By Steve Phillips
Photographs by Richard Springgate

138When Sue Sharp tore a picture of a kitchen out of Southern Living magazine in 1997, she and her husband, Lance, dreamed of one day building a home incorporating just such a kitchen. Almost 20 years later, their mountain modern masterpiece at the base of Th ayne’s Canyon in Park City is the embodiment of that dream home. Th e story of how it came to be, and their close collaboration with their architect, builder and interior designers, is enchanting.

Longtime Park City residents, the Sharps had years ago noticed a picturesque, vacant lot flanking the fifth fairway of the Park City Golf Club. When it finally went on the market, they were thrilled when their off er was accepted. Their search for the right architect was short and successful. They selected Mark Walker of Otto/Walker Architects in Park City, who has designed many distinctive custom homes in the area. Walker was eager to take on the project.

138bHaving grown up in a home not far from their site, Walker had fond memories of the Thayne’s Canyon area. “Th e lot is one of the most beautiful properties in all of Park City,” he says. “I really appreciated the opportunity to work with the Sharps and create a custom home that is a very special place.”

The Sharps envisioned a contemporary home that captured the site’s spectacular views and emphasized outdoor entertainment areas, very much in Walker’s wheelhouse. “We didn’t want to miss any views,” says Walker. “We tried to take advantage of the indoor/outdoor aspects of the site and maximize the views through abundant windows and sliding glass doors leading to the patios and outdoor barbeque areas.”

 

At over 5,000 square feet, the home is eminently livable, with a transparency and sense of spaciousness throughout.

139After meeting with several quality Park City builders, the Sharps chose Tomas L. McPhee Construction, veteran custom home builders, to do the 18-month project. Anne McPhee, Tom’s wife, company co-owner and gift ed interior designer, worked closely with the Sharp’s to select a pleasing color palette and elegant interior design. “We collaborated on the floor and started from there, choosing dark hickory with slight ‘greenish-charcoal’ undertones,” McPhee says. Sharp based her kitchen design on her long-held magazine photo. Granite countertops on the island and quartz elsewhere counterpoint nicely with the massive walnut lintel over the stove and custom walnut cabinets. “We carried that theme of the kitchen lintel throughout the home,” notes Sharp. Italian marble was chosen for the powder room vanity. In the great room, the massive fireplace and hearth were made of locally sourced, chopped sandstone from nearby Brown’s Canyon, blending nicely with the limestone hearth and mantel.

A soaring, glass-encased stairway leads to an overarching bridge. Th rowing brilliant light on the stairway is an amazing, one-of-a-kind lighting sculpture designed and fabricated by Hammerton Lighting, a Salt Lake City based lighting firm. Levi Wilson, Hammerton’s founder and Vice President of Design, worked closely with the Sharps to illuminate the entire home.

Several striking, one-of-a-kind table lamps, as well as a magnificent lighting sculpture just off the hearth in the great room light up the night. “We’ve pioneered a proprietary powder-coating process that enables us to match the depth, richness and character of wet-coat paints. We can reproduce any visual texture and retain the durability and environmental friendliness’ of powder coating,” says Wilson.

140

Designing and building the home was very much a team effort. “We all worked very closely together throughout the project and really got along well,” says Sue Sharp, adding, “It was an outstanding experience.” The Sharps moved into their dream home in November 2014.

Previous articleMake Room for Families
Next articleThe Continuing Appeal of Wood