In the winter of 2011/2012 my husband and I got the crazy notion to buy a local restaurant that has been around for years. I actually went there when I was a student at St. Joe!  After much deliberating with the owner at the time and much planning on our part , we put together an idea on paper. We started coming up with ideas to spruce up the interior and make Grassis not just a great lunch place, but an eatery that customers could relax in with family and friends.
If you have never been to Grassi’s, it is cafeteria style eating. You grab you tray, napkin and silverware and hit the line. The challenge for me was to come up with a design plan on a limited budget and work with the existing cinder block walls.

— So.. we decided to use old windows we purchased at a local shop and mount those to barn wood beams and attach to the ceiling for stability. The outcome was awesome. It created cozier seating areas and broke up the long boring wall that you immediately see when walking into the main dining area.

 We also used the same red barn wood to conceal the electrical panels in the ” cafe” portion of the restaurant.  Again, breaking up the visual simplicity of the cinder block.
  We decided to expand upon the term ” Where did you go the high school?” by literally photographing where customers went to high school. We used architectural elements in the photographs that line the hallway that only a former student would  recognize. Kinda fun to look at when your standing in line to grab that awesome Grassi’s food!!
Anyway, take a look at the before and afters and you will see what a little elbow grease from family and friends, paint and creative ideas can do to transform a space!!
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Cori Dyer
After graduating from the University of Missouri, K.C., I spent my days raising our three boys. However, my interest in fashion and interior design kept me reading and taking classes in the design field. After working in a high-end retail fashion store in St. Louis, I realized that putting together assorted fabrics, textures and styles was a passion. After decorating my own home, and those of family, friends, neighbors and co-workers, I realized that my passion and "eye" for fashion work equally well in interior design. I have built some of my strongest relationships through the opportunity of creating spaces for my clients over the years. I will learn your lifestyle and taste, and working with you, I will create a design that exceeds your expectations.