How Havencrest Castle Grew: When Life Needed More Room

Why did Havencrest Castle grow into the extraordinary home it is today? In this episode, Alan St. George reflects on how Havencrest evolved over nearly five decades — not from a grand architectural plan, but from life itself. What began in 1976 as an old hilltop house gradually expanded as creativity, friendship, gatherings, and imagination demanded more space. Room by room, decision by decision, the house responded to the lives being lived inside it. This is the story of how Havencrest grew — and why. Havencrest Castle is the private home and lifelong artistic project of Alan St. George and the late Adrianne St. George in historic Savanna, Illinois. Subscribe for more stories from Havencrest Castle. https://www.havencrestcastle.com 0:00 What happens when two artists buy an old house 1:07 Havencrest in 1976 2:38 “We’re running out of canvases” 4:05 The first additions 5:45 When life begins asking for more room 7:18 The Grand Project 7:48 The Floating Sword illusion (footage courtesy of Shannon Walsh) 9:02 Creativity, necessity, and invention 10:46 Comfort vs meaning 12:05 A life taking shape in rooms 13:05 Why Havencrest grew