Cutting edge New York style is right at home in Park City’s Old Town.
The streets of Old Town Park City, where a century ago weary miners returned to their humble homes, seems a world away from the sophistication of New York’s high-end borough of Manhattan, but that’s how the world has changed.
Old Town is now a sought-after location for its charm and central location—not just convenience to skiing, trails and biking, but also to shopping, restaurants, the Egyptian Theater, and the social hub of the friendly town. This home is located on upper Main Street, just a half block from the commercial businesses. The Town Trolly passes in front to pick up anyone needing a ride to the Town Lift, lower Main, or the Transit Center to travel to Deer Valley or the Canyons Village for more connections without driving and parking.
The opening shot shows the home at dusk and the photo above shows the entry courtyard and seating, a friendly place to talk to neighbors as they stroll past.
Developer Braden Bell saw the potential in the vacant lot. The location is convenience itself, and behind the home runs a natural bubbling waterway, Poison Creek. Park City architect John DeGray, who has designed many of Old Town’s residences, designed the home, and Ray Langhammer, now based in Costa Mesa but a previous Park City resident, designed the interiors.
To achieve the living space desired, the design went vertical to four levels. Braden Bell, a long-time Parkite, had grown up in Manhattan and saw correlations between this home and those in New York, which inspired the design.
I think by showing you the rear of the home, I can better explain the four levels. The top level (with a living roof) is the social space—kitchen, living, dining, and an outdoor terrace. The next level is the entry level with space taken for the garage. The third level down has the primary bedroom and a large patio with a firepit and soaking spa with views to the creek. The fourth is below ground. I’ll show you the home, starting at the top.
Top Level
The open-planned main living area has tree-house views to the surrounding area. (You can check to see if lines are forming outside a restaurant before heading out.) The kitchen has a central island with seating, a back bar from more storage, and peaking wooden ceiling. The dining is adjacent, and the living area has a seating area around a fireplace and connects by glass doors to the outdoor living.
The living area furnishings cluster to provide a private cozy atmosphere.
The kitchen is surprisingly spacious and maximizes storage. A skylight provides natural light.
The range backsplash is a mirror that is also a television, something I had never seen before—a television mirror by Séura.
Moving outside on this top level, there is an outdoor kitchen, a fire feature, and a conversation area.
Second Level from Top
By the entry, a bench offers a convenient place to remove snowy boots. To the left is the garage, and to the right is a glassed-in stairway with floating wooden treads illuminated by hanging pendants.
A private guest suite is on this floor.
Third Level from Top
The stairway leads down to gallery space on the third level from the top. The glass provides transparency for better views to the artworks.
The primary bedroom has the privacy of occupying its own level in the home. It looks out to the patio space, which is at ground level and near the creek.
The outdoor living is somewhat layered for privacy with the planters providing screening.
The patio area is carefully planned to maximize space for the water spa and firepit.
Fourth Level from the Top
<<BB 30>>
On the lowest level is another bedroom and this media and casual relaxation space. The backbar has another mirror that transforms into a screen for viewing movies or television, also a Séura product.
Building in Old Town is difficult and expensive. Because the narrow lots require building up and a vertical home, a large proportion of Old Town homes like this one is committed to stairways. As a result, every inch of this home is well-considered for living space, storage, art display, privacy, and sociability. In the West, in the past we have had an abundance of space. Times are changing. It’s time to turn our attention to other places where designers have mastered living smaller, as in this home with its inspiration coming from living in Manhattan.
See more Photo Friday galleries here.