A recently completed home in Empire Pass softens its modern elements with the addition of wood in the ceiling and floors, and using today’s well-engineered glass and windows, it concurrently offers views of an observation tower while creating the interior experience of warmth and conviviality. Interior designer K. Rocke Design works with architect Ron Lee (Heber City) and builder Mike McNulty to coordinate the livability of the design while working with the heavy beams necessary for managing the snow loads of the location.
All photos by Scot Zimmerman
This shot demonstrates the layering of the living spaces. In the foreground is the kitchen seen in the opening shot, the dining room to the side, and the living area anchored by a fireplace with a deep patio for outdoor living.
The dining area shot shows off the sculptural brass table base, but you can also see the covered outdoor dining beyond the glass window wall and the stairway in the distance.
Kristen Rocke (K. Rocke Design) delights in trying new recipes and experimenting with combinations of ingredients, and she carries over her love for being in the kitchen to her kitchen designs. She completes the kitchen with ample cabinet storage, a secret pantry, illuminated open shelves for collector pieces, an inner working island, and an outer island to stage dishes for setting or clearing with an attached table for gathering and chatting during meal preparation or for a simple breakfast.
I pulled back the stools so you can appreciate the whimsical table legs, designed by K Rocke. The organic quality is a great speed bump to juxtapose against the rectilinear cabinet design.
To create a greater intimacy for the living area, K Rocke designed the curved sectional and the corresponding curving console table. The design makes the views outside equally important to those of the fire.
Staying on the same level of the home, we move to the primary bedroom. The room draws on neutral tones with the dark wood of the furniture and soft greens echoing the forest tones outside.
The primary suite’s bathroom opens spaciously and symmetrically with paired vanities. A glassed shower enclosure is just to the left of the soaking tub.
There are two other levels to the home, transitioned by this wooden staircase with tread lighting and hanging pendant lights in the shape of trailside cairns.
The loft is a private bedroom suite with its own sitting room and office space, a perfect place for visiting one’s parents.
Downstairs are two seating areas and an open bar set in front of the wine room. Not seen are a pool table and dedicated home theater.
The white stone is illuminated from behind to display all the interesting veining. The black stone of the bar is veined with white and supported by black metal legs in the same proportions as the black window mullions of the wine room.
Wherever I worked photographing the home, I found myself distracted and looking out the windows. Skiers passed in lifts above, skiers crossed between the home and its neighbor on the way down to the lifts, and in every direction, there were skiers on the runs. The contours and trees made for beautiful shadows, and sunset came early and lasted a very long time. Another spectacular place in the mountains.
You can find more bold interiors by K. Rocke Design here!
All photography by Mykal Bush
The community of Kayenta in nearby Ivins turned out to be their sweet spot; more precisely, a one-acre desert property surrounded by stunning scenery. “The magical cliffs, the soaring red rocks and mountains in the distance offer 360-degree beauty,” the owner explains. Matt Marten agrees. “There’s no place like it,” says the principal designer of Gulch Design Group. He and his father Terry Marten—who developed Kayenta—are the visionaries behind and ardent advocates of the community’s allure. Homes live lightly on the land with low profiles, preserved open desert landscapes and architecture that melds into the terrain, allowing its natural beauty to prevail. “It feels remote and we love the modern desert architecture that is so at home here,” says the husband, who, along with his wife, enlisted Marten to create the home’s architecture, Gregg Hodson to design the interiors and Paul Zabriskie to build the dwelling.
To link the house to its setting, Marten designed the site-specific structure to partially sit below the lot’s natural grade, allowing for elevated interior ceilings while complying with 13-foot exterior height restrictions to prevent structures from impeding on the landscape. Interior ceiling heights transition from 8 to 12 feet, creating a choreographed sense of compression and expansion as one moves through the house. Varied ceiling heights also assist in delineating the interior’s open living spaces. Strategically placed windows—many of which reach floor-to-ceiling—also help define living areas while framing views at every turn. “There are Hell’s Canyon red cliffs to the north and sloping greenery to the south and southwest,” Marten explains. “It’s like yin and yang.” Zabriskie agrees. “I don’t know where else you see this type of home,” he says. “It’s like living in a national park.”
The clean-lined, view-framing architecture not only connects the home to the land, but also sets the stage for the contemporary and modern furnishings its owners prize. “I love mid-century modern furniture and original pieces from designers who shaped modern furniture of the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s,” the husband says. Hodson also has a thing for mid-century furnishings and enthusiastically placed them in the house. “A modern desert home is ideal for these pieces. They play well with strong architecture, clean lines and the natural forms of the landscape,” he explains. To that end, Charles Eames walnut Shell stools line the kitchen island, grouped Nelson Bubble pendants hang above a round Eames dining table, a Saarinen Tulip side table serves the office and a Noguchi coffee table anchors the main sitting area. The name-dropping list is long. Many of these furnishings—as well as a number of the interior’s more contemporary pieces—are curved and rounded. “It’s a great way to soften the architecture’s strong lines and sharp corners, as long as you don’t overdo it,” Hodson explains.
To create a stage for the home’s A-list furnishings, edited accents and curated shots of color, the team crafted a backdrop of natural materials, neutral tones and warm woods. Naturally finished concrete floors ground the rooms, while walls painted light beige amplify the interior’s light without appearing stark. “Because the wall color is warmer than white, it connects better to the landscape’s earthy hues,” Hodson says. Custom wood cabinetry, doors and millwork—masterfully crafted by Riverwoods Mill—deliver warm tones, organic woodgrains and strong contrast against light walls. The tile-clad fireplace and kitchen backsplash provide more contrast while large textured rugs, rich fabrics, lively accent colors and subdued woven wall coverings foster a sense of warmth and comfort.
“There is a luxury here, but it is understated,” says Hodson. “The look is simple but not cold, casual but not sloppy.” Of course, luxury takes many forms. For the homeowners, their home’s luxe factor extends beyond its interior to the dazzling desert setting that inspired them to build in Kayenta from the start. “We love this place,” the husband says. “We can’t pass by a window without being awestruck by the variety and beauty of the views.” Inside and out, they have found their place in the sun.
Want to see more Southern Utah homes? Get inspiration here.
