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Photography by Alise O'Brien
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When Courtney Hopson, founder and designer of CODI The Boutique, and her husband, Mike, built their house in Ladue, the goal was to re-create the atmosphere of Aspen, Colo., where they first met.
“We wanted that stone-and-beam Colorado-rustic feel throughout the whole house,” Hopson says. “We wanted to feel that we were out of town in our home, to have that kind of vacation feel, but have it all the time.”
The outdoor space is an extension of the interior. The pickled-wood finish of the beams and frame is repeated in the woodwork throughout the house. The fireplace, which Hopson considers the space’s key element, is double-sided. The outdoor grill is set in the middle of the action. The pool, however, is the focal point—to the point that it is never put under cover.
“We have a courtyard-feel pool,” Hopson says. “It’s not too big, it’s not too small, and it’s really manageable. We wanted an all-encompassing playground…
“We have, like, 17 doors in our house, and the majority of them open up to the pool,” she continues. “Out of every window, you have a view of it. It is so much nicer to see that water, even glistening in the sun in the wintertime. It’s just eye candy, and it keeps your spirits up.”
Outdoor Space Considerations
Susan Bower of Mitchell Wall Architecture and Design (2 The Pines, 314-576-5888, mitchellwall.com), the architect of the Hopson house, notes a number of factors to be weighed when designing an outdoor space.
1. What’s the view? Here, the space overlooks the back yard.
2. What do you want to be near? This space is attached to the house, so it blurs the line between indoor and outdoor. “We’ve also done detached pavilions or gazebos,” Bower says.
3. What functions do you want? The owners of this home can sit outside. The barbecue pit was sited so “the master of the house could be cooking, and the kids could line up by the counter to get their food,” Bower says.
4. How do you deal with insects? “Bugs are big,” Bower says. Do you need Phantom Screens, or should you glass-in the room? Pests weren’t considered a problem at this house.
5. Where is the sun? “Here, the pool is on the east- west axis,” Bower says, resulting in a lot of shade on the room and a lot of sun on the pool.
6. Should the roof be slatted or solid? “It goes with ‘Where is the sun?’” Bower says. Do you want a pergola or the additional shade from a solid roof?
7. What climate-control options do you want? Oscillating fans keep this roofed area cool. To prolong their outdoor space’s usability, some homeowners add heat panels under the roof.
8. Should sound be in the mix? Here, the speakers are hidden in the beams, but Bower says a lot of outdoor rooms are being built with music-player docking stations and elaborate sound systems—“all that party stuff,” she says.
9. What will it look like in the winter? “You can place the pool so that it is not in your major view,” Bower says. “Or you can depress the pool so it is not in the view when you look at it.”
10. How can you design the space to keep young kids busy? This space keeps the kids in the loop with the pool and the pass-through window. “They can play store—or drive-through,” Bower says. “That’s always good."
Click HERE for additional photos of the Hopson's outdoor space.
