from the homeowners »

We expect our homes to be a lot of things. We want a fantastic party venue when entertaining, a peaceful retreat on stressful days, a private playground for our kids—and that’s just scratching the surface. Nestled off Dougherty Ferry Road in Des Peres, 12 Bellerosa Place has been all of that and more for Emily Trochtrop and her family. “We’ve been here for almost ll years and have loved every moment,” she says. “I can’t say enough about the neighborhood and house.”

Tell me about the area.
I love this neighborhood. It’s really close to Greenbriar Country Club; one of the back holes actually faces our subdivision. It’s small and quiet and just a great place to live. I love every single neighbor I’ve had here.

What attracted you to the home?
Honestly, everything about it. We loved the floor plan, and it had an unfinished lower level, so we were able to complete it the way we wanted. The location is perfect. It’s only a mile from Hwy. 270, so you can easily get wherever you need to go. The schools in the area are great. My kids go to Barretts Elementary, which is amazing.

Do you have a favorite room?
I love the entire basement. We were able to put in a big rec and living room. It has air hockey and pool tables, plus a full bar with a commercial grade beer chiller and ice machine. It’s great for entertaining, and with the home theater on that level, the kids love it, too.

Did you entertain often?
Yes. The whole house is set up perfectly for both entertaining and everyday living. The kitchen is very open with a huge island, and it’s attached to the dining room, which can seat 12 people for holiday meals and dinner parties. We always held an annual Christmas fundraiser here. The great room has high ceilings that can accommodate a huge Christmas tree. I also would put up full-sized trees in the hearth room and basement. It was great because people could hang out all over the house, upstairs and down. We held a lot of awesome birthday parties in the basement as well. It’s a walkout, so kids could play outside and come in as they pleased.

What did you use the outdoor space for?
One of the big changes we did was expanding and replacing the deck. I loved to just sit out there, especially when I had a kid-free day. It’s very quiet, and it was perfect for having a few girlfriends over to share a bottle of wine and hang out on nice evenings.

from the agents »
“This fabulous one-and-a-half story home in Des Peres has 5,300 square feet of gorgeous living space on a perfect, flat, fenced lot.”

—Ann Cordeal and Terri Lessaris

listing price | $750,000
listing agents | Ann Cordeal & Terri Lessaris
agency | Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Select Properties
phone | 314.775.2050 | 314.706.0481 | 314.580.5726

Photos: Joel Marion