing
St. Paul, MN
2023 - present
This 1907 condo in St. Paul’s Crocus Hill neighborhood offered generous scale and historic bones, including 9 foot ceilings, crown molding, stained glass, and abundant east and west light, but the interior had become fragmented over time. A mix of mid century interventions, utilitarian updates, and loud, oversized patterning obscured the home’s original character and created a visually disjointed interior.
The design focuses on harmonizing these layers into a cohesive, antiqued world rooted in romantic countryside references and historic moodiness while remaining deeply livable. Through a careful emphasis on lighting, material surfaces, and tonal restraint, the project restores warmth, softness, and atmosphere, allowing the home to feel cozy, intentional, and true to its age rather than caught between eras.
Project Details
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Revealed the inherent character of a historic condo without resorting to overt period styling or imitation
Harmonized layered and uneven spaces into a cohesive whole while preserving their individuality
Replaced surface level updates with foundational improvements that strengthen light, flow, and longevity
Worked within existing constraints while respecting age, material honesty, and architectural scale
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Approached the home as a sequence of distinct rooms, unified by atmosphere rather than a flattened aesthetic
Drew from romantic countryside and vintage European interiors to inform proportion, restraint, and historic moodiness
Shifted away from mid century, utilitarian, and visually dominant patterning toward a softer, antiqued sensibility
Embraced imperfections in plaster, flooring, and circulation as part of the home’s identity
Created a slow unfolding experience using contrast, shadow, and surface depth to establish warmth and intimacy
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Removed popcorn ceilings and refinished surfaces to restore visual calm and allow architectural details to re emerge
Established a restrained and historically grounded palette across walls and ceilings to support continuity and light
Introduced continuous hardwood flooring to improve flow between rooms while remaining appropriate to the home’s age
Refinished and installed wood floors in deep ebony tones to anchor spaces and heighten contrast
Opened a bathroom wall to expose a west facing window, restoring natural light and spatial clarity
Updated lighting throughout with dimmers and layered sources to emphasize surface texture, shadow, and evening warmth
Selected fixtures, finishes, and outlets with subtlety in mind, allowing architecture and materials to lead
Furnished the home primarily with secondhand and vintage pieces chosen for scale, patina, and material presence
