A Paradise Valley Escape by Anne Marie Barton
Rooted in warmth, texture, and a sense of quiet luxury, interior designer Anne-Marie Barton creates homes that balance refined elegance with everyday livability. From her Utah-based studio, she draws inspiration from natural materials, sculptural forms, and the interplay of light and space — a philosophy brought to life in her latest Project Camelback. Set against the dramatic landscape of Paradise Valley, the home is defined by thoughtful scale, seamless indoor-outdoor living, and a grounded atmosphere. We sat down with Anne-Marie to discuss her design journey, inspirations, and the vision behind the project.
To begin, can you share a bit about your background and what first drew you to the world of interiors?
I grew up in a family that moved eight times, and every time, my parents would build us a new home. I was always around design, architectural plans, and samples. And my car today looks just like my mom's did back then - full of samples and materials. I had no idea that's what I would do for a living, but when I had an opportunity to build my own home, being a hair naive, I felt like I could be the builder and I needed to financially. I was very attracted to the idea of finding an architect, figuring out how we could afford it, and making things beautiful. At one time, I nearly turned in my engagement ring so that I could afford a shake roof. So I've been through it - where I am today versus how I began. I was working out of my laundry room with one drawer, and today we have a team of 14 and we're loving our lives. I always look back at my parents and their courage to try hard things and learn and ask the questions. That really entranced and motivated me.
You often speak about “quiet luxury” in your projects. What does this mean to you, and how do you bring that sensibility to life in a space?
I feel quiet luxury is born out of a human's intrinsic desire for peace. I want to feel warmth in my life, and I want to feel a sense of peace the minute I walk into my home, and I want others to feel and pick up on that. I'm driven to create that quietness - still with drama and precision and elegance. The luxury portion of the term is the ability to have things that are authentic, things that are integral, that feel good to the hand, plush, layered, and textural. Texture and authenticity is what really makes you feel like you are in a luxurious setting. The quietness comes through the color tones that are blendable and speak to each other in a beautiful way. So it's that combination of peace and texture and authenticity that I think defines quiet luxury, and how I always approach our projects.
Como 3 Seat Sofa & Como Lounge Chair
Turning to your recent project, Project Camelback: what was the initial brief, and what vision guided the design from the start?
I always try to spend a day with a new client early on, even before plans are drawn, around a major marketplace. Typically, I'll meet them in Los Angeles, and we will go anywhere from looking at lighting and sofas to stone and wood floors, all within an 8 hour span. And within that period of time, I listen and best try to understand what comfort means to them and aesthetically how they align with one another. For this client couple on that first visit, I got all the information I needed by lunch - they really cared about design and about the beauty of the home. Their personal vision involved art and fashion as well. We knew from day one that this home would be very elegant.
With the home nestled in Paradise Valley and surrounded by stunning landscape views, how did the natural environment shape your design approach? Were there particular features that inspired or challenged you?
Camelback Mountain was our backdrop, and we knew we had to take advantage of the landscape and views wherever we could. We designed a window in their primary shower that would frame that Camelback peak as if to be a piece of art. I was also really pushing the idea of installing a glass front door, which the client was hesitant on at first. I really wanted them to have that natural light shine into the entryway and create more of a bond between the outdoor and the indoor, which started at the front door. You can see right through that front hallway to the beautiful outdoor pool in the back - it’s just a thoroughfare of beautiful light.
How did you hear about Harbour? What led you to choosing our designs for this space?
We have partnered with Harbour for nearly the last 10 years. I remember being introduced to the collection for the first time in the New York City showroom. They use beautiful materials that create a sense of texture. I was charmed by the unfinished and very natural properties of their woods that they use for tables and furnishing arms. I love their rope-back seating, oftentimes in a dark or nude finish. And I also have always been pleased with the obscure layouts of their sectional sofas - they’re very client-friendly, and they have a sculpture to them that really allows for conversation. What stood out to me the most from the brand when I first saw it was their chocolate travertine. It was something different and presented this wonderful essence of earthiness that feels so important to me.
Our collections appear throughout the outdoor areas of Project Camelback. When sourcing outdoor furniture, what is most important to you from both a design and functional perspective?
Most important to me is that the furniture carries the look of what's inside to the outside and that those two elements talk to one another. What I like about Harbour’s collections is that they’re not too modern. The designs are not overly contemporary - they have this essence of softness. I can apply that easily on the outdoors because it relates to that character trait I'm always trying to achieve in my indoor design. The brand is high quality and easily accessible for all of my projects and client’s budgets.
The home features generous proportions and abundant natural light. How did you balance scale, form, and materiality to create a cohesive and grounded atmosphere?
When I think of scale, I think of grounding it. Everything needs to have a place. So up against a home that has this much gravitas and height and really monumental stone form, is our approach to all of the outdoor layouts. It was very critical that we have a grounding element of an outdoor rug and the outdoor furnishing layout balanced in relation to the home. We wanted to make sure that our layouts would not be just staring at the home, but we'd be taking in the views. All of that had to play. There really is a skill to laying out the outdoor furniture in a way that creates ensembles so that people are driven to sit and converse in cozy vestibules and where people can feel more intimate when they are in a big, wide open space.
Sustainability and longevity are becoming increasingly important in residential design. How do these considerations inform your choices: materials, furnishings, and overall approach?
Natural materials matter. I love when outdoor furnishings are made of materials that can age naturally and give us this evidence of life. I don't expect my outdoor furniture to stay perfect - I want it to show that it's been there, but I want it to be high enough quality that it looks good even with patina. It's an easy choice to turn to products that are sustainable, because they are made of those kinds of materials that are grown correctly and have the right spirit of longevity.
And finally, as you look toward the year ahead, what are you most excited to explore or create in your work?
I'm creating so many things right now that it's hard to say what I'm most excited about, but what I am loving at this point in my career is the ability to provide beautiful things and ideas that are accessible to everyone. I recently launched a Substack newsletter and we’ve been expanding our video content on Instagram as a way to share some of the lessons learned and the points of view that make design achievable and accessible. I want to provide the kind of information that people can really understand and take with them. And I’m starting to think about writing a book to expand upon those ideas further.
Photography by Joshua Caldwell
