This 7,000-Square-Foot Desert Oasis In Utah Feels More Like A Boutique Hotel Than A Family Home — It Redefines A ‘Room With A View’

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A 7,000-square-foot home in Grover, Utah, has been renovated by Susannah Holmberg Studios for the Jolley family, drawing on the surrounding high-desert landscape and the home’s existing architecture. Livingetc reports the project took 2.5 years and combines contemporary Australian forms, 1970s mountain-house references and ranch style; the designers’ descriptions of its welcoming, hotel-like feel are subjective.

Susannah Holmberg Studios has renovated a 7,000-square-foot family home in Grover, Utah, reshaping a 1994 house around the high-desert landscape and the needs of the Jolley family. In a report published by Livingetc, the studio describes a design combining contemporary Australian influences, 1970s mountain homes and classic ranch style; the project took 2.5 years to complete.

The home belongs to the Jolley family of five, who divide their time between the desert, Salt Lake City and Australia. Their brief, as Holmberg told Livingetc, called for a blend of curved forms associated with contemporary Australian design, the character of 1970s mountain homes and classic ranch architecture. The house was built in 1994 and is set near Torrey, in the remote town of Grover.

The renovation replaced the previous home’s bright 1990s tile look with an interior built around wood, marble, stone and handmade-feeling tile. Holmberg said the palette took cues from the area’s red rock, while the broader goal was to make the house feel established and welcoming rather than newly assembled. The design also retains a relationship with the existing architecture, according to the report.

Among the spaces highlighted by Livingetc are a kitchen with a curved, upholstered banquette built into the island and a custom dining table that seats at least 10, as well as a mudroom with velvet upholstery and walnut cabinetry. The feature also shows a wood-paneled primary bedroom, a richly colored bathroom and a family room with layered textiles and comfortable seating. Livingetc credits Malissa Mabey with the photography and Jen Paul with the styling.

Designing Around Utah’s Red-Rock Setting

The project offers a specific example of how a large second or family home can be designed to respond to its surroundings without relying on a single regional style. Holmberg’s approach, as described in Livingetc, brings together references requested by the clients and materials chosen to echo the nearby rock formations. The result is presented as both a retreat from the remote landscape and a home that remains visually connected to it.

The story also highlights the practical demands of a remote renovation. Holmberg identified the location as the project’s biggest challenge, while saying the land itself became a central part of the design process. For readers interested in residential architecture, the case illustrates how remoteness, existing building character and client preferences can shape a lengthy renovation. The report does not provide construction costs, energy performance data or an independent assessment of the home’s operation.

A 1994 House Reworked for the Desert

Grover is described in the Livingetc report as a remote community near Torrey, surrounded by expansive views, dark skies and red and white rock formations. That setting informed both the home’s color scheme and the choice of natural materials. The family sought a hybrid design rather than a strict reproduction of one architectural tradition, giving the studio several distinct influences to reconcile.

Holmberg is the owner and creative director of Salt Lake City-based Susannah Holmberg Studios. The studio’s work on this house took 2.5 years, with Holmberg telling Livingetc that its distance from services and the challenges of working with the land affected the process. The published feature focuses on the interior and design intent; it does not report a sale, a change in ownership or a public opening.

Project Costs and Performance Not Reported

Livingetc’s feature describes the design, materials and the renovation timeline, but does not state what the project cost, whether the home is used year-round or how its renovation affected energy use. The article also does not provide the family’s or studio’s assessment of long-term maintenance in the remote location. Those details cannot be established from the published source.

The headline’s comparison to a boutique hotel is an editorial characterization, not a reported hospitality use or a measured assessment. The available information identifies the property as a family home; it does not say that it operates as a hotel or is available for public stays.

No Further Milestone Announced

The source material describes the renovation as completed and does not identify a scheduled next phase, public tour or further announcement. The immediate development is Livingetc’s publication of the design feature, which documents the finished interiors and Holmberg’s account of the project.

Any future information about the home’s use, costs or performance would need to come from the family, the studio or additional reporting. For now, the confirmed details remain the location, clients, design team, stated influences and reported 2.5-year renovation period.

Key Questions

Where is the home?

The 7,000-square-foot home is in Grover, Utah, near Torrey, in the state’s high-desert region.

Who designed the renovation?

The renovation was designed by Susannah Holmberg Studios, led by owner and creative director Susannah Holmberg.

How long did the project take?

Holmberg told Livingetc that the project took 2.5 years to complete.

What design influences shaped the house?

The clients asked for a mix of contemporary Australian design, 1970s-era mountain homes and classic ranch style. The interiors also draw on the surrounding landscape’s warm rock tones and natural materials.

Is the property a hotel or open to guests?

The Livingetc report identifies it as a family home for the Jolley family. It does not say that the property operates as a hotel or is open for public stays.

Source: rss