You don’t simply enter The Preserve—you arrive.
The experience begins at the threshold, where the sound of a cascading waterfall sets a softer tone the instant you step inside. Before you’ve taken into a single room, something feels different. You slow down as the outside world falls away, captivated by a space that feels removed from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
This sense of arrival is intentional. For Julie Bargowski, principal designer and project manager at Aude Design, a home should do more than function beautifully—it should take you somewhere new. At The Preserve, “You’re transported upon arrival and truly feel as if you are living in your own special, private space,” Bargowski explains.
That belief is a distillation of the firm’s guiding ethos: dare to live by your own design. At The Preserve, that dare means letting go of the expected visual language often associated with Park City homes and instead creating a place that feels personal, layered, and timeless. It’s a sanctuary defined by feeling rather than formula.
The soothing sounds and shifting views of the water feature continue to shape the experience throughout the home. Several spaces in the main residence and the sleeping quarters are connected by an indoor “zen walkway,” with the waterfall flowing directly below. From there, every turn is another moment of discovery, filled with details designed to delight.
Harmonizing Nature, Tradition, and Contemporary Living
Set on a 10-acre parcel with sweeping views and frequent wildlife sightings, The Preserve draws deeply from its surroundings—just not in literal ways. Rather than mirroring the landscape outright, the design highlights and interprets it.
Throughout the home, expansive steel-framed windows frame the landscape without turning it into a backdrop. Sight lines were carefully prioritized so nearly every room maintains a visual connection to the outdoors. Light shifts across stone walls. Greenery reflects softly in glass. Inside and out feel quietly linked.
“My favorite projects are those that draw inspiration from the surrounding environment without being too explicit or obvious,” Bargowski says. “The color palette was drawn directly from a collection of native plants and tree branches arranged into a floral display that sat in my office for four years. Every aspect of the home harmonizes with the colors in that bouquet, from stone and wood selections to textiles and finishes.”
That harmony between colors, materials, and the surrounding landscape creates a natural sense of flow throughout the home. The environment is always present but never overpowering. “We were careful to ensure there were welcoming spaces to sit, observe, and appreciate the wildlife and views,” she explains.
Inside, traditional elements are layered with modern lines, materials, and amenities, unified by a cohesive approach to color, form, and complementary eras. The goal was to create a home that wouldn’t feel like it was “built yesterday,” but instead one that would continue to evolve and age gracefully over time.
That philosophy extends to how Bargowski approaches existing architecture and furnishings as well. Aude Design often works with pieces that might initially feel outdated or out of context, embracing—and even highlighting—what makes them distinctive. One of the most rewarding, and challenging, aspects of the process Bargowski notes is working with heritage pieces and unique architectural forms.
The Background of Aude Design
Bargowski’s design sensibility was shaped long before Aude Design existed. It began at home, and was nurtured by a mother who “could make a shoebox feel like a penthouse,” instilling an early appreciation for craftsmanship, texture, and thoughtful detail.
That foundation expanded through experience. An innate pull toward textiles led Bargowski to study in China, which left a lasting impression. Back in the U.S., her nomadic path eventually led to Chicago, where she spent years designing her own boutique pastry and coffee shops, eventually expanding into a consultancy focused on designing corporate cafes and retail spaces.
After selling her Chicago business and relocating her family to Utah, Bargowski began applying that layered, experiential approach to residential design. With her children now in college, she’s had time to make Aude Design a fully realized practice. Her unique aesthetic is informed by lived experience rather than a single, linear path.
That depth is further shaped by Bargowski’s identity as a Utah native of Ute heritage. “I feel like I am honoring the past and pulling it forward for future generations to reflect upon,” she says. That belief quietly but consistently informs her work.
This perspective comes through vividly in the artwork at The Preserve. A custom mural painted by local artist Anna Nizhoni in a guest bathroom depicts native grasses, landscapes, and birdlife. It’s a moment of discovery deeply rooted in celebrating place and personal touches.
Elsewhere, the same care is evident throughout the home. Original works from several local artists—from native photography and ski paintings to nature photos and drawings appear alongside custom marble vessels and mosaics. Every detail reflects close collaboration with local trades and artisans and adds another layer to the home’s story.
The Collaborative Process
Aude Design approaches collaboration at every stage with the same rigor as aesthetics. While interior design is often viewed as an added expense, Bargowski sees it as an essential role—one that increasingly acts as a liaison between architects, builders, and trades that ultimately helps save time and money.
Each Aude project follows a structured 15-step management strategy, supported by 24/7 access to a customized online client portal for communication, selections, timelines, and billing. Service offerings range from hourly consultation packages to full remodels and new-build consultations—all tailored to meet clients where they are.
Bargowski begins each project with understanding the client’s tastes. She brings a keen eye for blending the old and the new to make every space feel deeply personal. “Once a client is under contract, we spend time exploring their current inventory of pieces and their vision for their home. We explore what they want to see in color and form in their living space, combine that with the architecture, and then merge them into a tangible plan,” she says.
Spaces like the kitchen illustrate that coordination in action. Custom cabinetry, substantial stone countertops, and sculptural lighting work seamlessly together, creating a room that feels both hardworking and expressive.
Functional Daring
At The Preserve, function is never an afterthought—it’s an opportunity.
One of the home’s most distinctive features is the indoor-outdoor studio, a flexible space that shifts with the seasons. In winter, it serves as a ski room and plant-filled retreat. In summer, doors open fully, transforming it into a covered gathering space adjacent to the pickleball and basketball courts. “It’s a perfect studio for hosting a gathering, grooming pets, or working on an art project,” Bargowski notes.
That same flexibility carries through the interiors. Seating is generous and inviting, arranged to encourage conversation or quiet observation. Upholstery feels plush and welcoming, not formal, while vintage and contemporary pieces sit comfortably side by side.
In one sitting area, a gallery wall of collected artwork overlooks a small round table and mixed chairs—more European salon than mountain lodge. Elsewhere, curved sofas soften large-scale rooms, reinforcing the idea that comfort and character don’t have to be mutually exclusive.
Bargowski’s advice for homeowners navigating similar juxtapositions is refreshingly simple. “Dare to show the items that you love, even if they are not on trend. If you have two items you love, you can often find a third that ties them together.” Color, shape, and function become the bridge that turns personal preference into a cohesive story.
A Lasting Impression
The goal at The Preserve was not only to make an impression but also create something lasting.
Even in the home’s quietest spaces, that intention holds. Bathrooms feel spa-like without tipping into trendy clichés, softened by warm metals, luxurious stone, and views that pull the outdoors in. In the primary bedroom, a dramatic fireplace clad in boldly veined blue marble anchors the space, offset by a soaring wood ceiling and sculptural glass chandelier above.
These are spaces designed for pause and defined by a presence that will feel as vital 10 years from now as it does today.
During the Park City Showcase, visitors frequently asked when the house was built—a question Bargowski took as confirmation that the home had achieved a vintage quality. On Instagram, one comment captured visitors’ sentiments perfectly, stating “it’s a smoke show of a home.”
The enthusiasm underscored what had been clear from the start. This was never meant to be a themed mountain house or a nostalgic interpretation of place. It was designed to feel entirely of its own time and entirely personal. When one observer remarked that the home “did not belong” in Park City, Bargowski took it as a compliment. “I am proud that this home has its own personality,” she says.
Because when a home dares to reflect who you are—not what’s expected—it becomes timeless by design.
