How a Simple Question Turned into a Park City Ski House 16 Years Later
A heart connection precipitates the building of a mountain house in the making for 16 years

“There’s something about white sofas matched with the hearty fireplace that takes your breath away,” says designer Suzanne McAleer. The nearby pleated leather Thatcher bench from Interlude Home is one of her favorite pieces in the residence. | Photo: Lindsay Salazar
After their dance ended in a Cincinnati bar nearly two decades ago, Rick Roeding asked his blind date, Cindy, where she saw herself in retirement. “’Ski house or beach house?’ he asked me,” says Cindy Roeding. “I said ski house, and we shared a big hug.” “It was the question that brought them together, led them to getting married, and then designing their Park City mountain home 16 years later,” says designer Suzanne McAleer, whom the Roedings chose to merge their two wish lists into one cohesive home design. Luxury homebuilder Cameo Homes introduced both McAleer and architect Andrew Daigle of interFUSE Architects to the homeowners, and the collaborative team set out to make a long-held dream a reality. “The team works incredibly well together. We can’t point out one moment when we doubted a single choice by any of them,” say the Roedings.

An arrangement of white Visual Comfort pendants and custom range hood invites a mountain view beyond the window. “It is an artistic moment, especially in the glow of night,” says McAleer. Integrated window shades disappear into the ceiling beam when not in use. | Photo: Lindsay Salazar
The Roedings didn’t agree as quickly on the design details as they did about courtship and marriage. “Rick wanted a true mountain home with organic elements while Cindy requested luxurious, glamorous details,” says McAleer. “My job was to make both homeowners feel they got their dream home by balancing the two styles. We did not follow the ‘rules’ of a mountain home.” Dramatic moments harmonize with natural architectural elements to achieve a look on which the Roedings agree. The kitchen is a perfect example of this blending of styles. The eyes are drawn to a sweeping mountain view from the large picture window over the range, interrupted only by a vented hood and its striking aluminum banding. The scene is framed by a trio of pendants hung artistically at varying heights and offset by organic elements such as wooden ceiling beams, custom stained oak cabinetry and flooring, a brick-look backsplash and leathered black granite counter- tops. “It was a leap of faith for the homeowners to trust that a range hood in front of the window was the way to go, but the livability works,” says Daigle. “There’s a conversation going on between the hood and light pendants.”

The Roedings enjoy sitting in these “super comfortable” Century chairs upholstered in a deep green performance velvet as they watch the golfers and hawks outside the great room’s large windows that overlook both the golf course and the mountains. | Photo: Lindsay Salazar
Luxe details continue in the great room with a matching set of curved white sofas and a Hermes silk throw. Genuine zebra-hide ottomans snuggle up to a gray stone fireplace under custom-stained ceiling planks to incorporate a bit of an elemental feel. Performance fabric on all the furnishings provides comfortable livability for a blended family full of children and grandchildren. “Suzanne chose an amazing accent wallpaper with a natural look. It looks like bark on a tree but with a hint of gold, which helps bring out the beauty of the contemporary furniture but also the stone fireplace,” Cindy says.

Century Furniture chairs covered in a mauve Pollack performance velvet add a graceful touch to the dining room filled with stone, wood and steel. | Photo: Lindsay Salazar
Not to be outdone, the dining room features graceful dining chairs and sculptural pendant lighting mixed with organically pleasing wood columns and ceiling beams wrapped with black steel brackets. McAleer partnered with a local cabinetry shop to custom design the walnut dining table with beveled-edge detailing, representing a next-level touch of luxury. “True luxury should feel a little bit reckless, that’s what makes it so exhilarating,” she says. “When you incorporate a little self-indulgence into a space, suddenly it’s not just a room anymore, it’s an experience you long to share.”

A freestanding Signature Hardware tub and Rohl tub filler add relaxation and functionality while black lacquer built in cabinetry injects a dose of glam in the primary bathroom. | Photo: Lindsay Salazar
An elegant primary suite features dramatic black tile and marble in the bathroom that contrasts with polished nickel fixtures. A boutique-style walk-in closet with black lacquer cabinetry displays fashion-forward handbag and shoe collections. Today, the Roedings enjoy the best of both worlds while splitting their time between Park City and a Southeastern beach home. From that first question many years ago, it’s a full-circle moment for them.
BRINGING LUXURY TO LIFE
Designer Suzanne McAleer advises clients on incorporating luxurious touches into their homes. “Find a designer that shares your personal aesthetic and give them creative carte blanche. You’re hiring them for their fresh perspective, which often requires stepping out of your comfort zone,” she says.
CREATE AN EXPERIENCE
Appeal to the senses—the sheen of a lacquer cabinet or the softness of a mohair pillow. “Invest in key pieces that in the moment might feel like a splurge, but they will keep giving back.”
CHALLENGE THE CONVENTIONAL
“Fortune favors the bold,” McAleer says. Hang pendants at different heights, install an opulent wallcovering in the powder room, or paint the guest room a dark, dramatic color. BE AN EXHIBITIONIST Love your Birkin handbag? Create a display case in your closet. “Designing around prized possessions is the ultimate form of self-expression,” she says.
PROTECT THE INVESTMENT
Upholster custom furniture in performance fabrics or leathers that can be easily wiped clean, and apply fabric protector to other textiles to prevent them from staining. “Don’t let accidental spills become indelible memories. Living in constant fear robs you of living in the moment, and that is what true luxury is all about.”

Elegant details such as the sumptuous velvet-covered Vanguard Furniture bed, heavy black marble lamp, and Holly Hunt champagne vinyl wallcovering add luxury to the primary bedroom. | Photo: Lindsay Salazar
RESOURCE GUIDE
PHOTOS: LINDSAY SALAZAR, TIM BOONE
ARCHITECTURE: INTERFUSE ARCHITECTS
INTERIOR DESIGN: SUZANNE MCALEER DESIGN
CONSTRUCTION: CAMEO HOMES