Crafting A Rustic Yet Refined Mountain Retreat In Utah

Building a traditional timber-frame mountain house in the style of a classic grand lodge appealed to Rick and Kari Wiler as they explored land in the hills east of Park City, where they’d owned a small cabin for years. With the last of their five sons on the cusp of adulthood, the idea of creating a legacy-worthy haven where their whole family could come together—in an area they already loved—took hold once they spotted the right property, lined by the snowcapped mountains of the Wasatch Range and home to elk that regularly amble across their yard. “This is a retreat with a timeless ski-lodge feel,” notes residential designer Tim Furner of the architectural aesthetic, which includes rugged natural stone and cedar siding and timber, all utilized inside and out.

The owners deliberately steered away from a mountain modern look, explains interior designer Leslie Schofield, noting that the couple maintain very different homes in Seattle and Las Vegas. “They wanted this one to feel like they’re arriving at a place that’s warm, cozy and more rustic, a real mountain getaway,” she says. Working in tandem with designer Becky Yager, Furner and general contractor Nick Knight, Schofield delivered interiors that balance the post-and-beam structure’s open layout and rustic splendor with intimately attired rooms filled with fine finishes and art.

One of the dwelling’s defining features is the dramatic great room, where the Wilers’ goal of spaces that promote togetherness is fully realized. The layout deliberately doesn’t include a separate family room, Schofield remarks, so the great room is where everyone gravitates. “It’s the one gathering spot in this home, so when you’re here, you’re hanging out there,” she declares. And it can handle a crowd pursuing different activities. The designer drew together ample seating options in the living area—a generous linen sectional, comfortable lounge chairs, leather-topped ottomans—and placed swivel chairs behind the sofa that rotate between facing the hearth and the island, bridging the space between the living area and kitchen. A high-top game table beckons near a bar placed at the end of the kitchen, tucked neatly below a floating staircase; at the top, a landing area features two additional lounge chairs “so you can get away to a quieter lofted space but still be part of the action,” Schofield comments. And a striking two-story wall of glass, framed by beams and stone walls, highlights the scenic surroundings and ushers in plenty of natural light to the entire great room, with sliding doors to a patio expanding it even further.

A dining area flows directly off the open kitchen and living space, though it feels like a distinctive destination. There, Schofield refined Furner’s original design so that the stone-lined glass doors on three sides can be thrown open to nature. “It’s like an outdoor atrium,” she remarks, “and then we brought the floor in from the patio, which was critical to the success of how it looks.” To further enhance the room’s indoor-outdoor connection, the designer opted not to include a rug. “That was a struggle. It’s one of the few times I’ve not put a rug under a dining table in my whole career,” she remarks. “But it was an intentional choice, as the experience is so seamless.”

“There’s a lot of texture in the house,” Schofield goes on to say, referencing the stone, beams, leather and metal details. “So with the furnishings, we chose pieces that felt lighter—simple and clean-lined. Nothing is overdone.” Her color palette echoes the mountain setting, but with a contemporary lift. Soft blues, pale grays and warm neutrals filter through the great room, with darker finishes and mixed metals—dark bronze, black, silver—bringing in depth. Fabrics are rich and varied: The dining area chairs introduce rust-toned leather, a hue echoed with more intensity in the bunk room, where a playful mix of buffalo plaid, stripes and southwestern patterns nod to the home’s traditional sensibility.

When the Wilers are in residence, everyone can easily find a comfortable place to sit and converse, cook, eat or play games—and yet all be together. “Then we relax, light the fire and watch the elk wander by,” Rick concludes.