Mountain Living in Utah Continued
Utah's luxury home market is defined by these industry professionals.
LUXURY LANDSCAPES
Photo: Courtesy Sunline Landscapes
Meet Curtis Atkinson, founder and CEO of SUNLINE LANDSCAPES, who shares his passion for creating unique places in nature for homeowners to unplug, recharge and create lifelong memories.
Photo: Courtesy Sunline Landscapes
Many people think the only time to hire a landscape company is at the start of a new project, but Sunline actually has a full slate of services to offer. Tell us about your three-prong approach.
At Sunline, we offer a complete lifecycle approach to outdoor living. Our three divisions include Landscape Design & Architecture, Landscape Construction & Installation, and Property Care & Enhancements. We can design and build a new estate landscape, but we also provide ongoing maintenance, irrigation management, plant health care, seasonal color, and enhancements to help clients protect and improve their investment for years to come.
Why are Sunline’s services particularly suitable for second-home owners in the area?
Many of our clients spend only part of the year at their Park City properties. Our team serves as a trusted partner, proactively managing the landscape while owners are away. From irrigation monitoring and seasonal maintenance to enhancements and property inspections, we ensure everything is cared for so homeowners can simply arrive and enjoy their home.
You’ve recently seen a shift from new design to renovation and enhancement. Tell us about that.
We’re seeing more homeowners invest in improving the properties they already own. Landscape renovations, outdoor living upgrades, lighting, planting refreshes and irrigation improvements can dramatically enhance both enjoyment and property value without the scope of a complete rebuild.
Many Mountain West states are experiencing near-drought conditions. What advice would you give homeowners?
Focus on water efficiency, not simply watering more. Regular irrigation inspections, proper system programming, healthy soils, mulch and regionally appropriate plant selections all help landscapes thrive while conserving water. The most valuable asset on many properties is mature trees, so proactive irrigation management is essential to protecting long-term landscape health and value.
Photo: Courtesy Sunline Landscapes
Curtis Atkinson, Founder and CEO
801-253-6434
Bluffdale, Utah
SCOTTISH CASTLE
Photo: Courtesy Kimberly Parker Design
Far more than a traditional interior design firm, KIMBERLY PARKER DESIGN approaches ambitious projects with exceptional expertise and meticulous execution, resulting in highly creative, truly bespoke homes. Here, we showcase a remarkable residence that serves as both a love story and a tribute to the homeowners’ cultural heritage, global travels, professional passions and shared experiences.
Photo: Courtesy Kimberly Parker Design
This home is exquisitely detailed in its design. How important was collaboration as part of the process?
Collaboration was essential to every aspect of this project because the home was so highly customized and deeply personal to the homeowners’ vision. It required the expertise of hundreds of professionals working together to execute well. From timber specialists who craned in massive structural trusses, to the stair master from Sweden, to carpenters and plaster artisans who crafted the curved millwork, intricate stair details and rotunda ceilings, every layer of the home relied on specialized skill and close coordination.
What were some of the highlights of the interior design?
We sourced authentic period lighting, antique rugs and furnishings from England while also collaborating with local custom furniture makers to create pieces specifically tailored to the architecture, including a 12-seat round dining table, curved sofas surrounding the circular fireplace, and a custom velvet bed designed to nest precisely between the timber trusses. Even highly functional details, like oversized nightstands designed for comfort and accessibility, were carefully considered.
Your role on this project went above and beyond usual standards. How did your unique skill set come into play?
In addition to designing the interiors, we were deeply involved in the home’s interior architecture, drawing and detailing all cabinetry, millwork, reflected ceiling plans, tile layouts, decorative lighting and material transitions.
Photo: Courtesy Kimberly Parker Design
Kimberly Parker, Owner and Principal
801-900-5682
Alpine, Utah
LASTING VALUE
Photo: Courtesy Build Utah
After 25 years in business, Matt Russell, founder of BUILD UTAH, is still driven by the excitement of solving complex challenges, exploring innovative design and creating beautiful custom homes. Read on as he reflects on how the industry has evolved and what continues to inspire his work.
Photo: Courtesy Build Utah
How have you seen the homebuilding industry change over the years?
The industry has evolved dramatically over the past two decades. Homes today are expected to do far more than simply provide shelter. Homeowners are increasingly seeking spaces that are healthier, smarter, more efficient and better connected to the way they live.
Which innovations stand out the most?
Technology has transformed nearly every aspect of construction, from design and project management to the systems that operate within the home itself. Additionally, advancements in building science have significantly improved the performance of modern homes. New materials, construction methods and energy-efficient systems allow us to build structures that are stronger, safer, more comfortable and more sustainable than ever before.
What drives you to continually raise the bar?
Today’s homeowners are more informed and intentional in their decisions. They understand the value of quality craftsmanship, thoughtful design and long-term performance. As builders, that challenges us to stay on top of the curve, to continually learn, adapt and refine our processes so we can deliver homes that meet the highest standards, both functionally and aesthetically.
What are your hopes for the future?
To continue building exceptional homes that enrich the lives of the families who live in them. There is a unique privilege in creating places where memories are made, traditions are established, and generations gather together.
Photo: Courtesy Build Utah
Matt Russell, Founder
801-253-6339
Salt Lake City, Utah
WARM MINIMALISM
Photo: Courtesy Beck & Engle
Driven by demanding careers and an appreciation for intentional living, a couple sought a serene retreat that embraced simplicity without sacrificing warmth or luxury. Charged with bringing that vision to life, the team at BECK & ENGLE crafted a calm, quietly sophisticated home characterized by thoughtful restraint, natural materials and a seamless connection to Utah’s dramatic landscape.
Photo: Courtesy Beck & Engle
What role did your choice of materiality play in the overall design?
Materiality played a critical role in achieving the clean, uncluttered environment they desired. We selected honest, high-quality materials with inherent beauty that don’t require ornamentation. Large expanses of Mont Blanc marble in the kitchen create a seamless, sculptural surface that feels luxurious yet calm. Warm wood cabinetry and textural stone (particularly the living room fireplace) add organic warmth and depth without introducing visual clutter. Metal accents in brass and blackened steel provide quiet elegance. And finally, thoughtfully chosen textiles in soft, tonal palettes add comfort while maintaining the clean aesthetic.
Which elements of design did you lean into for this project?
We focused on intentional minimalism with generous negative space and hidden storage to maintain visual clarity. Strong architectural lines and integrated millwork establish a sense of order and calm, while soft curves and rounded elements, such as the sculptural plaster kitchen hood, introduce organic warmth. Throughout the home, sculptural yet functional lighting and furniture pieces serve as quiet focal points, adding interest without overwhelming the space. Finally, a restrained, earthy color palette allows the materials and views to take center stage.
Photo: Courtesy Beck & Engle
Stacey Beck and Amanda Engle, Principals
Park City, Utah
BUILT ON TRUST
Photo: Courtesy RBCO
Meet Mike McCabe, founder of RBCO Construction, whose specialty in the Park City area is high-quality remodeling projects. Over 40 years of experience in both commercial and residential arenas, RBCO is a contractor that operates with old-fashioned values and cutting-edge expertise.
Photo: Courtesy RBCO
Renovations can sometimes be overwhelming. How do you make the process easier for homeowners?
Transparency is at the core of everything we do. Weekly client meetings keep everyone informed, while regular in-house reviews help us proactively address challenges and maintain schedules. Clients also have access to a shared project portal with plans, contracts, invoices, photos and schedules, along with a live camera system that allows them to monitor progress anytime.
Can you pinpoint the factors that are most important to successfully coordinating a home renovation?
Communication, consistency and experience. We work hard to keep clients, subcontractors and trades aligned from start to finish, while strong project management, quality control and scheduling help minimize surprises. Our level of organization and oversight is uncommon in the residential market. By staying current on building codes, construction methods and design innovations, we deliver exceptional value throughout the process.
What would you say has been the key to your longevity?
After four decades in the industry, we still genuinely love what we do, and that passion drives our commitment to every project. We’ve built lasting relationships by communicating clearly, following through on our promises and consistently delivering quality work. Most of our projects come through referrals from past clients and industry partners, a reflection of the trust we’ve earned over the years.
Photo: Courtesy RBCO
Mike McCabe, Founder and Principal
208-724-4343
Cottonwood Heights, Utah
REIMAGINING THE MOUNTAIN HOME
Photo: Courtesy Pianta Design
With a degree in architecture from Politecnico di Milano, a master’s degree in naval architecture and 30 years of interior design experience in Miami, San Francisco and throughout Europe, Elisabetta Pianta of PIANTA DESIGN brings her dynamic perspective to the Utah market.
Photo: Courtesy Pianta Design
What sort of impact are you making in the Park City area?
My team and I are bringing a fresh perspective to the Park City design scene. While the “modern mountain” aesthetic has become a defining part of the area’s architectural identity, we believe there’s room to explore new interpretations of mountain living. At Pianta Design, we take a customized approach through our knowledge of unique materials and constant search for new elements, including innovative laser techniques, wood veneer lacquers and smart-home technology, to make each project truly unique.
We bring a distinctly European/Italian sense of style, with a focus on originality, warmth and livability. My goal is to create homes that feel highly personal, elegant and forward-thinking, while still addressing all of the pertinent issues that factor into building in the Wasatch Back region.
How are your skills perfectly suited for the work you do?
My background in architecture and yacht design gives me a strong advantage in the field because I understand beautiful spaces, but also the technical and practical side of how they are built. What truly sets our team apart is our ability to guide a project seamlessly from concept to final installation. We are a full-service, one-stop design firm offering not just interior design, but complete interior architecture. Our clients benefit from having a single point of contact instead of managing multiple professionals, which allows us to deliver a highly personalized and truly headache-free experience.
Photo: Courtesy Pianta Design
Elisabetta Pianta, Owner and Principal
650-206-9498
Park City, Utah
HEALTH-FOCUSED BUILDING
Photo: Courtesy Engle Built
Most homes are built to impress. Matt Engle builds them to heal. As owner of ENGLE BUILT and a building biologist, he’s spent his career asking a question the industry rarely does: What is this house doing to the people inside it?
Photo: Courtesy Engle Built
How is building biology different from green building?
Green building reduces a home’s environmental footprint; building biology focuses on how the home affects the people inside. The two complement each other more than most realize.
How does your background as both a general contractor and building biologist shape your approach?
It allows us to think beyond aesthetics. Using nature as the gold standard, we evaluate moisture, air quality, electromagnetic fields, geopathic stress, hygric capacity and building envelope performance. Then, we select design choices that support the health of both the home and its occupants.
What are some of the hidden issues homeowners should be paying more attention to?
The top three are mold, which can grow behind walls undetected for years; off-gassing from petrochemical-based materials, including paints, adhesives and finishes that release toxic chemicals daily; and electromagnetic radiation from wiring, devices and cell infrastructure. Most homeowners never consider it, but the long-term effects are real.
Photo: Courtesy Engle Built
Matt Engle, Founder
801-455-0831
Park City, Utah
THE GREAT ESCAPE
Photo: Courtesy The Lawson Real Estate Team
Imagine a life on a private estate crafted in timeless European grandeur set among pristine natural beauty. THE LAWSON REAL ESTATE TEAM presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capture the home of your dreams.
Photo: Courtesy The Lawson Real Estate Team
Tell us more about this extraordinary property.
Set on 21 private acres in Utah’s Wasatch Mountain region, this remarkable 18,000-square-foot estate combines the scale of a luxury resort with the comfort of a private mountain retreat. Panoramic views, exceptional craftsmanship and exquisite details create a rare opportunity for buyers seeking privacy, space and a refined lifestyle. Despite its secluded setting, the property remains conveniently close to world-class skiing and Salt Lake City International Airport.
Please share the standout features of the home.
Every detail has been designed to elevate daily life. A dramatic two-story foyer, soaring arched windows, vaulted ceilings and elegant fireplaces frame stunning mountain and lake views throughout the home. The primary suite serves as a private sanctuary, complete with a balcony, coffee bar and spa-inspired bath. Wellness is a central theme, with an outdoor Pilates and cycling deck and a jetted swim spa overlooking the landscape. For entertaining, the walkout lower level offers a theater, wine cellar, music room, chef’s kitchenette and even an indoor basketball and pickleball court.
And beyond the home itself, what makes this property so unique?
Thirteen garage bays provide up to 22 indoor parking spaces. And just beyond the home lies a generous guest residence with its own private entrance. To top it all off, a 7,200-square-foot event center provides space for gatherings, concerts or equestrian pursuits. Surrounded by mature evergreens, wildlife and peaceful water features, this estate delivers a true resort-style experience where nature, luxury and recreation coexist seamlessly.
Photo: Courtesy The Lawson Real Estate Team
Thad Peterson, Real Estate Advisor
435-292-3323
Park City, Utah
