Photo Friday: Promontory Development Home

A visiting friend was inspecting our yard, looking at the covered porches, brick patio, and the fireplace in the far back and asked, “Where do you like to sit the best? Where do you hang?” I found it an interesting question on a couple of levels. One, as someone who does my own yardwork on a half-acre, there is not a lot of sitting outdoors unless it is in exhaustion. But it also is an interesting question to determine which rooms and parts of a home function the best for inviting the homeowners and guests to unwind and relax.

I can usually tell where people like to spend their time when I photograph a home, but I couldn’t pin it down for the house in Park City’s Promontory community designed by the Highland Group and just built by Upland Development (Ryan & Jesica Taylor). Intrigue Design by Cindy in Park City did the interior design. 

One of the top candidate rooms for kicking back is the home bar on the main level just off the entrance. A sheet of stone on the backbar is lit from behind for warm ambient light. There’s room for at least four to settle in before the fireplace with the television. The exterior glass doors at the far end fold into the wall to allow in the evening breezes and views to Park City’s ski runs. On the patio, chairs cluster around a gas firepit, another great place to hang. 

On the other side of the bar’s fireplace wall is the living area. The well-cushioned sofas announce that is a room to be enjoyed rather than just be seen, so settle in and get comfortable. On the far wall, the stacked stone, wood and concrete create a harmonious combination. 

On the far left of the frame, there is a peek of the entry, where we will go to next. 

The foot traffic flow is interesting. The main entrance is a pivot door to the left (you can just see part of the door frame). Next is the stairway which has some interesting detailing like the raised ceiling, natural stone, and the glass railings. Beyond are French doors leading to a front patio area encircled by planters and the glass doors lead to a home office, one of two in the home. French doors in the office open to a private Zen garden with a water feature, which might be another candidate for favorite hangouts. 

The kitchen is part of the open plan. A wooden ceiling cloud defines the center area workspace and island seating. Upland Development takes a practical approach to the pantry that I really like. With access from both sides, the pantry is behind the partial wall where the range and vent are situated. Without doors, moving in and out of the pantry area (more of a butler’s pantry) is hands-free. From the pantry, you easily access the dining area for serving and clearing. 

The dining space is open to the great area, but the sloped timbered ceiling sets it apart. The wall above the built-in buffet is finished in Venetian plaster, a lustrous finish that would reflect candlelight at night. I can see that this would be a splendid place to linger during and after a meal deeply into conversation. 

And now for my guess of a favorite spots—a secret room. The home’s design resulted in a long, narrow downstairs space. The homeowner challenged Ryan Taylor to create a bourbon room. Everything in this room was designed and built by Ryan of Upland Development. Access is through a wooden panel that springs open for a secret room in true speakeasy fashion. The black Venetian plaster, wood and leather interior give is a sense of hush-hush, let’s hide out and make guy talk and what happens in the bourbon room, stays in the bourbon room. 

Of course, there’s much more to see in this spacious home, but a sampling gives you a sense of the space, finishes, views, and connections to the outdoors. And speaking of the outdoors, when I raised a bathroom shade for a photo, staring in at me was a full-sized bobcat with tufted ears and giant paws. My photo of it was blurry–I had the manual camera settings prepped for the room, not expecting wildlife on the other side of the glass. 

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