Meet the resident interior designer of Hart Crossing.
When Melanie Schiemer signed on as the resident interior designer for Hart Crossing, she did so with a sparkle in her eyes. It was the first time in her career that she joined a master-planned community early enough to influence the architectural design.
“I was given so much more freedom, reviewing every aspect of the community with the Hart Crossing team,” says Melanie. “It was a real opportunity for us to create beautiful spaces that feel mentally and aesthetically pleasing.”
Her eye for design can be found throughout every home. Sometimes she suggested changes to the general plan, asking if it was possible for more natural light, more open spaces, more storage, and architectural symmetry. Other times, Melanie addressed function over form: asking that fireplaces serve as a focal point or expanding the walkway between kitchen cabinets and the central island. The architect was excited to bring these ideas into his vision.
“We don’t always think about it, but the spaces we live in impact our lives in so many ways,” says Melanie. “They can confine us and add to our daily stress, or they can help us feel relaxed, comfortable, and confident in everything we do. At Hart Crossing, the architect and I felt it was important to let this beautiful location inform the lifestyle people want to find here.”
The outcome is a collection of homes that strives to balance high-end, modern living with the natural beauty of a preservation subdivision. And by working with a resident designer, homebuyers can personalize many elements of their homes — choosing from six curated design palettes that are more commonly associated with custom homes.
“Clean lines, natural finishes, modern conveniences, and contemporary lighting all work together to create something that feels traditional and timeless,” says Melanie. “This is the place you escape to after work — enjoying the drive past manicured lawns and beautiful gardens — or, if you work from home, immediately unwind with a brief walk around the park.”
According to Melanie, it’s easy for the Hart Crossing team to imagine what kinds of memories people will make at Hart Crossing because every team member lives in Kamas Valley. They know the area, and many grew up here. They shop at the same stores. They attend the same schools. They all embrace a new American lifestyle — work hard and play harder.
“Most of us are very tech-savvy and work in the digital world as much as the physical world,” explained Melanie. “But that’s what drives our sense of adventure too. People pick Kamas Valley because it’s close to urban centers like Park City and Salt Lake City, but they also choose to live here because the Uinta Mountains and Wasatch National Forest are in our backyard. People work, play, hunt, ski, boat, fish, off-road, hike, climb, or camp here. Why else would every home have an additional RV garage?”
Melanie defines it as the next iteration of modern living — urban comfort in summit country. It also marks the next iteration of her career.
“I founded Schiemer Design Studio with my husband a few years ago,” she says. “He is a well-known graphic designer, and I had experience remodeling high-end rentals and custom homes. Then our studio took off when I was hired to curate the design center at High Star Ranch and work with buyers to finish their luxurious homes.”
Melanie says that High Star Ranch was the high point of her career until accepting the position at Hart Crossing. What makes Hart Crossing so unique, in her opinion, is the builder’s decision to make the dream of owning a semi-custom home accessible to more people in a preservation subdivision.
Less than 70 homes will make up this exclusive community surrounded by rich farmland and natural conservation areas. Many people are already calling Hart Crossing an American enclave, nestled in Kamas Valley and surrounded by the rolling foothills of the Uinta Mountains.
