Ellen Ruby Blog's: Built Into the Red Rock, This Moab Masterpiece Is a Must-See

Wednesday, 2 September 2020

Built Into the Red Rock, This Moab Masterpiece Is a Must-See

Many homes claim to bring the outdoors in, but this home in Moab, UT, really delivers on the promise.

Several walls, benches, and bedframes inside the 7,363-square-foot home on South Navajo Heights are built into the surrounding rock. The 6.5-acre spread, full of rock accents, is on the market for $3.25 million.

“On the first level of the home, one side at least is rock. When you walk into the living room and behind the piano, that is rock from the outdoors,” says the homeowner, Roxanne Whitbeck.

“You can see the vertical lines going down, and that is the drilling from years ago, when they built it out.”

The home was built in 1995, with an indoor pool and what Whitbeck dubbed a “strange” layout. She and her husband, Peter, bought the home in 2014, when they moved from San Francisco to be closer to their grandchildren.

“We came up here and said: ‘This home and lot have the most gorgeous view in all of Moab,’” she says.

However, work was in order to make the home complement its beautiful surroundings.

“We completely gutted the home in order to create a more contemporary-type home,” Whitbeck says. “We opened up rooms, we took out the swimming pool, we raised the roofline, we added bedrooms and bathrooms, and an additional family room.”

Exterior of the home in Moab, UT
Les Vierra

The result of their project is simply spectacular.

“When we remodeled upstairs in the family room, that’s actually sitting on top of rock face. The same goes for the bedrooms,” Whitbeck says.

“We raised the roofline, and the rock was already there, but it was very hard to see in there, because the roofline came down severely. When we raised it, we said: ‘Oh my gosh, there’s rock back in there.’ So, we decided to make use of that.”

The result are beds that sit on top of rock formations in two bedrooms on that side of the house.

“Sleeping on top of red rock is pretty cool,” Whitbeck says, adding that the rock holds heat in the winter and cools things down in the summer.

The family room has banquette-type seating that is actually rock.

The house has a total of five bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms, including an in-law suite with a separate entrance and its own sandstone wall.

In the in-law suite, a lofted bedroom overlooks the living space.

The master bedroom sits in its own wing and has a large bath, closet, and private deck.

When remodeling the house, the Whitbecks added plenty of deck space where you can sit outside and admire the views.

“The house had no deck other than about 6 feet on this gorgeous property, so we added deck space, we added the infinity spa, and an outdoor room,” Whitbeck says.

A gazebo, putting green, and plenty of seating finish off the space.

In the kitchen, even the pantry has its own rock wall. The granite countertops are a striking green, and all of the appliances are stainless steel from Dacor, Miele, Bosch, and Sub-Zero.

“When you stand at the sink or are preparing a meal, you’re looking out on that vast landscape of red rock formations. Talk about relaxing cooking!” Whitbeck notes.

She adds that their friends often argue about where to sit at the dining room table, so they can have the best view.

While the home has undergone a fabulous renovation, the views remain constant.

“[The land] used to be part of Arches National Park, and somehow a deal was struck, but it is open space and it cannot be built on,” Whitbeck explains. “Our backyard extends for miles, looking out on to red rock formations.”

A walnut staircase connects the two floors and draws attention but does not steal the scene.

Visitors are flabbergasted, she says: “The first reaction is always, ’Oh my gosh, this view!’”

The home is private and sits about 15 minutes from the town of Moab. It is part of the Navajo Heights private and gated community, with 11 home sites near the Moab Golf Club.

A three-car garage with a lofted storage area can hold all the cars and toys you choose.

“The perfect buyer is someone who does enjoy the outdoors. Whether it’s someone who comes just because they love the beauty of the outdoors, or they are a sports enthusiast,” Whitbeck says.

Moab is known for mountain biking, hiking, rock climbing, river rafting, and the National Parks nearby.

The Whitbecks love the home, but are selling it for a good reason.

“The grandkids are the reason we moved to Utah in the first place. We thought we would be close enough to them,” she says.

However, they’re three hours away, and it turns out that that’s not close enough.

“It took a lot of soul-searching, I can tell you. We built our dream house and absolutely love it, but there’s nothing better than three little boys throwing their arms around your neck.”

The post Built Into the Red Rock, This Moab Masterpiece Is a Must-See appeared first on Real Estate News & Insights | realtor.com®.

source https://www.realtor.com/news/unique-homes/built-into-red-rock-moab-masterpiece/

Ellen Ruby Blog's

Wednesday, 2 September 2020

Built Into the Red Rock, This Moab Masterpiece Is a Must-See

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