Like most, I grew up with the stories of the mist-shrouded peak in Greece that is home to the gods in Greek mythology, Mount Olympus, with the marble halls and gold thrones where the gods would meet and hatch up their plans of intrigue.
However, after spending a glorious evening photographing a home high on Utah’s Mount Olympus, I would suggest that the Greek gods book flights for ski vacations and stay at Mount Olympus in the Wasatch, a destination worthy of their status.
The home is actually a remodel by interior design firm AMB Design (Anne-Marie Barton) and custom home contractor Jackson Leroy.
I began by displaying the evening shots with the sunset because the home is completely about place: its place on the monolithic stone mountain; its relationships to the views of the valley extending out to the ranges to the west; the reflections on Great Salt Lake; and the lights of the city.
But to appreciate AMB Design’s approach, the daytime shots show the interplay of texture, a close color palette, and the interest carefully chosen furnishings add.
Seated, there are views up mountain, out to the valley, and upward through the glass spine to the mountaintop and sky.
The design draws in senses for touch and fragrance in addition to visuals.
The seating area in front of the glass-enclosed stairway composes a view so that the climbing wall becomes an art piece. The colors in the chair and cushion echo the colors in the climbing wall. To the left is a glass bridge with a glass block floor.
A bar occupies a transition area at the end of the open living area. Behind is a den.
The amply sized master bedroom easily fits an oversized bed. More sky lights offer views to the mountain setting.
The master bathroom continues the feel of easy spaciousness with a shower and sculptural oval bathtub set by itself on a platform. Clerestory windows flood the space with natural light.
One of AMB Design’s signatures is layering: rug over rug, fabric over fabric, and nested wood-over-wood furnishings. Here a mirror is layered over a painting for depth and texture.
The photos show my interior dialogue for making them. The views and windows are key to the home’s design purpose. And how dramatic they are! The interior finishes stay white and light to not compete with the views outside the windows, so in practice the view outdoors is the art. The finishes and furnishings feature subtle, interesting variations that appear best when well lit. There wasn’t an easy compromise to show both, so I photographed at two times of day and in different light.