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Stylist Sarah Lowe and her husband, Alex, always dreamt of owning a cabin in Alta, Utah, a buzzy ski area 30 miles away from their home in Salt Lake City. “If you’re an Alta skier, that is your mountain,” Sarah explains. “Alex could rattle off the statistics about why it’s the best snow and the best resort.” Alta might have a cult following, but properties are scarce. So when a 2,800-square-foot, three-story cabin became available during the pandemic, the couple snatched it up.
The house’s location was perfect, but the design? It was nothing to write home about. The interiors were outdated and had “weird uses of space,” Sarah recalls. Plus, there wasn’t a dedicated storage room for their gear, which was a must for Alex and the inevitable catalyst for hiring Brynne Flowers of John Martine Studio to revamp the home. With four young children and an open door policy for guests, it was important to create a space that was welcoming, ski-centric, and stylish.
Initially, Sarah craved conventional mountain motifs like snowflakes and plaid. “I think I told Brynne I wanted it to feel like Ralph Lauren threw up all over the cabin,” she confesses. However, Flowers quickly clocked the family’s youthful, whimsical spirit and wanted to design a home to match. “We can have pattern play and add color, but it doesn’t need to feel over-the-top,” the Salt Lake City-based designer explains.
A thoughtful tension between boldness and restraint permeates the property, but even the home’s “quieter” moments sing. Case in point: The living room, where guests naturally congregate after a long day on the slopes. Clear alder wood panels clad the walls and vaulted ceiling, bringing a sense of intimacy to the spacious, sun-drenched area. Equally commanding is the statuesque plaster fireplace, complete with pocket doors and integrated log storage. (That way, the family can stoke the flame without braving the cold.) A green sofa from Hay, a vintage coffee table, and ottomans reupholstered in Lawson-Fenning fabric create a cozy atmosphere—whether the family’s entertaining 30 people or enjoying a quiet night in.
While the living room is on the subtler side, the adjacent kitchen is a vivid love letter to Alta. The terracotta cabinets boast pine tree-shaped cutouts and the backsplash’s hand-painted tiles feature animals native to the area. Flowers leaned into the woodsy surroundings by transforming a nearby niche that once featured a hot tub (yes, really) into an interior “treehouse” topped with cedar shakes. For Sarah, the nook, which was loosely inspired by Pierre Yovanovitch’s iconic Andermatt Alps project, is a “magical, welcoming space” where her kids can play games and chill with their friends.
A similar charm extends to the home’s bedrooms, each one of which was designed to feel like its own special space. So, Flowers packed on the “wow” moments: A coat of golden paint gives the primary suite a sunny disposition, while a guest space in a drenched Silvan repeat from Clarke & Clarke honors Alta’s wintry atmosphere. In the bunk room, woodsy wallpaper from Spoonflower and gingham curtains are joyful, not juvenile.
Each of the five bedrooms have direct access to separate bathrooms, all of which are naturally festooned with wallpaper and bold tiles. “It was important to make sure there was a statement in each space, but that it doesn’t overpower adjacent rooms,” Flowers adds. “I love to bring in different colors, but they’re all in the same tone. Nothing is starkly different.”
Speaking of which, one former funky powder room was converted into the pièce de résistance: Alex’s ski room. Flowers made every inch count with integrated lockers, a wall with moveable pegs to hang coats, plus storage that accommodates approximately 20 pairs of boots, 16 helmets, and lots of gloves. In fact, the designer shares the boot and glove storage is heated, so the family can wake up to dry gear. “It’s that kind of leveled-up amenity that you would want at a lodge,” she says.
While Sarah was originally skeptical of the “bougie” feature, she quickly realized it’s the hero of the home. “Before, everyone’s gear was everywhere,” Sarah explains. “Someone was always missing a glove or couldn’t find their helmet—it was chaos. Now, it’s created the most organized space you can imagine because everyone wants to have their boots on the warmers.”
Not only does the ski room make gearing up a breeze, but Sarah says it also keeps the home “cozy rather than claustrophobic.” Translation: A dream house in the mountains that actually feels dreamy.