Energetics of Design
with BECK & ENGLE
written by Cassidy Mantor
photos by Laura Bruschke
“Our work is about understanding people, feeling their spaces, and the energetic basis of their lifestyle.”
–Amanda Engle, Principal, Beck & Engle
Interior design is frequently labeled as “organic” and “holistic,” but with influences such as cellular respiration, the human body, and the study of matter, Park City-based Beck & Engle truly does balance the art and science of design. Their unique point of view results in beautiful and functional spaces that energetically align clients with the potential of their homes. “Our work is about understanding people, feeling their spaces, and the energetic basis of their lifestyle,” says Amanda Engle.
Principals Stacey Beck and Amanda Engle are co-creators with their clients. They are involved early in the process and serve as guides who connect their clients to materials that resonate. Their work is precise and intentional and builds on pathways found in nature that connect the body and mind of an individual to their greater environment. That intuitive energy and knowledge of one’s place in the world is sometimes relegated to the backseat in the rush of modern living. Beck & Engle’s work helps reconnect clients with the essential intelligence of life.
Beck & Engle’s creative process incorporates natural surroundings, organic materials, timeless design principles, and architectural details to bring spaces to life. From the very beginning of a project, the designers gain an understanding of how their clients will interact with their living spaces. “We seek multiple opportunities to learn about their relationships and what’s important to them so we can begin working on creating a space that feels right,” Amanda says. “We have to understand what our clients are seeking without them necessarily showing it. In order to achieve that outcome, we have to connect on a really intimate level.”
The firm provides clients with an organized, stress-free process from the initial client meeting through to the final installation. They work directly with builders, contractors, and architects to ensure a smooth process that is custom-tailored to each client’s exact specifications. A client whose mountain modern home was recently finished says, “Stacey and Amanda were born to do what they are doing: creating beautiful homes in equally inspiring dramatic landscapes. They dream like artists, but they manage like CFOs.” Concise documentation, open communication, and clear specifications are central to their seamless client experience.
“We honor the main properties of design – proportion and scale,” Stacey shares. “Stylistically, you can bring anything together using those cornerstone aspects of design when they are balanced and considered in an organized fashion.” She adds, “Communication is integral to a well-executed design. We draw and specify our concepts so everyone from clients to trade partners have a clear understanding of what we intend to achieve.”
Stacey and Amanda met years ago when they worked together. Their similar personalities and appreciation for one another’s ability to fluently move from creative thought to project management to keep jobs on track naturally evolved into building their business together. Founded on trust, solid communication, and mutual respect for each other’s impeccable design, Beck & Engle was born.
“Stacey and Amanda were born to do what they are doing: creating beautiful homes in equally inspiring dramatic landscapes. They dream like artists, but they manage like CFOs.”
–Client, Beck & Engle
The firm values sincerity and recognizes that the interior design process can be overwhelming, so they do their best to foster curiosity and creativity wherever possible. “We know that trust is an important component to design, and our experience and confidence enable us to shoulder the work so our clients can enjoy the process and know they’ve been heard,” they say.
Beck & Engle promotes creativity in their clients while exacting a flawless process from start to finish. They constantly strive to expand clients’ understanding of how the energetics of their space affect the living experience. They address pointed scientific questions such as the impact that different types of lighting will have during various times of the day – like whether drapes might be needed to darken a room for a better sleep cycle or which faucet should be the one to have a reverse osmosis water filter and how to route the harmful byproduct “dirty water” and accompanying electromagnetic fields (EMFs) to minimize the impact they may have on their client’s health.
When asked about the similarities between the hard sciences and interior design, Amanda draws the parallel that both practices involve a scientific method that leads to discovery. “There are multiple ways to go about solving a problem, and we have to constantly work at it to align the multiple energies of people we’re working with, their thought patterns and relationships. Design has unlimited possibilities and custom homes offer the stimulation we seek,” she says. Every project is different and reflects how each individual client is unique, and they welcome the innate challenge that comes with the variety of their work. That range reaches multiple geographic locations as well as the aesthetic and kinesthetic preferences of their clients.
“We know that trust is an important component to design, and our experience and confidence enable us to shoulder the work so our clients can enjoy the process and know they’ve been heard.”
–Beck & Engle
Co-creating homes…
While many of Beck & Engle’s projects are in Park City and Salt Lake City, the team also travels extensively for their clients. The firm is working on homes in Napa and Nashville for repeat clients whose Park City homes they had first designed. “These are their primary residences,” Stacey shares, adding that it is rewarding to work with clients on spaces they will use every day. The different architectural styles of these regions are also refreshing and spark creativity as they deviate from the omnipresent mountain modern perspective in Park City.
Closer to home, Beck & Engle share their work on a new build in Promontory that was designed for entertaining in style. This project highlights a lower bar that sits opposite a brass theater bar on the same level. Plaster walls are encapsulated with a recessed light channel running around the entire space.
“The bar is probably the best part of the home,” Amanda shares. The team selected Crystallo Antiqua countertops and incorporated custom-made shelving. A bronze sink by Rocky Mountain Hardware and a faucet by Waterworks contribute to the eye-catching space, and delicate pendants by Allied Maker adorn it. Beck & Engle lit the countertops from below, a decision that adds another layer of dramatic impact to a tastefully elegant space.
In another project, Beck & Engle revitalized a powder room with layers of subtle details that result in an ornate space that is equally as comfortable as it is stunning. Prior to their touch, the room had a rust-orange glass wall tile along with a cream vanity. The team of designers agree that the old décor was terrible and the space was screaming for help.
To give it that help, Beck & Engle custom-fabricated a stone base to pair with the new wall stone tile. “This client has always gravitated toward cool neutrals,” Stacey shares. The only element they kept from the previous design was the wall faucet, which became a source of inspiration that guided their sink selection. They also added a silk wallcovering above. “Being that it was the powder, we had to make it fantastic,” Stacey adds.
Beck & Engle’s versatility is also seen in a modern home with organic materials and textures. “Texture was crucial in light of the architectural finishes,” Amanda shares. Since the master bedroom was very neutral, the designers created contrast using texture. Stacey explains, “We wanted to create depth while also maintaining an awareness of light in the master bedroom – you can see this in the details such as the rug.”
The team worked even more deeply with the home’s sensory experience in the breakfast nook. A rock from southern Utah is a dynamic piece of wall art. Amanda adds that a bit of lichen still inhabits the rock, bringing even more life to the space. Like all of Beck & Engle’s designs, the home is livable and energetically purposeful. Whether one desires a transitional or modern space, Beck & Engle will balance the environment with good design, resulting in an artful expression that is functional and elegant.
“We honor the main properties of design – proportion and scale. Stylistically, you can bring anything together using those cornerstone aspects of design when they are balanced and considered in an organized fashion.”
–Stacey Beck, Principal, Beck & Engle
