31 Somerset Downs Drive

Owner Jill Moller says this luxurious Ladue home was designed with extra living quarters so guests can stay a while, and it serves that purpose well. “My husband, Tom, and I originally thought our parents would move in here with us,” she notes. “As it turns out, we’ve had a number of people live here, but not our parents!”

Moller says that since she and her husband built the home, the spacious live-in suite has welcomed exchange students, the couple’s pastor and his wife, and others. “It would be perfect as a mother-in-law or au pair apartment,” she says. “It’s actually my favorite part of the house. It’s so comfortable and beautifully lit.”

The home also has served as a hub for family parties, holiday gatherings for Tom’s employees, and even a family wedding. “My nephew got married on our covered patio,” Moller says. “We had more than 50 people at the ceremony. We were so focused on that, we didn’t realize it was the first day of the Great Forest Park Balloon Race.” As they were serving cocktails and appetizers outdoors, a group of colorful balloons floated by overhead. “One of them ducked way down to get a closer look at the wedding,” Moller says. “It was perfect.” The Mollers also have enjoyed hosting many kids’ parties in the home. They even provided space to their church congregation when it needed a temporary site for meetings and retreats.

Situated on 3 acres, the home features a custom swimming pool and is a perfect choice for those who gravitate toward outdoor spaces, Moller says. “I love to garden, and I landscaped the property myself. I think that’s why I enjoy the interior’s wood and stone features so much—I like to feel immersed in the natural world whether I’m outdoors or indoors.” Even the kitchen flooring is nature-made, with fossilized sea creatures embedded in limestone tiles. “Our kids collected fossils when they were young, so we love that floor,” she says.

Moller says the home was one of the last drawn up by the late architect Mitch Wall of Mitchell Wall and Associates. “We’re so grateful we were able to have him create it for us,” she notes. “He had such a great eye for artistic touches that are also logistically practical. The home is a wonderful example of beautiful craftsmanship.”

The Mollers are empty nesters and are moving to a smaller house in the area, but they’ll always love this exquisite home, Moller says: “We’ve been so blessed to have it.”