Modern Cottage Style: Park City, Utah

One of our favorite places to visit is Park City- not only for its scenic beauty, charming Main Street, and relaxed atmosphere, but also for its innovative architecture. In Old Town, you'll find these incredible resort-style ski homes that are part cottage and part modern, often with a bit of lodge influence mixed in. The smaller lots dictate modest facades, which means the details really count; The focus is on beautiful front doors, garage doors, and fixtures, as well as materials that will withstand all that snow during winter (think rockery, metal roofing, concrete, and steel). These are a few homes (and garages) that caught our eye... some vintage, some new, each with its own distinct personality. We couldn't resist also capturing a few images from Old Town. Enjoy!

Currently loving: Driftwood

Imagine my delight when I happened upon this most interesting piece of home décor: a driftwood sculpture if you will. It was love at first sight as I promptly whisked it away to the cash register. I love the tone of the wood and its organic feel…plus it’s so pleasingly quirky! (Available at Ravenna Gardens).

And since I can’t resist a truly unique star (yes, I do realize you can have too many…which brings me to my shopping and decorating rule, A.B.E – Always Be Editing) I might just make an exception for this charmingly imperfect driftwood version. I envision it being casually leaned against a wall in a fantastic, beachy Modern Cottage.

Adding vintage flavor to your Modern Cottage

The Modern Cottage shows a joyous appreciation for all things vintage cottage – they’re simply reinterpreted in a modern way. Of course, vintage finds and antiques must be used sparingly, lest you diminish the ‘modern’ aspect of your cottage. However, when thoughtfully mixed with newer pieces, the combination will express just the right balance of Modern + Cottage. Above, an incredible pair of French metal chairs; An old bulb crate weathered to a silvery grey, transformed into wall art - a display ledge of sorts - accented by a jubilant starfish; A fabulous antique industrial-style lamp, re-wired to glow beautifully. It’s all about finding pieces that add beauty and a sense of history –a respect for original design - to your Modern Cottage. And when you find an amazing piece that’s both beautiful and functional? Pure Modern Cottage bliss :)

Keep it green

As we approach summer, naturally more focus goes to our outdoor spaces...and for good reason! What is better than dining alfresco or simply enjoying a lazy day in the sun with a stack of great magazines? I can almost taste the watermelon...and hear the ice rattling around in a tall glass of lemonade. So why not surround yourself with beautiful plantings, Modern Cottage style? Our rule of thumb: Keep it green. The Modern Cottage garden uses color sparingly, and instead relies on an abundance of lush green plants and shrubs, with accents of the most beautiful chartreuse-colored varieties to add that crisp, modern edge. We also go for almost any white bloomers, so long as they are not too fussy (French tulips planted in small groupings are a favorite). Happy planting!

Cottage Bliss!

After several exhausting and exhilarating weeks, we have finally completed the Modern Cottage transformation of this darling Cape Code home built in 1950. Perfectionists that we are, I can only now say it is complete (meaning the very last items in our process - faucets polished, paint meticulously touched up and so on - are finished). We started with a home in very sad shape but with great potential... and were even able to recycle several elements to keep things a bit greener! Below are a few additional photos...so take a tour, we'd love to hear what you think.