Beyond Picturesque

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LGV Creative

FEATURED PHOTO: There is a hierarchy of mass to this home, which is designed to focus on the scenic mountain views from every room in the house. 

Even we wouldn’t mind doing dishes in this sink, which features a clear view of the most popular peaks in the area. 

The wildly rugged Teton Range in Wyoming is an outdoor-lover’s delight, offering adventures from backcountry skiing and hiking to mountain biking and rock climbing.  In the verdant valley that flows beneath the jagged Tetons—which is dotted with native grasses, silvery-green sagebrush, shimmering aspen trees, and abundant evergreens—sits the Green Meadows Residence. 

Loosely based on an English arts-and-crafts butterfly plan, in which the two wings of the house are constructed at an angle to the center, the design creates the impression of arms reaching out to welcome you onto the property.  Kurt Dubbe, AIA, principal and founder of Dubbe Moulder Architects, led the design team, which drew upon the butterfly formation in a less strict, more site-specific way to capitalize on the jaw-dropping views.  The home’s orientation overlooks some of the most legendary peaks of the Teton Range: the Grand, Middle Grand, South Grand, Static Peak, and Buck Mountain. 

“It’s sort of a traditional English butterfly plan meets a Picasso painting,” describes Dubbe of the design.  “In other words, not everything is perfectly ordered and symmetrical, so there are some cool discoveries and neat experiences as you go through the house.”

The horizontal Douglas fir timbers, native sandstone, Western red cedar-shake roof, and hewn plank siding with synthetic chinking are a nod to the materials traditionally used in this area, which gives the home a Western appearance with a contemporary twist.  The lot’s open meadow landscaping was supplemented with aspen and spruce trees to complement the native grasses and sagebrush, which is left wild just beyond the property’s footprint to perfectly set the stage for the beyond-picturesque mountain views. 

The goal was to keep the entire home, inclusive of the garage, fewer than 5,000 square feet to avoid having to install a sprinkler system, as stipulated by county regulations.  The home boasts soaring Douglas fir tongue-and-groove ceilings in the living room, dining room, and kitchen, which are open for entertaining.  The primary bedroom and en suite, located in the west wing of the first level, also has wooden ceilings as well as a plank-siding feature wall that adds another rustic element to the space.  Three additional bedrooms and bathrooms, in addition to an office, are located on the upper level. 

The view in the living room is of Grand Teton, the tallest peak in the Teton Range at 13,770 feet. 

The highly textured native sandstone fireplace is positioned in the center of the home so as not to distract from the views.  

The chef’s kitchen is a social space that boasts beautifully stained alder cabinets.  The pigment of the monolithic flat Brazilian granite—bespoke with a live edge on the island, which is complete with a second sink for food prep—harmonizes with the colors in the meadow outside, drawing the eye to the mountain vistas. 

The plain-sawn, reclaimed white oak floors that flow through the home are full of character, thanks to the dark spots where old nail holes have been cleaned and sanded down.  A substantial native sandstone fireplace is positioned as an organizing feature between the foyer and the living room, providing some visual separation without isolating the spaces.  Having the chimney away from the exterior wall also ensures the outstanding views are not disrupted.

The whimsical chandelier and contemporary horse artwork blend with the antique furniture collected by the family over the years to create an eclectic flair that works well in the home.

The green granite in the kitchen ties in visually to the natural sagebrush meadow, creating even more connection between the indoor and outdoor spaces.

To balance the use of these rough materials inside, the walls were lightly textured with veneer plaster to offer flexibility for showcasing the owners’ artwork and antique furnishings—eclectic pieces that contribute to the personality of the home. 

Views are paramount, even in the stairwell, which features a custom wrought-iron handrail fabricated by a local blacksmith.

The windows throughout are free of muntin bars (the divisions within a window) and frame the views in each room with a specific perspective that is dynamic depending on your position in the home.  Deep porches and a large deck complete with a redwood pergola provide additional entertaining space for outdoor cooking and al fresco dining, extending the all-important connection to the great outdoors.  

The plank-siding wall in the primary bedroom is a beautiful backdrop for the massive antique wooden bed. The fur-covered antler ottoman adds a quirky touch. 

ARCHITECT

Kurt Dubbe, AIA, Principal & Founder

Dubbe Moulder Architects

BUILDER

Tom Dillon

Construction