A slope-side pool house minus the Alpine clichés? Step right this way.

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Expert Susannah Holmberg steered clear of the usual design tropes when dreaming up this all-season structure on her client’s Park City property. Instead, she leaned into the owners’ Brazilian heritage and their affection for the country’s modernist movement.

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“We married South America with the surrounding landscape,” explains the Utah-based Expert. “Many people here design quite literally with big timber moments, but I like to use natural materials with intention and subtly pull color palettes from the mountains.”

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Through a skillful application of dark woods and curved forms (see the stone sink in the powder bath), the result is a space untethered to any particular season. It’s as warm and welcoming in the winter (thanks in part to the hot tub) as it is relaxing in the summer, and it’s suited to year-round entertaining for all ages due to a well-equipped kitchen and a theater room. It’s also practical: the dining banquette is covered in a performance fabric to combat wet bathing suits, while the flagstone floor can handle anything.

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The project: A pool house

The location: Park City, Utah

The rooms: An-open kitchen, den, and bathrooms

The clients: A couple with two young children

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The biggest problem to solve

The lot is built on a hillside, so piecing together the split-level floor plan with staircases going up and down while creating a sense of flow was tricky. In the end, we used the slanted construction to our advantage by creating a theater with a powder room on the lower level that feels separated and private yet still open and accessible.

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The item that started it all

I sourced flagstone specifically in broken-up form to channel that mid-century look for the floors. I wanted there to be an organic material underfoot but for durability, hardwood wasn’t right. It’s the first time I’ve used the material and I’m sold.

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Something vintage

My client inherited her grandparents’ dining table, which she remembers from when she was little, and wanted to find a home for it here. Incorporating things that have meaning to people is my favorite thing to do—it makes a space feel more heartfelt.

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The splurge

The coffee table features carved travertine on solid chestnut legs. It feels organic with both the materials and its amorphous shape. The hand of the maker is also visible, which I love.

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The steal

We saved money by buying prefabricated legs for the kitchen banquette on Etsy and had the cabinet maker stain them, instead of making them from scratch. The dining chairs are also a budget-friendly retail find but blend in perfectly.

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The biggest learning

Creating a setting that feels unique on a secondary-space budget was a challenge. By using materials that weren’t the priciest, such as Caesarstone for the counter instead of rich marble, and drawing the eye to elements such as the tiled wall or aged brass hardware, the space becomes its own thing.

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The design risk with the biggest payoff

I’m happy with how the jagged shelf above the kitchen counter worked out. The client is into of-the-moment details and this taps into the zeitgeist.

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The little detail with a big impact

We had a statement sink fabricated from a slab of green marble for one of the bathrooms. The movement in it is so pretty.

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I really had to sell my clients on

Taking the zellige tile up the 20-something-feet walls took some convincing, largely because of the cost. The client was nervous about it, but she happened to be in Italy right when the decision was happening where she saw so many tiled surfaces. That worked in my favor!

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Why this space works so well

The combination of the big windows flanked by pine trees and aspens, and the use of natural materials help enhance the flow between outside and inside. The color palette is soothing and reflects that indoor-outdoor way of living.

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The final vibe

Natural, calming, artisanal.