When a view lot in Alpine beckoned, fashionista Emily Jackson and her family turned to Tom and Cara Fox to design a new home with timeless style and lux livability. Inspired by manors of the English countryside, its shingle-clad exterior is complemented by copper gutters as well as chimneys and a porte-cochere formed from stone. Front landscaping (above) by Posies & Co.

Exuberant maximalism has its place, but it isn’t in Emily Jackson’s new house. The same goes for distilled modernism. “I have four kids and run a multi-million dollar business, so I needed our house to be calm and comforting,” says Emily, fashion and fitness influencer and the founder/creative director of IVL Collective, a premium activewear brand. 

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Interior designer Cara Fox (left) with homeowner Emily Jackson.

Five years ago, Emily tired of the house where she and husband Taylor were raising their young family, so she searched for a lot in Alpine where the couple could build a new home. “I love the area and wanted to be in the mountains,” she explains. Emily struck gold when she found a hillside double lot overlooking the valley and surrounding peaks. Initially, Taylor resisted the idea of moving, but Emily knew this site would be a game changer. “He’s a sucker for a beautiful view,” she laughs. A nearby trailhead also seduced the couple, who are avid trail runners. “Nothing is better than being able to cross the street and be in the mountains,” she says.

Beneath the living room’s soaring barrel ceiling, a hand-painted Gracie wallpaper on a burnished metallic ground reflects glorious light flowing through an arched wall of windows. Designer Cara Fox chose vertical tongue-and-groove paneling and a cast limestone mantelpiece to dress the anchoring fireplace. The chaise is from Oly Studio and the rug is from King’s House.

The Jacksons tapped Tom and Cara Fox to design their family’s new home, a decision that came easily. “I love their East Coast, Connecticut vibe. And when we met, it was a perfect fit,” says Emily, who hired Drew Parcell to build the house.

Large banks of windows flood the kitchen and adjoining pantry with views and natural light. The 12-foot-high diamond coffered ceilings, fineline paneled walls and herringbone-patterned hardwood floors exude a sense of luxury and English charm, while the artfully crafted marble hood and waterfall-style island deliver a modern edge. The plumbing is by Waterstone Faucets, the lighting is by Visual Comfort and the custom cabinets are crafted by Christopher Scott Cabinetry.

The Fox Group, known for creating timeless heritage homes, is a simpatico choice for clients craving fresh, classic style. Count Emily among them. “I wanted a traditional home that’s timeless with nothing too trendy,” she explains. But, interior designer Cara adds, Emily also fancied a sense of sophisticated glamor and modern luxury. “Think Ralph Lauren, Victoria Hagen and the grand manors of the English countryside,” Cara says.

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A view-laden bay window hugs the dining area’s round table and chairs by Chaddock. The cushion upholstery is by Schumacher, and the Marie Flanigan Menil chandelier is from Visual Comfort.

Bringing this fresh traditional style to the Alpine setting with a large, shingle-clad home could have been tricky, but The Fox Group made all the right moves. Tom fashioned timeless architecture defined by calming symmetry and classically proportioned features, including windows, gables and overhangs. To foster the dwelling’s refined-yet-relaxed style, he incorporated white-painted railings, copper gutters and local stone that forms multiple chimneys and a large porte-cochère. Even the landscape’s curved lines and a lack of stately stairs leading to the front door fend off a sense of buttoned-up formality or drama. “We used classic proportions and elements on the outside and saved the more dramatic moments for inside the home,” Cara says. 

The interior, like the facade, reflects a sense of classic elegance and showcases masterful architectural elements including coffered ceilings, custom paneling and oversized elements befitting the home’s generous scale. The massive three-story foyer, a must-have for Emily, features elegantly paneled walls, a wrap-around staircase and a black-and-white checkered marble floor. “It’s an amazing walk-in moment,” Cara observes. It also provides a striking backdrop for photos of Emily’s activewear and product campaigns. 

The foyer’s white paneled walls are the ideal foil for a grand staircase that wraps around the enormous three-story space constructed by Drew Parcell. Scale played a crucial part in creating the massive room, and Cara chose oversized furnishings, lanterns and black-and-white marble floor tiles to foster its glamorous, classic style.

The grand foyer opens to the equally astounding living room, defined by an enormous window wall, soaring barrel ceiling and exquisite Gracie wallpaper. “I knew that I wanted the flow of a huge entry that leads to the living room with doors opening to the backyard,” Emily says. “And Tom nailed it.” The configuration allows the Jacksons to entertain on a large scale while being able to close off their family’s more private rooms and spaces, which can’t be seen from the entry. Emily explains, “Our old house had an open floor plan that let people see much of the house from the front door, and I didn’t want that here.” 

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In the two-story powder room, light emanating from the window makes the trim and ceiling’s high-gloss paint gleam. Cara color matched the custom hue with the room’s Gucci wallpaper. “It’s like a little jewel box,” she says. The room’s built-ins are by Christopher Scott Cabinetry and the lighting is from Visual Comfort.
Located off the entry, Taylor’s office is decidedly dark and moody. A soaring ceiling and large windows add to the space’s appeal.

Down the hall and out of sight from the entry is the family hub gifted with generous, 12-foot ceilings and loads of natural light. The open space combines a chic kitchen, a relaxed family room and a casual dining spot hugged by a bay of floor-to-ceiling windows. “I didn’t want a formal dining room that we’d never use,” Emily explains. 

Beneath the primary bathroom’s vaulted ceiling, a large mirror hangs in front of a bank of windows that flood the marble-dressed space with profuse light. Cabinets are by Christopher Scott Cabinetry, the draperies were fashioned by Uptown Drapes and the chandeliers are by Visual Comfort.

Throughout the house, you’d be hard-pressed to find a plain surface. “I hate drywall because it feels cold,” Emily explains. Cara and Tom responded with walls and ceilings masterfully detailed in everything from classic moldings and tongue-and-groove paneling to coffers and jaw-dropping wallcoverings. The interior’s harmonious palette primarily leans to warm whites and neutral tones that satisfy Emily’s desire for serenity, yet Cara punctuated it with shots of color—mostly blues—“for added interest.” The powder room, for example, gleams with vivid teal trim that the designer color-matched to Gucci wallpaper. Taylor’s two-story office flaunts moody blue walls and the butler’s pantry is a celebration of head-to-toe navy built-ins that nod to the dark-blue front door painted in Benjamin Moore’s Raccoon Fur. “A thread of blue weaves throughout the home,” Cara says. 

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With its vaulted ceiling, vertical tongue-and-groove paneling, marble fireplace and soothing neutral tones, the spacious primary bedroom invites luxurious repose for the whole clan. “It’s like our second family room,” says homeowner Emily Jackson. The bed is from Oly Studio, and the bedding is by Annie Selkes.
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A trio of muralpaper wall panels by artist Susan Harter deliver calming color and nature scenes to the bedroom.

Truth is, there are so many things to obsess over in the home. There’s the exaggerated scale that contributes to its sense of glamor and luxury. There’s the hillside location that affords breathtaking views from nearly every window strategically positioned in the time-honored architecture. There’s the mix of lux materials—elegant marble, herringbone-patterned hardwood, cast limestone and hand-painted wallpapers—that elevate the decor. And there’s the abundance of fixtures, furnishings and unexpected details that foster the fresh take on tradition for which The Fox Group is known. For Emily, the house is much greater than the sum of its parts. “I love this house,” she says. “It’s everything I hoped that it would be—and more.”  

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Painted a deep shade of navy blue, the eye-catching butler’s pantry boasts built-ins loaded with storage and open shelving. The black-and-white checkered marble floor mimics that of the entry, strengthening a sense of continuity throughout the decor.
Monogrammed knobs personalize the L’Atelier range. Marble is cut into a uniquely shaped backsplash that supports a narrow shelf upon which small oil paintings are displayed above the cooktop.

Photos by Lindsay Salazar


SOURCES

Photography by Lindsay Salazar, lindsaysalazar.com

Interior Design and Architecture: Tom and Cara Fox, The Fox Group, thefoxgroup.com

Contractor: Drew Parcell, @drewparcell

Landscaping: Posies & Co., @posiesandco

Cabinetry: C.S. Cabinetry and Design, christopherscottcabinetry.com

Draperies: Uptown Drapes, uptowndrapes.com

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Brad Mee
Brad Mee is the Editor-in-Chief of Utah Style & Design Magazine.