An Alpine-Style Farmhouse Escape with Views of the Wasatch Mountains

Ethan Allen stools belly up to the counter designed to accommodate seating for five. Cabinets are by Killowen Cabinet Co., the backsplash is marble, and the pendant lighting is from Visual Comfort. | Photo: Jared Medley

Visitors to Midway, Utah, are generally struck by two things: the Wasatch Mountains rising in quiet grandeur, and the Alpine-inspired architecture. Dubbed “Little Switzerland” by its founders, Midway offers the winning combination of snow-capped peaks and a Main Street lined with colorful flower boxes that attracted Becky and Troy Black. “We had visited here previously and thought if we could retire anywhere, it would be here,” says Becky about their decision to leave Houston, Texas, and build a home in the mountains.

Their three-acre property, with a river bordering the back edge, provided the perfect canvas. In meetings with architect Joe Sadler of Habitations Design Group and
interior designer Kimberly Parker of Kimberly Parker Design, the couple shared their vision of a European-style farmhouse in sync with the landscape. Along with requests for commodious gathering spaces and enough bedrooms to lodge their three adult children and grandkids, Becky says, “We also wanted some overlay with Swiss style.”

A replica of a Swiss design, the hearth is the great room centerpiece. A Bernhardt sofa and Bassett chairs gather round the Lexington Sangiovese coffee table, and the single-ring chandelier is by Visual Comfort. | Photo: Jared Medley

The exterior strikes that balance with board-and-batten siding, and stone tumbled to mimic the patina of age, together establishing the farmhouse vernacular. Windows framed with authentic hinged shutters and window boxes honor Midway’s heritage. An adjacent barn, also clad in board-and-batten, holds overflow vehicles like the couple’s RV and other toys mandatory for mountain living. 

The great room anchors the home, where a custom fireplace modeled after one Becky admired in a local restaurant—another Swiss nod—sets the tone. Its plaster form and hand-carved wood mantel are echoed in the kitchen’s range hood across the room, creating a quiet symmetry. “I credit Killowen Construction with getting the shape and graceful lines of both just right,” says Parker. Antique white oak beams overhead lend texture and history, while honey-tone floors keep the palette warm through the long mountain winters.

Nestled in an idyllic valley, the residence blends regional tradition with contemporary form. Gabled rooftops are a farmhouse nod, and natural stone anchors the home to its alpine setting. | Photo: Jared Medley

Furnishings are intentionally low and unobtrusive, allowing the landscape to remain the focal point. A plush sofa and tailored wingback chairs gather around the fire, while built-ins display personal collections. Above, an oversize circular chandelier reinforces the home’s emphasis on connection. Even transitional spaces are thoughtfully used. On the expansive upper landing, for example, there’s an additional sitting area along with a reading nook tucked into the passageway.

Functionality was just as important as form. With Troy managing Parkinson’s disease, the home was designed for longevity: wide hallways, zero-threshold showers and a main-floor layout that eliminates the need for stairs. “This is our forever home,” Becky says matter-of-factly.

Modernized barn doors slide open to reveal the media room. Painted in Benjamin Moore Amherst Gray, the built-ins are a collaboration between the designer and Killowen Cabinet Co. | Photo: Jared Medley

Throughout, wood elements in a variety of stains and colors keep things interesting. “I wanted it to be like an onion, with every layer different,” says Parker about the decision to use gray cabinets with a green undertone in the mudroom and media room, white kitchen cabinets, and cerused details in the primary suite. “Without that depth, things feel stale.”

Outdoors, teak furnishings gather around a woodburning fireplace, where the Blacks host Texas-style bonfires beneath a Utah sky. The beautiful, peaceful surroundings are cause for reflection. As Becky says, “We may have raised our children in Houston, but our souls are better off in the mountains.”

A four-poster bed with metal canopy, weathered oak nightstands and a rustic bench, all by Bernhardt, establish the primary bedroom’s serene feel. The soft gray rug is by Ralph Lauren, and the table lamps are by Surya Devon. | Photo: Jared Medley

The home’s honey-tone oak floors continue in the upper-level reading/library nook, where the shelves include books the owner relishes reading to her grandchildren. | Photo: Jared Medley

On the back patio, teak furnishings from the Brunswick Collection at Birch Lane are part of the outdoor gathering space. “There’s nothing better than a Utah summer, which makes the exterior equally important,” says Kimberly Parker. | Photo: Jared Medley

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