Clean lines, natural materials and daring details define an indoor-outdoor retreat in St. George. Photos by Lacey Alexander
There’s something special about southern Utah that inspires a desire for homes that seamlessly connect interior spaces with nature and the great outdoors. Aaron Adams, the man behind Adams & Company Construction, has created many homes that do exactly that, including a recently built St. George residence located in the hillside Stone Cliff community.
Dubbed “Encore,” this 5,500-square-foot spec home was showcased in the 2024 St. George Area Parade of Homes. “It’s a stunning example of organic architecture,” says Adams, who looked to the desert locale for inspiration as he imagined the design and features of the uniquely modern dwelling. To bring his vision to life, Adams recruited Trevor Archibald of Archibald Designs to compose the plans for the desert oasis and enlisted CopperHAUS Design’s Penny Dille to fashion its interiors.
The magic begins with an entry intended to make a memorable first impression. “I had the idea of surrounding the entry by glass on three sides as a key way to bring the outside in,” Adams explains. An acacia-clad ceiling and intricately patterned stone floor add to the space’s striking design. So too does its broad, walnut-faced archway leading into the great room while framing views of the pool, patio and cityscape beyond. “We added it as a way to introduce the arches and curves featured throughout the home,” Dille explains.
A hallway doubles as a work of art composed of curved glass, a backlit sculpted ceiling and paintings illuminated by custom walnut wall sconces.
Distinctive details define the kitchen island’s design, including walnut rounded corners, a leathered marble top and a stool alcove faced with a brass toe kick and a slab of Silver Root marble. The cabinetry is crafted by Venuti Woodworking.
In the dining room, mid-century modern forms prevail with a brass, Bau 50 Linear Suspension pendant by Visual Comfort suspended above an oval table by Worlds Away.
Rounded forms show up throughout the home, most strikingly in the radius gallery hallway. There, a curved wall of floor-to-ceiling glass frames views of a fountain-anchored garden while flooding the space with natural light. “The curved motif continues overhead with a floating, backlit radius soffit in the ceiling,” Adams explains. In the great room’s open kitchen, the island’s rounded corners and arched stool opening join arc-accented floating shelves and a rounded hood to ease the room’s squared-off elements and elevate the interior’s decidedly modern style. Nearby, the dining area’s oval table and Bauhaus-inspired pendant do the same. And in the living room, shapely furnishings gather in front of a floating, three-sided fireplace trimmed with rounded-corner wood bands. “We wanted the home to feel like a sanctuary,” Dille explains. “Curves soften a space and make it more comfortable and inviting,”
The home’s organic architectural style inspired its furnishings. Dille blended contemporary silhouettes with mid-century modern pieces, perfectly complementing the architecture’s modernist leanings. “Mid-century modern design inspired parts of this home’s modern desert design,” explains Archibald, pointing out the home’s wood ceilings, clerestory windows, deep overhangs and expansive glass panels that connect living spaces with the outdoors.
The home’s arched forms flourish in the hallway leading to the primary suite. Here, and throughout the home, baseboards are flush with the drywall above—just one of many artful details that help elevate the design.
Floor-to-ceiling fluted marble houses a pizza oven. The dining area’s floating buffet teams with two underlit floating shelves uniquely crafted with small arcs integrated into their planes.
Wood—with its warm tones and natural grains—is a hero in elevating the home’s compelling design. White oak floors ground the interior with a matt, mid-tone finish. Walnut similarly plays an important role, enriching custom cabinetry and built-ins throughout. Even custom sconces showcase this timeless species. “I love walnut’s richness and the movement of its grain pattern,” Dille explains. Above, Adams clad the entry and living room ceilings with acacia, seamlessly flowing the crowning detail to the patio’s outdoor eaves.
Radiant heated limestone flooring warms the light-filled primary bathroom. A Kuzco chandelier joins sconces by Visual Comfort to illuminate the space with their jewelry-like forms. The concrete tub is by Native Trails.
A moody vibe defines the powder room, where dark venetian plaster, Canapa Vertigo honed wall tile, an integrated sink and a wall-mounted faucet fill the space with contrasting hues and intriguing forms. The wall sconces are by Modern Forms.
Richly patterned quartzite from Venetian Tile & Stone animates the back wall in the glass-walled shower of the primary bathroom.
A palette of natural materials is evident throughout. In many spaces, stone makes memorable statements, including the primary bathroom’s exotic quartzite slab wall, the kitchen’s Silver Root marble countertops and its range hood and pizza oven, both uniquely formed with reeded marble. Natural textiles also enrich the decor as does a tranquil melding of neutral tones—calming white walls, warm woods and dark charcoal accents. “I wanted a tone-on-tone look with contrasting elements,” Dille says. She also opted to forgo patterns, ensuring that the simple material and color palette remained undisturbed, preserving its soothing consistency. Texture, instead, drives interest. Plastered wall elements, leathered marble countertops and woven textiles, for instance, create tactile-rich statements that foster the interior’s warm, relaxed ambiance.
A freestanding outdoor shower adds to the pool area’s resort-style amenities.
The home’s large windows and expansive openings connect the interior with the wood-decked pool and patio areas. Adams and Archibald punctured the deep, wood-clad eaves extending from the great room with large skylight-like openings to allow more light to flow indoors. The pool is by Sunset Pools.
Roman clay dresses the primary bedroom’s walls and ceiling. An upholstered custom headboard boasts modernist forms as does a Quando globe pendant by Visual Comfort.
Out back, the home wraps around and opens to a shimmering pool and spacious patio area, making the space a natural extension of the interior. Adams grounded the outdoor space with exterior-rated wood decking and incorporated lounge areas, water features and a freestanding stone-tiled shower. And at the far end of the pool, he placed a raised fire feature that draws the eye toward views of the city below. “I wanted the backyard to feel like a 5-star resort,” the builder explains. Mission accomplished. The entire property is “a place of inspiration and restoration,” just as Adams imagined from the beginning.
