harbour house: aussie cool arrives in aspen with après-ski lounge

the st. regis aspen meets harbour

Skiers and celebrities can all agree that Aspen is where it’s at. Backdropped by Colorado‘s postcard Rocky Mountains, the historic mining town saw its first chairlift open in 1947 and has since earned its reputation as a major playground for outdoor athletes and luxe jet-setters alike. Since then, a key milestone for the mountain town was the opening of The St. Regis Aspen Resort, its architecture recalling a typical European ski lodge. It was there in December 2021 that The Snow Lodge arrived on the scene and quickly became a fixture of the town’s famed après-ski culture. Now, The St. Regis Aspen is expanding its après-ski allure with the opening of Harbour House, a pop-up outdoor lounge showcasing a curated selection of furniture by The Snow Lodge’s new partner, Australian design brand Harbour Outdoor. This ski season, designboom traveled out to the mountains to experience Harbour’s take on Aspen for ourselves.

Harbour Outdoor founders Harrison and Nicholas Condos

bringing people together outdoors

It’s the combination of outdoor living, modern design, and togetherness which defines the spirit of Harbour and what makes Harbour House so well-suited for its home at The St. Regis Aspen. When it comes to outdoor living, founders Harrison and Nicholas Condos aren’t just talk. The two brothers divide their time between running the company and taking advantage of nature with sport. Of course, with its Australian heritage being its main influence, the brand normally exudes summer. This means that Harbour usually finds itself alongside sparkling pools and rocky coastlines. What many don’t realize, though, is that Australia has five major ski resorts of its own.

‘We’ve been skiing since we were fourteen,’ Nicholas Condos tells designboom at Clark’s Oyster Bar in Downtown Aspen. The brothers had come straight from the slopes and were still wearing their gear. They looked right at home in the ski town — Aussie cool has indeed arrived in the Rockies. Their collection back at Harbour House looks equally at home, specially curated for its snowy setting. Aluminum-framed seating upholstered in dark tones together with teak coffee tables are thoughtfully scattered throughout the Après-ski Courtyard of The St. Regis Aspen. The whole scene is backdropped by the hotel‘s historic brick architecture, which frames trees topped with puffs of fresh snow, and the powdery slopes just beyond.

Aspen’s après-ski culture expands with the opening of Harbour House at The St. Regis Aspen Resort

‘Our main focus is durability, comfort, and bringing people together outside, whether it’s around a fire pit or a dining table.‘ Nicholas says, ‘The ethos of the brand is supplying quality furniture that lasts a lifetime.’ This durable spirit has been part of the Condos family tradition since it began crafting furniture in Sydney nearly half a century ago. Growing up surrounded by both modern design and rugged landscapes inspired the brothers to grow their father’s 1976-founded furniture company into Harbour Outdoor.

modern Australian design meets the Rocky Mountains at the newly opened pop-up lounge

a living room in nature

It’s clear that Harbour House brings the feeling of an indoor living room out in nature. That’s what the two brothers hoped to achieve at the courtyard of The St. Regis Aspen. With expertise passed down through generations, Harbour Outdoor has made its name amongst leaders in the market of fully-upholstered outdoor furniture, and it’s the unique blend of softness and durability that sets it apart. This means that each piece can withstand not just Aspen’s harsh winter climates, but also its raucous après-ski parties.

Harrison and Nicholas have long worked with ultra-durable materials like powder-coated aluminum, teak, rope, performance upholstery, and travertine stone. ‘Travertine is very durable — it’s what the Colosseum is built from,’ Harrison comments. Perhaps most importantly, the team has developed a unique type of foam that’s resistant to mildew. ‘We’ve created a different way of making the foam,’ he continues. ‘Traditional foam will capture water and lead to mold. Our foam allows water to filter through. It’s also anti-bacterial, so mold will not grow in it.’

Harbour Outdoor is inspired by outdoor living, modern design, and togetherness

Found outside at The St. Regis Aspen’s Après-ski Courtyard, Harbour House is an extension of The Snow Lodge, which is described as an ‘entertainment concept,’ and had opened as the wintertime sister property of The Surf Lodge in Montauk, New York. It further comprises the Supper Club restaurant with its seasonal Italian menu, and the newly opened Jade Room designed by architect Antonio Di Oronzo, founder of BluArch. The Jade Room is another take on Aspen nightlife, with its glimmering interior cloaked in luxe green velvet. In the evenings, the room hosts a curated music series which ranges from DJ sets, cabaret shows, and acoustic concerts.

focused on durability, the curated furniture selection finds its place in the snowy winter setting

aspen is growing up

With its plush seating and crackling fire pits, Harbour House has opened at a timely moment as a much-needed resting space for skiers in Aspen. The opening of the pop-up lounge coincides with the mountain’s latest terrain expansion, Hero’s — an ambitious, decades-long project which has just opened over 20% of challenging new terrain for the public this season. This includes 19 double black chutes, four main expert runs, and three gladed zones. The expert-only area has elevated Aspen’s Ajax Mountain even further in the eyes of more adventurous skiers.