Old Bones, New Life: A Reimagined Utah Home

Contemporary and rustic meet in the living room, where a two-tiered iron chandelier hangs above a collection of custom-made clean-lined furniture, including a quartzite-topped coffee table. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

Designer Amanda Engle didn’t erase the past when she reimagined a classic Deer Valley, Utah, home. Instead, she wove original details into a fresh new story
to achieve the balance homeowners Jim and Mary Boutwell sought.  The project marked the couple’s fifth collaboration with Engle, a testament to their shared sensibilities and easy rapport. “We just hit it off when we first met,” Engle says. “We have the same mindset, and Mary has a clear vision. That makes the work a joy.”

Engle’s approach is rooted in honoring existing elements while introducing new ideas that feel natural. “With every remodel, you’re working with what’s there, and that requires ingenuity and flexibility,” she explains. “You have to let the structure speak to you.” Here, the structure spoke loudly: soaring log beams from Finland, mellowed to a warm tobacco hue, and a log staircase so sculptural it looks like a piece of art. The stair railings, which the homeowners once considered replacing, became one of the defining features. “Amanda insisted we keep them, and she was so right,” Mary says.

A roman shade in playful striped fabric, a banquette outfitted in easy-care vinyl, and chairbacks of woven jute add pattern and texture to the breakfast nook. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

Working with contractor Gordon Daw of Deer Valley Construction, Engle gave original elements a thoughtful update. Some of the half-sawn lath-paneled walls remained, while others gave way to stone and plaster. A pantry was removed to open the kitchen, making space for rift-sawn white oak cabinetry and a generous island topped with Taj Mahal quartzite. “They love to cook,” Engle says. “Now the space inspires them.”

The adjoining breakfast nook reflects Engle’s knack for balancing durability and beauty. The corner banquette wears easy-care vinyl that mimics leather, while the Palecek chairs with backs of woven cane and rope add artisanal warmth. “It’s one of the most beautiful vignettes,” Engle says. “It feels both substantial and welcoming.”

The log staircase has taken on a warm tobacco hue over the years. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

Throughout the house, natural references abound: a bronze twig table in the living room, an antler-inspired sconce in a hallway, handcrafted millwork in the library.
The arrangement of rooms in the three-story house preserves intimacy. “It feels like a treehouse,” Engle says. “It has verticality, with distinct rooms rather than one big open plan. That makes it comforting and timeless.”

The library is one of Mary’s favorite transformations. Originally a dark, awkward room with interior windows looking into the living area, it’s now a serene, shelf-lined sanctuary. “We turned it into the most peaceful reading room,” Mary says. “It’s where I curl up in every season.”

The basement level holds a ping-pong table for family fun. Antler sconces and the clients’ own buffalo artwork further the home’s mountain vibe. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

For the Boutwells, the home is more than a retreat—it’s a gathering place. With five bedrooms, including a bunk room beloved by their grandchildren, it accommodates plenty of visitors. “Park City has always been special to us,” says Mary, who relates that she and Jim first discovered the area on a high-school ski trip. “Now our children and grandchildren come, too. It’s a place we can all share.”

As the seasons shift from snow to wildflowers, the home continues to delight. “The drama of the property never fails to take my breath away,” Mary reflects. Thanks
to Engle’s balance of old and new, it’s a house as enduring as the mountains around it.

Cushiony furniture, including an expansive sectional sofa, encourages gathering in the basement-level family room. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

The wall of the basement-level bar gleams with Absolute Black granite. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

The homeowner fell in love with this wallpaper and asked designer Amanda Engle to use it in the bunk room, where it makes a whimsical backdrop for a cozy reading nook. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

A top-floor guest bedroom with a treehouse feel is a serene and airy retreat with its Brownstone canopy bed with upholstered head- and footboards and a plush chaise. | Photo: Laura Bruschke

DESIGN DETAILS

INTERIOR DESIGN – Beck and Engle
CONTRACTOR – Deer Valley Construction

As seen in Mountain Living’s January/February 2026 issue.