A contemporary décor and finessed floor plan brings fresh style and livability to a Park City townhouse.
By Brad Mee, Photos by Scot Zimmerman
When homeowner and avid mountain biker Tom Stoltman purchased a two-story townhouse in Park City’s Trout Creek community, he was understandably hot on the nearby Spring Creek trailhead and the preserved wetlands adjoining the property.
The home’s ornate Mediterranean style décor, however, left him cold. He imagined something more modern for the compact, 1,600 square-foot interior. Enter designer Jenny Samuelson who worked with Stoltman to transform the home with clean-lined style and a floor plan making the small interior live very big.
Changes made: Replaced multi-tiered iron chandelier with simple Arteriors fixture; replaced heavy, dark wall cap and molding with white streamlined versions; disguised large vent while creating a game table zone using customized furnishings from Room & Board.
“We talked a lot about style and narrowed down Tom’s aesthetic to contemporary with a mid-century edge,” Samuelson says. “Over and over again, it came back to simple lines and a masculine vibe.” To create these, the designer ditched existing Old World elements including gilded detailing, faux finishes, arched door carvings and a medallion in the warped wood flooring.
“It was over the top and didn’t feel right for Park City,” she says. While the heavy details dated the entire interior, Samuelson concentrated much of her efforts on the upper level great room where Stoltman spends much of his time relaxing and entertaining friends. While transforming the open great room, Samuelson focused on creating a stylish space that felt comfortable and lived-in.
“Even though Tom was buying his furniture all at once, we didn’t want it to appear that way,” she says. The designer and client scoured spots including Restoration Hardware and Salt Lake’s Mod a-go-go as well as sites like One Kings Lane and Room & Board to find the perfect complementary but unmatched pieces.
Changes made: Lowered seat back to be flush with the window bottom; upholstered existing beadboard back with hardwearing chenille fabric and added matching seat cushions; painted the built-in benches to match the walls and to make the new table, chairs and upholstery stand out; replaced iron chandelierwith modern Restoration Hardware fixture; hung a vintage print to reflect the homeowner’s cycling passion.
The duo also enlisted designer Steve Norr of Peppertree Kitchen & Bath to swap out the kitchen’s outdated, arched upper cabinet doors with square-paneled replacements. “Changing upper doors is great way to make a big impact on a limited budget,” says Norr, noting the approach also avoids disturbing existing countertops.
A deep gray cabinet finish, white Caesarstone countertops, glass tile backsplash, contemporary lighting and a stainless hood are among the new elements used to update the kitchen and integrate it into the great room’s modern design. Samuelson didn’t stop with the finishes and furnishings; she reworked the room’s flow as well.
“The room is really narrow, so I created an imaginary line running from the top of the stairs to the window at the end of the space. No furniture could cross the line and become an obstacle,” says the designer, who also divided the open space into defined living zones that flow seamlessly into one another.
By choosing modestly scaled furniture, creating a calm palette, and keeping the design cohesive and uncluttered throughout, Samuelson not only gave the great room a big style change, but also made it look and live much larger than it actually is.
