Welcome Home: The Final Reveal of Project House Utah

Project House Utah final reveal view from sidewalk

Written by Laura Shimko

Photography by Scott Davis

Design by The Fox Group

Join us as we tour our much-anticipated speculative build in Utah. Take in the breathtaking architectural and design elements, touches of charm and whimsy, and abundance of warmth.

Editor’s note: We are delighted and proud to present the final reveal of Project House Utah with our project partners, The Fox Group.

A Fox Group home immediately draws you in! Owners Cara and Tom Fox have traveled extensively throughout the world, and their adventures have honed their style. Tom is an expert at creating historically accurate homes, and Cara’s exemplary eye for design makes them a dream duo. Every Fox Group home beautifully intersects an old world aesthetic with livable ease.

The time has come at last for the big, final reveal of our Project House Utah home, and we couldn’t be more thrilled! Over a year ago, we started our journey with an empty lot in the mountain-rimmed and big sky city of Salt Lake City, Utah. We met Cara and Tom Fox, the incredible husband-wife duo behind the full-service residential design and construction firm, The Fox Group, and owners of the cute boutique shop filled with all sorts of home treasures, The Fox Shop. The following months brought on an onslaught of challenges, including setbacks due to weather, recovering supply chains and the typical holdups always faced in new constructions. Through it all, the team pressed on with passion, a commitment to excellence and masterful skill to transform this speculative build into a home brimming with warmth and whimsy.

It is in the details that The Fox Group’s living room design beckons visitors to come in, sit down and get comfortable: a rich-stained wood flooring; brick veneer fireplace; Woodgrain’s tongue-and-groove wall treatment and crown, base and case moldings; Emtek’s door hardware; and Colonial-style sconces from Authentic Designs. “The room’s sophisticated yet comfortable atmosphere comes to life through a blend of greens, light blues and creams anchored by natural wood tones,” Cara Fox says.

exterior front entry of Project House Utah final reveal

From Plans to Pavement

As all projects begin, this one started out as a vision. Since this is a spec home, or speculative build, the end goal is to create a move-in ready home with no specific directions dictated by a homeowner, versus the traditional new-build method of a buyer purchasing land with plans drawn up for the construction. This allowed Cara and Tom freedom in crafting a design. With backgrounds and specialties in classic architecture and New England traditional design, they created an aesthetic that beautifully blends farmhouse and cottage simplicity with an Americana historical feel and touches of elegance. “When designing this home, we envisioned creating a timeless Colonial farmhouse with a sophisticated yet welcoming presence,” Cara says.

The exterior provides a perfect introduction to the home, with a landscape design by Emily Brooks Wayment that transports one to the English countryside. “The welcoming front approach features a classic picket fence and Troutman porch rockers leading to a hidden garage courtyard anchored by handcrafted garage doors and warmed by an outdoor fireplace,” Cara says. The custom door by Ozark with Emtek hardware is a charming entrance into the home.

Once the vision was cast, the team got to work fitting it into the size and shape of the lot. Cara and Tom carefully crafted a blueprint of the house and then mood boards that brought together all the character and heritage of a Colonial-style home with added warmth and charm. Selecting just the right elements for each room was a crucial part of the success of the design, and thanks to our list of sponsors Cara was able to find pieces that truly have brought her original vision to life.

green cabinetry in kitchen visible from living room in Project House Utah — WOODGRAIN A wonderful long-time partner to our project homes is Woodgrain, who specializes in moulding, doors, building products and fasteners. Woodgrain products bring strength, warmth and style to every home. VISIT WOODGRAIN.COM

interior staircase in completed Project House Utah

staircase in progress in Project House Utah

Creating Cohesion in Project House Utah

A few key elements mark the Fox Group’s design, tying it all together. “To create a cohesive vibe throughout the home, we added warmth throughout each space,” Cara says. “The unlacquered brass details and hardware by Emtek/Assa Abloy create a cohesive feel. The blue and white is repeated in some form or pattern in every room. Each space has a nod to classic traditional and historical significance.”

Project House Utah entryway with big chandelier and white and blue wallpaper — In the foyer, Cara let her whimsy take flight in a captivating design. “I wanted to feel like you are stepping into a giant classic blue-and-white ginger jar,” she says. Wallpaper by Laura Ashley accomplishes this perfectly, with added character from Woodgrain mouldings and warmth from Emtek’s brass hardware.

nautical themed fireplace in completed Project House Utah

fireplace seating area with nautical painting in Project House Utah — One of Cara’s favorite aspects of home design is selecting the right art for each space, and every painting or piece of art throughout the home has been carefully and purposefully selected, many sourced from The Fox Shop.

Starting at the exterior of the home, the stone siding and Colonial pillars give the home a historic feel, while the landscaping by Emily Brooks Wayment makes the best of the long and narrow plot of land with a collection of outdoor gathering spaces tucked here and there.

Just inside the custom door by Ozark Custom Doors, the foyer reveals a breathtaking entrance into the home, with delicate Laura Ashley chinoiserie wallpaper in blue and cream. The spiral staircase takes center stage as an architectural talking point designed by The Fox Group team and adding to the overall classic feel of the home. A brass chandelier presides over the space.

farmhouse style sink and deep green cabinetry with scalloped edges in Project House Utah — Emtek celebrates their customers’ desire to express themselves through fashionable designs that elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary. Assembled to order in Los Angeles, Emtek’s customer-fi rst focus and straightforward approach makes them a dream to work with. Visit emtek.com

breakfast nook in final reveal of Project House Utah

breakfast nook in complete Project House Utah — Custom cabinetry in deep green is a nod to the English cottage style that served as inspiration for Cara and Tom’s vision of the space. Thassos marble countertops are practical and stylish, providing a neutral break from the green and wood tones. Emtek provides knobs and hinges, the brass finishes injecting the space with sophistication and warmth. “Thoughtful attention to gathering spaces includes a cozy dining nook nestled in a bay window,” Cara says

In the main gathering spaces of the kitchen and pantry, dining and living room, warm touches and cozy elements marry English cottage and American farmhouse style. Custom cabinetry with elegant, scalloped detailing and deep-green finish evoke the English countryside, continued with an Arto Tile backsplash featuring a Delft horse pattern. Troutman Chairs counter stools and unlacquered brass hardware add warmth. In the living room, a mixture of greens and blues tie together the different palettes throughout the home. Hardwood flooring and Woodgrain’s tongue-and-groove wall treatments, crown, base and case mouldings add to the character and historical feel alongside brass sconces.

kitchen with hanging copper pots and decorative plates in Project House Utah — It takes a village of elements to truly bring a room to life, and the kitchen is a perfect example. Cara’s design carefully balanced the bold and striking green cabinet finishes with the warm wood tones of the Troutman bar chairs. Woodgrain’s tongue-and-groove boards and base, case and crown mouldings add character here and throughout the home. Arto Tile’s Delft equestrian tile takes center stage. “Custom display units throughout the kitchen and pantry provide beautiful spaces for cherished family heirlooms, creating that perfect balance of rustic warmth and refined country elegance,” Cara says.

vintage style bed and gray and white gingham pattern in Project House Utah — In the guest bedroom Itop leftI, a vintage-style iron bed by Charles P. Rogers anchors the design while Woodgrain moulding connects with the rest of the home. Emtek fixtures add warmth.

Working Whimsy

Throughout the design, Cara’s penchant for beautiful and whimsical spaces is on full display. “I wanted it to feel whimsical and fun but with colors that are very traditional and classic, and saturated like the greens in the kitchen and the blues and whites in the foyer,” Cara says.

powder blue cabinetry in nook of final Project House Utah

butler's pantry in final Project House Utah — Natural light and a varying palette create a calm and cozy feel throughout the home. The light blue in the butler’s pantry IaboveI, with Arto’s equestrian tile, Emtek’s brass fixtures and Woodgrain moulding, reflects an English manor aesthetic

gradient blue-gray tile in Project House Utah bathroom

In the laundry room, sky-blue scalloped custom cabinetry echoing the kitchen and pantry and providing functional storage. Laura Ashley wallpaper once again graces the walls, injecting charm and sophistication. The mudroom highlights a special agrarian wallpaper alongside brick flooring once again referencing the American farmhouse feel Cara envisioned. Similarly, in the girl’s bedroom, Laura Ashley wallpaper once again sets the tone with its soft floral pattern. Star wallpaper in the formal powder bath holds a special meaning for Cara and her family, that true north always leads home.

bedroom with canopy bed and luxurious rug in Project House Utah — A Charles P. Rogers canopy bed layered with Laura Ashley’s luxurious bedding and fabrics anchored by a cream jute rug from Rugs.com provides the perfect place to rest at the end of the day. “Dark-stained white oak floors create dramatic contrast against Laura Ashley’s creamy white walls, which we’ve elegantly detailed with Woodgrain’s custom millwork,” Cara explains. “Emtek’s unlacquered brass hardware and sparkling period-inspired lighting from our own Fox Shop provide the thoughtfully curated furnishings, artwork and décor that complete this timelessly elegant sanctuary.”

seating area at the foot of bed in bedroom of Project House Utah

Throughout each space, Tom, Cara and the team at The Fox Group weave together a variety of design elements like threads to form a beautiful tapestry of a build that is made not to be just a house, but a home.

black and white tile in bathroom floor of final Project House Utah

final reveal of Project House Utah guest bath — This guest bathroom reflects the star theme of the nearby cinema room. Arto provides geometric concrete tiles, mirroring the star motif of the Schaub cabinet knobs and backings. Emtek hardware adds refinement while Woodgrain mouldings tie the room to the rest of the home

master bath in final reveal of Project House Utah — Cozy yet sophisticated, the master bathroom features Woodgrain mouldings, Emtek hinges and knobs, unlacquered brass console sinks from Palmer industries and a clawfoot tub.

brick herringbone floor and floor to ceiling storage in Project House Utah entryway — Custom cabinets provide ample, practical storage. They also feature the Fox Group’s signature wheat motif, symbolizing abundance and harvest, which is continued in the adjacent powder room. “Woodgrain’s detailed base, case and crown frame the walls, while cream colored paint creates an ethereal backdrop that enhances the natural light,” Cara says.

vintage bench and traditional terracotta potting plants in Project House Utah

herringbone brick floors and gardenalia in Project House Utah — This vestibule, bathed in natural light, serves as a connection between the garage and mudroom. “The herringbone-laid thin brick floor, matching our exterior patio, creates a seamless transition from outdoors to home while offering exceptional durability for this well-traveled space,” Cara says. “Colonial-style pendant lights cast a warm glow overhead, while Emtek door hardware adds historical authenticity throughout.”

pink gingham accents in Project House Utah bedroom

laundry room with powder blue shelves with scalloped edges

Project House Utah Sponsors

Woodgrain

A wonderful long-time partner to our project homes is Woodgrain, who specializes in moulding, doors, building products and fasteners. Woodgrain products bring strength, warmth and style to every home.

Visit woodgrain.com

Charles P. Rogers

Since 1855, Charles P. Rogers beds have been creating heirloom quality beds and top-rated mattresses in New York City. As the longest continuously operating bedding manufacturing and retail company in the United States, Charles P. Rogers is synonymous with tradition and quality.

Visit charlesprogers.com

Emtek

Emtek celebrates their customers’ desire to express themselves through
fashionable designs that elevate the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Assembled to order in Los Angeles, Emtek’s customer-fi rst focus and
straightforward approach makes them a dream to work with.

Visit emtek.com

Arto

Arto Tile has been handcrafted in Los Angeles since 1966. With truly unique products, customers can make their spaces distinctly their own. Traditions carried forward from Arto by his sons, Armen and Vod, add to the enduring appeal of Arto Tile.

Visit arto.com

To see more of story behind Project House Utah previous to the final reveal, see In Progress: Project House 2023. Of course, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest for your daily dose of farmhouse inspiration!