Transplant couple honored to be caretakers of historic Lafayette Square home

May 24, 2023

Raquel Scharf-Anderson and Eric Anderson speak on their 142 year old home in the Lafayette Square neighborhood on Friday, July 14, 2023. Video by Christine Tannous, St. Louis Post-Dispatch

This small parlor sits between the main parlor and the dining room and features original hardwood floors and marble fireplace surround. The columns that frame its doorway were added later.

Raquel Scharf-Anderson and husband Eric Anderson have lived in St. Louis in their historic Lafayette Square home for just over a year. The couple relocated here from Seattle in June 2022 for Raquel's job as the new head of the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School, and they have since fallen for their adopted city and neighborhood.

"We love St. Louis," Raquel says.

Having previously only briefly visited or passed through town, the city was brand new to them. Raquel grew up in a suburb of Chicago and Eric in New Hampshire. They ended up in Seattle for jobs. When Raquel accepted the position with Mirowitz, she came to visit, beginning with a tour of the school's Creve Coeur campus but didn't think that was where she'd want to live.

"We love cities, so we decided we'd already done the suburban thing, and we'd love to live in the city," she says. "We thought we'd end up in the Central West End or U. City, but then we found Lafayette Square."

The three-story French Empire-style home is in the heart of Lafayette Square directly facing the park. The iron gates are original to the house, which was owned by William S. Simpson, a partner in the Christopher & Simpson iron works plant nearby.

They began house hunting online and saw three houses in Lafayette Square, then narrowed it down to two, which Raquel flew out to see in person and decide between.

"We chose this one because it was the most updated," she says. "Even though there are things we’d like to do to it, we could move in, and with my job we couldn't do that right away."

The Second Empire-style house was designed and built in 1878 by well-known St. Louis architect Alexander Cameron, who sold it to William S. Simpson, a partner in the Christopher & Simpson iron works plant nearby. An original iron gate surrounds the front patio — part of Simpson's legacy. Eric and Raquel are the eighth owners of the home.

The main parlor features tall windows overlooking the street and Lafayette Square Park and one of two original marble fireplace surrounds.

The previous owners lived in the house for over 20 years, adding most of its current updates and décor. Eventually, Raquel says they plan to update it with more of their own personal style. For now, she's just happy they found their ideal city home, directly across the street from beautiful Lafayette Square Park.

"There's swans and herons and you can't believe you're in the city," Raquel says. "When there's the concerts in the park, we can just sit on our front patio and listen."

Though there have been changes over the years, the house retains some of its period details and charm, such as original hardwood floors in some of the main floor, ornate carpenter's lace and pocket doors between the parlors, and original marble fireplace surrounds on two of the home's six fireplaces.

The kitchen was updated at some point and a small back porch off it was enclosed to form a quaint breakfast nook that Raquel outfitted with a colorful bistro set purchased at Treasure Aisles Antique Mall. Most of the furniture on the main floor was purchased locally, including an antique burled walnut china cabinet the couple found at an estate sale in Ladue that fit perfectly in the dining room.

Both of the home's original floating staircases can be seen from the foyer. An ornate antique wood cabinet sits between them.

Two original floating wood staircases lead to the second floor, where the rooms have been updated, including the primary bedroom and bathroom. A quirky claw-foot bathtub was installed next to the fireplace in the bedroom, which Raquel decided to leave in for now.

Another bedroom was turned into a cozy library and TV room lined with built-in dark wood bookshelves that are filled with the couple's books and collectibles. The walls are painted in a rich and soothing purple hue and the room is outfitted with comfy contemporary furniture. This is Eric's favorite spot in the house.

"I love to relax there with the dogs," he says.

One of the second-floor bedrooms was turned into a colorful and cozy library and TV room with built-in shelves filled with the couple's books and collectibles.

They also love the two parlors on the main floor, including a central one they refer to as "The Rotunda" due to its unique round recessed ceiling lined in ornate molding. It's a great spot for entertaining and the couple recently hosted a fundraising event for Raquel's school at the house. They enjoy sharing it and take great pleasure in caring for it.

"This is not an ordinary house, and we are the stewards. This is a piece of history and that's why we're happy to have people know about it," Raquel says. "It's a pleasure to be the custodians of this home until the next people take it many years from now from us."

Raquel Scharf-Anderson, left, and Eric Anderson, right, sit in the front room of their home on Friday, July 14, 2023, in the Lafayette Square neighborhood in St. Louis. Photo by Christine Tannous, [email protected]

Raquel Scharf-Anderson and Eric Anderson

Ages • Both are 48.

Occupations • Raquel is head of the Saul Mirowitz Jewish Community School; Eric is a software developer for Wells Fargo Bank.

Home • Lafayette Square

Family • The couple has two grown children: Sam, 23, lives in Pennsylvania; and Tzipporah, 20, lives and works in St. Louis and has an apartment in the basement of the home.

Raquel and Eric refer to this central parlor as the "Rotunda Room" due to its uniquely adorned round recessed ceiling. The wood carpenter's lace in the doorway is original.

The home's décor including the dining room's wallpaper and draperies were done by the previous owners. Raquel and Eric plan to update it in their own style in the future.

A colorful bistro set Raquel purchased at Treasure Aisles Antique Mall sits in the cozy breakfast nook off the kitchen. Her daughter, Tzipporah, is a seamstress and re-covered the cushions.

Raquel decided to keep the unique claw-foot bathtub that sits next to the fireplace in the primary bedroom. The room and its adjoining primary bathroom have been updated, but the couple plans to make further changes in the future.

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Raquel Scharf-Anderson and Eric Anderson speak on their 142 year old home in the Lafayette Square neighborhood on Friday, July 14, 2023. Video…