A talented team transforms stone into style, texture and lasting character in a striking St. George home—lessons and inspiration included
Photos by Joshua Caldwell
For interior designers Kami Olmstead and Shannon Hardesty of Dwell Design Company, and builder Jared West of JW West Homes, stone is more than a material—it’s a tool for shaping a home’s character, elevating its architecture and bringing a touch of the natural world indoors. In a recently completed St. George residence, every stone selection was deliberate—from texture and color to scale and placement—turning functional surfaces into moments of beauty and visual drama. The result is a home that feels cohesive, dynamic and full of personality. Here, we take a closer look at the key stone features they created, with expert insight to inspire your own designs.
Great Room
Reflecting the clients’ desire to blend modern and transitional styles, the great room’s stone elements strike a thoughtful balance between refinement and warmth. Early on, the homeowners fell in love with Matarazzo marble and wanted to showcase its distinctive veining in a unique way. “We thought it would be interesting to highlight it inside the bookshelves that flank the fireplace,” Olmstead says. “The placement looks architectural and intentional.” The stone extends to the sides and front of the built-in bookshelves, where West mitered the edges at a 45-degree angle to create the illusion of thicker slabs in front. “It’s a small detail that really elevates the overall design,” he says. A deep gray cast-stone mantel, crafted by Stone Mountain Castings, anchors the composition. Its weight and texture allows the marble’s elegance to remain the true hero of the open room.
Kitchen
In the kitchen, leather-finished Matarazzo marble again takes center stage—flowing across the countertops and down the sides of a waterfall island for a clean, contemporary effect delivering rich pattern and color. But it’s the backsplash that steals the show. There, the designers teamed a uniquely profiled marble slab with a wood-paneled backdrop, creating a tactile and unexpected combination. “It was a bit of a risk,” Hardesty admits. “But the clients trusted us—and in the end, it became one of their favorite details.”
Primary Bedroom
A dark Titanium granite fireplace surround brings striking contrast to the light and airy primary suite, its scale and clean-lined form grounding the space with a quiet sense of strength and luxury. “We had initially considered using the home’s exterior stone for this fireplace,” Olmstead explains. “But as a cost-effective option, granite became the clear choice.” The result was anything but a compromise. “Granite offered the depth, durability and sophistication we wanted without exceeding the budget,” the designer adds. The leather-finished, dark granite creates a bold counterpoint to the room’s light walls, high ceilings and airy decor, lending the space a perfectly balanced mix of modern edge and timeless elegance.
Accent Walls
To add texture and create a sense of continuity, the team brought the exterior’s chiseled cultured stone inside, strategically placing it where it would make the biggest visual impact. “It’s important to carry elements throughout to create a sense of flow and continuity, “ West says. Olmstead agrees. “Any place we can bring our exteriors inside we jump at the chance.” The stone appears on select accent walls, chosen for both texture and emphasis. The clients’ teenage daughter had requested it for her bedroom—“That was nonnegotiable,” Hardesty says with a laugh—while the dining room proved another ideal spot. There, the stone amplifies natural light from expansive windows and frames sweeping St. George views. “Its textures and shadowing make it really pop,” West says. Paired with woven rattan sconces, it strikes just the right balance of organic warmth and modern polish.
Powder Room
The powder bath takes a bold turn with deep color and rich stone, delivering exactly the moody sophistication the client envisioned. “Powder baths are the one place where we can be as brave as we want to be,” Olmstead says. “They’re small but make a big statement.” To achieve that effect, the team selected Venatino Extreme quartzite, a stone distinguished by its dark undertones and dramatic veining. Its natural depth and texture create an intimate, luxurious feel, especially when paired with walls painted in Sherwin-Williams’ Iron Ore. The combination strikes the perfect balance—refined yet daring, polished yet personal—proving that small spaces often leave the strongest impression.
Shannon Hardesty and Kami Olmstead, Dwell Design Company. Portrait courtesy of Dwell Design Company.
“Transitional and modern design can fall flat without the tactile presence of authentic, earth-made materials such as stone.” -Kami Olmstead
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