When attorney Travis Noble first saw the Ladue home he purchased last August, he was immediately taken by two things: its unique design and its master closet worthy of housing his carefully curated wardrobe. He shares the home with two daughters, 10-year-old Sydney and 5-year-old Victoria, as well as his girlfriend Phelan and three dogs, which explains its blend of
sophistication and fun.
T&S | What first attracted you to the home?
Travis Noble | It’s a funky house—very unique. And the location can’t be beat—previously I was in Frontenac, but this home
is only 1.8 miles from my office front door.
T&S | What are some of your favorite features?
TN | The master bathroom. The previous owners had just redone it, and it’s very spa-like and tranquil. I also really love the back deck. You can get to it from the master bedroom and the living room—both rooms have double doors that open out to the deck. I put in an outdoor TV and a hot tub, so I can sit out there at night, smoke a cigar and watch Sports Center.
T&S | What room do you spend the most time in?
TN | Probably the TV room, which is next to the living room and has an 80-inch TV. My daughters and I like to sit there for movie nights. But the basement is my kids’ favorite room. It has lots of games—Amini’s hooked me up with video games, arcade games, foosball and air hockey. I purchased them after I bought the house, because I wanted to make it my kids’ dream room. I surprised them with it for Christmas.
T&S | Have you done any renovations?
TN | Everything was pretty much already done by the previous owner, but I did repaint. And in the living room, there was a huge
ceiling fan I took down and replaced with a locally created chandelier made of handblown glass that was inspired by Chihuly.
That was quite the project. But overall, I didn’t have to do a whole lot.
T&S | You seem to have quite the art collection! Where does it all come from?
TN | A lot of it is by local artists, including Ted Collier, whose wife is Katie of Katie’s Pizza. I also have art from SJ Hammack, a local painter and photographer. And I commissioned a few pieces from Brad Kessler—he’s a lawyer but has moved on to painting. I have a ton of glass pieces, such as bowls, from local artists, including Sam Stang and Tony Cray.
T&S | Why is it important to you to collect local art?
TN | I have zero artistic ability, and I think anybody who can paint or work in mediums like glass is so talented. I find it fascinating because I can’t draw at all. We have such great talent here locally, so I just started collecting pieces from local artists.
T&S | How would you describe your overall design philosophy?
TN | It’s an eclectic mix. I would say the house is a midcentury modern, but I have very contemporary pieces mixed with more traditional pieces.
T&S | The coffee table in your living room looks unique.
TN | It matches a smaller table I have in the entry of the house. Both are made from the root of a teak tree. And the 12-foot double front doors also are made of teak and are antiques.
T&S | I’m sure the closet was a huge selling point!
TN | It was. I tweaked it a little bit because I am obsessed with clothes. I have to wear a suit every day, and I’m an obsessive shopper, so that was one of the main things I liked about the house: the closet fit my wardrobe. At my previous house, I had to turn a bedroom into a closet.
Pictured: Travis Noble, his girlfriend Phelan, and dogs Bella, Opie and Jax
Photos: Suzy Gorman
