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Outsider Information

By
Ashley Miller
-

Ward & Child’s Rob McFarland and Jerry Stanger offer insider tips for creating spectacular living spaces outdoors.
By Brad Mee, Photos by Adam Finkle

Behind the charming Ward & Child—The Garden Store in SLC, there is an Eden-like plot where garden design flourishes and locals turn for ideas, advice and enchanted escape. “We wanted to inspire people and let them see the possibilities, even on a central city abandoned lot,” says Rob McFarland who, along with Jerry Stanger, owns Ward & Child and designed this petite piece of paradise. Over the two decades since the store opened and its garden was created, outdoor living has grown into an obsession in Utah. So naturally, when we went looking for advice on creating ultra livable and stylish outdoor spaces, we turned to these pros. With their captivating garden as an inspiring backdrop, the duo teamed with Petit Feast’s Victoria Topham to provide invaluable advice on creating, furnishing and even entertaining in spectacular outdoor spaces.

USD: How has outdoor living evolved over the last decade?

W&C: People are realizing that creating and furnishing an outdoor space requires a strong commitment—both from a design and investment standpoint—and they’re willing to make it. Homeowners are installing pergolas, decks and terraces to create the architectural framework that’s so important to many outdoor living spaces. They’re also investing in higher quality, longer-lasting furniture.

Q: Any tips on locating and sizing an outdoor room?

A: Outdoor spaces can be anywhere and almost any size, but they do need to be defined. For a space intended for lounging and dining, a 16-by-20 foot area is a good starting point. A common mistake is making spaces like decks or terraces that are extensions of the house too small. Ever heard someone say, “I wish my deck were smaller”?

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Q: What about smaller garden spaces?

A: It’s key to have one major outdoor living area, but intimate spaces are important, too. If there’s a garden spot you’re drawn to, create a sitting area, a comfortable place to pause. Consider building a pergola or some other overhead structure to shade and extend the time the space can be enjoyed. And, of course, create a space for dining.

Q: You say dining with conviction.

A: Absolutely. Notice how outdoor dining spaces are always full at restaurants? People love to eat outside. If you don’t have room for both lounging and dining, have a nice table and quality, interesting folding chairs to bring out. Have a small bistro size table that’s always set up and available for a spur-of-the moment al fresco.

Q: Any other advice for selecting furniture?

A: Think quality. People are tired of replacing cheap outdoor furnishings from big box stores. They don’t have the quality standards to endure outdoor exposure. Take teak, for example. If it’s grown at a low elevation it grows much quicker, leading to higher yields making it less expensive. It also lacks the hardness, strength and high oil content of high-elevation teak, which can last for decades outside. This type grows much more slowly, is denser and has the high oil content that makes teak a great choice for exterior furniture and accessories.

Q: What about wicker?

A: All-weather wicker is a very strong trend right now, but it has quality issues as well. If the vinyl that is used to make the resin for the wicker is diluted to make it go further, the price goes down, but the material becomes brittle over time. High quality, allweather wicker stays supple for years, doesn’t fade and is virtually maintenance-free.

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Q: Are there any new products that excite you?

A: We’re carrying a loom product made from wood fibers that are saturated with an architectural resin then spun into small rope-like threads woven into many shapes. It’s then painted with an automotive finish. Clients get the look of all-weather wicker with the ability to choose from dozens of colors.

Q: Any pointers on designing outdoor living spaces?

A: Furnishing outdoor spaces can be daunting because of their openness and the scale of nature itself. Main living areas require larger, more serious pieces. Look at the main living areas inside your home. The scale of the pieces you place outside should be similar in both scale and color especially if the outdoor space can be seen from inside the home. This makes the transition from indoors to out seamless and gracious.

Q: Are there particular pieces you suggest using outdoors?

A: Outdoor spaces need a good sofa, chairs, end tables, consoles and lighting, much like an interior space does. Everything doesn’t need to match, however. While an eclectic, mixed look can be difficult to pull off outdoors, it creates an interesting look.

Q: What’s the secret to successfully mixing outdoor materials?

A: Mixing a dining set can be easy. Pair woven chairs with a wood table for example, or metal chairs that are a different color than their metal table counterpart. It’s also okay to mix a wicker sofa with teak or metal chairs. Pairing different woods or wickers, however, can be tricky. To use assorted wickers, remember to change the color and the size of the actual wicker threads from piece to piece. A fine dark wicker on a chair could work with a larger, lighter wicker sofa, for example.

Q: Is there a specific style that outrivals others outdoors?

A: Because nature is so stimulating, simpler furnishings often work best. Look for simpler, cleaner and straighter lines. Don’t think traditional or contemporary, think classic.

Q: Any tricks for choosing colors?

A: Repeat interior colors outside to link indoors and out. Also, choose a neutral for big pieces like a sofa, and remember that neutrals needn’t be beige. Grays, browns, taupes and creams come in endless shades and variations. Add pops of bright colors using ottomans and pillows to change the look of a neutrally toned big piece. Small fabric-covered pieces are the easiest and least costly way to get a fix of your favorite color that may change in a year or two.

Q: What other outdoor accents do you suggest?

A: Outdoor rugs are indispensable. They create a refined finished look for outside spaces and hide any flaws of existing surfaces underfoot. Planted containers add architectural interest and color, and remember, bigger is better. Also, invest in a few big trays that allow you set up and entertain without constantly running inside and out. And don’t forget outdoor lighting—it’s essential.

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Q: What advice do you have for choosing and placing lights?

A: Plan lighting from inside the home looking out as well as from within the garden areas. Because a glow is aesthetically the most pleasing, use a higher quantity of fixtures with lower watt bulbs rather than a few fixtures putting out huge amounts of light. Light architectural features, statues, fountains and important plants with a strong framework. Unless it’s a statement piece—a chandelier, lantern or an outdoor lamp—outdoor fixtures shouldn’t be too decorative. Bear in mind, outdoor lighting is a serious but very rewarding investment, so work it into the budget early.

Q: Having previously photographed and spent time inyour home’s amazing garden spaces, I know you truly live in your outdoor rooms.

A: We really do. We spend mornings on the balcony becausethe sun is so nice then. During the day and for predinner drinks and nibbles, we’re on the covered porch. We actually dine in the garden. With the glow of the landscape lighting and candles, the sound of moving water, and good food and wine, it really doesn’t get better than that.

Hit the Showers

By
Ashley Miller
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Six ways to shape and style your showers, inside and outside of today’s splashy bathrooms.
By Brad Mee
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If showers have a moment, we are in it. High-style showers have been rising in popularity during the last few years and, in 2014, are cited among the top must-haves in homes across Utah and the country. In fact, showers have replaced bathtubs as the preferred spot to rinse and relax. As a result, they are being doused with refined functional features, increased square footage and head-turning design. The following shower variations are among today’s most-wanted and offer spectacular options for any bathroom, including yours.

1. Steam Showers

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Unless you insist on rinse-and-run ablutions, a steam shower may be the most pleasurable feature you can add to your home. “Almost all of our master bathrooms include a steam shower,” says Jeremy Jackson, a principal of Jackson and LeRoy Remodeling in SLC. He notes that the feature has replaced the jetted tub as a must-have in today’s spa-style bath. Designer Nicole Zeigler of Enzy Design agrees. “Clients are more likely to spend on a luxury shower than a luxury tub, and steam is favored over body sprays in showers today,” she says. Steam showers require professional design and installation; they must be completely enclosed to operate properly and be entirely waterproofed to thwart steam from escaping into the bathroom. Movable transoms often perform as glass vents to regulate moisture and heat.

2. Frameless Glass

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No one’s knocking shower curtains (well, maybe a little), but glass is clearly a superior solution to splash-proofing a shower with style. Do it without a frame and you’ve got a leading shower trend that continues to be hot and shows no signs of cooling. “Most showers are now being done with a frameless type of glass,” says Jackson. More expensive than its framed counterpart and certainly more costly than shower curtains, it positively affects the style of a bathroom. “Frameless glass not only looks great, it also makes a bathroom feel more spacious,” says Zeigler. She explains that while frameless glass has been popular for a number of years, its hardware continues to evolve stylistically. “From handles to hinges, we’re seeing many more options beyond simple chrome,” she says. Fresh profiles, assorted finishes, a range of styles and even sliding barn door tracks provide homeowners beautiful ways to incorporate frameless glass into their customized bathroom designs.

3. Curbless Showers

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A solid step toward to creating a truly accessible shower, curbless designs remove the curb at the base of the shower enclosure allowing flooring to run unobstructed from the bathroom into the shower space. This less-is-more approach appeals to modern aesthetes as well as those best served by roll-in showers devoid of physical obstacles on the floor. “I absolutely love them and would put them in every bathroom if we could,” says Zeigler. The challenge is engineering a sloped floor for drainage. “This is easier to accomplish in new-builds but often requires modifying existing floor joists in remodeled bathrooms,” Jackson says. “Building up the floor or adding a small lip at the shower’s entrance provides alternatives,” says Zeigler, stating that many clients want a curbless entry but don’t really understand the construction required to create it. When designed with a linear drain, curbless showers also provide the opportunity to use larger floor tiles that can flow uninterrupted from the room into the shower. “The single slope and linear drains provide more design flexibility,” Jackson says.

4. Walk in Enclosures

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Prefer a little more privacy than a glass-enclosed or open shower will provide? If you have the space, consider the walk-in shower. Basically a room-within-a-room, walk-ins are enclosed by tiled walls—often shapely and curved—that create water and visual barriers from the rest of the bathroom. When inspired by the universal design, the boast curbless, doorless entries and spacious interiors equipped with seats and grab bars to serve the disabled. “They’re less popular in remodels than in new builds because the require a lot of space,” Zeigler says. The walk-in is often ruled out because it can be too cold, according to Jackson. “They don’t trap the warmth and steam like enclosed showers do,” he says. To lessen this problem, his team often runs heated floors into walk-in shower spaces.

5. Barrier-free Showers

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Devoid of enclosures or obstructions, this ultra-hip, easily accessible shower fosters a spacious, airy feel for the bathroom. Be warned: If you suffer splash-phobia, barrier-free design is not for you. These showers guarantee water splatter. Jackson’s team has installed barrier-free showers foremost in homes in which access and space are musts. “Wheelchairs need more room in a shower and barrier-free showers can provide it,” he says. Often, barrier-free showers are part of a wet room in which the shower, tub and sometimes even a sink share the same waterproofed area of a bathroom. “More people are considering wet rooms, but it really depend on the amount of space you have to work with,” Zeigler explains. “Wet rooms fit better at the end of long narrower bathrooms rather than in the center of square spaces.”

6. Outdoor Showers

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Today’s growing obsession with outdoor living has led to increased interest in outdoor showers. No longer just for resorts, beach homes and pooled properties, they are popping up everywhere, refreshing everyone from grimy gardeners and overheated athletes to little leaguers, pet owners and others who simply relish invigorating, open-air clean-ups. “I love outdoor showers, and it seems we are creating them more often,” Jackson says. “Most often they serve a nearby hot tub or pool.” Obviously, plumbing, site selection, drainage, privacy and material selection all play a part in creating the perfect alfresco shower for the home.

Old House, New Tricks

By
Val Rasmussen
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In Salt Lake City, a classic mid-century modern home catches a big break when its hands-on owners team with talented pros to give it a magnificent makeover.
By Val Rasmussen, Photos by Scot Zimmerman
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The facade received a facelift with a two-car garage, floor-to-ceiling windows in the entry and a spacious walled courtyard featuring an ipe wood rain screen.

It all started with a knock. Standing on a dusty stoop 10 years ago, young attorney Lee Saber waited patiently for the door to open. He and his wife Hadley had recently left a small yellow cottage in Austin to return to their hometown of Salt Lake City, and behind that door they hoped to find the beginning of the next chapter of their life together.

The couple stumbled upon the run-down rambler while on a walk in the Salt Lake Country Club neighborhood. “The house was completely concealed with trees, ivy and vines,” Lee says. But it showcased a key feature they coveted: a flat roofline. “Fifteen years ago, mid-century modern design was booming in Austin and we really liked it,” Hadley says.

As luck would have it, the 85-year-old homeowner was interested in selling. “We knew it was jewel in the rough,” she says. “We were in our late 20s at the time and the thought of renovating appealed to us.” And with that, the couple purchased the property and began to transform it.

“Our first priority was the landscaping when we moved in,” says Hadley, who with Lee, excavated the yard and designed its new features. Dumpsters were filled with uprooted shrubs, ivy and trees. The pool was updated, and overgrown vines were stripped from a tall fence enclosing the property to reveal views of the golf course’s 6th hole adjoining the yard.

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Anchored by a new kitchen, a series of living spaces are united by streamlined, custom cabinetry, wood floors and a series of broad windows opening to the backyard.

Today, Lee and Hadley—along with 9-year-old son Jack, and 7-year-old daughter Beau—flourish in the hip home that took 10 years of thoughtful planning and six solid months of major renovation to create. With the help of architect Monte Still of Still Thorum Architecture and builder Brady Sherman of Sherman Homes, the Sabers transformed the 3,545-square-foot ranch—originally designed by architect Ed Dreier—into headquarters for their family.

“Ultimately, we tried to update the house in the way Ed would have,” Lee says. “With the invaluable help of our architect, Monte Still, we remodeled the house without sacrificing its original character.”

Upon arrival, guests pass through an extra-wide, glass pivoting door that opens to a view of the backyard and, to the left, a glimpse into an office enriched with eye-catching custom cabinetry designed by Bill Cordray, space designer for Teerlink Cabinet, whom Still enlisted to engineer the look and flow of custom cabinets. Just as the office serves as an initial visual treat for guests, the mudroom/pantry area performs similarly for the homeowners.

“Many design projects don’t consider how the homeowner enters the house,” says Cordray. “We wanted them to walk into a mudroom that looks nice and functional.” Inspired by mid-century modern furniture, walnut was Cordray’s “obvious” material choice here and throughout the house.

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Book-matched in the center of the island, the grain of the walnut cabinet doors runs horizontally emphasizing the lines of the mid-century architecture.

Featuring walnut on every cabinet face wasn’t the only savvy design choice Cordray made. By varying colors of cabinet frames and doors in each area, the spaces link without excessive duplication. This is most apparent in the kitchen where walls were removed to open it to the adjoining living and dining areas. “The interplay of the two-tone treatment gives it much more of a custom look,” says Cordray. “And it lightens it up a bit, especially around the refrigerator and oven which can look heavy on the same wall.”

Calacatta gold marble topping the kitchen’s 12-foot island also lightens the space. Beyond the island, the eye moves to the most striking feature of the renovation: thirty feet of floor-toceiling sliding windows that meet at the great room’s corner. There, the Sabers enclosed a roofed outdoor patio, providing an extra 275 square feet of year-round living without adding to the footprint. “We were really inspired by California design with the open walls of windows that bring the outdoors in,” says Hadley. “And the windows are their own pieces of artwork.”

A work of art, indeed. Focusing on views and an open floor plan allowed the Sabers to preserve the era of the home while adding modern-day functionality and contemporary custom finishes. “We envisioned the end result for a decade before we actually embarked upon the remodel,” Lee says. “We knew exactly what we wanted from the remodel process and it has been rewarding to have our patience pay off—especially after living in the home’s original condition for 10 years.” All this beginning with a simple knock on the door.

Classic Comeback

By
Ashley Miller
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In Ogden, designer Cody Beal elevates the look and livability of a dated mid-century modern home.
By Brad Mee, Photos by Scot Zimmerman

A newly refinished front door opens to the remodeled foyer illuminated by a modern, Global Views chandeleier.

It’s a testament to Peggy Ambrey’s patience and perseverance that she and her husband Tim live in their stunning mid-century modern home in the heart of South Ogden. It’s also evidence of her keen sense of style.

Smitten by the home from the moment she saw it, Peggy lost the house to another buyer during its sale by the original owner in 1993. “I was devastated,” she says. She moved into a home just a couple blocks away from the classic dwelling. Eighteen months later, Peggy learned the house was back on the market and arranged to see it that very same day.

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“I knew I would know what to do when I walked through the door,” she says. Won over once again, Peggy placed an offer on the house just hours later. Flash forward 17 years and Peggy’s determination and design eye were once again rewarded with a savvy remodel that brought the 1964 home stylishly into the 21st century.

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Original floor-to-ceiling windows and concrete block walls enclose the chic, sunken living room. A shapely Roche Bobois sectional and novelty hide-covered Thayer Coggins chair provide luxe seating and style to the retreat-like room. Sheer draperies fill the space with soft, natural light.

“It was a designer’s dream,” says interior designer Cody Beal who was hired by the Ambreys to remodel the 60-year-old house. “It was in its original condition, well cared for and absolutely ready for a redo.” The home’s clean horizontal lines, staggered planes of concrete block and floor-to-ceiling glass added to its appeal.

Initially, the Ambreys were focused on the kitchen and master bedroom, recalls Beal. As the designer wandered the 3,200 square-foot home, he recognized potential reaching far beyond those two rooms. “It’s an open floor plan, so if you touch one space you have to consider everything else nearby,” he says. With his clients’ blessing, he brainstormed and proposed ideas for an extensive overhaul. “Cody’s excitement and confidence were infectious,” Peggy says. “From the start, he had a vision that included everything from the interior to the landscaping.”

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Floor-to ceiling draperies and an upholstered Mitchell Gold bed add softness to the restful master bedroom. Custom closets designed with built-in nightstand niches and adjustable shaded sconces frame the headboard. A mirrored Caracole console anchors a framed TV positioned above. Original art finishes the space.

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Today, the evidence of transformation begins at the curb, where a sweeping lawn and rhythmic plantings replaced a cherry tree-topped berm and a messy mix of overgrown junipers and shrubs. “We wanted a more contemporary look that accentuated the home’s architecture and the original slab steps leading to the front door,” says Beal, who collaborated with Peggy and landscaper Brook Hansen to modernize the property.

In the covered entry, graphic beds of smooth stones and chartreuse groundcover perform like patterned carpets below sentry-like planters topped with agaves. The simple yet striking design provides a clue of the dynamic interior waiting behind the slate-gray door.

Beneath a shimmering chandelier, the foyer welcomes visitors with keenly edited elements that create a sense of entry and introduces the home’s renewed style. “It’s modern, not contemporary,” insists Beal, characterizing the former as warmer and more welcoming.

The designer fashioned boxed glass railing to replace the original walnut block-and-post bannister. “It was too dominant and disrupted the home’s horizontal lines,” he says. Original clerestory windows brighten the space, while a new coat closet adds storage and links the entry to what was the most needy of the home’s outdated spaces, the kitchen.

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A large, single basin sink serves both the kitchen and the adjacent patio, where a built-in barbecue resides. Open-tread striped stairs lead to a vestibule, where double doors open into the new master suite created from two smaller bedrooms

Dark and divided best describes the original cooking space. While its closed-off layout was stylish in its day, it was the opposite of what people want and need today, according to Beal. “In the ’60s, the dialogue of an open kitchen hadn’t started,” he says. “Today, people want an open, livable space where they can cook and entertain.” Beal removed blockades of high-end walnut cabinets and brought in kitchen and bath design expert Nicole Zeigler to fine-tune his layout and work with the Ambreys on specific storage and cabinetry needs.

The new layout opens the room to natural light and views of outdoor spaces and neighboring rooms. Skylights brighten the space while Wenge wood cabinet and planes of thick white Caesarstone provide eye-catching contrast. An intricate interplay of matte and iridescent tiles dresses backsplashes and an accent wall anchoring the dining area’s built-in desk. “The natural colors, organic materials and high contrast create a warm, livable statement of modernity,” says Beal.

Similarly dynamic treatments define a modern bathroom, part of a luxurious suite the designer shaped from the space of two small bedrooms and a small bathroom original to the house. Elsewhere, a chic, light-filled living room, lower-level family room and broad, shaded patio are among other inviting spaces renewed by Beal’s expertly executed design.

“From the beginning, we wanted a modern, sophisticated and comfortable design that stayed true to the bones and spirit of the home,” says Peggy. “That’s exactly what Cody created, and we couldn’t be happier.”

Make It Modern

By
Ashley Miller
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A passion for precision and clean-lined living drives the design of a Deer Valley kitchen.
By Brad Mee, Photos by Scot Zimmerman

Broad beams soar above the spacious kitchen designed to foster relaxed living, gourmet cooking and casual entertaining. Dark wood floors anchor the space defined by modern design and clean-lined simplicity.
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Dennis and Elke Levine love living in Deer Valley’s scenic mountains, but they have no desire to reside in a dark, lodge-style hilltop home. Instead, they opt for light, bright and modern. The couple has a passion for streamlined, European style, and it runs throughout their interior into the hub of the home, their spacious kitchen.

“We wanted a clean look but one that fits a mountain home,” says Elke who drove the design process with a clear vision of the kitchen space. Working with the home’s architect, Jack Thomas (who is also Park City’s mayor) and kitchen designer Brent Jespersen, that is exactly what she and Dennis created.

Giving a nod to the mountain’s rustic setting, the Levines selected 22-foot reclaimed beams from the Ogden Defense Depot to soar above their open kitchen. Remnants of old paint and iron hardware enhance the beams’ raw character, a must-have for the Levines who consulted with designer Rion Locke to fine tune the scale and finishes of the overhead feature.

“The beams help warm the room,” says Elke, who selected oil-rubbed, 10-inch wide planked oak flooring to do the same. A keenly curated mix of textures and sleek cabinetry of contrasting colors also contributes to the room’s comfortable, contemporary feel.

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White surfaces dress the kitchen’s cooking and prep area. ”I love the white,” says Elke. “My previous kitchen had dark cabinets, and I never knew if they were clean or not. These are beautiful and so easy to keep spotless.”

Throughout the room, planes of matte white lacquer and dark acacia wood define the décor as they enclose storage, dress walls and form open shelves. “I wanted cabinetry that looks like furniture and insisted on a manufactured kitchen with pieces that precisely fit to the millimeter,” Elke says. Working with Jespersen, owner of Poliform SLC, Elke and Dennis selected Italian-made Poliform cabinets and wall systems to create a room that flaunts both functionality and flair.

Anchoring the room, a white island gleams atop the dark wood floor. A single basin sink punctuates the white quartz countertop. “I don’t like double sinks. A single is much easier to use and clean,” Elke says.

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Overlapping the Caesarstone, a plane of acacia extends into the room to form a counter-height table surrounded by plush, armchair-like stools. “We wanted a counter where people sit across from one another rather than lining up in a row,” Dennis says. Behind the table, an oven, steam oven and warming drawer reside in a broad wall housing the kitchen’s refrigeration systems and extractable pantry units hidden behind wood panels. “The vertically grained wood columns amplify the furniture look,” Jespersen says. Additional storage discreetly extends on each side hidden behind white door panels.

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Surrounded by spectacular views, a chicly furnished nook performs as a luxe lounge just steps from the kitchen’s cooking area.

At the kitchen’s west end, a cozy, window-framed nook sits surrounded by spectacular views and houses a second seating area furnished with custom high-back settees and a small coffee table. “Jack Thomas insisted on this space,” Elke says. “At night you can see the lights of Park City and in the morning you can see the mountains.” Across the room, a wall system of storage cabinets and illuminated cantilevered shelves perform like art. “The mix of alternating sizes of upper wall cabinets creates interesting geometry,” Jespersen says.

Throughout the kitchen, the cabinetry, furnishings and finishes unite to create a fresh, modern style for mountain living. “It’s simple and to the point, open and clean feeling,” says Elke. “I’ve had every kind of kitchen and this is by far the most modern and my favorite.”

Great Room Redux

By
Ashley Miller
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A contemporary décor and finessed floor plan brings fresh style and livability to a Park City townhouse.
By Brad Mee, Photos by Scot Zimmerman

When homeowner and avid mountain biker Tom Stoltman purchased a two-story townhouse in Park City’s Trout Creek community, he was understandably hot on the nearby Spring Creek trailhead and the preserved wetlands adjoining the property.
The home’s ornate Mediterranean style décor, however, left him cold. He imagined something more modern for the compact, 1,600 square-foot interior. Enter designer Jenny Samuelson who worked with Stoltman to transform the home with clean-lined style and a floor plan making the small interior live very big.
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Changes made: Replaced multi-tiered iron chandelier with simple Arteriors fixture; replaced heavy, dark wall cap and molding with white streamlined versions; disguised large vent while creating a game table zone using customized furnishings from Room & Board.
“We talked a lot about style and narrowed down Tom’s aesthetic to contemporary with a mid-century edge,” Samuelson says. “Over and over again, it came back to simple lines and a masculine vibe.” To create these, the designer ditched existing Old World elements including gilded detailing, faux finishes, arched door carvings and a medallion in the warped wood flooring.
“It was over the top and didn’t feel right for Park City,” she says. While the heavy details dated the entire interior, Samuelson concentrated much of her efforts on the upper level great room where Stoltman spends much of his time relaxing and entertaining friends. While transforming the open great room, Samuelson focused on creating a stylish space that felt comfortable and lived-in.
“Even though Tom was buying his furniture all at once, we didn’t want it to appear that way,” she says. The designer and client scoured spots including Restoration Hardware and Salt Lake’s Mod a-go-go as well as sites like One Kings Lane and Room & Board to find the perfect complementary but unmatched pieces.
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Changes made: Lowered seat back to be flush with the window bottom; upholstered existing beadboard back with hardwearing chenille fabric and added matching seat cushions; painted the built-in benches to match the walls and to make the new table, chairs and upholstery stand out; replaced iron chandelierwith modern Restoration Hardware fixture; hung a vintage print to reflect the homeowner’s cycling passion.
The duo also enlisted designer Steve Norr of Peppertree Kitchen & Bath to swap out the kitchen’s outdated, arched upper cabinet doors with square-paneled replacements. “Changing upper doors is great way to make a big impact on a limited budget,” says Norr, noting the approach also avoids disturbing existing countertops.
A deep gray cabinet finish, white Caesarstone countertops, glass tile backsplash, contemporary lighting and a stainless hood are among the new elements used to update the kitchen and integrate it into the great room’s modern design. Samuelson didn’t stop with the finishes and furnishings; she reworked the room’s flow as well.
“The room is really narrow, so I created an imaginary line running from the top of the stairs to the window at the end of the space. No furniture could cross the line and become an obstacle,” says the designer, who also divided the open space into defined living zones that flow seamlessly into one another.
By choosing modestly scaled furniture, creating a calm palette, and keeping the design cohesive and uncluttered throughout, Samuelson not only gave the great room a big style change, but also made it look and live much larger than it actually is.

Egging On

By
Utah Style & Design
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by Mary Brown Malouf | photos by Adam Finkle

One look at today’s most mouth-watering menus and it’s clear chefs are cracking a lot more eggs.

This sunny-faced food seems to be topping almost every dish leaving the kitchen.

A hamburger, a plate of asparagus, a stack of pancakes and even a pile of pasta—they are all being lifted a notch when topped with a simple fried egg. And they’re not alone. More and more dishes are enjoying the emulsified texture of a runny yolk as it becomes a sauce, enriching and complementing pretty much everything beneath.

Egg Fry 101

Fernand Point’s Perfect Fried Egg

Chef Fernand Point (1897–1955) is often called the father of modern French cuisine. Like all famous French chefs, he had fanatically strong opinions about how to perform the seemingly simplest kitchen tasks, like frying an egg.

“Place a lump of fresh butter in a pan or egg dish and let it melt—that is, just enough for it to spread, and never, of course, to crackle or sit; open a very fresh egg onto a small plate or saucer and slide it carefully into the pan; cook it on heat so low that the white barely turns creamy, and the yolk becomes hot but remains liquid; in a separate saucepan, melt another lump of fresh butter; remove the egg onto a lightly heated serving plate; salt it and pepper it, then very gently pour this fresh, warm butter over it.” –Fernand Point

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Wisecracking

Much is made of whether an egg is fresh or stale, because the fresher the egg, the better the taste and, some say, the higher the nutritional value. Note: We’re not talking about rotten eggs here, just relative freshness. Traditionally, eggs were inspected by “candling;” the egg was held up to a candle for a glimpse of what was inside the shell. Now hand-packed eggs may be inspected by holding them in front of an intense light.

So what do egg inspectors look for?

  • A small, stable air space between the white and the shell. This space shrinks as the egg ages.
  • A thick, cloudy white that can obscure the yolk. The egg white thins and clears as it ages.
  • A fresh egg doesn’t rattle when it’s shaken gently; the white is thick and cushions the yolk.
  • There should be no blood spots.

So what are the benefits of farm-fresh eggs?

  • Farm-fresh eggs are more flavorful.
  • Farm-fresh egg yolks are generally deeper yellow than factory egg yolks.
  • Farm-fresh egg yolks are generally fuller and feature more pronounced mounds.
  • Farm-fresh egg whites are clearer, less watery and mount higher when whipped.
  • Farm-fresh egg yolks are less likely to break when cracked.
  • Farm-fresh eggs are nutritionally superior, says a study done by Mother Earth News in 2007.

Gadget Guide

Egg lovers rejoice. Today’s selection of cooking tools extends far beyond the spatula.

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Single egg poacher, $7, Williams-Sonoma, SLC

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Poach Pods, $10/set of 2, Spoons ‘n Spice, SLC

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Egg Fry Rings, $15/set of 4, Williams-Sonoma, SLC

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Egg rings, $5, Spoons ‘n Spice, SLC

Saving Grace

By
Ashley Miller
-

In West Jordan, the inspired design of the new Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church honors the parish’s rich mining and construction history.
By Brad Mee
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For an architect, each commission presents a distinct set of challenges, expectations and opportunities. This is certainly true when designing a church in which its spirit is as important as its structure. “While any space should have meaning, a religious space’s meaning is more apparent,” says John Sparano, who, along with Anne Mooney, designed the new Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in West Jordan.
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Sparano and Mooney, principals of Sparano + Mooney Architecture in SLC, looked to the history of the church’s congregation for inspiration as they designed a replacement for the demolished 1965 building.
Named for the patron saint of laborers, the Saint Joseph the Worker Catholic Church is located in a bluecollar neighborhood near the Bingham Canyon Copper Mine on the same site as the original built by the congregation’s craftsmen. “This was our guide,” says Mooney. “We wanted to honor the workers and the mining community.” With skill and artistry, the architects created a palette of raw materials and compelling structures to accomplish this objective.
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The new church is constructed from simple materials converted into extraordinary architectural elements. Rain screens of horizontal, milled cedar boards and textured walls of cast-in-place, board-formed concrete define large portions of the shapely buildings. “Saw marks and knots embedded in the concrete reflect the hand of the craftsman transforming the material,” Mooney says.
Throughout the project, copper panels, vertical grain fir boards, handcrafted wood elements and uniquely glazed glass—some with colored inlays—create memorable details. “In many places, we referenced sacred architecture like stained glass windows but reinterpreted it with a modern vocabulary,” Sparano says. The result is an intriguing representation of the traditional old formed by the innovative new, and it begins from the moment one enters the project.
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The church welcomes visitors from its landscaped parking lot into a circular courtyard, gracefully transporting them from the secular world into the peaceful, outdoor space. “It’s a matter of transition. We didn’t want guests to directly enter the church through a door,” Sparano says.
From the courtyard, a large entry and gathering area welcomes parishioners with a roomy, low-ceilinged area that opens dramatically to the grand volume of the adjoining sanctuary. The architects enclosed this vast space with two offset ellipses—an inner and outer oval—that create the illusion of poché or solid wall mass characteristic of historic sacred architecture.
“Architecture should reflect traditions reinforced in modern ways,” Sparano says. The duo penetrated the curved walls with small, intimate chapels and high, deep-set colored apertures that accentuate the structure’s visually thick shell. As the sun moves across the sky, these colored windows fill the sanctuary with ever-changing, tinted light that creates “wow moments” throughout the day, says Mooney.
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Across the courtyard from the 800-seat sanctuary, the day chapel provides a smaller yet equally compelling space. Clad in wood, the intimate chapel features a skylight framing views of clouds as they float above the altar and stark interior. “We’re very attracted to simplicity,” says Sparano. “Here, it speaks to the infinite nature of this sacred space.” The vast project finishes with a wing housing administrative offices and a conference space.
SJW_23_Final Model_Sparano _ Mooney
“The new church provides a place of stability and worship, a place for marriages, baptisms and funerals,” says Mooney. “It’s like designing a house for 1,000 families.” By marrying enlightened design to historical precedent, the architects created an extraordinary structure its parishioners will consider a spiritual home for many years to come.
 

Floating Landscapes

By
Ashley Miller
-

Container gardens enjoy a stylish upswing thanks to high-flying, boldly blooming baskets.
By Brad Mee, Photos by Adam Finkle
Want to give your patios and porches a stylishlift? Think hanging baskets. Easy to create and maintain, these suspended container gardens put showy flowers and foliage at eye-level, creating floating focal points that brighten outdoor spaces all summer long.
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1. Set the site

Hanging baskets allow you to garden on a small scale with very big results. Determining the location of your hanging baskets helps you choose the proper container and plants as well. Consider the light, heat, sun, shade, wind and space the considered spot will provide before making a decision that will enable you to predict the amount of maintenance and watering that the planted basket will require.

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2. Choose the container

Hanging baskets come in an assortment of styles and sizes as well as materials ranging from wood and plastic to metal frames lined in moss or coco-fiber. “Wood can be heavy, making it a good choice for windy locations,” says Mary Jo Hartmann, Nursery Specialist at Cactus & Tropicals in Salt Lake City. Plastic, which is typically lighter, retains moisture well, requiring less watering. Hartmann adds, “Moss and fiber have a great natural look, but because they are more permeable and breathable, they dry out faster so they need more frequent watering.” The same is true of smaller and shallower containers.

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3. Prepare the soil

Garden soil is a no-no. Hartmann suggests good quality potting soil augmented with water-retaining materials like peat moss as well as a slow-release fertilizer prior to planting. The fertilizer provides nutrients up to four months. “Late in the season and into fall, feed baskets with water-soluble fertilizer on a regular schedule to keep them going strong,” she advises.

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4. Select the plants

Be careful to choose plants that thrive in the specific location and complement your outdoor decor. Also consider each plant’s color, texture, size and shape. ”A basket of a single variety like bright impatiens or calibrachoa makes a strong focal point,” says Hartmann, who also likes using the foliage of plants like coleus, creeping jenny and assorted potato vines to add dazzling, non-blooming color. For nontraditional containers, herbs and succulents also provide interesting options, and fragrant bloomers like sweet alyssum are heady choices for hanging planters. Hartmann’s personal favorite? Hanging tuberous begonias. “I love their deep colors and unique foliage,” she says. Her least favorites include standard petunias—trailing petunias are better suited for baskets, she says—and Margarita potato vines. “Margaritas get too large and their tubers take too much room.” Whatever your choice, be adventurous. “Think beyond the obvious choices and have fun with it,” says Hartmann. “There are so many unexpected plants that can flourish in baskets.”

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5. Hang wisely

Determine the full weight of your planted, watered container when choosing the right hook and structure from which to hang it. Also consider accessibility to the container, as you will need to water it frequently and maintain the plants regularly.

6. Water, water, water

If there’s a con to hanging containers, it’s the frequent watering required, especially during Utah’s dog days of summer. “Hanging baskets dry out quickly, and once they mature and become somewhat root-bound late in the summer, they have difficulty staying wet,” Hartmann says. She suggests watering during the mornings or evenings to lessen evaporation and to water regularly and thoroughly, making certain the soil is fully saturated. Use the basket’s weight as a watering gauge. “Lift the basket slightly before and after watering to enable you to predict when it needs to be watered.”

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Planting Pointers

Nursery specialist Mary Jo Hartmann’s tips for creating and maintaining beautiful hanging baskets.

  • May 15th is typically the last frost date for Salt Lake City and first safe date to leave summer baskets hanging unprotected outdoors. Be prepared to bring them indoors if temperatures drop.
  • Place taller plants in the center and trailing plants around the edge when planting baskets with mixed flowers and foliage.
  • Establish soil edge a full inch below the edge of the water to enable thorough and deep watering.
  • Planting densely creates instant drama but requires a keen eye on water needs as plants become root bound by mid-summer.
  • Plant brighter plants in shaded baskets as darker colors and foliage fade into a dim backdrop.
  • Give baskets a light shearing in August. The late summer clean up gives baskets a boost for early autumn beauty. Swap out tired plants with fresh replacements if necessary.
  • Let the experts do the work. Select a new basket or bring yours in and Cactus & Tropicals will plant your container after discussing your wants and needs.

Supercharged Shortcakes

By
Ashley Miller
-

Easy-to-make shortcake plays a meal’s best-supporting role.
By Mary Brown Malouf, Photos by Adam Finkle
Whether it’s topped with savory or sweet, shortcake soaks up juices and amplifies flavors.

Easy-as-Pie Shortcake Recipe

2 cups flour
4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. butter, cut in chunks
2 Tbsp. shortening, chilled
3/4 cup half and half

Place flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a food processor. Pulse a few seconds until mixed. Add butter and shortening and pulse until mixture looks like cornmeal. Dump it in a mixing bowl and stir in the cream until a ball forms. Pat dough out 1/2” thick and cut with large biscuit cutter, or drop by large spoonfuls onto greased baking sheet, and then pat into shape. Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Now, scroll down to add some flavor to your shortcake.

Classic Strawberry Shortcake

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Slice strawberries and sprinkle with sugar. Let sit several hours. Add a touch of balsamic vinegar to enrich the flavor of early-season berries, spoon between shortbread layers and then on top. Finish with whipped cream.

Garden Shortcake

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Sauté roughly chopped red and yellow peppers, sliced zucchini and yellow squash, tomatoes and choice of herbs until vegetables are tender. Serve over shortcake and sprinkle with shredded parmesan or not.

Tropical Shortcake

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Sauté pineapple chunks in butter with brown sugar until fruit is tender. Add a shot of dark rum if you like, and a dash of vanilla. Serve on shortcake and garnish with toasted coconut.

Tuscan Shortcake

Cook chopped onions slowly in butter and olive oil until caramelized. Add quartered mushrooms and cook until tender. Deglaze with a little balsamic vinegar and season with crushed rosemary. Serve on shortcake.

Tips

  • Never overwork the dough. Don’t knead it, pat it. Best to drop it on the baking sheet by spoonfuls, and then coax it gently into shape.
  • Wait until shortcake is cool before splitting it. Otherwise, it’s apt to crumble.
  • Use two forks to split a shortbread, instead of a knife.
  • Let your imagination run wild with toppings—the only requirement is that your topping has enough juice for the shortbread to soak up.
  • Serve immediately after topping.

What do you mean, “short?”

Shortcake’s “short” dough is one that’s crumbly or mealy, the opposite of a “long” dough, meaning flaky, like pie crust. Both depend on solid fat—shortening or butter. For a short dough, cut the fat into the flour until it has a cornmeal-like texture. For a long dough, leave the butter lumps as large as peas.

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