PEELING THE ONION: While St. Louis is known for great architecture by icons such as Louis Sullivan (Wainwright Building), Frank Lloyd Wright (Kraus house, Kirkwood) and Eero Saarinen (Gateway Arch), a local interior designer says some of the city's greatest achievements are hidden from view within the walls of commercial and residential buildings.

Designer Scott Tjaden says St. Louis' secrets range from Louis Comfort Tiffany creations to the original Art Deco interiors of the Chase Park Plaza and the lost Neo-Baroque interiors by the late design icon, Tony Duquette. Tjaden maintains that St. Louis has some of America's best examples of architectural interiors.

To that end, he is working on a new coffee-table book that will show a timeline of interior design St. Louis-style, using rare, period photographs. Many of the photos come from St. Louis families and historic archives, and include full-color shots of existing interiors from the late 1800's to the 1950's.

Design guru Hutton Wilkinson, now the principal in the L.A.-based firm left behind by Duquette, visited St. Louis in the fall for a trunk show of his collection at Saks. While here, he toured around town with Tjaden and was delighted by St. Louis' fine architectural design. He has encouraged the designer to put the interiors book together.

Tjaden is still looking for vintage photos of historic houses and interiors. Contact him via email at scott@tjadeninteriors.com