Custom Home Design
Cedar + Steel is a custom residential architectural design firm specializing in custom home design across Utah. We work with homeowners who want more than drawings. They want a clear plan, a thoughtful process, and a home that feels intentional from the first sketch to the final build.
Designing a custom home is exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. Budget realities, site conditions, jurisdiction requirements, and structural decisions can quickly muddy the waters. Our job is to bring clarity to that complexity and guide you through the design process with confidence without losing what makes your home uniquely yours.
Custom Home Design Starts With a Clear Blueprint
A successful home doesn’t start with a floor plan, it starts with alignment. Before we draw anything, we work to understand what you’re building, why you’re building it, and what your site and lifestyle require.
Our approach to custom home design is grounded in asking the right questions early:
How do you want the home to feel day-to-day?
What views are we protecting and framing?
How does the site slope, drain, and orient to sun and wind?
What are the true priorities (and what’s just noise)?
What are the budget guardrails that keep design realistic?
This clarity upfront prevents expensive redesign loops later and sets the project up for a smoother experience with builders, engineers, and permitting.
The Blueprint Session: A Smarter Way to Design Your Home
Every great home starts with a great plan. The Blueprint Session is our one-on-one first-step design consultation where we explore your vision, needs, and site conditions to lay the foundation for your future home.
Think of it as the strategic “kickoff” that turns ideas into a clear direction.
What we cover in the Blueprint Session
Depending on where you are in the process, your session may include:
Vision + lifestyle goals (how you live, host, work, and recharge)
Site conditions (slope, access, views, setbacks, constraints)
Feasibility and early budget alignment
Design priorities and decision sequencing
Next-step recommendations so you know exactly how to move forward
The goal is simple: help you leave with clarity. Whether you move into full architectural design with us or simply need a strong starting point, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of what your home needs to become real.
If you’re pursuing custom home design in Utah or surrounding areas, this first step often saves time, reduces stress, and creates a cleaner path to construction.
Structurally-Sound Planning
We believe good design is only as strong as its functionality. Owner Milan Muhlestein’s background in construction and structural engineering gives Cedar + Steel a cutting-edge understanding of what it takes to design homes that are both beautiful and buildable.
That technical foundation shows up in the way we think and draw:
Structural logic that supports clean, open spaces
Buildable details contractors can execute confidently
Fewer surprises during engineering and construction
Clear documentation that helps pricing and permitting go smoother
In the Mountain West, custom home design often involves steep slopes, snow loads, seismic considerations, and strict jurisdictional requirements especially in the high mountain areas. Our process filters every design choice through a lens of precision and performance so the home works as well as it looks.
Inspired by Elements
When you live in the Mountain West, you can’t ignore the surrounding nature. Which is why we strive to bring the outside in. We’re most inspired when a home feels connected to its setting: light, landscape, texture, and climate.
Our work often blends modern design with influences from mountain, Scandinavian, and mid-century styles with clean lines, warm materials, and intentional simplicity. We care about proportion, flow, and the subtle moments that make a home feel calm and elevated.
This is custom home design that respects the land, supports the way you live, and holds up over time
Why Clients Choose Cedar + Steel
Homeowners choose Cedar + Steel because they want:
A clear process that reduces overwhelm
Confident, build-minded design decisions
Strong communication and practical guidance
A home that feels refined without feeling overdesigned
We don’t chase trends or force a signature look. We focus on creating homes that reflect you, supported by thoughtful planning and real-world construction understanding.
Ready to Start?
If you’re looking for custom home design in Utah, or the surrounding states, the Blueprint Session is the best place to begin. It’s the simplest way to create direction and momentum without rushing into decisions too early.
Schedule your Blueprint Session today, and let’s start designing something extraordinary.
