Learn more about Julie Abner’s process in her ‘Inside the Architect & Designer Awards’ video interview.
For many, the role of the home as a source of refuge and comfort was brought into sharp relief during the early months of the pandemic. Julie Abner of Julie Abner Interiors grabbed hold of that philosophy in a stunning new pool and guest house design for some of her favorite clients.
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Abner’s relationship with the family of five dates back more than a decade, when the homeowners hired her to source furniture and window treatments for their previous house. In 2016, when those same clients decided to move to a house in Ladue, they engaged Abner’s firm once more.
“We’ve touched nearly every room of the main house to make it theirs,” says the designer. “It’s been a great collaborative process.”
The addition of a pool was part of the third phase of a lengthy outdoor remodel that also involved grading the property, laying down grass seed, replacing a large koi pond with a patio and firepit, and, eventually, constructing a 2,300-square-foot pool house.
In 2019, when the other projects had been completed, the owner began designing the pool house with the help of architect Joe Page of Srote & Co. and builder JR Mayer of Prestige Custom Homes. The space includes a covered outdoor living and dining area, an outdoor kitchen, an open concept indoor living room/kitchen, a guest bath off the pool area, a guest suite, and a laundry room.
With the initial drawings ready, Abner drafted the interior elevations and teamed up with Beck Allen Cabinetry to finalize the cabinet layouts and create plans for the furniture and lighting.
“I have a big family, many of whom are out of town,” says one of the homeowners, who loves to entertain all year round. To accommodate them, she has purchased a large outdoor dining table from Made Goods. It seats 10 and it’s paired with Palecek dining chairs in a custom Thibaut seat fabric. A comfortable guest suite beckons family to come and stay awhile.
Designing the pool house from the foundation up gave the owners the opportunity to realize their vision, one that incorporates pattern and color and generates a playful vibe that’s comfortable for children and adults alike. A stylish wine bar, with shelves mounted on brass brackets, is set against a pale blue tile backsplash by Walker Zanger. The kitchen’s hood vent, finished in plaster, gains additional visual interest thanks to the surrounding tile backsplash, also by Walker Zanger, in a raised square pattern. “I love using interesting materials with texture,” says Abner. “Everywhere you look, there’s something beautiful.”
A pair of showstopping woven-backed swivel chairs from McGuire Furniture and a third Walker Zanger tile—this one in the guest bathroom—are two of the owners’ favorite design elements. The “bow on top of the present,” as one puts it, are the accessories, which Abner selected and styled.
Yet, as stunning as the interiors are, the outdoor living area is where the family spends most of its time. Comfortable sectional seating, built-in heaters, a fireplace, and an outdoor TV provide a cozy hangout spot well into the fall season.
“I’d never watched so many Cardinals games until we had this space,” says one of the owners, who insisted on a large outdoor island for buffet-style serving and multiple refrigerator drawers to keep cold drinks handy. “We love how easy it is to entertain.”
For Abner, the finished spaces speak to her long and fruitful collaborative relationship with the family. “It’s great for my client to have her dream of a retreat—without ever having to leave the house.”
