Our Story

Some builders learn their craft in school. Simon learned his by living it.

Growing up in the trades, Simon worked from a young age learning every facet of construction — plumbing, electrical, framing, welding. But he also had an artist's eye. Trained in fine art and detailed illustration, he had the talent to work for companies like Hallmark. But sitting at a desk drawing cartoons wasn't the life he wanted. He wanted to create with his hands, in real spaces, for real people.

In his late teens, Simon started traveling across the Midwest — Kansas, Iowa, all the way to Key West — doing historical renovations for private clients. He'd live on the properties, restoring century-old details and carving replica pieces that matched work from 130 years ago. One referral led to the next, and before long, wealthy clients across multiple states kept him employed year-round.

When he was ready to settle down, Simon came to St. Louis and started his own company in 2000. What began as Simon Ashley Custom Finishing — rooted in his historical preservation background — grew into something bigger. He wasn't just finishing spaces anymore. He was designing sculpture pieces for people's kitchens, forging steel horse heads for custom installations, and creating one-of-a-kind elements that no one else in the market was doing.

The referrals kept coming. Clients didn't just hire Simon — they became friends. He started doing work for their children. Their neighbors called after dinner parties, raving about what they'd seen. Over 25 years, that word-of-mouth reputation built a company of 40 people, a 40,000-square-foot showroom and studio in Crestwood, and a name that stands for something in St. Louis.

Along the way, Simon met Rich Olsen, who'd been running Just Around the Corner Flooring for decades. They partnered, combined their operations in the Crestwood building, and when Rich retired, Simon acquired the flooring company — adding 36 years of flooring expertise to the design-build studio.

Today, Simon Ashley Design Studio is what happens when an artist becomes a builder and never forgets either craft.