Michael Dahlheimer is no stranger to his new home. In 1987, Michael's parents, Linda and Charles Dahlheimer, on a mission to rehab an old house and experience urban living, left the corporate world and a nice home in the Washington suburbs to return to St. Louis, buying a century-old brick home overlooking Benton Park. Linda remembers the look on 7-year-old Michael's face. "Mommy, are we really going to live here?" he asked in quiet astonishment. Michael recalls, "I used to be embarrassed to bring friends over when we first moved in. They all thought I lived in a rundown, haunted house. You know, I think they might have been right."

Few friends and family believed they would last long in the 4,500-square-foot, three-story house resting on a bed of overgrown weeds, spanning two city lots.

That first year they threw a New Year's Eve party where friends and musicians gathered. It would be the first of many such parties, but it would be 10 more years before the house reached completion. "We had a vision," recalled Linda.

Who could have predicted, 23 years later, Michael would return with his own family? Aware that his parents had recently contemplated downsizing, Michael and his wife, Seema, now expecting a baby, came up with the idea of swapping their downtown loft (plus one Seema had inherited from her mother) for the house. Seema says, "It was clear to me that it would be a shame to sell this house to strangers."

In July, during three whirlwind weeks, the couples simply switched homes.

Charlie explains, "Although we had never lost our desire to downsize, nor they for a house and yard, none of us wanted to put our properties on the market during this economic downturn. The forthcoming birth was just the push we needed for the switch."

Michael and Seema Dahlheimer

Ages • He's 31; she's 30

Home • Circa 1890 French Second Empire manse in Benton Park.

Occupations • Michael runs and owns his own software company, Continuing IT. Seema teaches technical writing at Washington University.

Family • Married three years, they have a baby due next month.

Linda and Charles Dahlheimer planned to do much of the work on the Benton Park home themselves when they bought it 23 years ago. Although their acquisition had escaped "remuddling" from well-intentioned rehabbers and sported nice woodwork, a few matters needed tending. As Charles describes it, "The house needed a new roof, plumbing was nonfunctioning, electricity was shot, ceilings were collapsing, and mushrooms were sprouting."

The Benton Park home hasn't changed much since the rehab; Michael and Seema's loft furniture seemed destined for the house. "Our things seem to fit well, each with its own history — new and antique furniture Michael and I selected together, artwork that we received as wedding gifts, things that were my mother's, and pieces from Michael's family," Seema says. "This house is multigenerational in so many ways."

Linda and Charles intentionally left some pieces behind: the baby grand piano, a massive ornate mirror on the foyer wall, and a circa 1900 oak bedroom set in the guest room. "My great-grandparents purchased that set when they were first married," explains Michael.

An encompassing sofa invites guests into the light-filled front room. The original faux marble fireplace serves as the focal point, as travel memorabilia punctuate the room's hint of Asian décor.

In the dining room, a Civil War-era china cabinet stands near a 1920s Victrola. The 78s spin old tunes, adding to the nostalgic ambience. In one corner stands Michael's great-grandmother's Kimball organ circa 1860. Its Victorian Eastlake design aligns well with the massive pocket door, separating the two rooms, where old baseball cards were discovered during renovation. Another wall contained some old letters. "This house was our own little archaeological dig," recalls Michael.

The kitchen retains Linda's décor inspirations — a fireplace, high glass bistro table and chairs and wine cabinet evoke a Country French motif. There's one new addition, a 1940s curved-glass corner cabinet. "We recently bought the corner cabinet on Craigslist," says Seema. "It works really well as a liquor cabinet." The kitchen leads out to Victorian porches and deck with hot tub, surrounded by a shaded garden laden with ferns and hostas.

Colorful portraits of Big Band-era performers provide whimsical touches while proceeding up the back staircase. "This is part of a collection of acrylics that my Uncle Ed painted throughout the '80s," explains Michael.

The second floor has been designed for private living. A family room is adjacent to an office and reading room. The master bedroom suite features an original built-in armoire. An alcove formerly used as a sitting area has become the nursery. The small balcony will be a lovely place to rock baby and enjoy fresh air. The master bath features an original tub and a freestanding fireplace that keeps the bath cozy in winter.

The third floor houses Michael's former bedroom. "It will become a kid's room again at some point," predicts Michael. "For now, it will continue to be used as another guest room." A nearby sitting room overlooks the park.

During the past 23 years, the home has been witness to countless dinner parties and musical celebrations amid the rehab and remodeling projects that led to what this home has become. Seema, noting that the house was already 100 years old when it was given new life, reflected, "It would be interesting to step back into time and experience those earlier years."

Michael concludes, "I feel like a caretaker, trying to preserve my parents' efforts and countless memories. I'm fortunate to have been a part of that. Now it's Seema's and my turn to make history."

Charles and Linda Dahlheimer

Ages • He's 69; she's 63

Home • Printers Lofts, downtown St. Louis

Occupations • Charles is owner/publisher of The Real Estate Professional Magazine Online. Linda is editor/writer for the couple's North American Consulting Group.

Family • Married 32 years, the couple have a son, Michael.

Linda and Charles Dahlheimer now occupy two loft suites totaling 3,100 square feet. This offers plenty of space for gracious living, along with the necessary home office and storage. Their main living area is a classic open loft design with high ceilings, huge windows, exposed brick walls and concrete columns. The massive walls and floors dull sound, thus creating a private world high above the city's streets. The kitchen's maple cabinetry, stainless steel appliances, long bar/island and black quartz countertops complete the setting. Linda had originally helped with some of these choices while Michael was designing his space, but she never realized she and Charles would one day be enjoying them.

Linda loves to decorate, and in only three weeks, her talented touch created what close friend and poet Marcel Toussaint calls the Bunker Palace. "I very much enjoy putting rooms together. This time, I felt like I was shopping from my own house inventory," says Linda. Traditional furnishings and classic artwork are strategically placed; antiques mix artfully with modern pieces; comfortable upholstered couches, glass-topped tables and elegant chairs combine beautifully. Cherished family heirlooms contribute to the homelike ambience.

Colors blend perfectly with the loft's neutral backdrop. Carpets cover polished concrete floors in muted hues of gold, rust and cream. The loft's cement support columns seem reminiscent of those in ancient Egyptian temples. Their rough exteriors mix well with the French bistro-themed kitchen and Moroccan guest room. Open brickwork adds to that European ambience. Except for the baths, there are no doors, allowing glimpses into adjacent rooms.

Having inherited Charles' building skills, son Michael had created a book-shelved wall with a see-through gas fireplace, separating the sitting room from the main living area. Its indirect lighting alcoves contain Siamese figures brought back from the young couple's honeymoon in Thailand. "They're on loan from Michael and Seema," says Charles with a wink.

Charles commented on the large windows that filter light and allow spectacular views of surrounding buildings. "We love these windows. A framed photograph titled The Glass Window Garden says it all." Michael's planters on their step-out balcony provide a bit of essential green space.

The Dahlheimers now enjoy the conveniences of downtown living. Charles notes, "The building's underground garage avoids bad weather, and grocery shopping is only six blocks away. Theaters and restaurants are within walking distance." But Linda adds, "I miss our sunken hot tub in the garden, our baby grand piano and, most of all, our wonderful neighbors! Needless to say, I won't miss cleaning a huge three-story house, nor those insidious weeds. The fact that Michael and Seema want to live in our old house adds a wonderful epilogue to our storybook life in Benton Park. The legacy continues."