White Christmas in St. Louis

Well, we really did it! We had a beautiful snow for Christmas and luckily it was nothing like the blizzard in the Northeast. Just enough to make you want to stay in, all warm and cozy around the fireplace. There is just something fascinating and comforting about the blanket of silence that covers the ground. You can tell it's out there before stepping one foot out of bed.

Our office is closed through New Years, but we will be checking in for messages in case you need us. For those of you who have your own business, I'm sure you understand when I say "you can't turn it off". Regardless of vacation or a special time to relax, I love what I do, so business and clients are still on my mind.

I hope your holidays have been satisfying and that your New Year is filled with good fortune and everything else you wish for yourself. I look forward to working with you in 2011.

Special Matching Gift Challenge

Please support the St. Louis Chapter Alzheimer's Association Matching Gift Challenge. Don't miss out on this opportunity to have your gift doubled through January 15, 2011. Help in the mission to eliminate Alzheimer's disease. Send your donation to:

Alzheimer's Association
St. Louis Chapter
PO Box 96011
Washington, DC 20090-6011

Preventing the Spread of Bacteria...By Design

Recent statistics show that approximately 90,000 people die each year from nosocomial (hospital-born) infections. What you may not know is that there are revolutionary products available to reduce the spread of bacteria, not only in healthcare facilities, but schools, offices and homes as well. I’ve been following several of these products over the years and don’t understand why they are not used more extensively. It’s understandable that even though there is a hospital boom, budgets are tighter due to the poor economy. But does that outweigh the cost of lives and, from a business standpoint, the legal ramifications?

Survey finds significant increase in cost of care in nursing homes and assisted living

Survey finds significant increase in cost of care in nursing homes and assisted living
from www.news-medical.net and Alzheimer's Daily News

more than good design...improving the quality of environments and helping businesses thrive

What do St. John’s Rehabilitation Hospital, Safety National Casualty Corporation and Go!Spa-Creve Coeur have in common?

These facilities are just a few among the many commercial interior projects I have designed. As a seasoned, hands-on business owner, I take the same great care and pride in the designs of these companies as I do with my own firm.

Safety National Security Corporation – St. Louis, MO
This project, designed in affiliation with ACI Boland Architects, is the new, five-story corporate headquarters for the insurance company, which has been named one of the Best Places to Work in the insurance industry by Business Insurance magazine .

The stately building includes a two-story lobby clad with dark cherry paneling, natural stone floors and columns. It was important to management that the staff was able to share all of the natural light, so sidelights or clerestory windows in perimeter offices and conference rooms allowed the light to flow freely into the open space. There is a state-of-the-art conference facility on each floor, a fitness center complete with a Yoga Room, as well as multi-purpose dining and training facilities. With wellness encouraged, a walking track winds around gardens and a lake behind the building. Interior design responsibilities included programming, space planning, interior architectural details, custom cabinetry and stone work, specialty lighting and interior finishes.