Utah’s vibrant scene embraces all the facets of the West and more. From clothiers and art galleries to design firms and everything in between, Utah locals put their own spin on what this U.S. Mountain West state brings to the table.
Going Local
Utah is home to some of the nation’s most beautiful mountain ranges, parks and scenery. As Cody Derrick, founder and owner of the CityHomeCOLLECTIVE in Salt Lake City, puts it, what better place to pull color palettes from than the actual landscape of Utah? With wet stone gray, pine trees and meadow green, everything can come from nearby mountains.
“I don’t know what designing would look like through my lens without coming through the lens of Utah’s mountains, it’s everything for me,” Derrick says.
CityHomeCOLLECTIVE incorporates this portrait of Utah’s beauty in all their designs and work. Even the antlers in their logo represent natural life in the state. Their designs represent “these beautiful moments in the mountains, in a warm, candle-lit cabin,” he notes.
“I realized you can’t take Utah’s mountains, lakes and greenery to London, Paris or anywhere else,” Derrick says. “I decided to do my very best to continue to stay as inspired by the actual landscape here.”
Michele Wheeler, co-owner, architect and designer of Design Collective West in Park City, emphasizes the importance of utilizing materials that are local and indigenous to build a home harmonious to its environment.
“The material palette is a really important component,” Wheeler says. “We lean heavily into earthy, organic, native materials that are local because I think that’s a really important part of designing a Utah home. We want to make that home feel like its relevant and part of the area that we’re designing for, to help the home blend into and complement the surroundings.”
Wheeler says their work is driven by the desire to complement the natural landscape, and not take away from it. Western culture through family legacy is weaved in, as they design for generations to come.
“An important specialty we offer is figuring out how to perfectly situate a functional floor plan that captures the views, works with existing topography, nestles into the natural landscape and stays in the family for generations,” Wheeler says.
In Wanship, The Lodge at Blue Sky’s boutique offers unique items that capture the aura of Utah. Local jewelers sell turquoise and equine-themed jewelry, and the boutique has Western-style clothing, hats, candles, fragrances and more.
“We feature as many local artists and brands as possible, so it offers a true sense of place,” says Jessica Cook, area director of sales and marketing. “The scents are a really amazing, hyperlocal story I want to highlight because everything from the Midway company, Scents of Wood, is made in small batches with essential oils just down the road.”
Scents of Wood designed three custom scents for Blue Sky: Sky, Earth and Creek. These reflect notes of fresh mountain air, the creek that runs through the property and the sage that you find walking outside.
Leaning into History
Utah is unique in that it has been home to populations of Native Americans, pioneers, cowboys and everyone in between, truly operating as the people’s state.
Artwork sold at Mountain Trails Gallery leans into the Native American history of the state. “We specialize in more traditional artwork, but we have something for everyone here,” says Erin Evans, director of operations. “We lean into a lot of bronze, wildlife and whimsical Western pieces. I think that’s what sets us apart, the detail that goes into the traditional work. Bronze especially is such a long process that it really is an art form in itself.”
Evans relishes the fact that most of their artists call the West home and have been with the gallery for more than 20 years. The work changes depending on what sells and what artists are focusing on, but bronze is the gallery’s big specialty.
“We’ve been in business for over 20 years, with nearly 40 different artists from all over,” confirms Evans. “We have a lot of Western work right now, with some impressionist and contemporary.”
Head a bit farther down Main Street, and you’ll find yourself in Relevant Galleries, home to many photographs by world-renowned British photographer David Yarrow.
“David Yarrow is in love with the West, so these pieces are fun, especially for our mountain homes,” says Tanya Manfrediz, fine art consultant for Relevant Galleries. “He picks these no-name towns out here, and creates a scene from there. He’s really drawn to the old Western films as well, and gets inspiration from those.”
Some of Manfrediz’s favorite Yarrow photographs include “The Quick and the Dead II” and “The Cheat,” because of the fun juxtaposition. “The Quick and the Dead II” features Montana snow, Old West streets and locals in the background adding to the authenticity of the piece. “The Cheat” features more Western characters, with fellow Brits Cara Delevingne and Gerard Butler playing a hand of poker with a wolf in between.
“Once you see his work, you will never forget it,” Manfrediz says.
Blazing a Trail
In the 1800s, thousands of pioneers made the journey to the West in search of a better life for their families. Today, nearly 200 years later, Western families are carrying on that tradition through their businesses.
“Burns 1876 has been in our family for 148 years after it was started by my great-great-grandfather,” says Braydan Shaw, sixth generation owner of Burns 1876. “It started out as a harness and blacksmith shop, then evolved from there.”
Shaw shares that his family has been promoting and selling the spirit of the West since the inception of the business. All their products, including boots, hats, silver and leather, are locally made in the small Utah farming community of Salina or neighboring towns, adding a sense of authenticity and history that’s hard to find elsewhere. Burns 1876 stores are located in Salina, Park City and Jackson Hole, Wyoming.
“We promote the spirit of the West, which to us is someone leaving their current station and seeking a better life for their family,” Shaw says. “Everyone has that story in their history, so we brand our products as a heritage product. We only focus on heirloom quality products. We don’t want anything to end up in the landfill, we want it to last lifetimes.”
In Kamas, Bolt Ranch Store also shares its Western family history with the community. Jenny Watts, owner, experienced childhood at the Pines Ranch farm that her great-grandfather owned, spending her days getting lost in the Utah land.
“Having the shop in Kamas has given us the opportunity we hoped for to be involved in the community,” Watts says. “We love it. We work every day to fill the shop with everything we love, from clothing to home goods.”
Bolt Ranch Store offers a little bit of everything you need to connect with your version of a Western lifestyle. The store features Western name brands like Wrangler and Stetson, as well as modern brands with a Western influence, such as Free People and 7 For All Mankind.
“We realize many people choose to shop online these days so if someone makes the effort to come into our shop, we want them to feel like they’ve entered an inviting space with great products and service,” Watts says.
Whatever Western means to you, there’s something for everyone in Utah that helps visitors and locals alike connect to the state’s rich culture.
