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If you think smart, orderly design, inviting open spaces and a punchy palette of interior colors belong solely to hip urban lofts, think again. For proof, check out Jeremy and Nicole White’s new home located on Logan’s east bench. A far cry from the predictably fashioned family abodes filling many of today’s upscale neighborhoods, this house stands out with its modern flair, thoughtful floor plan and oh-so-livable design.
From the street, you immediately notice there’s something different about this home. Where are the bullying double-high entry, the chaos of competing rooflines and the mish-mash of windows scattered haphazardly across the home’s facade? Not here. Nor will you find front-and-forward, obtrusive garages or windowless walls disregarding potential views and opportunities to illuminate well-planned interior spaces. Yep, starting with the exterior and emanating throughout the interior, there is rhyme and reason to every part of this home’s design. Given the Whites’ choice of Warren Lloyd as their architect and Susan Taggart as their interior designer, this comes as no surprise.
“Warren and Susan designed my cousin’s home, ” says Nicole, describing a stylish family home the team recently remodeled in Salt Lake City. “We have never been in a house that suited us so perfectly.” So when the Whites purchased their hillside lot, they knew Lloyd and Taggart were the two they wanted to create their dream home.
The south side of the Whites’ half-acre lot backs up to 100 acres of orchards and open pasture. “We knew we liked the lot, but it wasn’t until Warren explained how he would design our new house to capture the property’s views that we really fell in love with the site,” says Nicole. Lloyd’s plan was simple: Take advantage of the unique setting by prioritizing the south side of the home, indoors and out. “We treated the orchards like a high-valley waterfront, ordering the spaces of the living and dining rooms, kitchen and master suite along the back, south-facing side of the house, as if we were designing a seaside home overlooking the ocean,” says Lloyd. He then incorporated spacious decks running across the back of the home and added steps leading down to a large fire pit centered in the backyard. He symmetrically positioned these and all other exterior architectural elements to give the home a striking, balanced look that is comforting to view. “Symmetry is a powerful organizational feature,” says Lloyd. The home’s interior similarly reflects Lloyd’s, as well as Taggart’s, unwavering commitment to create orderly, comfortable and highly functional spaces.
“Warren and Susan understood exactly what we wanted and needed from the start,” says Jeremy, explaining that with six young children under roof, there could be no wasted space. “We love the floor plan because, even though no space goes unused, there are plenty of spots any of us can retreat to if necessary.” The lauded layout includes the main floor’s open kitchen, dining area, and living and family rooms, each flowing seamlessly into the next. A wing of three boys’ bedrooms and two baths comprises the west end of the main level while upstairs, the master suite and a fifth bedroom overlook orchard views and provide a respite from the activity below. The home’s lower level houses a sixth bedroom, a family room, fitness room and concrete sports court. “It’s a great place to play or shoot hoops without having to worry about hurting anything,” says Jeremy. And while there are many parts to the 6,200-square-foot home, its interior architecture and design treatments infuse it with comfort and cohesiveness that belie its size.
The Whites purposefully rejected high, soaring ceilings that can make rooms feel overly large and cold. “With rare exception, we maintained a 9-foot ceiling height throughout the house,” says Lloyd, explaining that, on the main level, they also committed to incorporating a flat ceiling devoid of any drops for duct work, lighting or decorative effects. “You would lose the magic by interrupting the open spaces with dropped ceilings,” says Taggart, who enhanced this effect by painting all of the ceilings (as well as the base and case) white, a treatment that visually unifies and organizes the interior spaces, all uniquely animated with a cheery color taken from Taggart’s broad color palette.
Afraid of color? Don’t be, advises Taggart. “The trick to using multiple colors is balancing them with neutrals, like the natural bamboo floors and white trim,” she says. Of course, the interior’s organized architecture helps. “The symmetry of the home creates calmness, allowing for the successful interplay of color,” the designer explains. “But when we say order, we don’t mean formal,” says Lloyd. “While people respond favorably to symmetry, you can’t let it dominate. Here and there you need to let it go. It’s more comforting that way.” And for the large White family, comfort is key. By incorporating efficiency, open spaces and a style that’s neither pretentious nor precious, Lloyd and Taggart created comfort in many ways. “They nailed it,” says Jeremy. “This house is exactly what we wanted and needed.”
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