Along a leafy street in one of Salt Lake City’s most cherished neighborhoods, architectural eras mingle with easy confidence—Spanish Colonial Revival beside Mid-Century Modern. The newest voice in the mix is a contemporary showpiece created for a personality-forward family of four. Its interiors sparkle with Art Deco–inspired glamour, set within a light-filled, streamlined layout that keeps daily life as effortless as it is elegant.
Set against a tree-filled, sloped lot, this contemporary home blends seamlessly with its surroundings. Tongue-and-groove hemlock slats and Timpanogos Limestone from Delta Stone meet carefully considered elevation changes, while a swimming pool and deck extend the living space into the landscape.Art and architecture welcome guests into the home’s entry, where a masterfully engineered stairwell is punctuated by vibrantly colored canvases that guide the eye upward three full stories. Full-height mullioned steel windows allow natural light to flow unbridled through the towering space, reflecting off a sleek Starfire glass railing and glittering pendant lights from Milia Studio.
The perfect visionary for a bold interior, designer Kristin Rocke of K. Rocke Design teamed up with local architect Tony Baros and the builders at Benchmark Modern to breathe life into every meticulous detail of this home. “The homeowners wanted to go modern, but I wanted to ensure we had some sense of history,” says Rocke. “The details are where that deco influence really came in: curved lines in millwork and tile, mixed metals and touches of Hollywood Regency color that deliver dimensionality throughout the home.”
The living room bar is clad in custom green fan tile by Artistic Tile, driving home this interior’s Art Deco roots.The great room is broken into multiple conversational seating groups for versatility of both views and interior vignettes. Here, two pleated Kimberly Denman swivel chairs and a custom coffee table create an intimate listening lounge next to the home’s grand piano.
To infuse personality and enduring style into her design, Rocke relied heavily on art in every form—from the homeowners’ personal collection of vibrant canvases to gallery-worthy expressions of key architectural elements. Case in point, Rocke introduced time-honored statuary marble, sculpting it into an elegant fireplace mantel. Classic and eternal? Absolutely, Rocke says. “Does Michelangelo’s David ever go out of style?
A custom asymmetrical fireplace in statuary marble creates an artistic moment along the sitting room’s long perimeter wall, adding horizontal layers to the expansive space. Fuschia sofas by Vanguard Furniture and a cast glass coffee table amplify the space’s color saturation. The chandeliers are by Visual Comfort.
A feat of architectural engineering, the lofty three-story stairwell rises off the home’s entry. It’s a sculpture in its own right. To preserve the openness of the space, steel bars concealed in the outer wall give structural support to thick white oak treads, outfitted with LED backlighting that creates the illusion of weightless suspension. “We thought a lot about the relationship between the tread thickness and construction with the Starphire glass railing,” Rocke says. “The balance we struck creates a feeling of both weight and airiness simultaneously, and I love that dialogue.”
Glass cabinet fronts, Miele appliances and dazzling Gabriel Scott pendant lights make the kitchen the jewel of this home. Accented by lacquered millwork and an Acto tile backsplash, the space is anchored by a detailed white oak island, echoing Art Deco patterns from the nearby living area. Cabinets are by Teerlink Cabinet.A cozy Bernhardt sectional fills the space connecting dining and living spaces. Vibrant pillows and lively accessories tie the great room’s rich color story into this more relaxed space.Sherwin-Williams’ “Eye Catching” and Benjamin Moore’s “Blue Lapis” enliven open cabinets with bold blocks of color, creating playful movement in an otherwise strictly functional space. Backsplash tile is by Ann Sacks.
In the kitchen and primary suite, this design’s artistic identity emerges in layers of lux color, lavish detail and high-polish finishes. Glossy cabinetry and appliances reflect the natural sunlight that pours into the kitchen and the glow from sparkling glass pendants by Gabriel Scott. Nearby, a butler’s pantry offers form and function through ample storage space dressed in bold blocks of color.
Wavelength wallpaper from Drop It Modern creates an artistic accent wall in the primary bedroom, where a panoramic view is framed by soft upholstery and drapery for a serene retreat. Furnishings by Vanguard Furniture; lighting by Visual Comfort.Symmetrical vanities frame a freestanding tub in the primary bathroom, standing as an elegant vignette softened by floor-to-ceiling drapes. Fluted wainscot tile surrounds the room for an elevated, luxurious finish, punctuated by glittering crystal plumbing fixtures by Fantini. The wainscot tile is by Ann Sacks; the sconces are by Schonbek.“I love the shapeliness and subtle color tones of this fireplace,” Rocke says. “When the sun comes in that window, it transfers through that marble, giving it a glow that makes the heavy material feel weightless.”
The primary suite showcases pastel interpretations of the design’s recurring greens and rich violets, not only in bold applications—like the room’s dramatic Wavelength wallcovering by Drop It Modern—but also in quieter, more unexpected touches. They include veining in the sculpted marble fireplace to subtle violet accents in the bathroom’s fluted wainscot tile.
Mullioned windows team with natural wood and stone finishes to pay homage to this home’s historic SLC neighborhood. Yet where these selections echo history, angled rooflines and sleek, steel-edged facades introduce a modern sensibility, one that balances softness and edge, and blends effortlessly into the surrounding scenery.On the home’s lower level, a graffiti mural by Trent Call serves as a youthful backdrop to the basement entertaining spaces, all visible from the pool deck outside.Sweeping blue brushstrokes and a glossy, color-drenched custom desk by Selah Crafts lend high-octane energy to a young boy’s bedroom. To the left, a CB2 bed and a pale Anthropologie table finish the room. Lamp by HK Living; wallcovering by Drop It Modern.A vibrant blue Vitraform vanity finished in glossy automotive paint accentuates the cool hues of the room’s palette, grounding the space beneath a smoky-framed mirror. Wallcovering is by Back to the Wall; pendant by Tom Dixon.“The open tread staircase lit with LED lighting allows each level of the home to feel spacious and connected,” says Rocke. “The homeowners’ vibrant art collection guides you up and down the stairs on a journey of color, uninterrupted by the glass railing.”
In every space, the home delivers flair in the perfect dose, whether through bright primary colors in a kid’s bedroom, jewelry-like lighting above the kitchen island or bold, geometric wall treatments. “This house is bejeweled in every sense of the word,” Rocke exclaims.
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