For homesites with spectacular views, many people select contemporary or modern designs. Take this Alpine home, which features an emphasis on being tailored to the site, the flexibility of open living plans, and the large expanses of glass to give it a sense of place in a landscape that adds inspiration and a sense of awe to daily life.
Photos by Scot Zimmerman
Alpine’s foothill area is a remarkable landscape with the steep rise of the Wasatch and deeply grooved canyons. For a new Alpine home on an estate lot in these foothills, the homeowners selected a classically inspired traditional design with tall, paned windows carefully oriented to bring the outside in. (Built by Hobble Creek Construction {Bryan Bird & Spencer Johnson}; architectural design by Bradford R. Houston Design Studio; and interiors by Rochelle Warner Design.)
The curved stone path and wall leads to the front entry with its steep gable, sculptured barge boards. Decorative corbels add a fairy tale charm.
Stepping inside, the blue color of the door takes on the temperamental hues and moods of the sky. The entry is filled with light from the transom over the door and two walls of windows. The dark wooden moldings emphasize the home’s structure in a treatment reminiscent of Tudor half-timbering.
Just off the entry is the first conversation grouping. The wall is almost completely glass, but the glass is paned in contrast to the windows usually found in contemporary and modern homes. Outside is a mature grove of thirty-foot Gamble oak, carefully retained and preserved. The plan is open, but the gabled ceilings give definition and a feeling of compartmentalization to the spaces. The interiors feature traditionally-designed furnishings with soft upholstered seating, but the spaces remain cleanly sleek and almost modern with minimal accessories, a look I am seeing more frequently.
The view from the first conversation grouping is to the stairway, the second conversation grouping, and to the right, the kitchen and dining area. Clerestory windows enhance the natural light.
Double doors off the second conversation grouping lead to this balcony in the treetops with incredible views into the Wasatch.
A lowered plank ceiling adds intimacy to the kitchen. A spacious walk-in pantry keeps essentials conveniently close but allows the kitchen to remain simple and uncluttered. The doors to the left lead to the outdoor eating and entertainment areas on the west side of the home.
Adjacent to the kitchen, the dining area has the same low-sloped plank ceiling as the kitchen, and combined with the generous windows, it has the feeling of an old-fashioned enclosed porch. The clean lines of the furnishings give the room a casual elegance.
The master bath deserves a special mention: The cabinets opposite the vanity offer storage that is always needed for linens and supplies, there is an unseen shower, and another door leads to a private master suite laundry.
Upstairs is the master bedroom, and downstairs is a family room, home gym, and bedrooms.
When photographing this home, I had a conversation with the home’s builder, Bryan Bird, about the timelessness of the design. He responded, “Timeless design and durable construction are the most environmental thing you can do. It means the home will last and be lived in for a very long time, and all the embodied energy in the home’s materials will not be lost. With a home like this, you are really looking responsibly to the future.”
Find more classically-inspired interiors here!
