Solstice Design Studio

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Solstice Design Studio

Multidisciplinary architecture firm shaping homes + community-rooted spaces - from concept to construction. Rooted in UT & OH. Working nationwide.

09/24/2026

Main floor bathroom updates for a Salt Lake City Avenues project.

The laundry is moving to the main level bathroom from the basement. The current set up is not optimal for how the owners live in their home - an undersized doorway, tight dark quarters, tucked into the far back corner of the basement. Moving the laundry upstairs is pretty easy "yes" for this home. The solution: main floor bathroom relocation and tucking the washer and dryer machines beneath a clothes folding counter + curtain that hides them when nobody wants to look at them.

The material story here is deep plum walls, antiqued brass fixtures. The shower walls and floor juxtapose this moodiness with bright marble in two patterns: a patterned tile that reads almost like pressed lily pad leaves against the white and a classic 1.25" penny.

Color, value, lines, shapes, texture and pattern doing the work of both function and feel in the same room.

This project is currently in the Construction Documents phase.

Architect and Design Solstice Design Studio
Structural Engineer
Builder .mackin

09/22/2026

Rammed earth is back in the (building + finish material) rotation at Solstice.

Recently we began building mockup samples similar to the three shown here for our LOCUS project. We are exploring ramders for columns at the entry elevation, and as the base of a TV hideaway wall to be paired with warm wood paneling.

The pigment we are chasing is inspired by acid mine drainage, and yes, we mean that literally. This project sits in the Ohio River Valley, a region shaped by more than a century of coal mining, and the runoff from the abandoned mines still colors the local waterways.

In Athens County, a group called True Pigments has spent years turning that same runoff into usable pigment, treating the water at Sunday Creek and pulling iron oxide out of it to make colors like brown ochre, rusty red and earth violet.

We are working to draw from this palette and the area's history for this round of rammed earth, which is its own kind of material experimentation, pollution turned into pigment turned into a wall.

Architecture, design, build Solstice Design Studio

09/17/2026

This project adds a two story volume to the existing structure of a 1920's unreinforced masonry bungalow in Sugarhouse, Utah.

We are expanding the kitchen and living space, adding a mudroom, office and full bathroom at grade and adding a private primary suite on the second level.

Much of the challenge with an addition like this is contextual. Add to a hundred+ year old house and it either reads as an afterthought or it reads as "an addition," a new thing bolted onto an old one with nothing tying the two together.

The goal was to design the massing, materiality and detail language to feel like it compliments the existing, but not necessarily match it.

A few of our favorite moves in these spaces: built in storage + media millwork in the living room, quartersawn and riftsawn white oak flooring throughout that ties into the original hardwoods again without trying to match them exactly, and expansive glass doors in the living room that lead to the covered outdoor space and backyard.

Construction starts this fall!

Architecture and design Solstice Design Studio
Structural engineer
Builder Nomad

09/16/2026

Early design days are some of our favorite kind of work - it's a little bit of the best kind messy with pens, books and trace paper everywhere. Nothing is too precious yet because nothing is decided!

Solstice principals Caroline and Shay at the studio table deep in a Schematic Design charrette for a full backyard reimagining project which includes a sleek new carport, a workshop structure, and a studio.

If you are considering starting a residential remodel, additon or new build project, make sure you work with a design team who prioritizes design first. This sets the stage for success down the line as the project moves through the design process and into construction.

Solstice Design Studio

09/15/2026

Latest round of kitchen renderings for our Avenues project.

Part of the main level scope in a multi-phase remodel of a historic home in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The kitchen is staying in its current location, but this version opens the space up and reduces the visual (and experiential) weight of the existing layout. Less upper millwork, more intentional placement of cabinetry to suit the way the owners live, a spacious island, deep millwork against rich green walls, and a light slab that plays off the abundance of natural light coming through the windows. The sliding door off the island leads out to the existing deck.

Currently in the Construction Documents phase. More to come of this project!

Architect and Design Solstice Design Studio
Structural Engineer Hazelwood Engineering
Builder T Mackin Construction

09/11/2026

Did you know we're married?

Work partners and life partners, which sounds exhausting to many people, and it can be sometimes. It also means getting to build something special with your best friend who will always give you a honest perspective when you need it.

Caroline & Shay founded Solstice together in 2020 as two people with multi-faceted design experience who absolutely geek out over good design, interesting architectural components and details, beautifully built buildings and a well-oiled operation.

Solstice loves working with couples because we understand the nuances that come with sharing a space with another person and wanting a home/space that works for everyone in it. That part of our practice is personal. We live it every day!

📸 Reilly

08/31/2026

Primary bath renderings for a remodel and addition project we've been busy working on in Salt Lake City.

We're working through the Construction Documents phase and construction is set to begin this fall.

The client came with a clear vision for many of the spaces in the home. We've been working closely with her to develop and distill it into details, drawings, finishes, fixtures and renderings. This kind of iterative, collaborative back and forth is our favorite way to work!

Terracotta floor, arched vanity niche that compliments the original existing arches in the home, warm off-white limewash paint, moody brass and neutral, textural tile . More of this project soon!

Architecture and design Solstice Design Studio
Structural engineer Hazelwood Engineering
Builder Nomad Builders

08/29/2026

Agrarian inspiration in Southeast Ohio.

Recently developed film rolls have reminded our team what a wonderful summer it has been.

Photos snapped on site or traveling to shay Caroline Wallace

08/27/2026

What actually makes architecture "good"?

Turns out it's one of the more challenging questions to answer in architecture.

Good design resolves every parameter at once: function, construction, interior, exterior, mechanical, social. None of it optional.

It doesn't stop at the building - the best examples treat the building, the street, and the town like one symphony, each part contributing to the good of the whole.

Those who choose to tackle only a few of these parameters, or focus on style alone, are doing the collective a disservice. This is often sold as a way to cut costs. The cost savings rarely hold up. It tends to cost more in the long run, and the experience is lesser for everyone.

This is the standard we hold ourselves to. It is not always easy, and it is always worth it.

www.solstice.design
[email protected]
801.558.7705

Address

299 S Main Street Ste 1300 PMB 92635
Main Street, UT
84111

Telephone

+18015587705

Website

http://www.solstice.design/

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