Homeowner and designer were in sync and in style on lindon home
Turning a house into a home is wall-to-wall enjoyment if the homeowner and designer are on the same page.
It’s even better when the designer intuitively knows what the homeowner is thinking before pictures are clipped out of magazines and endless fabric swatches are compared.
Such was the case when Lindon resident Heather McSpadden teamed up with Stephanie Holdaway, owner of Evans Gatehouse.
“Stephanie was always in tune with my style and design tastes,” Heather says. “She’d suggest something, and I’d say, ‘I was thinking the exact same thing.’ We had a lot of fun creating these rooms. We have the same sense of style.”
The floorplan of the McSpaddens’ Lindon home is both practical and creative. The formal living room includes stately columns, black accessories and rich fabrics but is also soft and inviting to this family with four young children.
The home, which features exposed timber framing, barrel ceilings and natural materials, is a mix between country and Old World European. It is built on philosophies of balance, beauty and practicality.
The McSpaddens, who are in the health-care industry specializing in services for skilled nursing facilities and home care, have a young family. Heather and Darin are the parents of four children ages 9 years to 19 months, so one of the goals of the home was to fit the needs of a growing family.
Practicality meets elegance most noticably in the McSpaddens’ kitchen.
The travertine farmhouse-style sink with Roman-style blinds overhead exemplify the use of neutral and bold colors in the McSpaddens’ home. Custom turned posts frame either side of the sink. The McSpaddens praise Peterson Woodworks in Lindon for constructing and painting the cabinets a custom color.
“I always knew I wanted a black and tan kitchen with a brick back wall,” Heather says. “But I had to hold tight to those decisions. Some of our subcontractors tried to question my decisions, so I held firm. And now we really love it.”
Her kitchen colors match her wardrobe, which consists mainly of blacks and tans.
Homeowner Heather McSpadden and interior designer Stephanie Holdaway made non-traditional choices for the Lindon home, including painting the beaded inset, face frame kitchen cabinets a custom color and the moldings black.
“That’s the way I dress,” she says. “But I also love the colors red and yellow. I think they go well with black and tan and can add a much-needed splash of color to an otherwise conservative room.”
Stephanie, whose company provided most of the furniture in the McSpadden home, adds her interior designer stamp-of-approval. She says the McSpaddens
have created a home with a clean, simple look that uses natural materials like wood and stone, with well-placed embellishments against neutral backgrounds.
“Heather wasn’t afraid to use fresh, new materials. Much of the beauty of her home is in the details,” Stephanie says. “The hickory floors are natural, warm and inviting. The random width planks used for the flooring work very well.”
Covering the hickory floors with oversized hand-knotted wool rugs creates a warmth in the home. The large rugs are also functional, as they protect the wood floors.
The formal living room is two steps down from the rest of the main floor. General contractor Ty Ricks, Infiniti Construction, says the many elevation changes through the home “add flavor.”
From floor to ceiling, the home is quality and custom, says Ty Ricks, owner of Infiniti Construction Corporation in Highland and general contractor for the home.
Ty says the McSpaddens’ hillside location and elevation changes throughout the house add flavor.
“Heather was open to new ideas,” Ty says. “The home is now beautifully decorated, and I’m proud to have built that house.”
Darin and Heather McSpadden with their young family.
A house becomes a home by utilizing the team approach — homeowner, interior designer and general contractor.
Homeowners who choose to work with a designer from the beginning of the construction process will save money because they get exactly what they want, Stephanie says.
“Many times when homeowners make all the design decisions themselves they’re not satisifed with the end result,” Stephanie says. “Designers can help homeowners figure out what they want before they make expensive purchases.”
For example, one common mistake homeowners make when they’re in the construction process is not putting electrical outlets in critical areas.
“A designer can look at your floor plan and help you determine where outlets for lamps or other light fixtures will be needed,” Stephanie says. “Another common mistake many people make is not including a light above a shower or a bathtub. Showers end up being one of the darkest areas of your home if you don’t think and plan ahead. It’s expensive and inconvienent to put a light above your shower after construction is completed.” UV
The master suite utilizes comfortable and warm textures, combined with durable granite and travertine surfaces.