The Truth About Design in a Growing Salt Lake
Before it Shifted
What do I really think about Salt Lake growing, and how does that affect the design industry?
This is a bit of a touchy subject, and honestly one I have more feelings about than I probably used to. I have been fortunate enough to see the design industry over the last decade firsthand and watch how it has transformed. A few shifts I am seeing in the industry are these. When I first started 11 years ago, I used to do a lot of multifamily. Think the emerging colorful townhomes you see scattered all over Utah. Yes, I was a part of that. It used to be pretty cheap quality, though. Many times, the interior design fee would be lumped into the architecture as sort of a bonus add-on. Not really that the developer cared about the interiors. It was just, can you get this LVT flooring for the cheaper price of $0.69 a foot? That was the priority. That was the level.
A Different Standard
Oh, how things are shifting. It is not really a quiet shift; I am seeing a pretty stark difference, and it feels like it happened faster than anyone expected. Now I have developers coming in from out of state wanting that high-level design. They appreciate that we are going to out-of-state design markets and sourcing new materials, bringing in new things to Utah that have not been done before. There is more curiosity, more expectation, more respect for design as a driver, not an afterthought. For example, we did these unique techy Stackz ceilings recently on an office project, and this amazing chain design that came straight out of Spain, custom-designed to match the Sugar House mountains. We found this gem a few years ago and have been begging clients to be able to use it in a project, and finally got the chance. That moment felt like proof that things are changing.
Holding Both Truths
Now let’s talk about the out-of-state designers coming in, because this is where it gets a little complicated. There are two thoughts here, and I feel both of them at the same time. First of all, sometimes it feels a bit insulting that we are not getting projects locally. Now I do not mean we as in our design studio, because most of our work is local. I mean we as in the designers of Salt Lake. I have many friends in the industry that are senior designers, design directors, etc., and I hate seeing all of the really cool hospitality projects go to firms beyond our borders. We have the local talent. We have the taste. We have the work ethic. So, I would love to see more of that stay here. That part of me feels protective, maybe even a little territorial, in the best way.
Because for many years, we were sort of seen as a laughing stock outside of Utah—like literally. During my internship in 2014, I was a design intern at a high-end firm in New York City. I told someone where I was from, and they literally laughed in my face! But now, people are looking at Utah, and we are on the map. They see we are gearing up for the Olympics, and we did it once before. Our people are hardworking, innovative, and killer entrepreneurs. There must be something in our spring mountain water here, but I think it runs deeper. We are scrappy. In some ways, it really is the Wild West. When we see a problem, we figure it out. There is not a lot of hand-holding; we just make it happen. I think it runs deep in our blood. I think about my ancestors crossing the plains, the stories I would grow up hearing about how they did not have a lot, but they still settled the Salt Lake Valley. They were told it would not be a space that could be settled, yet they were able to settle a place out of nothing. Like our diverse and unique landscapes, that energy is still here. That is the part people from the outside cannot always see right away.
Where it’s Headed
Now here is the other thread, and this is just as true. Utahns are also good sports—like really good sports. We should win a gold medal for our sportsmanship. Sometimes too polite and accommodating, really. We want to welcome outside firms because that is also in our roots. Utah welcomes. We open the door. We make room. And honestly, that is part of why this place is growing the way it is.
So I sit somewhere in the middle. I want more of the work to stay local because I know what we are capable of. I know the level of talent here. But I also understand that the attention from outside firms means something bigger is happening. The train is not stopping anytime soon.
Whether the projects come from here or beyond, we will be there —at the front of the line.
Ready to design cool spaces.
Ready to be creative.
Ready to show up, just in our Eden & Co. way.
XOXO,
Eden