WHEN TALENTED PROFESSIONALS TALK, WE LISTEN.
Admit it, you have an inquiring mind, and you want to know about the team designing your dream home. We understand the inclination. So we decided to bring you Shop Talk-conversations with the talented pros designing, building, & outfitting your homes.
Jonna Robison
Jonna Robison, Owner & Principal Designer
Jonna runs a boutique interior design studio in northern Utah. She is known for creating organic, earthy interiors that blur the boundaries between the spaces within a home and the beautiful surrounding landscape. Layered textures, a nature-inspired color palette, interesting textiles, and unique artisanal objets d’art personally handpicked from across the globe define her design aesthetic.
What services do you offer?
I offer full-service interior design services from the ground-up all the way through to turnkey. I love working with architects to fine-tune the spaces in the earliest stages so the vision is aligned. I work with artists and galleries to source or commission fine art that either serves as the beginning inspiration for a space or perfectly rounds out a completed room.
What geographic area do you serve?
Most of my work is in the Park City and surrounding areas in the Wasatch back, but I happily work anywhere in the world.
What is your professional background?
Upon graduating with a BA in Interior Design, I worked for a British designer in the Berkshires of western Massachusetts before moving to Asia with my husband and subsequent family for the following 18+ years. There, I researched antiques and textiles, traveling all over the world, collecting and honing my eye. Shortly after returning to the U.S., I launched my design studio.
When did you know that you wanted to be a designer?
My interest in interior design started at an early age. As a little girl, I created floor plans in the driveway with rocks and pebbles. I was intrigued by space planning quite early on and loved making my childhood home beautiful, always rearranging and decorating. I spent many hours drawing cozy interiors as a child.
What inspires you?
Nature. When I’m hiking on a trail I observe color palettes and textural inspiration. Design ideas even come from shapes of ice in a frozen stream, sparking possibilities for blown or cast glass for custom light fixtures. I am also deeply inspired by travel. Culture, artisans, and design aesthetics in other parts of the globe impact my creativity and approach to design.
I’m a textile enthusiast and I have amassed quite a collection of antique, vintage, and newly woven textiles from around the world. If the architecture is comprised of stone, metal, glass, and wood, I like to soften the hard surfaces with textures such as leather, nubby linen, and thick wool rugs.
––Jonna Robison
How do you see design changing in the next five to ten years?
There is a greater interest in creating spaces for personal wellness, including sauna, cold plunge, and home spas. I believe that making a sanctuary for wellbeing at home will become a priority for many.
What project are you most excited about right now?
I am currently working on a mountain home in Victory Ranch with incredible views for a family from Chicago. It is a new build and we are incorporating some fabulous elements that we are excited to see come together.
What other specialties do you have in-house?
I am passionate about mixed media and photography and I sometimes put my own artistic touch into my projects. I recently found a gorgeous elk rack at an antique shop on an ugly wood mount. I had a contemporary metal mount made for it and painted the antlers to accent a bunk room in a mountainside home. I have a travel and lifestyle brand called The Loaded Trunk. Along with heaps of travel intel, I source unique artisan-made items from across the globe for my clients, including textiles, pottery, and antiques. I am hoping to open an online shop soon.
Do you have favorite materials, fabrics, patterns, or design principles or style you prefer or are known for?
I’m a textile enthusiast and I have amassed quite a collection of antique, vintage, and newly woven textiles from around the world. If the architecture is comprised of stone, metal, glass, and wood, I like to soften the hard surfaces with textures such as leather, nubby linen, and thick wool rugs.
What music do you listen to when you work?
Lately I’ve been loving my ‘70s playlist. It’s just such great, classic music. And when I need to feel grounded, Celtic music transports me to Ireland and soothes away any stress.
What places in the world do you find most inspirational?
I’ve been very influenced by English design recently—the layered cacophony of prints, hues, and quirky bits, as well as cozy charm and comfort. I’d love to do a project in the mountains where I translate this inspiration to an earthy palette. I recently spent time in Mexico, which inspired me to incorporate more bold color in my projects. In Morocco, I love handpicking thick, vintage wool rugs that were handwoven by women in the Atlas Mountains, each one having a unique story. I am heading to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan soon, where I will focus on textiles, art, and architecture of the Silk Road. I look forward to sourcing some wonderful treasures for my clients. I truly derive inspiration from all over the world.
Favorite season?
Definitely autumn. The changing colors, the scent of fallen leaves and woodsmoke, and the crisp air. The coziness of autumn nurtures my soul.
What do you enjoy most about living and working where you do?
Since moving to Utah ten years ago and being surrounded by these picturesque mountain peaks, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I pinch myself that I can be hiking in such majestic beauty minutes from my home. And I am grateful to live somewhere I can experience all four seasons, especially after several years of equatorial living in one climate: heat and humidity.
Favorite trip you’ve ever taken?
This is difficult to narrow down since I seem to love everywhere I go. My most memorable trips have been family adventures in Myanmar, Morocco, and Indonesia. Portugal was an epic injection of design inspiration.
CF Architects
Carmen Finegan, Principal, AIA, NCARB
CF Architects is a full-service architecture studio in Ketchum, Idaho, focused on contemporary architecture and specific high-quality design opportunities. The firm dedicates itself to a small number of clients and provides them with the highest level of detail and attention. They believe better results are achieved when each project is personalized. CF Architects is completely obsessed with every detail when helping a client design and build the home of their dreams.
Carmen finds joy in solving architectural problems with striking solutions, often pushing boundaries while never sacrificing function. Sensitivity to the context and the environment is her top priority. Symmetry, proportions, human scale, clean lines, and simple forms are a constant in all her projects.
What services do you offer?
We offer full architectural and design services. We enjoy designing custom cabinetry and specialize in high-end product procurement.
What other specialties do you have in-house?
In addition to architectural services, we are a distributor for Paola Lenti. Paola Lenti is an Italian furniture brand specializing in custom textiles and artisanship. The line offers vibrant statement pieces as well as elegant accents that enhance both indoor and outdoor spaces.
Park City’s architecture blends indoor and outdoor living, and Paola Lenti’s pieces fit seamlessly into this lifestyle. When we were first introduced to the line, we immediately connected with it; we admired their artistry and knew the brand would give us the ability to infuse our projects with a burst of energy and vitality.
What projects are you most proud of?
I am most proud of my remodels. They present me with some of the greatest challenges and I derive so much satisfaction from completing them. My remodels add immense value to homes, not just for the homeowners while they live in them but also in the resale market when it comes time to sell. Designing a new home from scratch is an accomplishment, and creating a great home during a remodel of what oftentimes is a very compromised existing structure lends itself to exceptional and exciting results.
Describe the process: how do you work with clients, contractors, and interior designers?
I confess, I don’t have a script or a strict process that I follow. All projects are unique and evolve at different rates, but in general, it all starts with that first meeting where a relationship is born and trust is established. From there, it’s all magic!
Communication is key to the success of any project, and I keep the clients, contractors, and consultants very connected and involved by designing all projects in 3D. This software allows us to work as a team with engineers and consultants. Being able to work on the same files means that we produce a very comprehensive 3D model with the necessary 2D information accessible to all.
My designs have clean lines and a strong link between form and function – and an even stronger relation between indoors and outdoors.
–Carmen Finegan
Is there a style you are known for?
I gravitate toward a contemporary aesthetic. My designs have clean lines and a strong link between form and function – and an even stronger relation between indoors and outdoors. My homes are composed of simple forms that aim to have a calming effect. They are minimalistic in nature, but have a good dose of personality and color.
What do you enjoy most about designing houses?
I enjoy the process of getting to know my clients and discovering what makes their lives more complete and happy. In addition to building relationships with them, I enjoy using architecture and selecting furnishings that they will respond to and that will enhance these feelings in their homes.
What geographical areas do you serve?
I’m a licensed architect in Idaho and much of our work is local. However, we do work in other states and collaborate with different architects and designers from different states. As far as Paola Lenti, we serve the entire Mountain West region.
If you weren’t an architect, what would you be doing?
If I wasn’t an architect, I would be a Nordic ski racer. I am convinced that if I had been born in Sweden, I would have been racing every season side by side with Jessie Diggins.
What do you enjoy most about living and working in Ketchum?
Living and working in Ketchum is like being on a big playground. Living minutes away from home, office, and trails at all times is something I wouldn’t trade for anything.
