Recently I photographed a hilltop home in the gated golfing community of Glenwild near Park City built by Aerie Construction of Park City (Mike Mercer) and designed by Otto/Walker Architects, also of Park City. Looking at the completeness of the home and the beautiful selections, I was stunned when the homeowner answered that she did it herself without an interior designer. The result is a home very personal to her likes and the couple’s lifestyle.Â
The couple enjoys the home primarily in the summer season, and you can see in the opening shot the emphasis on outdoor living with four areas on the upper floor and an equal number at ground level.Â
Photos by Scot Zimmerman
This angle shows how each of the wings is oriented specifically to views.Â
The entry is on the street side. Through the glass door you can see the view through the home and out the opposite side. Transparency from the entry is a signature of Otto/Walker architecture that I frequently see.
Inside, you can see how the entry’s ceiling guides the eye through and out the opposite side. The varied-colored planks of the ceiling introduce a natural element and warmth to the space that ties the design to the mountain setting.Â
The curves of the paired sofas emphasize the fireplace as the room’s focal point. The strong graphics of the stone’s natural striations make the interesting stone the art.Â
The kitchen shares the open plan with the living area. The wooden ceiling and the veins in the stone waterfalling over the closer island add drama to the kitchen, which Cottonwood Fine Kitchen Furniture in Draper (Steve Arneson) designed and built. To the right of the range is a secret pantry without hardware to give away its location.Â
This stairwell view looks to the dining room. The far wall is the entry and to the right, a glimpse of the living area shelves. To orient you, the kitchen is behind the gray diamond-patterned wall to the right. What appealed to me in making this shot is how the materials come together: the stacked stone of the exterior continues of the interior wall; the wood ceiling in the distance, and the suspended ceiling and chandelier in the foreground with the metal railings and handrail.Â
The powder room and the primary suite’s bath both showcase the homeowner’s skill at design. She introduces interest and energy again in the master bath with her selections of stone and in both rooms by dramatic lighting.Â
Downstairs, this bar with its bright yellow accents is part of the family/game room. Also downstairs is a dedicated home theater with doors that are barely visible to the left, a number of guest suites, and an exercise room.Â
These are spaces designed for having fun and bringing happiness, and as you might expect, I had a good time making the photos. I do maintain that I have one of the world’s best jobs—to see beauty and photograph it.Â
Explore more mountain homes here.