Peaceful in Park City

Author:Lindsey Shook

Two Muse Studios transforms a traditional ski home into an intimate retreat for a music mogul

“If we were to sum up our firm’s design philosophy in a few words, it would be ‘poetic, not pretentious’. What this means to us is that when you walk through the door, you are not slapped in the face by a space that feels overly designed,” says Katelyn Pascavis, co-founder of Two Muse Studios. Based in L.A., Pascavis and her partner Alexa Lameiras are focused on creating spaces that are both playful and timeless.

When hired by a Las Vegas-based music entrepreneur to curate an environment in Park City, Utah where he could escape the pace of the city that never sleeps, they were eager to concept his retreat. “Given the relationship with our client and understanding how he liked to live, we felt like we understood right away what he was looking for and we’re able to channel that into our design,” says Pascavis. “It is wonderful to have a client that trusts your ability to understand their needs as it allows us take the creative reins for the project to reach its full potential.”

The 2,900-square-foot, new-build home is built into the side of a mountain but stands out amongst the surrounding new builds—that are part of a large revitalization of old town Park City—for its unique natural wood-clad exterior and black metal details. Inside, their client’s main goal was to infuse the four-story structure home with a personalized level of comfort and intimacy. “It was important for this to be a space that he felt good in but also where he could host his closest friends and family,” says Lameiras. “He wanted the space to feel warm and inviting, while still being handsome and refined, reflecting his taste.”

“The exterior and interior of the house felt disjointed and like two completely separated homes,” says Pascavis. “The exterior being clad in a raw wood and black metal felt natural and suiting for its environment, while the interior of the home felt stark and new.” They achieved a flawless cohesion of the exterior and interiors first by slightly reconfiguring some of the main areas in order to create more privacy from the neighbors. “Before the renovation, the kitchen sink sat in front of a window that looked directly into the neighbors main living space,” says Pascavis. “We decided to relocate the sink to the new island and close the window which allowed us to utilize the new wall space for a floor to ceiling run of cabinets that houses the refrigerator/freezer, a coffee bar that also houses the microwave, a wine fridge, and broom closet. This allowed for not only added privacy but for a much more functional kitchen.”

Two guest rooms were designed for dual purpose functionality. One serves as both an office and guest quarters, while the other doubles as a lounge. “The loft level space was unique as it had to serve as both lounge and a private guest room, though it was open to the staircase,” says Lameiras. “We approached the dual function by adding a custom wet bar to the loft complete with a bar sink, beverage fridge, and ice maker. The low platform bed combined with 1970’s leather loungers and De Sede ottomans allowed the loft to suit both purposes.”

The final result is a soft, classic yet modern mountain home that defies traditional “ski-house” design. Once they were able to set up the big reveal, the client was in awe of the transformation. Lameiras notes, “All he had in his mind was the space before the renovation and the handful of design boards we presented him. He was thrilled with the outcome and how it reflected him and immediately felt like home.”